A new family-owned Italian restaurant is set to take over the Denton storefront long occupied by a Tex-Mex favorite, bringing a decades-old marinara recipe and a menu built around pizza, pasta and Chicken Parmesan to the busy I-35E corridor. Scarvelli's Italian Restaurant plans to open at 820 S. I-35E, Ste. 101, later in September 2026, filling a space that sat empty for only a few months after its previous tenant closed.
The restaurant's name comes from an old family surname passed down from the owners' grandparents, who came through Ellis Island from Italy, according to Community Impact. One of the owners told the outlet that the restaurant prepares food with love and passion for families, and that family sits at the core of the concept. The kitchen will lean on an old family-recipe marinara sauce and natural ingredients, with dishes made to order rather than pre-prepped.
A Menu Built Around Old Family Recipes
Chicken Parmesan is expected to be one of Scarvelli's most popular dishes, alongside a broader menu of pizza and pasta, per the same report. In mid-August previews, the restaurant introduced local guests to additional dishes, including a Chicken Florentine served with mushrooms, according to Scarvelli's Italian Restaurant from the restaurant. Fresh food and quality ingredients are being positioned as core selling points as the owners finish out the space.
The restaurant is split between an atmospheric dining room and a more casual bar area, the report notes. The dining room is designed with dimmed lights, candles, and wine glasses set on the tables, meant to accommodate special occasions and nights out. The bar side will offer TVs and cocktails made with fresh fruit, while still giving guests access to the full menu.
Filling A Longtime Denton Restaurant Space
Scarvelli's is moving into a suite with deep roots in Denton's dining scene. The address previously housed Milpa Kitchen and Cantina, which permanently closed after more than 20 years in business on May 23, 2026, relocating its staff to sister business Wild Cactus Cantina in downtown Denton, according to Community Impact. That sister location, Wild Cactus Cantina & Grill on Mulberry Street, was established by the Landeros family in 2020 as a contemporary cantina concept built around scratch cocktails and tapas, per the restaurant's own background information.
State alcoholic beverage license tracking confirmed Scarvelli's among new Texas bars and restaurants opening in August 2026, signaling the venue was finalizing preparations even before its public opening date. Recruiting ads posted that same month showed the restaurant offering $23.23 to $27.98 an hour for lead bartenders, $20 to $22 for bartenders, $18 to $20 for waitstaff, and $10 to $13 for part-time pizza cooks, according to listings on Indeed. The restaurant's interior is expected to be finished soon, and an official opening date is expected to be announced later this month.
Part Of A Broader Italian Wave In Denton
The turnaround from Milpa's closure to Scarvelli's opening reflects just how tight Denton's commercial real estate market has become. The city's vacancy rate for commercial space dropped to roughly 4% in 2025, creating stiff competition for turnkey retail and dining footprints along major thoroughfares like I-35E, Hoodline has previously reported. That scarcity is playing out against a backdrop of rapid growth: U.S. Census Bureau estimates put Denton's population at 169,431 as of July 2025, a 21.1% jump since 2020, while Denton County added 23,100 residents between 2024 and 2025 to reach 1.07 million, ranking 12th nationally for net numerical population growth, per USAFacts.
Scarvelli's also arrives amid a wave of new Italian-leaning concepts opening across Denton this year, including Red: Italian on Denton Square and The Pony, an art-bar and Italian eatery on Hickory Street. Along the I-35 corridor specifically, dining additions have piled up throughout 2026, from Kura Revolving Sushi Bar to Chicken Salad Chick at Rayzor Ranch Town Center, underscoring how quickly new restaurant concepts are filling in around Denton's busiest commercial strips.
