Di Campli's Italian Ristorante

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Story That Began in the Abruzzo Region of Italy

Massimo Di Campli's path to Waco is anything but ordinary. After earning his master's degree at a prestigious culinary school in the Abruzzo Region of Italy, he traveled the world, building the experience and vision that would one day become his own restaurant. That journey brought him to Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman, where he met Kristen — born and raised in Waco, a Texas Tech graduate. Five months later, they were married. The two took a leap of faith on each other and, in 2016, brought that same conviction to opening Di Campli's Italian Ristorante on Woodway Drive.

What Drives the Kitchen

The restaurant's stated mission is straightforward and sincere: an authentic Italian experience built on exceptional service, delicious food, and a family environment. Massimo's foundation is traditional homemade recipes, fresh ingredients, and quality preparation — the kind of Italian cooking rooted in regional technique rather than approximation. Guests come for family dinners, date nights, business lunches, and private dining, and the kitchen serves all of them with the same standard.

A Wine Program Worth Celebrating

In 2025, Wine Spectator awarded Di Campli's its Best of Award of Excellence — the second tier of three in the publication's annual Restaurant Awards, a distinction reserved for restaurants that demonstrate exceptional breadth across multiple winegrowing regions and significant vertical depth from top producers, presented with superior care. For a fine dining destination in Waco, this is a meaningful marker of seriousness.

The wine program is active beyond the list itself. The restaurant hosts curated wine dinners that pair Italian producers with multi-course menus — a recent evening featured Marchesi Incisa Della Rocchetta wines alongside house-made chitarra tossed in a Parmigiano wheel with sage butter and fresh truffle, Barbera-braised beef with cheesy polenta, and an Italian chocolate flan with Amaretti crumble. These events reflect a kitchen and front-of-house team that treat wine and food as inseparable.

Beyond the Dining Room

Di Campli's extends its Italian cuisine beyond the restaurant through a food truck stationed at Magnolia Market, a full catering operation available for private parties and events, and online ordering for delivery and pickup. The reach is broad, but the approach remains consistent: fresh ingredients, careful preparation, and the kind of hospitality that makes guests want to come back.