Asti has graced this leafy, pleasant corner of Hyde Park for ten years, watching Austin diners slowly—and then suddenly, it seems—grow more sophisticated. For the most part, it’s successfully kept up; certainly better than the outdated places around it. While usually reliable, the dishes coming out of this open kitchen have, at times, soared to levels of greatness—usually on the specials insert, and always when a new chef de cuisine is at the helm. We’ve also experienced some out-of-character lows, but its default setting is pretty high, and it’s one of the few Austin restaurants making real Italian food.

There isn’t really a strict regional focus here; the brief menu is diverse in price and size and ventures up and down the Boot, changing somewhat seasonally. Pizzas are always good, with their crisp semolina crusts, which are neither really puffy nor thin. Polenta is spot on, and pasta made in-house is usually cooked to an ideal al dente; sauces are delicious in unassuming, simple ways—look to the larger dishes for more complexity and fireworks.

You needn’t know anything about wine or Italian producers to get a great bottle on this affordable list—there are no landmines here. That’s a rare service to the diner, especially in Italian restaurants. Equally hospitable is the chic-but-comfortable décor and friendly service. Asti’s overall dressed-down sophistication is, well, very Austin.