Pelato

"Pelato is the scrappy little sister to the grown-up and sophisticated Luogo in the Gulch. And befitting of scrappy little sisters everywhere, this restaurant is feisty, utterly unpretentious, and a lot more fun than its sibling. Every dinner feels like Sunday gravy night, where you can pass around a cascade of generously portioned Italian plates, be loud, and let the kids pull stringy mozzarella to ungodly heights. This is probably not the place to plan a quiet date night. It can get loud in here, with groups of friends shouting as they sit around wooden tables toppling with rustic Italian dishes like smoky burnt broccolini and creamy polenta in a meaty bolognese sauce. A nice touch: most of the pasta served at Pelato can be subbed for a GF version. There’s also an outdoor patio that’s heated during colder months, which is a great option for a little less commotion. photo credit: Casey Irwin photo credit: Casey Irwin photo credit: Casey Irwin photo credit: Casey Irwin photo credit: Casey Irwin Drinks are equally as fun as everything else, with sangria and a frozen espresso martini, as well as a few limoncello cocktails. And at the end of the week, they really do host a Sunday Sauce night with a platter of fusilli, tomato, ribs, braciola, sausage, and meatballs that can feed two. Food Rundown Fresh-Made House Mozzarella The pull on this warm, gooey pool of mozzarella is ridiculous. Seeing how high you can pull the string of cheese from the stoneware pot is almost as fun as eating it. photo credit: Casey Irwin Burnt Broccolini This is easily one of the best things at Pelato. Not only is there a perfect char, but a mix of black garlic, calabrian chili, and lemon on top gives the dish a pop of spice, acid, and a nice dimension. Chicken Parmigiana Even though this is a massive hunk of bird, it manages to remain evenly tender and moist throughout while maintaining a crisp, breaded exterior. When it comes to the mozzarella on top, Pelato isn’t playing any games. The melty layer overflows into the tomato sauce pooled at the bottom of the dish like a cheesy blanket tucking in the chicken for night-night. photo credit: Casey Irwin Radiatori Vodka All the pastas at Pelato are solid, but for us, it’s really all about the radiatori. Sitting in a creamy tomato sauce with calabrian chili and parmigiano reggiano, the pasta’s perfectly al dente, adding a nice study chew that stands up to the sauce. photo credit: Casey Irwin Frozen Espresso Martini Like your favorite iced coffee but all boozed up, and a perfect patio sipper during brunch." - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones

"Vibey Germantown restaurant Pelato has a fun patio situation to match its brief small plate and drinks menu (and equally lively brunch scene). Diners can choose from stuffed cheesy breads, potato croquettes, macaroni arrabbiata, and meatballs al forno in a dimly lit patio area that works as well for ladies’ dinners as it does for date nights." - Kellie Walton

"Fashioned after an “old-school Italian trattoria,” Anthony Scotto’s second Nashville restaurant is a decidedly warmer, more casual space than Luogo in the Gulch, with both patio and bar seating and a focus on casual Italian comfort food. Dishes include arancini, crispy garlic potatoes, creamy polenta with bolognese sauce, and a chicken scarpiello using thighs and sausage. The drink menu focuses on classic aperitif-style cocktails such as the Pelato Palmer made with sweet tea and limoncello, and a frozen espresso martini combining vodka, coffee liqueur, demerara syrup, and nitro cold brew." - Ellen Fort, Jackie Gutierrez-Jones

"From the same restaurateur behind the Gulch’s Luogo comes Pelato, a Brooklyn-influenced Italian restaurant situated in a former Germantown warehouse. The trattoria is now an ultra chic gathering place for dinnertime sips and small plates, so its announcement of a new brunch service in spring was unsurprisingly welcomed by regulars. The menu includes several dinner service favorites, plus brunchy mains like an English pea frittata, Italianate French toast, and a bloody mary topped with a whole meatball." - Kellie Walton

"If Luogo is the grown-up and sophisticated big sis in the Gulch, Pelato is the scrappy little sister holding it down in Germantown. And befitting of scrappy little sisters everywhere, it’s feisty, utterly unpretentious, and a lot more fun. That said, it can get loud here, with groups of friends shouting over rustic Italian plates like smokey burnt broccolini with calabrian chili, shrimp parmigiana, and creamy polenta with bolognese sauce. So, it’s best for a group that doesn’t mind shouting a bit versus a first date. The pastas here are all made in-house, and if you’re gluten-free, they can adjust most of their recipes to accommodate your needs. Drinks are equally as fun as everything else, with frozen espresso martinis, a pinot grigio cocktail, and a valiant attempt at reviving the appletini." - jackie gutierrez jones 2