Villa Vino is one of those fuzzy concepts that seems to have had aspirations above and beyond just offering food and drink. Maybe that’s partly because of its location in the heart of Buckhead.
Opened in June by Menandros Papadopoulos, who also owns the nearby Rio Grande Cantina, the multiple choice self-description, “restaurant/bar/lounge,” suggests a sophisticated destination. And the modern decor, centered around a longish bar, with upholstered banquettes and tall cocktail tables, gives the intimate space the feel of a pocket-size nightclub.
But recently, the menu and the hours were scaled back. No more entrees or desserts. No more 2 a.m. close on weekends. Nowadays Villa Vino is functioning more like a red sauce Italian joint, mainly serving pizza and pasta along with starters, salads and panini.
On a recent weeknight visit the front deck was packed. Inside, a few regulars sipped drinks at the bar while only a couple booths were occupied with small parties having dinner.
N.Y. pizza
Dennis Mancinelli is a self-taught Italian chef, with years of Atlanta restaurant experience, including stints as general manager at Bridgetown Grill in Midtown and owner of Pizza Fiore in Roswell, both now closed.
At Villa Vino, Mancinelli calls his pizza New York-style, though, as always, that’s up for anyone’s interpretation. The thin crust pies start at $7.99 ($1 per topping) for a small, 12-inch and $14.99 ($1.50 per topping) for a large, 18-inch.
The small, ordered with sausage and mushrooms, appeared bigger than advertised. The chewy crust had a pleasant char on the bottom with crispy edges. The sauce was dark and rich, but a tad sweet, redolent of Greek-style pizza. Toppings were the best part of the pie. Sliced mushrooms and thick hunks of Italian sausage melded nicely with a thin layer of mozzarella and a sprinkle of parmesan.
Specialty pies go for 13.99 and $21.99. At lunch, $1.99 slices can be topped with any number of 50-cent toppings, from salami, bacon or meatballs to ricotta, gorgonzola or feta cheese.
Beyond pies
Mancinelli’s chef’s special lasagna is a gooey layering of fresh pasta and a blend of Italian cheeses. Grilled chicken tops a bowl of penne pasta with pesto. Ravioli Florentine is a big bowl of cheese ravioli swimming in a thin cream sauce with sautéed spinach and mushrooms.
Starters and shares include a rustic tapenade made with olives, capers and anchovies, sausage bread, and stromboli, with salami, ham, pepperoni, mozzarella and provolone. A somewhat unusual offering, spedini, noted on the menu as Italian kababs, can be ordered with chicken, steak, pork, shrimp scallops or veggies, and comes grilled with peppers, onions and mushrooms, and served with tzatziki sauce.
There’s a substantial wine list, the usual bottled beers, and, of course, all kinds of cocktails.
Dining out
Villa Vino, 3188 Roswell Road, 404-228-3934
Signature dish: Pizza and pasta
Entree prices: $7.75 (panini)-$21.99 (pizza)
Hours: 11a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Wednesdays; 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays; noon- 11:00 p.m. Saturdays; noon - 10:00 p.m. Sundays.
Reservations: Yes
Credit cards: Yes
Online: www.villaatl.com
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