Went to Pesto's to meet with friends last Friday (they chose the restaurant). We found it surprisingly good, and a great value in spite of unexceptional reviews from friends. The outside is nondescript, but the inside was very nicely decorated and clean, with an efficient layout. Â Our server was attentive and cheerful. The menu is large, and the menu items are rather overly-elaborate (one selection was: a bed of ravioli & asparagus with prosciutto- and cheese-topped chicken, topped with rosemary-skewered grilled shrimp, topped with sauce). Portions are huge and very reasonably priced. Everything we ordered was very good, though not fabulous. Pesto's is much better than Olive Garden, but not what I would consider fine dining. Order the breadsticks with Alfredo sauce. If you're dining with 6 or more, they will automatically add a gratuity of 18% (at least 2% less than I would have tipped). If it were closer to home I would go back, but I wouldn't make the drive just for the restaurant.
Review Source:Pesto's is quite good for what it is...a family-owned Italian restaurant in a town of 50,000 that is located 45 minutes outside Chicago. It is not looking for fame, or for folks to drive from miles around. It is looking for people from the area with dining dollars to want to enjoy good food at someplace other than the chains that populate the area.
I was "back home" last weekend after a many year absence. My buddy suggested we go to Pestos and I willingly went along...imagine my shock when i realized the space was a converted Shakey's that we used to go to after high school football games.
the space is typical town Italian restaurant -- dark walls, tuscan prints, twinkly lights and fake vines. the host was a bit pretentious...asking if we had reservations when there obviously were tables available. But, we were happy to be seated without a wait.
Dining companion insisted on the breadsticks with alfredo dip, and i'm so glad she did. crispy, but not crunchy, on the outside, soft on the inside, with just enough seasoning and oil on the outside to be addictive. really wanted to eat more, but would have run out of room for my main.
house salad was a bit nicer than average....spring mix instead of iceberg or plain romaine. good croutons. tomatoes were anemic, but that's not surprising at any restaurant.
i ordered the pasta special -- butternut squash ravioli in a roasted garlic cream sauce. so so good. pasta was cooked perfectly and still had a bit of a bite. squash was seasoned well so you knew you were eating squash, but not overseasoned. garlic cream sauce was not too heavy, a bit peppery....really, really good.
service was friendly but not cloying. efficient yet not rushed. a really enjoyable meal with a good friend, and now i'm 1,000 miles away and craving those breadsticks....
This is by far the best restaurant I've been in Valparaiso, and one of my all-time favorites. I can't make a trip to my parents house without having dinner here. I recommend both the breadsticks and the bruschetta to start off with. The breadsticks are doughy and well-seasoned. You can choose from a few sauce options as well. The bruschetta is buttery and crunchy, and the tomato topping is super flavorful.
When it comes to entrees, they always have a fantastic seasonal special in addition to the classics. If you're there in the fall, try the butternut squash ravioli. If the specials don't intrigue you, the sausage risotto is amazing as is the garlic chicken and the pasta alla vodka. Â
For dessert, they have a whole tray of delicacies made right in-house. Though they are not all Italian desserts, they are all delicious.
A must-try if you've never been there, and a must-return if you already have been.
I've only gotten take-out from here so I can't comment on service, atmosphere, etc, just food only. The flavors are excellent, however the first time I tried the Sicilian Sampler, my chicken was over cooked and the Lasagna was too salty. The second time I ordered the same thing and it was perfect. Definitely recommended.
Review Source:Oh, Pesto's. I love your food. Your vodka chicken is incredible. Your prices are semi-reasonable and the place looks fantastic. You should be the best place in Valparaiso for Italian food.
So why aren't you?
You don't do anything to create a cozy atmosphere for your customers. It's incredibly noisy which would be fine if I was dining in a sport's bar, but not a romantically lit Italian place. Also, the lights are just a bit too dim. You can barely see your food. There are people who come in jeans and tee shirts and people in evening clothes. It's a mixed atmosphere and makes everything seem disjointed and awkward.
I'll get take out from you any day, but as far as dining with you? Pass.
Great place in Valpo for Italian food. Â I'm utterly addicted to the creamy basil dressing on their house salad. Â They run a reasonably-priced buffet on certain nights (with lots of variety), but I always end up ordering my favourite: Â Seafood alla Vodka. Â Shrimp, scallops, lobster, and asparagus with herbed papardelle pasta, all in a tasty sauce. Â It's always a featured item! Â The pesto-crusted salmon is also a hit. Â The menu is a little less-extensive than it used to be, but most of the removed items are rotated through their specials so that you can still find them. Â Great service, friendly and attentive staff, and elegant decor.
Review Source:I lived in Valpo for over four years and I never knew of this regional gem!
We came here on a Thursday evening and the place was 95% seated. We were immediately seated and I'm under the impression that my hosts frequent this little Italian diner.
My hosts ordered the new entree, Scallibut, and shrimp pasta whereas my friend and I ordered the tomato salad with shrimp and grilled chicken salad with honey mustard. My grilled chicken salad was ginormous even though it was a mere $8. These are near extinction in the big cities. The vegetables were fresh and crisp, and the chicken tenders blended well with the bacon shreds. No complaints.
I did not get a chance to try the others' entrees but I must comment on the creativity of the Scallibut's presentation. It was mounds of halibut to be topped with king-size scallops and a cheese chip. (Please refer to the pictures.) Â
We also really enjoyed the complimentary bread. It was baked with a slight crusty exterior but the interior was soft and absorbent of the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
I shall return with an empty stomach!
P.S. Our waiter didn't bother to use pen/paper for our orders and he didn't even make a mistake! *applause*
Average Italian. Â We have only had one waiter who was above average for personality. Â The host does not seem to care. Â
Their 'special' vodka sauce has a weird afterflavor and is not nearly as creamy as it should be. Â I can make better in my own kitchen, and I am not into cooking.
Barely better than the chains, not nearly as good as other options in town (Billy Jack's, Dish, prepackaged options from Old World Market). Â Don't even try to compare it to big city restaurants.
Girls Night out was successful....a Great Italian Dinner and even better drinks!
Wonderful service! Our server was patient and sweet Plus the food was delivered hot and she made sure we had a drink in our hand at all times- Bonus Points for that!
The white sangaria with fresh fruit was delicious and had fresh blueberry's- different and refreshing! BUT the French Martini was even better and really only $7.50...What a steal.
Oh yeah, the breaded chicken with pasta was pretty tasty too
*A ton of Gluten Free items on the Menu and Great for a Large Group
Its Italian food for people that don't know italian food.
Very meh. The wait staff was unenthusiastic and the food (veal parmisan and spaghetti) was the same. The sauce could have been canned chef boyardee. seriously.
The decor is also meh, typos on the menu, the averageness goes on and on. Not a bad location, they should get new ownership and breathe some life into it. They just dont seem to care or just dont know any better.
Try just about any restaurant before this one.
I came here w/ hubby, sat at the bar and had a couple of
drinks while waiting for our table, they were packed since it
was a Friday night.
We loved the bread & dipping oil, our salads were great and
our entrees were delish. He had lasagne and I had the sample
of lasagne, eggplant parm and fettucine alfredo. All were yummy!
Our server was friendly and attentive and I love the decor.
We'll definitely come back and try the vodka chicken, I heard it's
awesome!
I've gone to Pesto's a few times and never had a meal that really stood out to me. Â The menu is huge, so you will be able to find something to interest you, but they seem to be trying to do too much. Â The bread sticks are good, but the entrees always seem so-so. Â You can do better in Valparaiso.
Review Source:I've been here a few times because I live near it, but I haven't been impressed with it.  There are some excellent appetizers; however, I got the linguine with clam sauce once and it was pelted with dried  oregano that made it hard to eat.  The eggplant wasn't done properly either.  I keep trying but it never really comes through for me. I honestly can't believe people would drive from Chicago to this restaurant and bypass Cafe Borgia in Lansing, Rosebud on Taylor or Francesca's on Taylor or Tufano's or even Lucrezia in Chesterton, Indiana.  It's second-rate Italian at best.
Review Source:when venturing a ways outside of metro chicago area, it's hard to find a good italian restaurant that doesn't yield mediocre offerings. Â enter pestos italian restaurant in valparaiso. Â while their linguine with clam sauce is a favorite of mine, i was allured to try a seasonal item of seafood in a vodka sauce. Â suffice it to say, it was really good. Â
portions are a good size; not big and by no means small. Â just right for dinner. Â the atmosphere is quaint but noisy. Â i'd rate the waitstaff a 3.5/5; my coke should have been refilled without my asking (twice). Â while fine for a couple on a date or a family out for the evening, i wouldn't put it high on my list if you're planning to have a quiet, intimate meal. Â
despite getting dinged for just average service, pestos offers up some of the best italian food in the area and remains one of my favorite restaurants over the indiana state line.
Just over an hour drive from the loop, this restaurant is one of my region favorites. The bread is addictive and I always bring home every morsel that we don't devour. Pasta is handmade, the seafood is mouthwatering, and everything is very reasonably priced. It's a family-run business that attracts the local college crowd from Valpo University. If you haven't been here before, come hungry.
Review Source:
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