Del Pietro’s House of Pasta. Sugo’s Spaghetteria. Babbo’s Spaghetteria. Via Vino. Michael Del Pietro knows Italian food. He also knows that no Italian eatery in town focuses primarily on vegetarian fare. That will change when Del Pietro opens Trattoria Spezie at 6118 Delmar Blvd., in the old Original Cast Lighting location in The Loop.
Del Pietro told The Scoop that Trattoria Spezie, which means “spices” in Italian, will offer eclectic Italian dishes that are “highly vegetarian and organic,” while the pizzas, pastas, entrées and sides will feature locally grown ingredients. But while vegetables will be the star at Trattoria Spezie, that doesn’t mean meat’s off the menu. Diners will find the likes of Italian sausage on some pizzas and chicken will land in a few pastas or perhaps in an entrée like chicken spedini, “but I don’t see myself as having veal or lamb,” added Del Pietro.
When asked if the Trattoria Spezie menu will focus on one particular region of Italy, Del Pietro noted that he has genes from the southern (mom) and northern (dad) parts of the country and, thus, he will grab the best of Italy that fits the bill for his newest concept. To further embrace the “spice” idea, Del Pietro is taking advantage of an existing 10-by-20-foot skylight that can serve as the light source for an indoor herb garden suspended on pulleys, as first reported by St. Louis Magazine’s George Mahe when the restaurant’s name was still yet to be determined. Although the restaurant’s design is still being honed, Del Pietro explained that he and architect Scott Volding are considering fashioning the moveable garden from an old wooden lattice. The bed could be lowered onto a chef’s table for à la minute use.
Del Pietro expects to take over the space, which is currently undergoing construction by owners Neal and Josh Shapiro, in early spring and open Trattoria Spezie in mid-summer. For those wondering about parking, Del Pietro’s already got that taken care of: The building to the immediate east will be demolished to make way for the restaurant’s 27-space parking lot.
Del Pietro is excited to hang the Trattoria Spezie sign in what he sees as a primo section of town. Considering that popular vegetarian Indian restaurant Gokul is setting up shop across the street at the corner of Rosedale Avenue and Delmar Boulevard, and that Jon Parker’s recently announced Delmar Food and Market should also bring traffic to the neighborhood this spring, the East Loop will soon be more bustling than ever.
This article appears in Dec 1-31, 2010.