From Flora to Stella, New Dallas Arts District Restaurant to Open
The opulent former space of Flora Street Café has a new lease on life with a gorgeous new Italian restaurant opening “sometime this winter” according to Tricolore Pride, the ownership group behind it.
La Stella Cucina Verace will bring authentic, regional Italian food, lifestyle, and culture to Dallas. Our fair city was once an Italian food desert but now we have many fabulous options from which to choose and this one will be special.
La Stella has a simple goal: to bring a “verace” (genuine, authentic) way of life to the city. For the first-class team behind this restaurant, that means bringing the nostalgia of family recipes and traditions, and an appreciation for good food, good wine, and “the good life.”
Chef Luigi Iannuario will lead the culinary efforts and brings with him the experience of working at a three-star Michelin restaurant in the Franciacorta area of Italy. Leading the dining experience is Riccardo Ravaglia who honed his style working for Cipriani restaurants around the world. The beverage program will be led by John Dal Canton who has extensive knowledge of Italian wines in particular. Both Chef Iannuario and Dal Canton have previously worked in Frisco at The Star; Chef at the now-closed Da Mario Ristorante Autentico, and John as the Food & Beverage Manager at The Cowboys Club. Is it a coincidence that the name of their new venture Le Stella means “the star?” I think not, but with this lineup, earning stars is in the stars for them, so it works either way.
Costoletta di Vitello Alla Milanese 
Risotto Oro del Maestro
Chef Iannuario is reinterpreting comforting recipes from regions across Italy, preparing dishes the way they have been for generations, with a modern twist. Signature dishes include traditional Gnocco Fritto con Salumi e Formaggi Misti, Paccheri All’Astice, made with pasta imported from Gragnano Napoli, Fra Diavolo Maine Lobster, fresh tomato, fine herbs and lobster fumetto, Risotto Oro del Maestro, Pesce Al Sale, Gnocchi Gratinati, and the Costoletta di Vitello Alla Milanese.
La Stella will also offer a dry-aged meat program, including imported Prosciutto, sliced tableside, bringing a uniquely Italian experience to Texas. Desserts will include Semifreddo alla Nutella con Meringhe e salsa caldo al cioccolato fondente and Faby’s Tiramisu. If you’d like to understand what you’ve just read, here is the link to google translate.
La Stella will fill a gap in the Arts District dining scene since Flora Street’s departure in January 2020. The restaurant will have a bar, a private area for dinner parties, and outdoor seating for “Aperitivo Sotto Le Stelle,” meaning aperitif under the stars, which will also be available to rent for private events. Sounds favoloso!
What happened to this restaurant? Did it open and immediately close?