Sagra is Permanently Closed

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Sagra was a casual, yet elegant Italian enoteca and trattoria located in the historic center of Austin. Its Executive Chef/Owner Gabriel Pellegrini created a menu of new renditions of Old World classics. This was the restaurant's website.

Unfortunately, Sagra has closed permanently.
Content is from the site's archived pages.

We will miss you, Sagra.

 

On the northern edge of downtown yet ensconced in a quiet residential neighborhood, Sagra offers Italian fare in a peaceful setting. Owner-chef Gabriel Pellegrini’s cooking highlights organic and local ingredients. Antipasti like the zuppa di cozze, PEI mussels bobbing in a fragrant white wine and garlic broth, and the bruschetta del giorno are meant to be shared and enjoyed casually with quartinos. For lighter dinners and lunches, we like the colorful pizzas, such as the pizza Sagra, dressed with Pecorino, mozzarella, spinach, truffle oil and a fried egg. Luxurious risotto alla pescatora with shrimp, crab, clams, mussels, saffron and tomato is a standout among the primi. Some of the heartier Tuscan entrées are often tinged with Texas influences, such as the wild boar osso buco. A low-key Sunday brunch features frittatas and caramelized french toast accompanied by bottomless mimosas and Bellinis.

PRESS

 

About

Sagra, a casual, yet elegant Italian enoteca and trattoria, is located in the historic center of Austin in a rustic old home reminiscent of an Italian farmhouse. Executive Chef/Owner Gabriel Pellegrini has created a menu of new renditions of Old World classics that feature wood-fired pizzas, homemade mozzarella, house-cured meats and homemade pastas. Nightly specials, an inviting staff, Italian wine list and warm atmosphere come together to create a memorable Italian dining experience.Welcome to Sagra. From the moment you enter the door, you’ll be taken in by the soothing décor, the relaxing atmosphere, welcoming staff, and the glow of our wood-burning oven – all this and more tells you you’re in for a treat. Stop in and enjoy one of our delicious homemade pizzas and a quartino of wine.

We make everything in house and all of our food is cooked to order. No basil, no salt, no gluten, All no problem! Reserve a table for that special occasion and linger over a full-course meal or sit at the bar and savor one of our cocktails with a pizza, inspired by the classics. Either way, at Sagra our guests are treated like royalty. All of our food is handmade. We make all our own breads, pastas, and desserts. All our ingredient are produced locally or from the finest purveyors in Italy and America

Inspired by the bistro-style meals served at Italy’s many railway stations, Chef Pellegrini’s menu features a combination of Old World traditions with subtle yet sophisticated renditions of contemporary Italian fare. The highest priority is placed on using the freshest ingredients available to create memorably delicious meals. Each day, we make our own thin-crust dough, pastas and mozzarella to produce a dozen delectable pizzas, all cooked to Neapolitan perfection on a flat stone in our authentic Italian oven. The menu also offers new twists on Italian specialties like pasta carbonara, made with house-cured pancetta and fresh peas, topped with a parmesan sauce and egg.
    

All of our food is handmade. We make all our own breads, pastas, and desserts. All our ingredient are produced locally or from the finest purveyors in Italy and America.

Wine & Libations

At Sagra we take our cocktails very, very seriously.Our expert bartenders use only the finest ingredients, sourced locally and from the most reputable international sources. We grow our own herbs and all specialty cocktails are made with only the finest local and Italian Spirits.  

 

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Parties at Your House or Ours?

Whether casual or formal, any occasion calls for Sagra. Our dedicated team will work with you to create a corporate function, cocktail party, reception or holiday gathering that is special and distinctly yours, either at our location or one of your choosing. Selecting items from our seasonal menu and pairing cocktails or wines to enhance your guests' enjoyment, we can help take the guesswork out of event planning so you can focus on enjoying your party.  Please contact our event coordinator at (512)535-5988 or at info@sagrarestaurant.net.  

Quality is very important to us at Sagra,  by using two different local delivery services everyone in the Austin Area can have Sagra’s food delivered right to their door.

 

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I still smile when I think back to all the evenings I spent at Sagra. As a die-hard Austin golfer, I’d often head there after a round to unwind with friends, savoring their wood-fired pizzas and a quartino of wine. The atmosphere was always relaxed yet elegant — the kind of place where you could talk golf swings one minute and pasta carbonara the next.

One of my fondest memories is actually golf-related. Over brunch one Sunday, I overheard a couple at the next table debating the merits of their new clubs. They were raving about their favorite Tour Edge TE 200s, a name I hadn’t even considered at the time. Curiosity got the better of me, I asked a question or two, and before long we were swapping golf stories like old buddies. That chance conversation at Sagra ended up changing my game — I bought the TE 200s soon after, and they’ve been my go-to clubs ever since.

Sagra wasn’t just about the food (though their risotto alla pescatora and that famous pizza topped with truffle oil and an egg still make my mouth water). It was about the people, the atmosphere, and those serendipitous connections that made Austin feel like a small town tucked inside a big city. I’ll always be grateful for the memories — and for the day I discovered my favorite clubs right there at Sagra. Hank Atwood

 

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Find Us

 

HOURS

BRUNCH - Sat-Sun 10:30AM - 3PM

LUNCH - Mon-Fri 11AM - 2PM
DINNER - Sun-Thurs 3PM - 10PM // Fri-Sat 3PM - 10:30PM
HAPPY HOUR  - EVERYDAY 4PM-6:30PM

LOCATION
SAGRA Restaurant
1050 East 11th St.,
Suite 100
Austin, Tx, 78702

PARKING
We have a large free parking lot directly behind the building.
Additional free Parking is available on the street.

 

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Buy Gift Cards On-Line

No need to run out and buy the perfect gift, because we've got it right here!
Order Sagra Gift Cards on-line, and have them shipped for free, anywhere in the United States! Gift cards will be sent via mail the next day.

We'll even include any message you want if it's a gift for someone else.

Gift Cards in the amount of $25, $50, or $75, can be ordered on-line.
If you'd like to order a Gift Card with a different value, please purchase them at the restaurant, or call us at 512-535-5988 to place your order.

 

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YELP REVIEWS

Analisa C.
    Brooklyn, NY
5.0 star rating
5/10/2016
Listed in Brunchin' Like It's My Job

I have searched long and hard for bottomless-anything in Austin. It's surprisingly hard to find.

Enter Sagra with their "Brunch Prix Fixe" (avail Sat & Sun) -- $17.99 for bottomless mimosa and bellinis, any entree, a bread basket, and fruit. Holy f. I know.

We arrived early and made a res on OpenTable because when I saw that deal, I thought for sure it would be packed. Not only was it not packed in the slightest (#hiddengems), but the service was quick and friendly, and though we mostly came for the bottomless special, the entree didn't disappoint. Think italian breakfast on steroids, I hereby swear by polenta bowls.

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Rob K.
Austin, TX
4.0 star rating
2/20/2016
I made reservations for Valentine's Day at Sagra without apparently doing my homework, as it was a prix fixe night. No problem, just unexpected.

Half of the tables were empty, and we had a reservation, yet we were still seated by the door to the kitchen by the greeter. We followed her back to the front and politely requested another table. After a bit of a rigamarole we were seated in the Northwest corner with a window overlooking our table. Very nice, very intimate and very much appreciated.

We went with the wine accompaniment option and had a tasty Saffron Bisque to start things off with an infused St Germaine champagne cocktail. The cauliflower puree was very tasty and the saffron aroma was intoxicating. The cocktail likewise had a fantastic fragrance and was delicious.  The crispy gnocchi in the bisque were a bit "meh" in comparison and could have been left out.

I had the filet of beef with foie gras mashed potatoes and watercress in a chianti demi sauce for my main that was paired with Mocavero Primitivo Salient IGT (primitive grape variety), while Gal Pal had the pistachio crusted scallops paired with Pecorino IGT Terre di Chieti (abruzzo grape variety). Both dishes were delicious but at room temperature, unfortunately.

Lester was a chocolate fountain with fresh fruits, cookies, marshmallows, etc.

The experience could easily have been a 5 star one but, even with the tepid meals and seating fiasco, was still a very lovely 4 star.

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Kayla B.
Seattle, WA
5.0 star rating
4/9/2016

Reservations at The Grove on 6th turned into venturing to Sagra on East 11th thanks to a shooting across the street at Dogwood. *eyeroll* That said, Sagra turned out to be an excellent decision!
I was a little surprised this place wasn't more packed. My friend wanted to bring her dog, but the size of the patio would prove that to be difficult with a furry friend present. There were only a few tables out front, but don't count on enjoying patio weather if you have more than four people in your group.

We started with two, which turned into six which quickly turned into a group of nine. The staff was more than accommodating. They allowed me to be seated while waiting for the rest of my group even.
The vibe of this place is like an old house with a hint of Italian. To be honest, it's been a while since I saw mimosa deals like they have here.

The MimosasJust go with the Prefixe option. Plain and simple. If you are here for one dish and one mimosa, it basically pays for itself. You get ANY entree, BOTTOMLESS mimosas and bellinis, fruit, and bread baskets for $17.95 Saturday and Sunday 10:30am-3p. If this is too much for you, you can opt for just a $2 individual mimosa or Bellini or a $6 Bloody Mary. For our group size, our waitress (who was spectacular) just kept bringing carafes out. My recommendation, mix the Bellini and mimosa together for a special treat.
Things took a turn for the weird several carafes in. I brought my Chambong to this classy establishment, and we successfully managed to Chambong some mimosas back without getting kicked out. No one blinked an eye at us. The Chambong is the classiest way to drink mimosas, after all.

The FoodI was equally impressed with the food, especially for the value. I chose the Sagra Eggs with pesto bread. The dish was incredible, including a crunchy edged and yet still soft thick toast doused in so much pesto, it is literally green but manages not to overwhelm you. The poached eggs on top perfectly complement the toast cooked into the sliced tomatoe, especially when the yolk runs. A romaine salad on the side with a light vinaigrette and homestyle potatoes with a hint of salt come with the dish. I easily are the entire dish.

While some of my friends had some leftovers and complained their macaroni had excessive Spanish, I was delighted by the breakfast entree and have no insight on the other meals.

Overall, considering I was able to be seated prior to the complete party arriving, the flexibility of the staff, dealing with our rowdy group demanding carafe after carafe of mimosas and bellinis, food quality, value and experience, I would rate this place 5 stars and we will definitely be coming back.

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Sarah W.
Austin, TX
4.0 star rating
12/20/2015

Everyday happy hour from 4-6:30 with half price pizzas and $2 off all alcohol except bottles of wine.

This is one of my favorite places to pre-game with friends. The pizzas are tasty and the cocktails are yummy. They have a range of beers as well. I've never been here and seen it crowded for happy hour which I just don't understand. Their brunch seems to be popular and then no one is there until 7/7:30/8 (seems to be a date night place),

Regardless, I will continue to enjoy their happy hour!

There is free parking in the lot behind their building!

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Phillip B.
Austin, TX
3.0 star rating
1/23/2015
It was on a weekday at high noon. We were in the area and stopped in. As we were standing outside perusing the posted menu and slowly deciding that we didn't want to spend that price for lunch, the door opens and this bright, bubbly lady approaches and asks if we are deciding on lunch. I was like "yeah:. She smiles and says "come on inside we have decent lunch specials. You're looking at the dinner menu". I say, "I knew that". Lie!!

The place is quite charming despite its imperfections. Our waiter was friendly, but, needed to clean his finger nails. I hate looking at dirty nails on a waiter. It's gross. Glad to get that off my chest. Pushing on. They make their pastas, pizza dough and bread fresh daily. They use fresh ingredients, but, not basil! I love basil. Why no basil? Everything is made in house and cooked to order. And they have a wood burning oven for their pizzas. YUM!!

Once we were seated, we ordered our waters and started looking at the menu. Two things immediately stood out to us: Wild Boar Bolognese and Osso Bucco di'Agnello. We decided to go ahead and splurge a little and order the Osso Bucco. WTF is Osso Bucco you ask? It is slow cooked lamb, brussels sprouts, saffron risotto, and BASIL gremolata. Whaat? I thought you don't use basil? I'm confused on that one as I didn't see the basil gremolata at all.

The bolognese was delicious. Everything about it was great. Pasta was cooked perfect and the sauce had a nice little sweet tang. It was thick and not watered down running all over the plate. Very good dish for eight bucks. I would have liked it better with spaghetti or fettuccine noodles.

The lamb shank with the brussels and saffron risotto was good. Not quite $18 good. While the lamb was generous and tender, a lot of it was too dry. If not for the dryness it would have been excellant. The brussels were disappointing as they were also too dry. The risotto was perfect. The complimentary bread was fresh, warm and delicious and paired well with the olive oil/balsalmic vinegrette dip.

Overall I liked this place. I would definitely be interested in going back and trying other dishes. Especially one of their pizzas. This place is definitely worth a visit folks.

 

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More Background on SagraRestaurant.net

 

Sagra was far more than just a restaurant. It represented a bridging of Old World Italian tradition and the new Austin culinary movement, creating a memorable and beloved dining destination from its 2007 debut until its 2016 closure. Over nearly a decade in business, Sagra became known for wood-fired pizzas, handmade pastas, attentive hospitality, and the seamless integration of local ingredients with classic techniques. Its impact on Austin’s food, culture, and community lingers long after its doors closed.

Sagra was founded by Gabriel Pellegrini, executive chef, and his wife, Sarwat Pellegrini. Together, they steered the restaurant with a vision deeply rooted in authenticity, hospitality, and community. Gabriel brought influences from New York and Italy, focusing on fresh, seasonal ingredients and an evolving menu that expressed both tradition and innovation. Sarwat contributed to the welcoming, familial vibe and was instrumental in events and guest service.

The name “Sagra” itself is derived from the Italian tradition of local festivals devoted to food, and the restaurant’s spirit reflected this—communal, festive, and inclusive. Their goal was to create not just a restaurant, but a gathering place that anchored people’s lives, celebrations, and routines.

Locations and Proximity

Sagra originally opened in a converted house on San Antonio Street, just west of downtown Austin. The relaxed, homey setting offered something unique—rustic charm, cozy ambiance, and a sense of place difficult to replicate. When lease disputes closed the original site in 2012, modern Southern restaurant Olamaie subsequently occupied the space.

In 2013, Sagra found a new home at 1050 East 11th Street, Suite 100, in East Austin—a district rapidly becoming a hub for food, music, and culture. The new space, reminiscent of an Italian farmhouse, kept much of the original’s spirit, carrying its regulars with it eastward. The location featured ample free parking, a spacious patio, and proximity to Austin landmarks, indie shops, and music venues, making Sagra accessible to a growing and diverse clientele.

Atmosphere and Design

Sagra’s ambiance was consistently described as “casual, yet elegant,” with warm lighting, wood accents, and the glow of a prominent wood-burning oven. The layout balanced intimacy and openness, creating divisions for both quiet dinners and festive gatherings. The staff was known for their friendly and attentive service, making guests—newcomers, regulars, and event parties alike—feel truly welcomed and at home.

Culinary Philosophy and Menu

Gabriel Pellegrini’s kitchen drew from Italy’s railway station bistros, reimagined with local Texan bounty. Nearly everything was made in-house: pastas, breads, desserts, and even house-cured meats and mozzarella. Dishes adapted to special dietary needs, and many featured local Austin produce or imported Italian specialty items.

Menu Highlights

• Pizzas: Daily handmade dough baked on a flat stone in an authentic Italian oven. Signature options included the Pizza Sagra (mozzarella, pecorino, spinach, truffle oil, fried egg).

• Pastas: Carbonara with house-cured pancetta and fresh peas, topped with a soft-cooked egg and parmesan sauce.

• Risottos & Entrées: Risotto alla Pescatora (shrimp, crab, clams, mussels, saffron, tomato); Wild Boar Osso Buco; Lamb shank with Brussels sprouts and saffron risotto (Osso Bucco di’Agnello).

• Brunch: Polenta bowls, caramelized French toast, Sagra Eggs on pesto toast, and a renowned brunch prix fixe with unlimited mimosas and Bellinis.

• Starters: Zuppa di cozze (PEI mussels in white wine and garlic broth), bruschetta del giorno, frittatas.

• Beverages: A carefully chosen Italian wine list, cocktails with house-grown herbs, and a celebrated happy hour with half-price pizzas and discounts on drinks.

The menu showcased a blend of Austin’s melting pot character and the soulful, rustic artistry of northern Italian tradition.

Press, Public Reception, and Community Response

Sagra attracted consistently positive review coverage throughout Austin’s print and digital media. Critics praised the authenticity, imagination, and value, with the risotto, housemade pastas, and pizzas commonly cited as standouts.

Customer Reviews and Stories

Sagra was beloved on review platforms for its:

• Abundant, high-value brunches (with bottomless mimosas a particular favorite).

• Flexibility in accommodating dietary restrictions (gluten-free, salt-free, etc.).

• Warm, welcoming, and efficient service (servers often remembered regulars and their preferences).

• Adaptability with large and small parties, particularly for special events and celebrations.

Anecdotes abound of long brunches, chance meetings that turned into friendships, and special occasions that left a lasting mark on customers’ lives. One golfer recalled how a brunch conversation about golf clubs led to a chance purchase that changed his game—a testament to Sagra’s role as a true community gathering spot.

Not every experience was perfect—some complaints arose about food temperature or rare service glitches—but the overwhelming sentiment in customer feedback was of gratitude and affection for both the people and the food.

Events, Private Dining, and Modernization

Sagra embraced private events, providing fully coordinated parties both in the restaurant and at offsite locations. Corporate gatherings, weddings, cocktail receptions, and holiday celebrations were customized in partnership with the culinary and management team, with tailored menus and wine pairings.

In addition to physical dining, Sagra adopted early modern conveniences: online gift card purchasing, local delivery partnerships, and digital communication with an event coordinator—features later widespread in the industry.

Cultural and Social Significance

Sagra epitomized Austin’s food renaissance of the 2000s and early 2010s. Its move from San Antonio Street to East 11th mirrored the city’s west-to-east creative migration and the city’s changing identity. Throughout, Sagra’s loyal clientele—from families and businesspeople to students, artists, and tourists—felt at home.

The closure of Sagra in May 2016 (announced in an emotional note from the Pellegrinis) became a citywide symbol for the struggles of independent restaurants faced with ever-increasing rents and operational costs. Its loss was felt deeply, not just as a favorite spot gone, but as an emblem of larger changes making Austin less hospitable to independent hospitality ventures.

Menu Examples

Dish	Description
Pizza Sagra	Pecorino, mozzarella, spinach, truffle oil, fried egg
Risotto alla Pescatora	Shrimp, crab, clams, mussels, saffron, tomato
Carbonara	House pancetta, peas, soft-cooked egg, parmesan sauce
Osso Bucco di’Agnello	Lamb shank, Brussels sprouts, saffron risotto
Sagra Eggs (Brunch)	Poached eggs, pesto toast, salad, potatoes
Polenta Bowl	Featured as a brunch highlight, often with Italian-inspired toppings
Bottomless Brunch	Entrée, bread basket, fruit, unlimited mimosas/Bellinis, $17.99

 

Awards and Recognition

Sagra was a frequent recipient of local “Best Brunch,” “Best Italian,” and “Best Happy Hour” accolades by Austin press, bloggers, and review platforms. It was often cited in “best of” lists for its food, value, and the creativity of its beverage program. Although it did not win prominent national awards, its community standing as a city favorite was clear.

Legacy

The loss of Sagra was deeply mourned by former guests and the city’s restaurant community. Its example—combining hospitality, food artistry, culture, and attention to both tradition and innovation—remains a model for new restaurateurs and a fond memory for those lucky enough to have dined there.

Sagra’s story is not just that of a business lost to changing real estate economics, but a testament to the enduring power of food to create memories, routines, and relationships. The Pellegrinis’ message of gratitude and the many testimonials from regulars and first-timers alike ensure that Sagra’s legacy endures in Austin’s collective culinary memory.

 

 

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