This is my favorite restaurant of all time. The family are true restauranteurs - and care just as much about the family feel as they do the quality of their food. An Italian shareable restaurant? I've never heard of it until Pelato. The bathrooms alone are worth the visit, but the restaurant itself is beautiful. Consider making a reservation, it's always busy for good reason. For starters, get the zucchini fries and calamari. Throw in the stuffed mushrooms or.... Anything else if you have the room. The chicken parmigiana is best-in-class for chicky parm lovers. Follow it up with the vodka pasta - the pasta servings are conservative, try 2 or 3 pasta dishes. The meatballs are also a must if you're looking for another protein. But honestly? I've tried nearly every dish and there is not one I wouldn't recommend. Gluten free (yet still delicious) pasta options are available. That inclusive option demonstrates the level of care and attentiveness. GF friends should be able to experience this pasta, too! Pair your food with a fresh cocktail or glass of wine. There's something for everyone. Enjoy Pelato, and when you love it, try Luogo... also in Nashville and by the same, incredible owners but with a coastal spin. read more

Pelato is hands down my favorite restaurant in Nashville! Every single dish is amazing and every server I have had is knowledgeable and personable. Matt (server) was amazing last night and the manager was super present and friendly. My favorite dishes are the garlic bread with melted parm, meatballs, cauliflower picatta, charred broccolini, pasta limone, and the carbonara! read more

I want to give this place 4.5 stars. Everything is fantastic and the food / service / ambiance / people who go there / management can't really be complained about at all. Everything we ordered was really good. There's nothing on the menu that is bad tasting and we ordered so many different things that it became a blur. So on to the things I want to take note of: 1. The food is so darn rich and heavy especially if you don't order any vegetables or something acidic to cut the food. I think you really have to consider what you drink there at dinner. Super important in retro. 2. The experience is suppposed to be shared plates, tapas style which is to me a very interesting concept since when I think shared plates and Italian, I think huge plates with lots of pasta and lots of food. This is not the case. The sizes of the plates are not small but they're not big so the meal gets expensive real fast if you're with a bunch of dudes that eat like they just left the gym. Be prepared to spend $$$. I did have one tiny issue with a dish where we ordered seasonal fried squash blossoms stuffed with ricota and mine was cold on the inside. All in all, highly recommend when you're visiting Nashville! read more

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This place was recommended to me when I was in town. My brother had been here and thankfully he was open to going again. Our server was great and gave us a lot of recommendations on how many tapas we should order per person and just gave his own recommendations of what he thought was good/what we might've been missing. My friend and I joke about driving back to Nashville just to eat here again. read more

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What can I say except it's all true? The hype isn't hype- this place delivers. Very few misses here just ranking personal favorites. Go with a small group and over order. Trust your server. Get extra bread. Have a cocktail. Get dessert. It's that kind of place. read more

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We went on a Friday evening at peak time, it was packed. We had no wait because they were very efficient with their seating and service! Great energy/ambiance in the restaurant and fantastic food. Pasta is made in house and tasty. The staff is knowledgeable and patient when it comes to newcomers. It's Tapas style so be sure to order a few plates to share! read more

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We had wonderful service here on a Friday night as a group of four and sat outside on the uncovered section of the patio. We had reservations and got seated immediately. We were very glad to be outside, as it was a bit noisy indoors for my parents. We did have a bit of an issue with our silverware being dirty when we arrived, but not entirely their fault as we were outside. The vodka pasta was the star of the show. It was excellent. We also had the calamari and the seafood pasta, which were both delicious. We have ordered the polenta bolognese before and loved it, but it felt a bit light on the bolognese today. We also really enjoyed the Crispy Cauliflower Piccata. Overall, this is a fun spot to come with your friends with very solid food! A bit on the pricey side for portion sizes, but cool atmosphere and great service. read more

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Service was wonderful and food was great! I was honestly very skeptical when the waitress recommended the broccolini and it was truly one of my favorite dishes. The only thing that I left skeptical about is the fact that we were celebrating two birthdays at the table and they provided a sparkler wrapped in a napkin.. the sparkler was a nice gesture but the presentation could have been better for a restaurant of this level. read more

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Pelato is a Brooklyn inspired tapas spot that is perfect for a date night! I believe it is a sister restaurant to Luogo which is one of my favorite Italian restaurant in Nashville. You can absolutely feel the energy when you walk into the place that gives you Italy vibe. Their food is amazing. I would recommend to get about 2-3 dishes per person. Cocktails were curated and prepared perfectly. They make their own pasta and it's so tasty. We started with the Butrata Crostini, meatballs, lemon pasta and every dish was amazing. The service was very fast and our server was so attentive and accommodating which made our evening very special. read more

Pelato - Italian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

The food was delicious! My favorite dish was the broccoli and Rigatoni Vodka, the plates are shareable, and we loved the ambiance. Bret G. was my server and he was amazing! Everything he recommended was delicious. I will definitely be back! read more

Pelato is super popular in Nashville right now, so I had high hopes for my visit. Sadly, I was SO disappointed. Firstly, no onsite parking downtown is always a con. Secondly, the indoor acoustics are overwhelmingly loud and it was difficult to hear my husband across the table. We ordered a couple plates per person, re the waitress's suggestion, but the only thing I'd order again is the garlic bread. We came to celebrate our second anniversary, which was acknowledged. However, the vodka pasta tasted like canned Alfredo with red pepper in it. The pork ragu was way too salty, and the arancini was too bland. I was expecting to taste the guanciale in the arancini but I did not. The meatballs were average, salty, and featured many strong Italian spices. The calamari was one of the better dishes. The peppers on top were a nice touch. I don't recommend Pelato at their price point for the quality. I've lived in Italy for a few months and even the worst fare there was better than my meal tonight. read more

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Payton E was one of the friendliest and attentive servers we've had! Her recommendations for amazing dishes were spot on and kept a perfect pace of food coming. The food, service, and atmosphere are all a 10! We'll be back! read more

10/10 would highly recommend! The spot itself was super cute and clean. The service was phenomenal and the food was amazing! I'm already planning my trip back to try a few other items I didn't order. If you're visiting Nashville this is the place to go for a nice dinner or some fun drinks! read more

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The food at Pelato was good, and our server was apologetic and did her best to handle the situation. Unfortunately, our experience with the manager, Brian, was completely different. One person in our party still had not received her meal by the time everyone else had finished eating. When we asked Brian about it, his response was simply that "it would be done when it was ready." No apology, no acknowledgment of the unusually long wait, and no attempt to make the situation right. What made it worse was watching the exact same dish being delivered to other tables while we were still waiting. My wife asked Brian, "I thought it would be done when it was ready--why are other tables getting the same dish?" Rather than explain what happened or apologize, he simply disappeared. Mistakes happen in restaurants. A delayed meal by itself would not have prompted this review. The problem was how the manager handled it. A simple "I'm sorry about the delay, let me find out what happened" would have gone a long way. Instead, Brian was dismissive and unprofessional and showed remarkably poor customer service. The food was good, and our server deserves credit for being apologetic. Unfortunately, the manager's handling of a very fixable situation left a terrible impression and overshadowed the rest of the experience. read more

Pelato - Italian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

I loved this place! Went with my family for a pre birthday dinner and got a full spread. Will be back! read more

Pelato - different pastas for the table - Italian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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I don't understand the hype of this place. I thought that the drinks and apps were pretty good. We went for my friend's birthday and they sat us in this weird back room claiming had a good view when it was light out, but it was dark so it was just kind of weird. And then our waiter checked in on us almost excessively until we were waiting an extra 20 minutes after the rest of our food came out for our chicken Parm. I understand that it's a tapas style as it's ready situation, but we did tell them one of our friends had a gluten allergy and all her food came out after ours so it was a little bit awkward and we felt bad because she was waiting to eat. I thought that the rigatoni vodka that everyone hyped up was not good. It was gummy and cold. I just don't think it was worth over $400 for 4 people. I might need to retry and just do drinks and apps time! read more

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giving 5 stars for the vodka pasta - so delicious !! The vibe is cute inside too and service was truly awesome. I just didn't love all the dishes. Wouldnt get anything else again except the vodka pasta. OH and the meatballs !!! I'd get those again, SO GOOOD! Will come back for the vodka pasta and meatballs. read more

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I don't mean to sound dramatic, but the Chicken Parm and the ravioli were the BEST I've ever had. Here's what I've had here: Cheesy sausage stuffed bread 5 stars potato Croquettes 3.5 stars ‍ Stuffed mushrooms 5 stars Pelato Salad 3.5 stars Chicken parm - 100 stars Pelato ravioli - 100 stars Radiatori Vodka pasta - 100 stars little Italian gelato balls 3.5 stars Dark chocolate budino mousse 4.7 stars I review 3 restaurants per week on my IG Lillypulitzerstylist. Pelato is one of my TOP TEN NASHVILLE FAVORITES. Excellent service and ambiance. Perfect for a date night or with your girlfriends. read more

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Great service by Jada F. And wonderful Cuisine. Will come again for delicious dinner and great desserts read more

You walk into Pelato thinking you've got it figured out. Italian food. Sit down. Order a couple plates. Eat. Leave. Not here. Pelato flips the script in the best way possible. It's high end, deeply authentic Italian, but served in a way that feels more like a night in Barcelona than Rome. Small plates. Shareable. Meant for conversation, for passing dishes, for that moment where someone across the table says "you have to try this" and they're absolutely right. We started with the pasta in vodka sauce. Rich, velvety, and dialed in. The kind of dish that makes you pause for a second because it hits exactly the way you want it to. Then the baked clams showed up. And look, I don't throw this around. Best baked clams I've had in 25 years. Not close. Perfect balance, perfect texture, just flat out incredible. The meatballs came next and didn't miss. Flavor packed, cooked right, gone faster than expected. Then the baked ziti. Big, bold, creamy. Pasta cooked exactly how it should be. Maybe could've used a touch more sauce, but that's nitpicking. Still a strong dish. The space ties it all together. Converted warehouse, right off the river, with a vibe that just works. It feels a little tucked away, a little like you found something you weren't supposed to. Parking's in the back in a paid lot, easy enough. Five stars. Not just for the food, but for the experience. This is the kind of place you go to enjoy the whole night, not just the meal. read more

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For my son's birthday, we booked a reservation at Pelato on a Sunday night. He loves Italian food, and this Nashville spot delivers. And we were able to book using my Chase Sapphire Reserve, so we had a $150 dining credit to cover a majority of the cost. Since it was Sunday night, Pelato offered its special Sunday Sauce (aka Sunday Gravy) family-style pasta and meat dish. Sunday Sauce comes with a variety of meats baked in a special marinara sauce that felt like home. They have a limited quantity of these dishes every Sunday, and we literally ordered the last one available for the night. We also ordered a side of garlic bread (delicious, but would be better if it were covered in mozzarella), crispy garlic potatoes (amazing!), and crispy fried calamari with candied peppers (my wife's fave). The restaurant itself has a lively atmosphere, which contributes to the overall noise level. It's rather small inside, but Pelato makes good use of the space. For my son's birthday, they brought out a sparkling dish of ice cream. We also ordered the Nutella ice cream and a bag of the San Gennaro Zeppoles (which are basically freshly made donut holes or beignets with powdered sugar). read more

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This restaurant is so cute! The Pelato Rav and the Radiatori Vodka were amazing! Dessert was a 10/10 too, we had the cannoli chips and dip and the budino. Our server Matt was so friendly and knew the menu like the back of his hand!! The manager Kyle came to our table and was so personable and kind! No notes, 5 stars! read more

Pelato - Atmosphere - Italian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

one of the best italian restaurants i've been to recently!! a couple cons- it took our reserved table for 8 an additional 20-25 mins to be prepared when we arrived, which was just a few minutes after our reservation time at 9pm on saturday night. luckily we were able to snag some bach trip photos outside while we waited, but it was a bit annoying we had to wait at all. however it was super busy at that time saturday night so it made sense. another "con" i should mention in case anyone has a preference for this- one of my friends didn't like how all the food came out so rapidly, but honestly, i didn't really mind this. it did feel a little "chaotic", but i was in awe of their efficient service and servers. a last con (so i guess more than a couple) is that when it came time for us to want our check, our server was nowhere to be found, despite being around for the rest of the meal. so it took us like 10 minutes to be able to get our check. it was the very end of the restaurant's opening time (11pm) so i'm sure this played a role, but that was a bit annoying. now in terms of all the great things about this restaurant- the service was mostly very efficient and the servers were very friendly. they had plenty of servers and staff so it made for a bustling experience. the food was AMAZING. a few of my notable favorites- the SHRIMP CAMPANELLE was DELICIOUS. very lemony flavor to warn those who prefer something more subtle. the broccolini, one of their more popular dishes, also met expectations. it had an asian kinda flavor- they specifically said a black garlic flavor. the polenta was also great - i've never had a polenta with bolognese sauce. the crostini was also great. and my cucumber spritz drink was super refreshing and yummy. overall, this was a truly amazing dining experience. they did mention the plates were small and kinda like tapas style but honestly the dishes were bigger than expected. our server recommended 2-3 dishes per person, and honestly i disagree. we ordered maybe about 12-14 dishes (i think?) for a party of 8, and we did have leftovers. honestly i really didn't mind the leftovers because it meant we were able to try more of their dishes, but just be mindful of how much you order id say. super happy with our experience here!! this was a highlight of my quick trip to nashville. i don't have that many good photos of the food this time, so source is 'just trust me bro' read more

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We celebrated a birthday at our first visit to Pelato. We had a warm greeting from the hostesses. We had a reservation and were initially given a table right next to the kitchen and thoroughfare for the servers. We asked to move, and were moved to about 2 tables over in the same area. They are not the best seats in that section. A larger party table sits behind these tables, making it a tight spot for people to move through. The food here has big flavor. We enjoyed garlic, spice, cream, acid, and sweet notes in the dishes. Favorites at the table were the crispy potatoes, prosciutto, garlic bread, and cannoli pancakes. Our party was divided about the burnt broccolini which has a very smoky flavor and the eggs bene-Vic which was overly salty and has a strange pink color. The Italian biscuits and gravy plating doesn't look appetizing, and it is very spicy. We loved the frozen martinis. Service was good, pacing was okay, and food was nice overall. If we had better seating, and a bit more elevated experience to match the prices, this would be a 5-star place. read more

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This place is always a solid 10/10. The vibe is vibrant, bustling, and fun. We sat at the bar and got great service from the bartender. We ordered off menu for the drinks and asked for a classic old fashioned - it was fine, but I'd stick with one of their specialty cocktails. Food wise, we went with the house-made mozz (this is a yes every time) and their artichoke arancini. For entrees, we split the chicken parm and radiatori. Their house staple is the radiatori and it's what I keep going back for. The mildy spicy vodka sauce it comes in is honestly incredible, I could drink it with a straw LOL. Great spot with consistently good Italian - don't forget your reservation, this is a busy spot any night of the week! read more

Really disappointing night at Pelato, and not because of the food. We had one person at our table who basically got forgotten. Everyone else had eaten and finished their meals and she was still sitting there with nothing. When we finally asked Brian, the manager, what was going on, he told us her food would come out "when it was ready." That was it. It honestly caught me off guard. No "sorry about that," no "let me check on it," nothing. Then I started seeing the exact same dish coming out of the kitchen and being delivered to other tables. At that point I asked Brian how that made sense when we had been waiting so long. He didn't have an answer. He just walked away and disappeared. That was the part that bothered me. I don't expect a restaurant to be perfect. Orders get missed and kitchens get backed up. But I do expect a manager to care when a guest has been sitting without food while the rest of her table finishes dinner. Even a basic apology would have completely changed the situation. Our server was actually very nice and clearly felt bad about what happened. The food we received was good too. Unfortunately, Brian's attitude was so unnecessarily dismissive that it's what I'll remember about Pelato. read more

Bret G. was the best! Enjoy every recommendation that he had was amazing! He was on point with everything and his service really spoke volumes! He is just all around amazing. I recommend him 100%. It was my first being here and I'll come back for the food, drinks, and Bret G. read more

Pelato is one of the best Italian spots I've been to in Nashville. The food was fresh, full of flavor, and everything we ordered came out perfectly. The homemade pasta really stood out, and you can tell they put a lot of care into every dish. The service was friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere made it a great place for dinner. I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu. read more

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We came here on NYE, walked in and found a seat at the bar around 7:00 pm. It was very busy, but seemed to be organized and well-run. Service at the bar was great, I had their take on a Negroni (a bit less bitter than a normal one, with some orange added, tasty) and my husband had a NY sour, which he really enjoyed. We shared the burnt broccolini and the chicken parm. The broccoli was very unique and addictive. The chicken parm was very good, classic! Plenty of food for a snack or light dinner for 2 (we were on a small pub crawl). We want to come back and try everything, especially their Sunday Sauce! read more

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This place is quite popular! Came by on a Friday around 4:30 and by the time we left around 5:30 the place was a full house. Cute holiday decor this time of year in a bright space. We ordered the meatballs and 3 pastas. The meatballs tasted standard but I quite enjoyed 2 of the pastas - the bucatini was perfectly al dente with a nice bounce and I enjoyed the flavor. The vodka pasta was also delicious and flavorful. The 3rd pasta, the bombolotti was a bit disappointing - felt like the sauce was too thin and it was a bit plain. Overall would return - service is great and kind! Portion sizes are smaller for sharing - were two girls with an appetite and finished all 3 pastas and the app. read more

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OMG! This was an amazing meal! Ellie was perfect server! She recommended the perfect meal! All her recommendations were a 10! Can't wait to come again! read more

Pelato - Italian Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

This restaurant is on point. Food is served small plate style but portions are large. Great gem in a Nashville neighborhood Some great wine on the list. Go with the Italians for sure. read more

Pelato - Authentic Italian Tapas-Style Pasta Heaven in Nashville Pelato is an authentic Italian spot in Nashville specializing in tapas-style pastas -- small plates packed with flavor. I was originally supposed to come here the night before my Nashville Half Marathon, but we arrived too late and rescheduled to dinner after the race. Turned out to be the perfect reward meal. We started with the Pelato Salad -- iceberg lettuce, salami, provolone, red onion, vinegar peppers, gigante beans, and oregano vinaigrette. Absolutely knock-your-socks-off amazing! Then came the pastas -- everything is served in shareable "tapas" portions, so we ordered three: Carbonara (special of the day) -- with ham and pecorino. Good but a bit heavy for me; buttery and rich. Radiatori Vodka -- tomato, cream, Calabrian chili, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Excellent! The tomato-cream base had depth and balance -- like the best tomato soup you've ever had, but with pasta instead of a spoon. I'd honestly buy this at Panera if they sold it. Campanelle Shrimp Limone -- creamy lemon and Parmigiano. My favorite! Light, bright, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. Two out of three were absolute standouts. The flavors, texture, and portions make this one of the best Italian meals I've had in a while. All in all, Pelato is a must-visit for pasta lovers -- flavorful, authentic, and just the right balance of comfort and creativity. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Nashville -- maybe before my next race this time! (I did get 1st in my age group though ) read more

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This is a solid Italian food choice in Nashville. The pasta is made in house and my vodka sauce was very tasty! I subbed gluten free pasta and it was pretty good. They also make gelato in house and I tried the Nutella. Also pretty tasty. My friend and I ordered the prosciutto appetizer and was it just okay, especially for the price. Nothing was a huge stand out for me, but it was quick service and a very nice ambiance. read more

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Tony was a great, knowledgeable server who made my birthday dinner feel special!! First time at Pelato and will definitely come back again.

The food was so tasty! Bret was very sweet and super accommodating with your questions and requests. Can't wait to go back!

Food is exceptional. We enjoyed a half dozen small dishes and everything tasted wonderful. However the service was amazing. Jada our server was attentive but not overwhelming. I recommend Pelato when your in Nashville. They say you come for the food but you come back for the service. This is a place to come back to. read more

Jada our server was amazing! best meal and experience during our Nashville visit. will definitely recommend

The food was delicious, and the service was impeccable. Darian was an amazing server. Kind, patient, and sociable! Highly recommend!

Allyson was the best waitress! She was extremely knowledgeable and kind! The food was great and service from all staff was amazing!