Pelino's Pasta

Oh Pelino’s Pasta we had such high hopes! My sister and I dined here with Cacio e pepe on our minds but then talked ourselves into the seven course tasting menu (with an accompanying wine pairing per course). We had hoped to indulge our senses with an Italian buffet of deliciousness but what we were served were small confusing, unappetizing courses of some unknown cuisine. Our server and sommelier were great! They were friendly & knowledgeable and made our underwhelming food journey a little more digestible. Like finding water in a desert, the highlight of our seven course meal, was most definitely the dessert. Unfortunately, Pelino’s pasta didn’t win us over with their puke green candle soup or their gravy topped with cranberries on focaccia bread and as good as the dessert was, wasn’t good enough for us to even entertain returning to see if they have anything else redeemable to eat.

Wonderful night at Pelino’s! The warm and cozy atmosphere is perfect for the season. Their December menu did not disappoint. Highly recommend doing the Chefs Tasting option so you can try most of the menu. We added the wine pairing and were blown away by the quality. Our server Carina explained each dish with great detail. I’ve never had chestnut soup before- but just an example of the unique menu items that only Pelino’s is serving up. We left full and happy :)

From the moment we walked in, we felt like welcomed guests rather than customers. The atmosphere transported us straight to Italy, with a warmth and authenticity that set the stage for what became an extraordinary evening. Each course felt like a carefully wrapped gift, designed with intention and presented with artistry. The flavors carried unexpected complexities—layers that unfolded in ways you rarely find in restaurants around here. Every bite told a story, both comforting and refined, and left us excited for what would come next. This wasn’t just dinner—it was an experience. One that lingered long after the last course, reminding us how exceptional dining can be when passion and craft meet. Truly unforgettable. We added the 4 course wine pairing with the Pelino’s Dinner. We ended the experience with espresso, which was better than any espresso we’ve ever had (even the 3 times we’ve been to Italy). Truly a special night.

I’ve been to Pelino’s now three times, each in a different season of different years and every single time it is fresh, delicious, seasonal, and beautiful. The service is truly impeccable and the wine selection is excellent. I can’t recommend Pelino’s enough! A wonderful experience every time.

Food is extremely overpriced for the taste. The whole experience was so fun with all the different courses and your waiter walking you through the whole menu, describing all of the different tastes and textures…but we were incredibly dissatisfied with the meal at the end of it. Serving sizes are small and we left hungry. Spending $150 for 2 people, it should have been one of the best dining experiences of our lives, but it did not live up to all the hype and friends have had similar experiences. I lived in Italy for a year and this food is half of what it tastes like over there. If you’re looking for tasty Italian, look elsewhere.

I had a wonderful dining experience earlier this week celebrating a birthday. The reservation process was seamless and impressive, as a representative called before the dinner to ask if there were any allergies or other considerations within the group. Once arrived, the staff was warm, kind and approachable, devoid of any pretension that can easily creep into the air of fine dining establishments that take themselves too seriously. We had done some menu research before arriving so that we weren't completely ignorant, and the wait staff played fluidly with us as we learned about the different offerings and raised questions throughout the menu presentation. For those like me who aren't all that knowledgeable about wine, I highly recommend the wine pairing option for your meal. Each pouring was unique and interesting, bringing plenty of pleasantly raised eyebrows among the table as we discussed the surprising interactions every glass had with each individual dish. It added a lot of fun conversation to the evening, which further helped to flesh out a memorable experience. Very glad we chose Pelino's to dine at and celebrate our special occasion. We will absolutely be back!

This place isnt cheap but a great experience through and through. They strive to wow you at every dish and they make sure that you leave satisfied. I was unfortunately displeased at a dish (Aglio Nero e Bottarga) the chef? owner? personally came out and apologized and offered me a different dish. There is a reason Cacio e Pepe is a permanent fixture on their monthly changing menu and I highly recommend. Our server guided us through every part of the menu with easy to understand detail and consistently (but not annoyingly) checked in on us. I would highly recommend visiting this place at least once! My favorite of the menu was by FAR the Salame di Cioccolato which is part of their September 2025 menu.

Wonderful dining experience. We really enjoyed the intimate setting and atmosphere. The food was incredible and our server was extremely informative in guiding us through the menu as well. I also love that the menu rotates its offerings each month so that you have the chance to try something new with each visit. We definitely will be returning in the future.

We came for a birthday celebration and it was honestly one of the most disappointing meals I've ever had. The focaccia arrived cold, like it had just come from the fridge. Our soup and risottos were ice cold -- we sent them back, waited almost ten minutes, and they came out cold again. The risotto was mushy, the cacio e pepe main was also lukewarm, with huge chunks of unground pepper cracked tableside that were inedible. The saffron pasta was bland, needed salt, and was lukewarm also. We spent over two hours waiting between courses, were repeatedly served dishes with missing utensils (soup with no spoon... an impossible-to-cut dessert with no knife!), and were told multiple times by staff that because it was the first Monday of the month, the new menu had just been launched, and the kitchen was still working out the kinks. In fact, this was an excuse invoked many times throughout the course of the night -- a friendly reminder from the restaurant that we were their guinea pigs for this self-indulgent pasta experiment. We were also charged for two $10 bottles of sparkling water when we only got one -- the same "still or sparkling" trick other reviews mention. (We, too, didn't realize we had signed up for a $10 bottle until we got the bill.) When I emailed the general manager, he denied that anyone on the staff said the restaurant was still working out the kinks -- something multiple people told us directly -- and tried to justify the cold dishes and long waits instead of taking responsibility. I then noticed on Google Reviews that their restaurant is littered with similar complaints about cold food, long wait times, and opaque service practices. For the price they charge, this experience was unacceptable. And complaining is futile because management is more interested in defending themselves than making it right. Accountability is NOT on the menu at Pelino's Pasta.

Good experience here, but the main reason I'm giving it three stars and not four is the price. The way the menu works here is that you have several options that give you a certain number of courses. You cannot order dishes à la cart, but rather as part of the course selection. My girlfriend and I both ordered the four course option which was priced at $64 each, and I just think that's too much money for the quality of food we had. I've been to a lot of Italian restaurants in Columbus, and I think almost every other restaurant has a better value for the quality. I really appreciated that they were able to seat us outside even though we had an indoor reservation. It's a very intimate, but spacious patio and interior. If you're seated in the back of the restaurant, you can actually see it into the kitchen at the high top tables back there. Our food was good (I would not say great), and our server Breanna walked us through the menu very well. The menu changes every month. For the antipasti I had the Polpetta di Zucchine, for the pasta picola I had the Tortelli Settembrini, for the pasta the carbonara, and the salame di cioccolato. I liked everything except for the carbonara. The food was good and clearly well-made, but none of my dishes were particularly flavorful. The carbonara in particular I did not enjoy, and that's one of my favorite pasta dishes. That being said the polpetta was both of our favorite thing that we ate, and the dessert was also delicious. The chocolate ganache on top was perfect. I would say that all of the portion sizes are pretty small (see my pictures). Finally, they have an extensive wine list, and I really enjoyed the glass I had. All of the bottles are imported from Italy, and I recommend asking the server for recommendations. Good experience here, but I don't think I would come back. I just think there's a lot better Italian options that still involve handmade pasta with Italian-imported ingredients at other places in the city for a more reasonable price.

We went to Pelino's Pasta on New Year's Eve. Had to wait a bit for our table (9pm reservation), but it's a small restaurant, and they were doing their best I'm sure. Dishes were all over the place in terms of what we liked- the pear and polenta antipasti we thought was ok. The risotto was excellent, and we felt the winner of the antipasti's was the bruschetta. It was unique and very tasty! The Gnocchi 2nd course was descent. The tortellini was alright. For the main courses, the cacio e Pepe was traditional and very delicious! The mafaladine pasta was a let down. The duck was tough and the flavors seemed less interesting than the other dishes. The pear and Gorgonzola pasta dish was good for those who enjoy blue cheese... it's VERY heavy on the blue cheese flavor (which I personally was not a fan of). We tried the tiramisu, cake, and the panna cotta for dessert. I must say the tiramisu was one of the best I've ever eaten. I would come back just for this. The panna cotta was delicious as well. I didn't love the cake, with the peppermint flavor. Overall, I wouldn't mind coming back... probably would get the Cacio e Pepe and the tiramisu (or even a couple orders of the tiramisu).

Visited for my birthday and it was wonderful. We love a tasting menu! The service was incredible and the staff were very knowledgeable of the menu. It's a small space but was quiet and perfect for an intimate birthday celebration. Hope to return soon!

Pelino's is a great dining experience. Fantastic food. Very authentic. The menu changes monthly. Knowledgeable and friendly staff, nice atmosphere. I highly recommend it. I hear it's hard to get into on the weekend.

Stopped in for a birthday celebration dinner, we were greeted and given lots of time to peruse the menu. They also offered to give a tour of the menu if we had any questions. We both ordered a s spritz, an Aperol and a Hugo, both were great! We also both did the 3 course selection. I ordered the zucchini crostini, which was super crispy and salty! My fiancé ordered the melon and prosciutto which was plated beautifully and came with a really great melon sorbet. For the mains, I did the cacio e Pepe, which they toss in a cheese wheel table side! The pasta was truly the star!! Lastly, I got the tiramisu which was delicious and came out in the top of a moca pot, so cute. Overall, food was very good, everything felt very fresh and high attention to detail. Definitely more of a special occasion spot due to price point. My only reservation about this place is the ambiance, we were seated in a very awkward corner next to the bar. I think if we were seated in a different area, our experience would have been much better. Due to where we were seated, a lot of the table side experiences were difficult to see and it was difficult to engage in conversation.

My friend and I wanted to go to Cafe Pelino but the timing didn't work out so we decided to try Pelino's Pasta. It is located in a cute little neighborhood, so you'll need to find street parking (pay by app in the area). The servers were wonderful! I honestly didn't realize it was a course meal setting, but the server did a fantastic job of explaining the menu (which rotates monthly to ensure the freshest ingredients!). The bruschetta is amazing. The focaccia is delicious, the pesto was perfectly paired with the blackberry compote. The l'oro d'Agosto was ok. The noodles were a little bland but the pieces pancetta was delicious. The saffron was difficult to pick out as far as flavor profiles go but it was fun to try! The torta della nonna. Now this. The passion fruit sorbetto was AMAZING. I don't typically like passion fruit but I could eat this all day long! The torte was so good in pairing with the lemon curd and toasted pine nuts. Overall, it was a fun experience!

Wow! Outstanding restaurant. Delicious dishes made from fresh- made pasta, terrific knowledgeable service. I had the Pelino's Dinner (antipasto, pasta piccolo, a pasta dish, dessert) and I was so happy. Small courses to savor and I was perfectly satisfied and not overstuffed. Their menu changes monthly, so some of these items may not be there all the time.Antipasto: bruschetta, piccolo: rosseline (flower shaped pasta), pasta: cacio e pepe l, dessert: salami de chioccolato. The cacio e pepe was prepared tableside in a cheese wheel and you could choose your level of pepperiness. Everything tasted fresh and super well crafted. I went with the wine pairing with dinner and the wines were selected to go with the specific dish. My friend had different dishes and got different wines. Next time I'll go with the Chef's tasting - small portions of the antipasto and the pasta piccolo and full size pasta and dessert. Overall an outstanding experience.

If you are seeking a 5-star dining experience, look no further. The food is exceptional with house made everything. The service is even better! Our server Brianna was outstanding. Every dish was perfectly described to help us decide. We had the Pelino's dinner--4 perfect courses that were filling and delightful. We also had the wine pairing, so we got to try some fabulous Italian wines. Casual, yet elegant setting was not too loud. Highly recommend!

I absolutely love Pelino's Pasta - the food is amazing, the service is great, and the atmosphere is so cozy. I've had a great experience every time I've been there. The cacio e pepe is definitely my favorite dish and I love that they toss it right in front of you in a big wheel of parmesan, so so good. I also love their selection of wines, I always try something new when I'm there and have really enjoyed everything. The restaurant itself is small and is a popular spot so you definitely want to make sure to make a reservation or else you might not be able to get in. Parking can be a bit tricky as you have to rely on street parking and probably will have to walk some. This is a pricier place but for good reason, so be prepared to spend a little more for some really great authentic Italian food!

Hands down one of the best meals in Columbus. The service was fantastic and the food was absolutely incredible.

What a cool experience at Pelino's Pasta. Having a reservation for this restaurant is a must as it is not a very big location and fills up fast. There is some seating outside but at this time of a year, people were asking to come inside. We had a reservation for 7 pm and were seated around 7:15 pm as there is very limited seating. This restaurant is very good but the portions are very small. There are three options on what you can order. One that has three courses, another four and the last is the chefs tasting with seven. If you are looking for a budget friendly restaurant, this is not it. The options start at $49 and go to $99. My friend and I decided to splurge and got the 4 course menu that is $64 that comes with an Antipasto, Pasta Piccolo, Pasta (main dish) and Dolce. All portions came over with big time gaps which was good for digesting your food. The meal did take 2 hours to complete so do not come in a rush. It is an experience not a quick meal. The menu changes seasonally and we came in Fall. We started our meal with an additional charge of Focaccia and Evoo that is made daily in house. The oil was so smooth and amazing. I highly recommend you adding this to your meal. Second, I got the Bruschetta con Mortadella e Cipolla which is highly recommended as well. The third portion that I got was Roselline con Mele which is an acquired taste and was good but did not love it. For my main pasta, I got the pasta made in a cheese wheel that does not leave the menu, Cacio e Pepe which was good but too cheesy for me. Lastly for my dessert, I got the La Strega d'Autunno and I recommend that as well. All the food was delicious and I suggest coming here for a try just know it's expensive, an experience not a faster meal and portions are smaller. It would be a great place for a birthday or celebrating an anniversary. I do not know if I would come again as I experience everything I needed and it was too pricey for me. Great experience to come once!

This was one of the best meals I've ever had at a restaurant the food was fantastic, the service was great, they have a fun vibe. Everything about the evening was wonderful. I will definitely be going back the next time I'm in town!

I debated between 2 or 3 stars but I went with 3 because the ambiance is decent. Food was unimpressive at best. Served cold and lacked flavor. Menu is confusing and the prices are way out of line for what is delivered. Disappointed because I wanted it to be good but I won't be back.

We came for a girls night tonight. You have to buy a 3 or 4 course meal just forewarning you. It is all fresh ingredients and from Italy so that is really neat!! I got the bruschetta, zucchini pasta and tiramisu. I loved each dish!' But I wanted more pasta. It was such a small plate, I'm not used to that. I think my favorite dish was the espresso tiramisu. It wasn't too sweet and it wasn't too much espresso. I wish they had a happy hour too!! But overall really neat experience!

TLDR: would never recommend to anyone. Snake $10 charge for the sparkling water. Food was barely even warm. Price is absolute madness for that experience. Trash anniversary dinner. Went for a special anniversary dinner and when the host sat us at our table said they offered a complimentary Prosecco toast for the occasion (that nice). Then *the host* asked us if we wanted still or sparkling water. My partner got sparkling because why not. Our server came over and was very nice and went over the whole menu to help us decide. After she left finally checked out the drink menu , and to my surprise. The bottle of sparkling water that was on our table was on the menu for TEN DOLLARS. Asked the server what the heck that's about since it was the host that freakin asked us "still or sparkling" IF THE HOST OFFERS "STILL OR SPARKLING" BOTH OPTIONS ARE PRESUMABLY FREE. Once I noticed that insane scam they pulled on us, it set the rest of the night up for a bad time . However, did think the food would maybe be so good I'd forget about that shady move they pulled. NOPE. The food was a let down one after the other. Risotto (served with a black sludge poo on top. Some black garlic thing or something. But looked and tasted gross)- served room temp and not good (and like three spoonfuls). Roasted Cabbage with burrata - served chilled/cold. Was decent but the temperature made my brain confused and disappointed Braised Beef piccolo pasta- was actually good but on top of a cold crema sauce?! Pasta dishes - room temp and not good! Like at least be tasty pleeeeease. But no. Extra $5 for the mini meatball spaghetti dish. Couldn't eat the meatballs, and then the room temp spaghetti turned cold and couldn't bother with that. And my partners pasta had the black sludge on it and wasn't remotely warm/hot Also, don't forget , portions are about four bites worth. Dessert- the tiramisu was bomb. I'll give them that. For such a fancy place I feel like it should have been served with a more narrow dessert spoon tho, given what it's served in. Left there abbbbsolutely staaarved.

Pasta dishes are highly inconsistent in their firmness. The fish selections within the various dishes are conceptually great but simply poor quality fish. And the price point is 3x where it should be. If you are reading the glowing reviews, I will guarantee that at least 90% of those are ego reviews that Yelpers write when they are stung by a hefty bill and perceive the problem is with them and not the restaurant. Service is clearly striving to be great but they ask for input in an off-putting manner that lends an aire that they neither care nor will act upon the critique. Caveat emptor (buyer beware -Latin), the menu is priced as either 3-, 4-, or 7-course options but plated courses presented in amuse bouche single or double bites. The proteins exist but you need to look hard because they are less than generous with the proportions. Whoever is procuring their fish clearly has little appreciation for the inland location and the concept that oily species must be eaten fresh or risk the unsavory "fishy" taste dominating your meal. To echo many other Elite Yelpers, the bar is a massive disappointment in that they only serve spritzers and wine. No beer or cocktails. Plus, those aforementioned wines are not available as a taster. You are at the mercy of a shaky description from your waiter. I can state that the desserts, particularly the Torta de Nonna, are well executed. Possibly they are the only item worthy of a return visit. The hostess desk and pastry chef save Pelino's Pasta from a disastrous 1-star.

Simply outstanding! I should say simply sized plates that deliver outstanding food to your table. Came in on a Tuesday night with my daughter. We each ordered the 4 course dinner with a wine flight. We each picked different dishes, so the 2 wine flights amounted to 10 different wines. That was worth the price of admission right there! Ended up leaving with 2 bottles I really, really liked. The presentation of each dish is off the charts. Not a lot of food, but combined it is plenty to leave filled up. Service was great! Our server had only been with Pelino's for a year, but had the knowledge of someone that owned the place. I couldn't pronounce half of what was on the menu, but with his help, I was able to order up some of the most tasty plates I've ever had. Still not sure what that was, but it doesn't matter. It was that damn good! Apparently they redo the menu every month, so looking forward to coming back in the future for an entirely new experience. Place is really small, so make a reservation.

I went to Pelino's for the third time last night for my friend's birthday. This is a popular spot for special dinners with loved ones for their warm, small (not too tight) and welcoming atmosphere. I love that the servers are trained to be very knowledgeable about the menu and seasonal/monthly (?) dishes they offer. I come here for the experience of their course menu (3, 4, or 7), but there's always one dish out of the 3-4 course meal that I don't enjoy and it is usually their pasta - which is the course I look forward to the most. My friends and I agreed that the pasta dishes lack flavor, and the temperature of the dish is not consistent throughout. The Cacio e Pepe is delicious so if you're ever torn on what to get- you can't go wrong with it since it is always available and doesn't change. Their tiramisu is also creamy and tasty as well! I loved their seasonal pumpkin torta that they currently have which is served with a gelato from their sister spot Piazza Pelino! If I return, I would love to try the 7 course chefs tasting and enjoy the antipasti & pasta piccolo dishes that I usually do love.

I love the vibe. I love the idea of it. But something just isn't quite right. Firstly, the portions are crazy small. And I'm no stranger to fine dining and small bites. But there's only a few courses here, so you're going to leave hungry as well as underwhelmed (more on that). To start we had the bruschetta which was basically the size of half of a piece of white bread (as an example). We also had spaghetti as our entree and while the flavor was good the texture was horrible. Caveat, again my family is Italian, we make fresh pasta at home. I've been to Italy maybe 10 times in my life. I know what fresh pasta is and what al dente should be. The spaghetti was gluey (couldn't be separated when picked up with the fork) got stuck in your teeth, was white in the center. The hallmarks of either being poorly constructed or way undercooked. I asked them very nicely to make me another, and the second was exactly the same (though they said it had been cooked longer - so maybe the recipe is off?). It was sadly inedible. I wasn't angry, and we enjoyed the rest of our wine. The waiter asked if we wanted to take the leftover spaghetti home and maybe "heat it up in the pan and cook it"... No discount on the bill. So we left hungry and disappointed. We won't be back.

We went to Pelino's for our anniversary and had an incredible experience! Service: The staff was incredible from the start of experience and the evening started off with a complimentary glass of champagne since they knew we were celebrating our anniversary. Our waiter went through the entire menu with us and gave us recommendations which was very helpful. Food: we did the 4 course option with the wine pairing and enjoyed each dish. The portions were small with each dish however we were full by the end of the night with all of the courses. Our favorite dish was the carbonara ravioli which was incredible however each dish was flavorful and interesting in its own way. The tiramisu was also incredible. Ambiance: the restaurant is very cute and has an intimate feel, it was perfect for a romantic evening. We would definitely come back to try other things on the menu!

Some of the best pasta in Columbus and an inspired wine list with delicious prosecco!

First, the service at Pelino's is great! Our server was incredibly knowledgeable and gave us a full tour of the menu. Inside, it's pretty cute but my only complaint was it was a bit warm inside temperature-wise. Food was a little pricey for the amount but I also kind of expected that. Wine was yummy but I'm no wine expert and am easily pleased. FOOD: * Bruschetta alla Catanese: Good, had a nice crunch and refreshing. 3/5 * Cappellaci alla Norma: Very very yummy, super flavorful. 5/5 * Cacio e Pepe: Good, I was a little jealous of my friend's Bronzo e Bronte but it was still a good dish and I enjoyed having the dish prepared in the cheese wheel. 3/5 * Tiramisu: Yummmm 5/5 We were informed by our server that one of the kitchen staff did not show up for their shift so dessert took a bit longer to get to the table but nothing too dramatic and the dessert was well worth the wait. Our server and one of the managers both came over and apologized for the wait and even took the first round of wine off of our bill which was very kind! It's clear that the staff do care about your experience and enjoyment of the food. Thanks for having us!

I wish I could give them more than five stars. Everything was phenomenal. I appreciate the portion size; we left feeling satisfied but not uncomfortably stuffed. Alec was our server and answered all of my many questions with patience. The limoncello spritz was light and refreshing. The focaccia was perfect alone but was even better with the zuppa di fagioli. The cacio e pepe was presented after a wonderful tableside presentation. *yall, I forgot to mention the tiramisu. Idk how I forgot it because it was amazing. I don't even like tiramisu but decided to try it because everything else was so good. Like, as good as everything else was, I knew they wouldn't drop the ball on dessert. Idk if I'll ever visit Columbus again but if I do, I would stop by this place just for the tiramisu.

This place is ass... it gives the vibes that it's high end but the pasta taste like mush with applesauce on top. The panacotta was curdled chunky omelette. I'm not joking. The servers were acting like ai bots. This place gives chat GBT. Would not recommend :)

I've been to Pelino's Pasta a few other times before and needless to say, it never disappoints! I love how the menu changes every month so it's basically a never ending menu of pasta-bilities! The entire wait staff are extremely knowledgeable with each month's hand crafted menu and wine selection. Portions are on the smaller end but it's all scratch made and they use fresh ingredients. $49 - 3 course - Antipasto, Pasta, Dolci $64 - 4 course - Antipasto, Pasta Piccola, Pasta, Dolci $99 - chef's tasting - 7 course menu Great spot for a date night or a girls night! And yes, i've done a solo date night on my own as well :o) Make sure you make reservations ahead of time, especially if you're going in with a group.

Service was good and the waitress was very knowledgeable and gave a good rundown of the menu. The portions are extremely small. 65$ for 3 small dishes (plus dessert) is steep especially when the food was a 6/10. The carbonara noodles were extremely hard and totaled about 4 bites. The tiramisu was good, but not my favorite I've had!

Same experience as others. Pasta overcooked, wait staff out of sync (brought dessert items before pasta), portions were too small (even for fine dining tasting), price point was too high for food and service.

We don't complain and try to find something positive to say. We always view menus before dining due to dietary restrictions. We love the experience of fine food. We gave 2 stars only because the team of employees are very knowledgeable and friendly. When we dine out we typically go to $$$ places. We find the chefs are accommodating and creative. This. Menu. Is. Set!!! We understand and appreciate the concept of a tasting menu. To echo others here on the portion sizes. They are small! $187 later ... which we NEVER complained about any other evening out ... we walked out extremely disappointed. We cannot recommend unfortunately.

Excellent food! Good experience but very overpriced. Definitely make a reservation before you go

We did a wine pairing dinner and it was fantastic!! I highly recommend the experience. Food was divine and the pairings were appropriate. The owner of the featured wine (Valle Martello) was an added plus to the evening.

i love pelinos, i've dined in at least 6 times now. i think it's the closet authentic italian you can get in Ohio.

Visiting our Daughter, Son-in-law and granddaughter my wife and I were treated to dinner here. We were totally blown away by this quaint, OUTSTANDING restaurant. Tom, our #SIL told us about the four course meal and how the server will explain each dish. Truly a wonderful experience! Each plate was explained in detail, leaving no question unanswered. Our server was fantastic and humorous together. As each plate arrived, were we again asked for questions and answered. Last year my wife and I spent 2 weeks in Italy enjoying the food, wines, deserts, and the sights. Tonight, we were back in Italy!! This restaurant out did some of the places that were recommended to us in Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany during our trip!! A unique feature here, is the monthly change out of dishes on the menu. I honestly feel we could travel from Cleveland once a month for dinner. Why? One time visit,band you'd be hooked!! Residents of the Columbus area, this is, in my book, A MUST VISIT restaurant! I'd give 10 's if I could!! BRAVO to all!!

Terrible, "hand crafted pastas," that were bought from a food service provider such as GDF (Gordon's Food Service). As a home bound Italian, this found was a stark disappointment. Promised a 5 course 125$ meal we were met with a 3 course 160$ meal. The staff will lie to you. "Homemade Italian" comes from a tub of trash. Inauthentic staff, inauthentic owners.

As an Italian, I would be ashamed at the portion sizes that were served. You are REQUIRED to order your meal as a three or more course meal, which each one gives you a sliver of food. You will definitely be stopping somewhere else to eat. But after paying the outrageous bill, for pasta that normally cost pennies. You might only be able to afford Taco Bell. The waiter has to explain each item on the menu. Street parking only which is also terrible. I WOULD NOT recommend.

Excellent food and outstanding service. Great ambience too -- although it can get a bit loud. They only have a prefixes menu, and my wife and I had their 3 course version (it was plenty food for us, but there is also a 4 course version). To start with they provided bread already dipped in their olive oil m. The bread itself was okay but you could immediately tell that this was some fine quality olive oil. For starters I got the Crostini Pomodoro which was made with toasted focaccia with an interesting relish made of heirloom tomatoes and a side of ricotta cheese. It was very good. My wife got the prosciutto and melon, which was even better. For the pasta, I got the "Crema di Peperoni," which is made with a type of pepper (hence the name and not for pepperoni), and some boar. It was good but was a tad more garlicky than necessary and also needed a little bit of salt. I also found the pasta a bit gummy-- it should have really been cooked al dente. Nonetheless, it tasted pretty good. My wife got the Pesto Genovese, which was fantastic in my opinion this was by far the best dish we tried. For dessert, I got the Bonet con Fruitti di Bosco (basically a chocolate ganache cake with some fruits on it) and my wife got the tiramisu. Both were exceptional, although I was a bit partial to my chocolate ganache cake. The server was wonderful. As was the owner who took time to chat with us. We will definitely be repeat customers. I would say 4-4.5 stars for the food and definitely 5 stars for the service.

Great food and service. Waiter explained the menu and added artist spin and reasoning for each item. The lighter affair option with the bread appetizer was great. I think portion sizes are near perfect. Maybe needs a tad more. Other than that it perfect.

Sum Up Worth the calories? No. These dishes were too subtle for my palate. Worth the price? Yes The food quality was obviously in line with its price and the service and atmosphere are excellent. Atmosphere - comfortable, lovely and well done. The bar is very comfortable and the menu is simple and approachable. Perfect atmosphere for me. Risotto- subtle to the point of forgettable. Maybe not worth the calories. The Gorgonzola dolce is delightful but disappears into the nutty risotto. I forgot it was there. Expected a tart blueberry. Those that were there acted as lovely decoration but did not add to the flavor profile. I would forget to order this again. Focaccia- probably was perfect out of the oven. Need a firmer crust and salt to hold up to the bright tomato. The smoked bacon added the perfect flavor trio. If you could find a way to spread the Smokey bacon flavor across the foccocia it would be a memorable use of calories. I would forget to order this again. Carbonara - subtle and deeply Smokey. The eggy-ness is the star here. Get it. It's tasty. I would order again. Prezzemolo - NOT SUBTLE. A spicy delicious mouthful. It's deep pesto flavor becomes umami after about 5 bites. This dish grows. It grows so well that it could use a textural or flavor break-up in the dish composition. Was a nice one time adventure. Torta di ricotta Raspberries could be stronger. It was a ricotta tart. Not my taste. Ccicolato e caramello Rich. Extremely rich and worth the calories. I swore I tasted espresso and then realized it was an effective dark chocolate ganache blend. The caramel is the finishing note. Service - excellent and knowledgeable! I wish many restaurants had this level of service. Restrooms- Immaculate and fully stocked with supplies. Both restrooms are any-gender, individual rooms.

I have been SO excited to finally try this place and I can 100% say I was not disappointed!! Honestly, the best restaurant I have had in Columbus!! You have to make a reservation pretty far in advance but worth it. This is located off Neil, right next to Bottle Shop. The restaurant itself is small and very quaint. The atmosphere is very cozy. The employees are so incredibly nice, our waitress was so friendly and gave great suggestion. The owners came around and talked to every table. That is so important and says so much about their business, they treat all the guests like family. To start off, I got a Prosecco, which was great. I also tried a glass of a red, which was also amazing. Their wine selection is amazing! Pelino's changes their menu every month. We went during the April Menu. This restaurant is set up where you buy either a 3 course ($45) or a 4 course ($60). You're able to split it, so we split the 4 course. The portions are really small, so a 4 course would also be perfect for an individual person. Also, they're pasta is home made, and you can really tell! It's unreal and so fresh. We started off with the risotto as our Antipasto dish. It was amazing, the texture was perfect and the blueberries added a perfect sweetness to it. Highly recommend that. Next, we ordered the Salmone Affumicato, which is basically little raviolis with cheese and smoked salmon in it. Also really really delicious! For our main pasta dish, we got the prezzemolo, which had a delicious sauce and spice to it! This had to be my favorite dish we got (which is a tough call, they're all so good). Lastly, the tiramisu was unbelievable. Tiramisu is my favorite dessert, and this had to be the best tiramisu I have ever had! Seriously so good. Everything was packed with flavor, the fresh pasta was so good, the service was great. Seriously one of the best experiences, restaurants I've had in Columbus.

I tried this place for the first time this evening with some friends and it's worth trying if you haven't before. It feels very authentic, our waitress Maria was great and even had an Italian accent. In true European fashion, the bill arrived as one bill for all of us and she was able to divide it up individually upon request. Be aware that the focaccia bread and oil costs extra. I ordered the carbonara and the pasta was perfectly al dente and the panna cotta was light and fresh. My friend got the Cacio e pepe which is mixed in a giant wheel of Parmesan. The waitress was able to recommend a wine pairing that went perfectly with my carbonara. The place is small and cozy but classy, dress well!

I'll start with the good. We had reservations for 3 at 8:30PM. We needed to add a 4th person. The restaurant modified it to 4 at 9:00. It worked for us. Very nice of them to be able to do this. The server and the service were perfect. Absolutely nothing to complain about there. The issue that we had was with the food. Very pricey. Small portions. No protein, unless I missed it. Maybe a little bit of pancetta is on the menu but that's about it. Maybe something else but no protein of any substance. We all got the 4 course (maybe one person got the 3 course?) and we all had no problem eating everything. I probably could have easily eaten 6 courses based on the serving size. And they ran out of the dessert that I wanted. Probably because it was getting late. They gave me a small serving of sorbet as a substitute. I agree with another reviewer to check out the menu ahead of time. The server advised that they change it monthly. But I don't know if different menu items would equate to different serving sizes. I don't eat as much as I used to eat but I still like to feel more satisfied, especially after paying this much. And maybe even having some to take home. We were going to come here again the weekend before Valentine's Day. Now we're leaning against it and will probably cancel the reservation. It's just not for us. We had a good time but I don't know if it's worth the money.

I am sad to be writing this review but we were extremely disappointed in our Pelino's experience. The wine we ordered was fantastic and the service was good. The waitstaff was extremely knowledgeable. Now for the food, we did the chef's tasting. For $100 it was 7 courses and to say the portions were small were an understatement. We understand it is a tasting menu but portions 1-5 were extremely small. Then the pasta portion, the main portion, we had to send back the first option because it was al dente to an extreme and lacked any flavor. For the second option, it was better but not by much. Then dessert and espresso were good to end out the meal. For the price point, we were extremely disappointed and we will not be heading back unfortunately.

Great ambiance, decent location, mediocre tasting food and plating size could have been for a toddler. I am just shocked how they get away with the pricing and the quantity and quantity of the food. Online photos are zoomed in and deceiving.

My fiancé took me here for my birthday this year. We almost didn't go because he was nervous about the reviews regarding portion sizes vs cost. I share the sentiment of other diners that the cost was very high, and I can understand, to an extent, why they are what they are. But to other yelpers point, some things were just unnecessary. For the prefix menu, there is no reason why a single slice of chocolate cake would cost $15. Or a kettle of tiramisu. Maybe if we were in NY. But not Columbus. All that said, we ate slowly and tried to savor each bite, and at the end of the meal i genuinely felt full. I do wish the first two courses of the four was either larger or less expensive but as i said previously, i understand some of the reasons. For example, while we were there we spoke with the owned about how they import the flour they use for pasta straight from Italy. I can't imagine that's cheap. Our service was great. The atmosphere felt very fine dining while still being more casual. And the food was very good. I'm not sure I could justify the cost again without a special occasion but we would likely return. I hope for the restaurants sake they re-evaluate their cost vs price. I'd love to see them make it!

Outstanding across the board. Vibe, service, and food all impeccable - the trifecta of restaurant experience. Have been twice and both times have been outstanding! Worth the half hour drive!

Pelino's offers an excellent dining experience-- their menu changes every month, and their pasta and bread is made fresh in house. We went for a birthday celebration and the server was so knowledgeable, attentive, and kind. The prix fixe menu is affordable and has appropriate portions -- I recommend each person at the table ordering something different so all can be sampled. The tiramisu, which is available each month, is a standout.

The first time my boyfriend and I came here we did not like our experience at all. We have dined back a few times since then and everything has been wonderful. The service and dishes have been semi consistent, but every now and then something will be cold or not seasoned as described. We came for the January menu. He loves the Cacio e Pepe that comes out in a pecorino will, I love the bottarga e limone. They have such a unique flavors and you can tell they put a lot of effort and quality into the menu. They don't serve liquor but their spritz are wonderful! The lemoncello spritz is a must try!

At first I wasn't sure what to expect but this was one of the best food experiences I had in my whole life. We got the chefs experience from food to wine and it was amazing. Great food and a great wine paring. It was not cheap but it was well worth it.

Great food and amazing staff! I enjoyed the entire experience. This place is very expensive for what you get. As great as this place is, it unfortunately wasn't worth the price. Heads up, don't expect any protein options. Most dishes are vegetarian with a few exceptions for flavor, not substance. The quality of the dishes did not suffer for this, but it would have been good to know.