Mandola’s Italian Market

Mandola’s is a great place for several reasons. I think my favorite thing about Mandola’s is that it’s a great place to bring a large group. We bring family here from out of town because of how easy it is. Everyone pays upfront when they order at the counter and there is always plenty of seating for big groups, and it just takes the hassle out of big family gatherings. The food is also great, the french fries with the creamy pesto dip is heavenly and a must every time we go. The complimentary bread is always warm and fresh. I have never had a bad meal at either location. Great dessert counter with yummy cookies for afterwards or a great selection of gelato. One evening, we were the last to leave Mandola’s and they offered us all of their baked breads to take home for free just because it was the end of the day. It was such a treat!

Its unique environment and interesting décor are fantastic! The food is mediocre and lacks basic seasoning. Every dished we ordered was bland. The service felt rushed from beginning to end.
Go somewhere for good Italian food and service. Come here for the dessert!

Tried to call to place order to go and kept getting weird message. Called another location and was told they take the phones off the hook if they are busy. Arrived at 8:00 to place a to go order and was told 10 – 15 minute wait time, it was not busy at all. After 30 minutes, we asked someone to check on progress and at the counter it looked like he was in a heated discussion with the kitchen staff. When we asked what the issue was, we were told that it was not ready… apparently one of the items we ordered was a special order item that takes 30 minutes. We would have preferred to have been told about this when we placed the order. One of the staff members was being incredibly rude, so we asked to speak to a manager. The manager, Sam was at the kitchen counter looking at us. The girl with whom we were speaking looked at him and said in a very condescending tone, «Sam, do you want to come talk to these lovely people?» Sam replied, «No, not really.» He then looked at someone else and told them to go get us a gift card.
The order was incorrect. When I called back to the store I was hung up on. I called back and asked for Sam directly. He advised me that the order only took 20 minutes to fill and then said, «I think it’s best that we not do business together anymore, and I’m perfectly fine with that. I know the difference between someone who is genuine and someone who is not. If you have a problem call Craig at corporate.» He then hung up on me.
I seriously cannot believe the total lack of professionalism. I don’t want the gift card. I wanted a conversation with a person who is supposed to run a company meant to feed people with a friendly/​family vibe. So, yes… I’ll be calling Craig at corporate 512−600−3505 and I’ll continue to let people know how unimpressed we were with our totally unauthentic Italian family experience.

This place is a hidden gem! (in fact, I’ve driven right by it several times) It’s tucked away directly across the street from Whole Foods.
As far as authentic goes, you can’t do much better than this for Italian, at least not in South Austin area.
It’s an odd, but brilliant concept with a one-​stop-​shop feel. You can order Italian food to-​go or eat in, buy your Italian cuisine groceries or stop at the back counter for gelato (OR ALL OF THE ABOVE). We shared a pizza and I had an excellent glass of wine, recommended by the staff there. Any place that can recommend a wine gets an up vote from me. AND the wine selection is large too. The pizza was large and heavily topped, and the cheese was excellent.
We’ll be back! I want to try the gelato and have another glass of wine of course!

I love this restaurant! The food is delicious and I love the deserts! All the deserts! It is a great place to take kids! They have a beautiful patio with bocce ball, a playscape, and trees. The ambiance and the experience is wonderful. My kids love to eat here and our family always has a wonderful experience when we go!

Always enjoy Mandola’s. Never miss getting a cannoli on my way out.

Great restaurant with a nice room in the back to take kids with access to a playground. The Chopped Italian Salad is the best salad on the planet. Lasagna is really good as well.

If you like eating overpriced Italian food that lacks the charm that you become accustomed to when going to an Italian restaurant then this suburgatory is the place for you. The food is good. The service is kind of nonexistent. One of the people we were having lunch with on Saturday had ordered a coffee after the meal and it never came until she had to flag someone down and ask them for it. And even then it didn’t come so she had to go talk to someone about it. We tried a smörgåsbord of cookies and they were all tasty but nothing I would order again. When we arrived, we placed our orders and were given two glasses which seemed to be really dirty and one of them actually had lipstick stains. Talk about unhygienic malfeasance. I shared a margherita pizza and I paid a $ 12.99. The pizza portion was a generous amount that two people were easily able to share it and we had a little bit leftover but just the whole dining experience because of the lack of service (nonexistent at best) leaves you with so much to be desired. #ThanksButNoThanks

Great authentic and casual. Bruschetta, wine, pizzas are good, but the hot and cold salad is the best!

Craving pasta one night. Wasn’t sure what was in the area, so we pulled into a random parking lot and got on our trusty Unilocal app. Saw this place and decided to try it.
I was a little anxious when we got there and saw the line was to the door… but then I thought «if all these people are in line waiting, the food here must be good.»
We ordered a starter of the garlic fries, Fettuccini Alfredo and small Caesar salad for me; spaghetti and meatballs also with a small Caesar for my hubby. In addition, a fountain drink for him and just water for me. With tip, it was just about $ 60. Very reasonable in my book.
We got our number, drinks and silverware and found our table. The waiter had literally been following us with our salads and bread. Oh the bread. Neither of us is a fan of focaccia but OMG with the herb oil (or even without it) it was yummy. Salads were crisp and fresh.
Garlic fries next. Good but I could only eat a couple. They really do mean they are garlic fries, and I have an ulcer. Wish I didn’t, because I definitely would have eaten more. Hubby really enjoyed them. The basil cream sauce with it is ah-​mazing!
Entrees next. Wow. My fettuccine was so good. Sauce was thick and rich, without being TOO thick and rich (like the kind where you can feel your arteries clog while eating it). I could still taste the pasta, which was cooked perfectly. Hubby really enjoyed his spaghetti and meatballs, and I even tried a bite of the inside of one (away from the red sauce). Very good.
We were stuffed. I saw some reviews stating portions were too small. I disagree and think they are just right. We were full but didn’t feel like we were headed for a coma or fall asleep on the way home.
Then on the way out … Trouble in the form of the dessert area. Yeah, wouldn’t you know it, a piece of their lemon cheesecake (mine) and coconut cake (hubs) apparently wanted to come home with us.
We didn’t get to them until the next day. Ladies, that cheesecake was curl-​your-​toes good. Nice and light, creamy with just a hint of lemon.
We didn’t stop talking about how great that meal was for 2 days. Posted on FB about it. Raved to everyone we know.
Well, a few days later we decided to stop by for lunch. Asked if I could get the gnocchi with Alfredo sauce (ulcer) and there was no problem. Hubby got the sausage and pepper sandwich.
The gnocchi were little pillows of fluffiness that just melted on my tongue. The manager came by to check and make sure it turned out OK because sometimes it’s tricky to make gnocchi with the white sauce as it can easily seize. I thought that was as a very nice touch.
Will definitely be back. Don’t let a long line scare you. It moves quickly and the food is worth the wait!

I like Mandola’s, don’t get me wrong. It’s an excellent fast and casual Italian food restaurant. I love the mista salad and the small $ 4 portion is very generous. My fiancé came here to celebrate after a long day from signing on our first house! I ordered the steak sandwich. He ordered the fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and we got a carafe of mimosa for $ 14!
The food was great and I love that it’s also a cute Italian market. My only complaint is that our 2 entrees, a salad and carafe of mimosa cost us close to $ 60 with tip! Not so casual pricewise… kind of pricey.

One of the most «awesomest» and consistent place to eat a variety of fresh items! This place has it all indoors oR outdoor seating, games, playground! Fresh gelato, bakery, deli, pizza and pastas. They also have great salads and anything u want to drink! This place is always extremely clean and cordial! I bet you will love your dining experience! I love the little tables for small one — toooooo cute

We frequent Mandola’s on both the north and south side of Austin. Both are equally good and we have had a great meal and experience everytime we have eaten there.
After dinner, don’t forget to stroll across the dining area to look at there deserts. Never met a desert there I didn’t like.
there coffee is really good there too.

Oh man. So, my husband and I go to Austin semi-​regularly, but we usually have our «go to» spots. I’d never been here before. After reconnecting with some family members in the late summer, we came here for dinner. SO GOOD. My cousins apparently come here on the regular, and I can definitely see why.
You get the feel of an authentic Italian market when you enter and the food? Oh the food. Cousin got the carbonara, which isn’t on the menu anymore, but they were happy to make it for her. I think I got a basic capellini pomodoro, but it was phenomenal. Everything tasted ridiculously fresh and all of the employees were super friendly. We got there about 40 minutes before close, and right as we were done eating, they were giving away goodies that they would’ve otherwise tossed at close. Cousin went home with a loaf of bread, other cousin and my husband had some deviled eggs.
Highly recommend this place! We will definitely be back to load up on carbs the next time we’re in Austin!

I am from Houston, but I went here with my boyfriend and was very pleased! I asked for the half portion, but because it was the weekend, they said no. I have Ulcerative Colitis and have found that for me, it is much easier to just eat smaller meals. I explained this to the cashier and he worked with me, by letting me order the same thing just on the kids menu! LOVE! We also ordered calamari as a starter and it was delicious! You don’t have a server here, but they bring you out your food pretty quickly!
Also! For all of you moms of babies out there, they have a very nice set up in the bathroom for you. Instead of the yucky plastic changing table, they have a real cherry wooden table! Below they have all different size diapers, wipes, baby lotion, baby powder, and Lysol to spray it down before and after! Can someone say AMAZING?!

We are visiting from New Jersey that has a lot of good Italian places. We are pleased Mandola’s was the first place we ate at here in Austin. Concept is unique; a market with a huge restaurant in the middle. You place an order at the counter, get a number and then your food is brought to your table along with yummy bread and oil. Service is fast. People are friendly. We had spaghetti and meatballs, meat lovers pizza, calamari, and garlic fries (get the fries!!!) and then had gelatto for dessert. Everything was excellent. This place was a treat to all our senses! We loved it.

This is really really bad mista salad i ever get horrible cheese… And no vinaigrette. Horrible
Just go to lamar one
Here so so so bad

I was very impressed with this place. The dining concept is unique, and the food is good. This is a great place for families, a large party, a couple, and everything in between. This is NOT a good place for people who are sensitive to noise.
When you first walk in, there is a stand with menus to the left. You grab a menu and wait in line to order. The food is your standard Italian style food — pizzas, pasta dishes, a few chicken options, etc…
After you place your order and pay, the rest is on you. Grab your own drink, whatever utensils you need, and find a seat. There are two separate dining rooms with plenty of space. They give you a «ticket on a stick» so they know where to bring your food. There is no traditional wait staff, you simply head to the counter and grab what you need, whenever you need it.
Even though we did not have a server, we had bussers stop by our table regularly to make sure we were good, and to replenish our bread. I ordered the herb chicken with vegetables, and it was very good. Also had the caprese salad which was good as well.
When you’re finished, you can leave when you’re ready since you already paid. No waiting for a server, know bill arguments, no waiting for dessert. There is a dessert counter opposite the dinner counter that you pass by in the way out. You can either get dessert and sit back down, or get it to go.
This is not the best Italian meal I have ever had, or anywhere even close to it. The food is VERY good though, and the concept is fun and super convenient. We will most definitely be dining here again soon.

I expected this place to be more of a market with a small restaurant inside, but it’s actually the opposite. It’s primarily a restaurant where you can purchase several Italian goods. You place your order & pay, receive a number, and get seated. Every table gets foccacia bread & olive oil. The bread was all right — a bit too hard and crunchy, but the oil is amazing (but I enjoy olive oil on many of my dishes).
Tortellini Moda Mia: ³⁄₅. The tortellini is stuffed with various meats & cheeses — tasted like a typical tortellini to me. It comes with a cream sauce (pretty similar to alfredo IMO, but I’m not an Italian food expert) with peas & mushrooms. I was starving, so it tasted pretty good, but honestly, this is something I could probably make at home — not really worth the $ 12 I spent on it.
The restaurant seems a bit pricey for the kind of food you’re getting. My mom ordered the fettuccine alfredo with chicken and complained of it being VERY bland.

So, I’m half-​Italian. Okay, so according to Ancestory’s DNA test, I’m 28% Italian and a beautifully nice mix of lovely European races, but either way, I grew up in an Italian home full of Italian culture, so when I moved to Austin and found a restaurant that sold Italian deli meats, I was SO excited! When I lived in Shreveport, our family shopped at Maxwell’s for all of our Italian foods, and when we visited New York, we stopped at all of the best Italian places that our family had been going to for years. When I lived in Mississippi, none of these things existed, so I was very excited (Whole Foods is overpriced.)
I walked in for the first time, and it’s all open-​air! The deli is directly in front of the door; you can buy Italian meats, olives, cheeses, pastries, and coffees. The center is all round tables that seat four, and to the far left is the restaurant line. It looked like a lunch line with an active grill and pizza oven behind the counter. I didn’t stay for lunch, because I was only there for deli meats today.
TO THE DELI COUNTER! MAKE HASTE! Flip flops and all. I look in the case, look at the prices, and I am happy. I decide that I want my favorites: pistachio mortadella, sweet sopressata, and sweet capicola.
But wait… why aren’t either of these two ladies acknowledging my existence? They walk back and forth, one of them looks at me briefly and goes back to her pacing. I wonder if I’m standing in the right spot? I try standing near the cash register, then I move back to the meat counter. A few moments later, the younger woman decides to help me. I tell her that I’d like to start with ½lb. of pistachio mortadella. She looks at the cooler for a moment, slowly turns over a hunk of deli meat log, and then says, «We’re out.»
«Okay. Can I get plain mortadella?» She cuts that up for me, in nicely sized slices, and it takes 5 minutes. Then, I ask for sweet sopressata. «We’re out.» I want my hubby butt to try my favorite meats, and he doesn’t like spicy much, so I don’t opt for the spicy. I ask for sweet capicola. «We’re out.»
Despite having seen sweet versions of sopressata in the case and possibly behind her on the counter, I was ready to leave after the 10 minutes that I had been there and I was beginning to feel like they didn’t want to slice any meat, so they were conveniently out. I admit, I do look young, naïve, and as if I don’t know things. I can understand how it would appear as if it would be easy to trick me. I was bored, so I didn’t bother to ask about it.
I paid my amazing price of $ 3.50, and the other, older woman asked if I would like them to order it. I declined, because I didn’t want to have them order a full log just for me, who rarely goes shopping. She says it’s no problem and gets the manager.
He comes up and begins to fuss at them a little bit before he apologizes because they DO, in fact, have sweet sopressata. The universe is apparently in my favor, and I am apparently meant to have some sweet sopressata!
Long story short — I felt a little unwelcome. The head chef (?) was very good to me, though. The meat was tasty, and I’ll be back to try the food!