COME FOR THE PERSIAN FOOD! The fact that this is named "Pesto's ITALIAN Restaurant" is a travesty. I'm sure they serve Italian food there, but I never eat it (it may be wonderful, I hope it is)... but the Persian fare is what makes it unique and excellent. The owner is involved and likes to come over and chat, and the place is quaint and cozy, but really it's all about the food. The Kufteh Tabrizi - a Persian meatball - is delicious, and the bites I stole from my friends' plates were excellent even if I don't remember what they were. If you're feeling adventurous, try the pitcher of Doogh. I'll be back, and I'll try everything else one of these days. The only real downfall is the lack of a more complete alcohol selection (expect to have one of their few but decent wines), and of course the lack of a macaroni and cheese dish.
(4)
George G.
I work at the fed building and decided to give this little restaurant a shot. I was not let down. The owner was on the floor taking orders and sitting his customers. I am glad to see that customer service is not dead. The food was great. Not expensive. I will be back!
(4)
Nickie B.
I Had A Gyro And It Was Excellent, However I Had It Delivered And It Took An Hour And 20 Minutes, The Owner Did Say The Were Running Behind But Sheesh...
(4)
DeAnna P.
The best spaghetti and meatballs I've had in a long time. Worst garlic bread I've ever had (like burnt toast with the tiniest bit of butter and not even a hint of garlic), but the pasta is so good, you don't need bread. I ordered the chicken parmesan with pesto pasta. The pesto is good, but not nearly as good as the marinara. Thankfully, Dad didn't bring his big boy appetite, so I got to scam half his spaghetti. Ah, fatherly love. Hubby ordered from the Persian side of the menu (literally, left side is Persian, right is Italian). He odered the skewers and they were fantastic. Funny enough, of the ground beef, steak, and chicken, the ground beef was the stand out winner. Perfectly seasoned and tender. The free appetizer of warm pitas, feta, scallions, parsley and radishes was not my thing, but cool that it was free. The pitas were very good. Next time I would try the hummus just to have something to go with the perfect warm pita bread. The portions were just big enough. We were all comfortably full when we left. Funny enough, we drove in on the side that was like industrial and office complexes. When we left, driving past the restaurant, there were three XXX theaters just past the restaurant. Not to fear, this place is on the up and up. You won't find strippers carb loading before their shift. The only others in the restaurant on Saturday night was a huge group of Persians having a family dinner. The place has been open more than two decades, so they must make most of their money at lunch. Dinnertime was really dead.
(4)
Van M.
Recently ate here the night before Ironman Louisville. They took a reservation for us at 4:30 p.m. (not sure they typically open that early) and the place filled up after that. Their food is made to order, so it was easy for me to ask them to put in or leave out any ingredients. The servers were funny and relaxed. All around great place.
(4)
Peter P.
What's cool about this place is it has been in business for over 20 years (same owner) and it's still going strong. The decor is like a flashback to opening day (in a good way). The menu is exactly 1/2 Persian and 1/2 Italian. You get a free Persian appetizer that seems very basic (pita, feta cheese, scallions, parsley, beets) but at the same time is very good. Most of the Persian entrees are some combination of skewers of chicken, lamb, steak, and ground beef. I had the chicken/steak/ground beef combo and can say that they are all very good and well-cooked, but the ground beef skewer is the best hands down. All the Persian dishes also come with basmati rice and grilled tomatoes which complement the saltiness of the skewers quite nicely.
(4)
Jordan P.
Once upon a time, I drove past this fine little establishment five days a week on my trek to the office. There's nothing too inviting about the facade, but those are the kind that always intrigue me. They sneak up and surprise me all the time. Long after I left my job, and only passed it every now and then, I decided to make a stop. Good choice! To my surprise my date and I almost had the restaurant to ourselves, aside from one group of about eight that included a very loud male who had to be the center of attention. Our waiter sat us as far away as possible (keep in mind that the restaurant isn't that large) and promptly apologized as soon as they left. It wasn't his fault, but it was very nice of him to apologize the patron's obnoxious behavior. The meal was great! I had spinach lasagna. It was so lovely. And the salad to go with it, the perfect compliment. Delish! I thoroughly enjoyed my leftovers the next day. Date went with chicken Parmesan. It's never been a favorite of mine, but he seemed to enjoy it, so two thumbs up over here. You'd be surprised at the menu because it's not just Italian, it's also Persian. As soon as I saw Saffron, I steered clear of the Persian fare. Not a fan! Pesto's isn't quite in the hustle and bustle of downtown, but it's close enough.
(4)
joe N.
Quick review, order from Mediterranean menue. Free appetizer was surprisingly good. Very fresh pita, cheese, herbs. Ordered linguini, and meat sauce, ok sauce, pasta was overcooked. Wife's lasagna was bad. Chopped and broken noodles. Mixed with sauce and cheese then baked. Wine list and service was adequate. Place had a musty smell near bathroom areas. Other diner's had some impressive looking Mediterranean dishes. I would start there.
(3)
Laura B.
I recently visited again for a family dinner and enjoyed the experience. As always, excellent service and a great meal for the price. They provide a rich Italian menu for the less adventurous members of the party and some basic Persian dishes for the rest only on Fri/Sat nights). Much less busy at nights than for lunch.
(4)
Rachel W.
Very good food and the wait staff was attentive. You can tell the place is popular because once we got seated the whole place started to get packed for lunch. It's more of an Italian restaurant than a Persian restaurant, but the Italian food we had was very good.
(4)
Windy N.
Not my kind of Italian. The saving grace for this place is the excellent service. I think they're probably better with the Persian side of the menu. I ordered the lasagna and my husband ordered the linguini with meatballs. The lasagna was not good. The sauce tasted like a watered down version of chef boyrdee and it was drowning under a mountain of cheese with very little noodles or consistency. My husband's dish was slightly better as it wasn't drowning in cheese but it had the same sauce and the noodles were overcooked. The waitress was very accommodating and offered to bring me something else, which I declined. My husband really enjoyed the complimentary appetizer of pita bread, soft cheese, veggies & fresh herbs. The waitress did bring garlic bread to go with the entrees after I asked for it. All in all, I would not go back to this restaurant. The service was great but, in my opinion, the food has a long way to go to come up to par.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Chip L.
COME FOR THE PERSIAN FOOD! The fact that this is named "Pesto's ITALIAN Restaurant" is a travesty. I'm sure they serve Italian food there, but I never eat it (it may be wonderful, I hope it is)... but the Persian fare is what makes it unique and excellent. The owner is involved and likes to come over and chat, and the place is quaint and cozy, but really it's all about the food. The Kufteh Tabrizi - a Persian meatball - is delicious, and the bites I stole from my friends' plates were excellent even if I don't remember what they were. If you're feeling adventurous, try the pitcher of Doogh. I'll be back, and I'll try everything else one of these days. The only real downfall is the lack of a more complete alcohol selection (expect to have one of their few but decent wines), and of course the lack of a macaroni and cheese dish.
(4)George G.
I work at the fed building and decided to give this little restaurant a shot. I was not let down. The owner was on the floor taking orders and sitting his customers. I am glad to see that customer service is not dead. The food was great. Not expensive. I will be back!
(4)Nickie B.
I Had A Gyro And It Was Excellent, However I Had It Delivered And It Took An Hour And 20 Minutes, The Owner Did Say The Were Running Behind But Sheesh...
(4)DeAnna P.
The best spaghetti and meatballs I've had in a long time. Worst garlic bread I've ever had (like burnt toast with the tiniest bit of butter and not even a hint of garlic), but the pasta is so good, you don't need bread. I ordered the chicken parmesan with pesto pasta. The pesto is good, but not nearly as good as the marinara. Thankfully, Dad didn't bring his big boy appetite, so I got to scam half his spaghetti. Ah, fatherly love. Hubby ordered from the Persian side of the menu (literally, left side is Persian, right is Italian). He odered the skewers and they were fantastic. Funny enough, of the ground beef, steak, and chicken, the ground beef was the stand out winner. Perfectly seasoned and tender. The free appetizer of warm pitas, feta, scallions, parsley and radishes was not my thing, but cool that it was free. The pitas were very good. Next time I would try the hummus just to have something to go with the perfect warm pita bread. The portions were just big enough. We were all comfortably full when we left. Funny enough, we drove in on the side that was like industrial and office complexes. When we left, driving past the restaurant, there were three XXX theaters just past the restaurant. Not to fear, this place is on the up and up. You won't find strippers carb loading before their shift. The only others in the restaurant on Saturday night was a huge group of Persians having a family dinner. The place has been open more than two decades, so they must make most of their money at lunch. Dinnertime was really dead.
(4)Van M.
Recently ate here the night before Ironman Louisville. They took a reservation for us at 4:30 p.m. (not sure they typically open that early) and the place filled up after that. Their food is made to order, so it was easy for me to ask them to put in or leave out any ingredients. The servers were funny and relaxed. All around great place.
(4)Peter P.
What's cool about this place is it has been in business for over 20 years (same owner) and it's still going strong. The decor is like a flashback to opening day (in a good way). The menu is exactly 1/2 Persian and 1/2 Italian. You get a free Persian appetizer that seems very basic (pita, feta cheese, scallions, parsley, beets) but at the same time is very good. Most of the Persian entrees are some combination of skewers of chicken, lamb, steak, and ground beef. I had the chicken/steak/ground beef combo and can say that they are all very good and well-cooked, but the ground beef skewer is the best hands down. All the Persian dishes also come with basmati rice and grilled tomatoes which complement the saltiness of the skewers quite nicely.
(4)Jordan P.
Once upon a time, I drove past this fine little establishment five days a week on my trek to the office. There's nothing too inviting about the facade, but those are the kind that always intrigue me. They sneak up and surprise me all the time. Long after I left my job, and only passed it every now and then, I decided to make a stop. Good choice! To my surprise my date and I almost had the restaurant to ourselves, aside from one group of about eight that included a very loud male who had to be the center of attention. Our waiter sat us as far away as possible (keep in mind that the restaurant isn't that large) and promptly apologized as soon as they left. It wasn't his fault, but it was very nice of him to apologize the patron's obnoxious behavior. The meal was great! I had spinach lasagna. It was so lovely. And the salad to go with it, the perfect compliment. Delish! I thoroughly enjoyed my leftovers the next day. Date went with chicken Parmesan. It's never been a favorite of mine, but he seemed to enjoy it, so two thumbs up over here. You'd be surprised at the menu because it's not just Italian, it's also Persian. As soon as I saw Saffron, I steered clear of the Persian fare. Not a fan! Pesto's isn't quite in the hustle and bustle of downtown, but it's close enough.
(4)joe N.
Quick review, order from Mediterranean menue. Free appetizer was surprisingly good. Very fresh pita, cheese, herbs. Ordered linguini, and meat sauce, ok sauce, pasta was overcooked. Wife's lasagna was bad. Chopped and broken noodles. Mixed with sauce and cheese then baked. Wine list and service was adequate. Place had a musty smell near bathroom areas. Other diner's had some impressive looking Mediterranean dishes. I would start there.
(3)Laura B.
I recently visited again for a family dinner and enjoyed the experience. As always, excellent service and a great meal for the price. They provide a rich Italian menu for the less adventurous members of the party and some basic Persian dishes for the rest only on Fri/Sat nights). Much less busy at nights than for lunch.
(4)Rachel W.
Very good food and the wait staff was attentive. You can tell the place is popular because once we got seated the whole place started to get packed for lunch. It's more of an Italian restaurant than a Persian restaurant, but the Italian food we had was very good.
(4)Windy N.
Not my kind of Italian. The saving grace for this place is the excellent service. I think they're probably better with the Persian side of the menu. I ordered the lasagna and my husband ordered the linguini with meatballs. The lasagna was not good. The sauce tasted like a watered down version of chef boyrdee and it was drowning under a mountain of cheese with very little noodles or consistency. My husband's dish was slightly better as it wasn't drowning in cheese but it had the same sauce and the noodles were overcooked. The waitress was very accommodating and offered to bring me something else, which I declined. My husband really enjoyed the complimentary appetizer of pita bread, soft cheese, veggies & fresh herbs. The waitress did bring garlic bread to go with the entrees after I asked for it. All in all, I would not go back to this restaurant. The service was great but, in my opinion, the food has a long way to go to come up to par.
(1)