Parma Pizza & Pasta - Lewisville, Texas

Their website (parmapastapizza.com) boasts “Authentic Italian cuisine, right in the heart of Lewisville.” Neither is entirely true, but it’s the cities only affordable, alternative to Italian chains like Olive Garden, Macaroni Grill and Johnny Carinos. And FYI, “due to increased fuel prices” they say delivery is no longer available.


Jennifer's Rating: 3.4 total chews out of a possible 7 chews


Atmosphere (people & decor): 4 chews
Host Service: 5 chews
Wait Service: 4 chews
Menu (selection & design): 2 chews
Food's Appearance: 3 chews
Food's Taste: 5 chews
Authenticity (true to marketing):2 chews
Price: 4 chews
Location (curb appeal & parking): 2 chews
Special Notes: Tables are too small.
What to Wear: Anything goes.
Overheard: "You've been spooned"
Post Chew:Annoyed.


Jennifer Says:

With a grammatically incorrect motto like “Mangia bene, vive bene!” (Eat good, live good) you would think I wouldn’t even bother going inside this strip mall Italian eatery. But I have. Many times.


I first visited Parma Pizza and Pasta a few years ago to visit a friend that was working there. Usually I’m not one to visit strip mall eateries, but this was free food so why not? And as an added bonus it turned out to be pretty good. Double score!


Over the past four years I’ve seen Parma grow up, getting a little more modern every year. They’re at about a year 1984 right now. Bright yellow walls, random “Italian” mobster photographs under the glass tabletops, an oversized New York black and white print from Ikea, a huge plasma screen (usually tuned to Food Network) and tiny square tables with candles flickering. Everything about Parma screams, “A middle aged man decorated this place!!!”


If you can get past the horrible décor and the menus that look like grandpa just typed them up on his typewriter, then you’re up for an interesting waiter-lottery. You might get lucky and have one of the nice, straight-to-the-point female staff, or you might get one of Parma’s assorted creepy male staff. One in particular enjoys bringing you things like a spoon and then informed you that “you just got spooned!”…”you just got alfradoed”...”you just got breaded”…you get the point. In one word…annoying.


I’ve had dishes like baked ziti, manicotti, chicken cody, chicken marsala, and shrimp scampi…but for some reason never their pizza. And I can honestly say that everything I’ve ever eaten at Parma has been great. It doesn’t taste like cookie-cutter Olive Garden. It tastes like homemade Italian food. And I like that.


Parma isn’t a fancy place. It’s not expensive and you may have to deal with some annoying staff members…but I guarantee there will be at least one thing on the menu that you will enjoy. I highly suggest not sticking with the ol’ Italian standbys like spaghetti and meatballs. From looking at other tables, it seems like Pizza and their chicken dishes are their big sellers. Instead, you should choose something out of the usual, preferably with a wine sauce. I think these are Parma’s best dishes. Oh, and don’t forget to BYOW. You’ll need lots of it if you happen to get “spooned.”





Matt's Review: 3.3 total chews out of a possible 7 chews



Atmosphere (people & decor): 4 chews
Host Service: 5 chews
Wait Service: 2 chews
Menu (selection & design): 1.5 chews
Food's Appearance: 4 chews
Food's Taste: 4 chews
Authenticity (true to marketing): 2 chews
Price: 4 chews
Location (curb appeal & parking): 3 chews
Special Notes: Ditto on the tables.
What to Wear: Anything goes.
Overheard: "You've been alfredoed"
Post Chew: Heart heavy. (Note from Jennifer.....I have no idea what this means)


Matt Says:

It’s a great feeling when you’re in on the secret. You know, when you and your friends are into some band that no-one’s ever heard of. You go to the show and your one of about fifteen to see an amazing performance right in the front row, then six months later the band blows up and is on the cover of every cool music mag. That’s the feeling I wanted to have about Parma. It didn’t happen.


Parma valiantly tries to offer authentic Italian food without the chain restaurant vibe, which I applaud. It’s tough to find local eateries in my neck of the woods and that’s why I expect the one’s I visit to stand out…above the corporate giants like Olive Garden, Macaroni Grill, and Carrabba’s. Sadly, Parma does not stand out. Well, unless you like really annoying wait staff (see overheard). Parma looks like a pizza hut painted yellow, nestled in a strip mall, so the dress code is pretty much a non issue. I have a feeling their strength lies in quick pizza for lunch. As for a pleasant, enjoyable Italian dinner for four…skip Parma. Save your money and set your sights higher for an authentic Italian meal.



Special Guest: Matt's Mom Cindy's Review: 3.3 total chews out of a possible 7 chews



Atmosphere (people & decor): 3 chews
Host Service: 5 chews
Wait Service: 4 chews
Menu (selection & design): 2 chews
Food's Appearance: 3 chews
Food's Taste: 4 chews
Authenticity (true to marketing): 2 chews
Price: 4 chews
Location (curb appeal & parking): 3 chews
Special Notes: I needed Tums afterwards.
What to Wear: Anything goes.
Overheard: "You've been "
Post Chew: Stomach hurts.




Special Guest: Matt's Dad Toby's Review: 2.8 total chews out of a possible 7 chews



Atmosphere (people & decor): 3.5 chews
Host Service: 4 chews
Wait Service: 4.5 chews
Menu (selection & design): 2 chews
Food's Appearance: 2 chews
Food's Taste: 2 chews
Authenticity (true to marketing): 2 chews
Price: 4 chews
Location (curb appeal & parking): 2 chews
Special Notes: My chair was wobbly.
What to Wear: Anything goes.
Post Chew: Annoyed, bloated.


Matt's Parents Say:
Recently we went to the Big D, subset; Lewisville to visit our son and his GF Jennifer. On the final night of our visit, we were struggling to find an Italian restaurant that would be close, and yet not one of those chain establishments that you can dine in no matter where you happen to be. You would think in a mega-plex like Dallas and burbs it would be no struggle, but it was. We finally decided on Parma Pasta Pizza. Not a long drive, not part of a chain, Italian cuisine, should fit the bill.


First impression- strip mall. Ok…. Let’s go in. We were greeted by an exceptionally pleasant person… my impression is improving. Nice table, although a little small for 4, but has a tablecloth and a candle. Then we started to look around. The place was pretty packed and everyone seemed to be having a good time. The décor is confusing… hanging lights that look like little flying saucers, big posters of New York, and various references to the Godfather. I think curtains on the large picture windows would have helped to block out the parking lot and improved the feeling of the place.


Now to the food, which is the primary reason for being there. I don’t think you can be called Italian if you can’t make Spaghetti and Meatballs. If that definition holds true Parma is as Italian as a Burger King in Rome. The meatballs were merely hamburger with little seasoning added and the sauce was , let’s say, not as good as Prego. To sum up the meal, I needed 3 Extra Strength Tums to quell the rising acid following the meal. Not my idea of dessert.


Now for the Chicken Alfredo. Dry chicken, sauce out of a jar, basically something that would taste better at home if you opened a microwave dinner and nuked it. You’d be more comfortable too because you’d be sitting in your living room in your jammies watching The Godfather.


This review in no way reflects on the two people who took us out to dinner. We did have a great time, not because of the surroundings or food, but because of the company and the conversations that this place inspired. Where could you ever go and get breaded, alfredoed and spooned all in one place?