A Taste of Argentina and Italy in Texas: The Story of Palermo Pasta House
Let me tell you about this incredible little gem tucked away in downtown Round Rock—Palermo Pasta House. It’s not just a restaurant, it’s a heartfelt story that starts with tradition, travels halfway across the world, and ends on your plate in the form of fresh, handmade pasta. If you’re into food that’s as much about legacy as it is about flavor, you’re going to love this.
Antonio Giner, the chef and owner, opened Palermo Pasta House back in 2015 after moving from West Texas to Central Texas. But his story really starts way earlier, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he grew up making pasta with his father. For Antonio, pasta isn’t just Italian—it’s family. In Argentina, where a large part of the population has Italian roots, pasta is as everyday as bread. It’s not an occasion—it’s just what you eat . He jokes that everyone’s grandma makes ravioli on Sundays, and honestly, that’s the vibe he’s recreated at Palermo.
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Originally, he opened the restaurant right across from its current Main Street location in Round Rock, but in 2021, they upgraded to a bigger space. That move brought more room for diners and an expanded menu. And trust me, that menu is a dream—appetizers, salads, pizzas, calzones, and over two dozen pasta sauces you can pair with six different pasta shapes. You can create your own perfect combo. And everything’s made in-house—sauces, pasta, pizza dough, even the cheese is freshly grated.
Antonio didn’t just stumble into the kitchen, either. After studying business in California, he took a sabbatical and went back to Argentina to become a certified professional chef, baker, and pastry chef. The guy seriously committed to mastering his craft before launching this pasta haven.
And what makes this place even more special is how involved the community has become. Locals love the food so much they’ve been asking to buy the pasta and sauces to cook at home—so now, Palermo Pasta House is looking to make that happen. They’re working on packaging their homemade noodles and sauces for retail, which is honestly genius.
Antonio says he’s grateful for the diverse and supportive customer base they’ve built in Round Rock. “We’re very happy that everyone from everywhere likes pasta,” he said. And how can you not? With flavors that remind you of a cozy family dinner and the care that goes into every dish, Palermo Pasta House is a little piece of culinary love that brings two cultures together on a plate.
So next time you’re in the area, trust me—skip the chain spots. Go get yourself a plate of handmade gnocchi, a wood-fired calzone, or that perfect pasta and sauce combo. Because at Palermo, it’s not just about what you eat—it’s about how it makes you feel. And you’re going to leave full, satisfied, and maybe a little nostalgic—even if your grandma didn’t make ravioli on Sundays.
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