If you stop in at the new Rossini Caffè Italiano on the first floor of San Felipe Place, a 17-story office tower located on San Felipe between Kirby and S. Shepherd, be aware that certain tables are already reserved by regulars. The patio table closest to the entrance, that’s reserved for Vicktor – the friendly, heavy-breathing neighborhood bulldog.

In fact when we stopped into Rossini, the sister cafe to Fellini Caffe in Rice Village, Vicktor joined us for lunch, hunkering down underneath our (or his) table on the patio. The cafe is new to the River Oaks area (the grand opening will be April 7), but thanks to its convenient location, we can see why it’s already gained a following.

Rossini opens at 7 am during the week (8 am on the weekends), and this is when you’ll see business professionals who work in the building or live in the neighborhood stop in for their morning coffee and breakfast items, which are available until sold out. Typical options include croissant sandwiches, omelets and breakfast wraps, frittatas and fruit parfaits. There are a few specialty espresso drinks to choose from, including the decadent caramello ($3.75) made with caramel, espresso, milk and whipped cream.

Lunch items include sandwiches and panini, salads, pastas and sides. We ordered a half sandwich (prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, mixed greens, shaved parmigiano on ciabatta bread) with a side Caprese salad (photo above). A full Caprese is $9 and a full crudo panini is $13, so we think $9.50 for half of each is a deal worth mentioning.

If only stopping in for a light bite and beverage (they have wine and beer also), try an order of the hummus ($5, photo above), packed full of garlic and Mediterranean spices.

The stand-out of our lunch was the veggie lasagne with fresh pasta, mushrooms and béchamel sauce with kale soffritto ($9.50, photo below). It’s served in its individual baking dish, so all of the cheesy, crusty bits aren’t harmed in the removal of a lasagna slice. It’s a rich dish, but we convinced ourselves it’s a healthful meal because, hey, we were eating kale.

For now, Rossini closes at 4 pm every day of the week, but we hope, for the sake of the neighborhood, it’ll extend its hours so those coming home or leaving work in the area can stop in for a glass of wine and early dinner.

Rossini Caffé Italiano, 2229 San Felipe, 832-548-1006, rossinicafe.com