Di Campli's Italian Ristorante

Di Campli's Italian Ristorante is a Waco choice for authentic Italian cooking from chef/owner Massimo Di Campli. The first-visit order can lean into the confirmed signatures: lamb chops, scratch potato dumplings with Italian sausage and gorgonzola cream, wild mushroom and ricotta ravioli, tiramisu.

The value case is clear at about $45 per person. That puts it above a quick casual meal, while the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2026 gives diners a confirmed point of recognition. The smart move is to treat this as a place for a deliberate Italian meal: hours begin at 11 AM on open days, with Monday through Thursday split into daytime and evening service, Friday and Saturday running continuously until 10 PM, Sunday closed.

Use the first visit for pasta, the second for a fuller meal

The kitchen's clearest identity is authentic Italian rather than generic comfort food. Chef Massimo Di Campli is the name behind the restaurant, the signature dishes point toward hearty, classic flavors. For a first dinner, choose one filled pasta or dumpling-style dish and one protein so the meal does not become too rich. The potato dumplings with sausage and gorgonzola cream are the richer call; the wild mushroom and ricotta ravioli is the better choice for a table that wants pasta without turning the whole meal into a weighty one.

The 2026 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence is a meaningful recognition, but the safest way to approach the meal is still to ask the restaurant for current guidance rather than assume a particular bottle, pairing, or format. For a return visit, build around the dishes that sounded too rich to fit into the first order, especially lamb chops and tiramisu.

Lunch is the practical test; dinner is the better occasion

Daytime service is the easier way to decide whether the restaurant fits the reader's rotation. Di Campli's Italian Ristorante lists hours Monday through Thursday from 11 AM to 2 PM and 4 PM to 9 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 10 PM, Sunday closed. Specific daytime dishes should be checked with the restaurant directly, but the schedule makes an earlier visit possible on most open days.

Dinner is the stronger choice for a more deliberate meal. The dress code is smart casual, so neat dinner clothes make sense without needing formalwear. The better use case is a table that wants to slow down over authentic Italian cooking and order enough dishes to understand the restaurant beyond one plate.

Where it fits in a Waco dining plan

For visitors building a full Waco food weekend, this should be the Italian dinner slot, not the all-purpose meal for every occasion. Pair it with a more casual daytime stop from our full Waco restaurants guide, or compare it with other Waco dining rooms generically for different formats. The decision is simple: choose Di Campli's Italian Ristorante for authentic Italian cooking at about $45 per person; choose elsewhere when the priority is breakfast, a faster casual meal, or a different cuisine.

Planning around the posted schedule helps. Sunday is off the table, weekday daytime hours are the lowest-friction trial run, Friday or Saturday dinner is the later-evening option. For a broader trip, use Waco lodging resources, our full Waco bars guide, other Waco planning guides around the meal.