Even though River Oaks Italian restaurant Zanti Cucina Italiana opened in November at 1958 West Gray, it’s already made quite an impression —  we named it an honorable mention on our 2022 list of Best New Restaurant. It’s the second location from founder Santiago “Santi” Peláez and his team; the original in The Woodlands opened in 2019. Joining Peláez in this venture are director of operations Stefano Ferrero and executive chef Hilario Zamora. 

The River Oak’s outpost boasts an expanded selection of entrées and an upscale experience similar to the original. While Zanti’s menu does include some modern Italian dishes, much of it focuses on more traditional Italian cuisine, and offers an extensive selection of charcuterie, antipasti, pizza, pasta, soups, salads, meat and seafood.