I love spending an evening at Dolce Vita -- if I'm alone, I can read, people-watch, and perhaps run into Hyde Park locals. It's a great place to meet friends. With small food offerings, excellent desserts, tasty gelati, and an extensive high-end bar (the scotches! the cognacs! the grappas! wow!), it's really perfect for almost any evening. The staff there is fantastic and friendly -- a welcome departure from the I'm-going-to-ingore-you-while-I-make-your-coffee usual Austin fare, and it's very concerned about being part of the neighborhood.
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