Zanata in Plano Provides a Quiet, Charming Atmosphere and Delicious Gourmet Dishes and Drinks

 

Enjoying dinner at Zanata's

Zanata of Plano is a quiet, upscaled little restaurant with delicious options and a charming atmosphere—great for a girls night out or a small party.

A friend originally recommended Zanata—she'd visited the one in Rockwall and was impressed—so we decided to go there. I was not excited, but I owed her an apology because she chose a WINNER!

Zanata in Plano is a small (only seating for about 50 downstairs), quaint restaurant tucked into the old store fronts of Plano's historic downtown. Next door to Zanata is a warehouse full of antique wooden furniture, and down the street are small boutiques and specialty shops. The atmosphere on the street is charming.

Pizza at Zanata
Photo by Janet Johnson
©2011

Once inside Zanata, we sat by the window so we could people watch. We had a small table with a white tablecloth and small candle. The chef's wife was hosting, and she came by and chatted easily with us. The waiters were young and eager to chat. The service was terrific.

But the food was even better!

Just a note: we went during Happy Hour, 4–7pm, so our drinks and food were specially priced! My dinner before tip (a large tip because the service was terrific) was $20, and that included a drink, an appetizer, a pizza (which could have served 2–3), and a dessert! Prices are a little more now because Zanata is no longer bringing in new clientele, but the Happy Hour deals are still great.

Neither of us typically order alcoholic beverages, but it was hot, so we decided to each order a drink to go with dinner. Janet ordered a champagne and raspberry cocktail, and I wish I'd tasted it because it was beautiful. I had the seasonal berry mojito, which was light, refreshing, and perfect for a warm June night.

Chocolate cake at Zanata
Photo by Janet Johnson
©2011

We ordered the Cheesy Garlic Bread for an appetizer, which could have satisfied 6 because the slices of bread were large. The appetizer was sliced French bread with small bits of fresh garlic under melted mozzarella and provolone cheese (my favorite).

We each ordered a pizza. Janet ordered the Roni: Fontina, pepperoni, sauce, and truffle oil on a light, thin crust. I ordered the Standard (poorly named, I think!): Pomodoraccio tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil on teh same light, thin crust. YUM!

And we just couldn't help it, so we ordered dessert: I had the mascarpone cheesecake with blackberry coulis, and Janet had the (very tall) chocolate cake with pistachios. Wow! We took almost half of the food home, but the leftovers were yummy the next day.

I can safely say that Janet agrees with me: This place is a MUST. We already have plans to return for my birthday in a few weeks, and we are taking more friends with us. This is a new restaurant, so to keep it open, we need to frequent the spot and encourage others to go! (So please do!) The kids had leftover pizza and now they want to go too, so I suspect I'll take the kids early one evening (before the adult crowd) so they can enjoy the restaurant too.