Mezzo Italiano

Great for those looking for vegan and gluten free options.

The food was amazing. They offered a Mediterranean Italian fusion with plenty of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free choices. My friends and I had an incredible time and we look forward to returning next time we're in the area.

MEZZO ITALIANO is a cozy, organic, Italian ristorante. Seating just 18, it offers a wonderful gastronomic experience. Dining at Mezzo Italiano is like having a cooked-from-scratch dinner at Nonna's with no dishes to wash. (Nonna is Grandma in Italian.) Victoria, the owner and chef, visited our table. As she described the menu, we learned about her experience with conventional and vegan cooking. "Mezzo-Mezzo." (Mezzo translates from Italian as "half." A popular Italian colloquialism is "mezzo-mezzo" or "half and half.") Since it's opening in June 2018, Chef Victoria has used organic ingredients, whenever possible, in her vegan, gluten free, and animal derived dishes. The talented chef creates delicious, cooked-from-scratch meals, (just like Nonna's) and still has time for interesting conversations. (When was the last time you talked with your professional chef?) Let me use my meal as an example: Dinner begins with a crisp, properly chilled, lightly dressed, vegan, Caesar Salad, In place of croutons, the chef served mini toast slices. Ciabatta Garlic Bread, smothered with house-made vegan cheese, soon arrived. The soft, "slipper shaped" pastry, loaded with nooks and crannies, is just plain delicious. Next, Eggplant Parmesan is presented. The eggplant slices, coated with breading containing house-made, vegan, parmesan cheese, are baked, then gently placed atop cavatappi pasta, highlighted with par-cooked mixed veggies, and dressed, with the warm bite of puttanesca sauce. (Several sauce choices are available.) Absolutely delicious. Dessert: A scoop of vegan, vanilla "ice cream," and a scoop of vegan, lemon sorbet, are placed on a generous bed of fresh blueberries. A perfect palette pleaser that's large enough to share. The others at the table enjoyed dishes containing animal proteins. All found their meals terrific. During her visit to our table, the chef told us of a guest who claimed there's magical powers in Mezzo Italiano's elegant, cut glass window display. The guest was partially right. There's magic here, but it's Chef Victoria. Stuff to know: Reservations are accepted. The small patio is dog friendly. There is no children's menu or highchairs. Free street parking. The eatery is wheelchair accessible from the street. The ADA compatible bathroom is at the far end of the hallway on the left side of the eatery. A free parking lot, located behind the building, is not wheelchair accessible and requires several steps to enter the restaurant. Enter the driveway on the left side of the restaurant.