Anthony's River Oaks adds weekday Italian lunch menu Pranzo!

Anthony's River Oaks is launching Pranzo!, a weekday lunch menu in Houston's River Oaks neighborhood built around house-made pasta, Tuscan schiacciata sandwiches and premium Italian ingredients. The menu debuts this summer and runs Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Why it matters: - Anthony's River Oaks is aiming at the weekday lunch crowd with a faster, more polished Italian option in one of Houston's premier dining areas. - The menu leans on house-made pasta, imported ingredients and extra virgin olive oil, which positions the offering as a premium alternative to standard lunch fare. - The restaurant is also betting that ingredient-focused dining will resonate with professionals, neighborhood residents and shoppers who want quality without a long meal.

What happened: - Anthony's River Oaks introduced Pranzo!, a new weekday lunch menu for Houston's River Oaks neighborhood. - Pranzo! will be available Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. - The launch is scheduled for this summer. - The menu centers on fresh pasta and Tuscan schiacciata sandwiches.

The details: - The Fresh Pasta Lunch lets guests choose from rigatoni, pappardelle, fettuccine, gnocchi and spaghetti. - Sauce options include Pomodoro Sauce, Anthony's Vodka Sauce, Cacio e Pepe con Ricotta, Sicilian Pistachio Pesto, Wild Mushroom Truffle Cream and Wagyu Meat Sauce. - Each pasta lunch comes with a Caesar Salad or Lemon Arugula Salad. - Guests can add Gulf shrimp, wild salmon, Wagyu meatballs, chicken breast, Italian fennel sausage or seasonal vegetables. - Schiacciata sandwich options include the Vodka Wagyu Meatball, Tuscan Deli, Prosciutto & Burrata, Prime Steak, Vodka Chicken Parmesan and Chicken Milanese. - Sandwich builds feature ingredients such as Prosciutto di Parma, Toscano salami, fresh mozzarella, burrata, pistachio pesto, New York strip steak, caramelized onions and truffle aioli. - Every schiacciata comes with a choice of Caesar Salad, Lemon Arugula Salad or Parmesan Fries. - Fresh pasta is made daily with Italian-imported semolina flour and no additives. - The kitchen uses premium imported Italian ingredients and extra virgin olive oil instead of seed oils throughout the menu.

Between the lines: - Anthony Russo is framing Pranzo! as a return to traditional Italian cooking, with an emphasis on craftsmanship and ingredient sourcing. - The menu gives Anthony's River Oaks another way to keep midday traffic moving while still charging for a more elevated experience. - The no-seed-oil message signals a broader wellness and quality pitch that may help the restaurant stand out in a crowded lunch market.

What's next: - Pranzo! will become a regular weekday offering at Anthony's River Oaks once the summer launch begins. - Anthony's River Oaks appears to be using the lunch menu to extend its brand beyond dinner and special occasions. - Anthony Russo said lunch should not feel like an afterthought and that Pranzo! is meant to deliver handcrafted pasta, premium ingredients and the hospitality guests expect from the restaurant.

The bottom line: - Anthony's River Oaks is turning weekday lunch into a premium Italian occasion, with made-in-house pasta and imported ingredients as the main draw.

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