Dinner Near Pennybacker Bridge: A Restaurant That Earns the Drive

Pennybacker Bridge is one of those Austin landmarks that gets under people's skin. The arc of it over Lake Austin, the hill country dropping away on either side — it's the kind of view that makes you want to make an evening of it rather than just pass through. Siena Ristorante Toscana sits less than a mile from the bridge, at the corner of RM 2222 and Loop 360, and has been the right answer to "where should we go after that drive" for a long time.

The Bridge Sets the Mood. Siena Sustains It.

There's a particular kind of Austin evening that starts with the bridge and needs somewhere worthy to land. Siena is that place. The Tuscan architecture — stone walls, heavy wooden beams, a wood grill you can hear and smell from the dining room, balcony seating that makes the room feel larger than it is — carries the same quality as the drive that preceded it. You arrived somewhere. The evening has a shape to it.

The covered patio and bar open at 4:30 PM, and on the right Austin evening, that's where you want to begin. A glass from the Wine Spectator-recognized list, the temperature finally agreeable, no particular urgency. The transition from the bridge to the patio to the dining room is the kind of sequence that makes a night memorable without trying too hard.

What to Order

The wood grill is where the kitchen makes its statement. The 16oz ribeye with Calabrian chili butter is the obvious choice if that's the direction you're headed, but the Salmone Toscano — grilled salmon with shrimp, crabmeat, and lemon butter sauce — is worth knowing about if you want something lighter. Chef David Hernandez runs rotating specials Thursday through Saturday, and those are usually the most interesting things on the menu that week.

Start with the Carpaccio — raw Wagyu beef, capers, Parmesan frico, truffle aioli, arugula — or the Fichi Ripieni with dry-cured figs, Prosciutto di Parma, and goat cheese. These are the kind of first courses that make the pacing of an Italian meal work in your favor: something to share, something to talk about, before the pasta and the entrée arrive.

Getting There

Siena Ristorante Toscana is at 6203 N Capital of Texas Hwy, Austin, TX 78731 — the corner of RM 2222 and Loop 360, just north of Pennybacker Bridge. Dinner runs Monday through Saturday from 4:30 PM. Reservations through OpenTable at sienaaustin.com. For private events: events@sienarestaurant.com.