Campisi’s Dallas roots run just about as deep as they come. Since the Mockingbird Lane location opened in 1946, this neighborhood institution for casual Italian dining has acquired a sterling local reputation and an infamous history that forever entwines it with its host city. From rumors of the family’s long-ago Mafia connections — a "myth," the present-day owners insist, although they seem to welcome the mystique — to the curious "Egyptian" designation of the original restaurant (so-named for the eatery it annexed upon opening), Campisi’s staffs four generations of the proprietary family. They'll still tell you how Jack Ruby (Lee Harvey Oswald’s assassin) dined with them the night Oswald murdered JFK. Tables of customers often seat patrons who’ve been coming on a weekly basis since infancy, or Dallas emigrants who’ve been looking forward to returning home just for this meal. As the chain now boasts a handful of locations throughout the DFW metroplex, Campisi’s has grown and prospered alongside the Big D. Although these popular eateries offer a full-blown Italian menu — including spaghettis, lasagnas, raviolis and house-made sausages and meatballs — locals consider the Campisi name to be almost synonymous with gourmet pizza. Pies retain an oval shape and come with a cracker-thin crust and a mysteriously delicious sauce that is simultaneously sweet and bitter, rich and light. And don’t forget about the side salads and meaty crab claws with garlic butter sauce.
Full bar. Serving lunch and dinner Mon–Sat. Closed Sun.
"The secret, in our humble opinion? ... it's the sauce: slow-simmered, richly concentrated, slightly sweet and slightly bitter, with a perfect nip of spice."
— Dallas Observer
Campisi’s Dallas roots run just about as deep as they come. Since the Mockingbird Lane location opened in 1946, this neighborhood institution for casual Italian dining has acquired a sterling local reputation and an infamous history that forever entwines it with its host city. From rumors of the family’s long-ago Mafia connections — a "myth," the present-day owners insist, although they seem to welcome the mystique — to the curious "Egyptian" designation of the original restaurant (so-named for the eatery it annexed upon opening), Campisi’s staffs four generations of the proprietary family. They'll still tell you how Jack Ruby (Lee Harvey Oswald’s assassin) dined with them the night Oswald murdered JFK. Tables of customers often seat patrons who’ve been coming on a weekly basis since infancy, or Dallas emigrants who’ve been looking forward to returning home just for this meal. As the chain now boasts a handful of locations throughout the DFW metroplex, Campisi’s has grown and prospered alongside the Big D. Although these popular eateries offer a full-blown Italian menu — including spaghettis, lasagnas, raviolis and house-made sausages and meatballs — locals consider the Campisi name to be almost synonymous with gourmet pizza. Pies retain an oval shape and come with a cracker-thin crust and a mysteriously delicious sauce that is simultaneously sweet and bitter, rich and light. And don’t forget about the side salads and meaty crab claws with garlic butter sauce.
Full bar. Serving lunch and dinner Mon–Sat. Closed Sun.
"The secret, in our humble opinion? ... it's the sauce: slow-simmered, richly concentrated, slightly sweet and slightly bitter, with a perfect nip of spice."
— Dallas Observer