First Look: Del Pietro’s in Richmond Heights

Del Pietro’s, the latest from restaurateur Michael Del Pietro, opened on Wed., Jan. 31, at 1059 S. Big Bend Blvd., in Richmond Heights.

The restaurant is an homage to the original Del Pietro’s House of Pasta, opened by Michael Del Pietro’s parents, Michael Sr. and Mary Rose, in 1976 in South City. The new Del Pietro’s menu has plenty of original dishes and a generous selection of favorites from the original restaurant, like Spaghetti Alla Angela, Vitello Marsala and Carciofo (stuffed artichokes), plus a wine list heavy on Italian reds and whites.

Those who remember the building when it was home to Harvest, and later Riverbend, may have a hard time recognizing it now. The original entrance and the bar were moved; the bar is now located in what once was the ivy-covered dining area at the front of the restaurant.

The former multilevel dining room is now on one floor. The only remnant of the former residents is the large fireplace in the center of the dining room, but even that has been stripped down to bare bricks for a new look. The new space seats 90, including the bar area.

The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. Here’s a First Look at what to expect from the next generation of Del Pietro’s.

Matt Sorrell is staff writer at Sauce Magazine.