CHARLESTON — Theresa Scotto remembers the feedback shortly after Pelato opened in Nashville.
“This isn’t what we had in Italy,” diners would say. They were right.
Meatballs with tomato sauce. Guanciale-stuffed arancini. Chicken Parmesan, layered with tomato, basil, Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh-made mozzarella. Potato croquettes that Scotto would fry two at a time with her mother around the holidays in Brooklyn.
Rather than traditional Italian, Pelato Nashville focused on Italian-American food that Scotto would prepare for her husband, Anthony Scotto Jr., and their children, Gabriella and Anthony Scotto III, at their home in Brooklyn.
It introduced the Music City to dishes, some rooted in recipes passed down from generation to generation, that were informed by Scotto Jr.’s more than 30 years in the hospitality industry.
Starting May 13, Charleston diners will be able to get a taste of that Italian-influenced cooking at Pelato Charleston.
“It’s really, truly the romance of what (we) grew up with in Brooklyn,” Scotto Jr. said.
The 180-seat restaurant’s name comes from the Italian term for a “peeled tomato.” It’s also slang for a bald head — a playful nod to Scotto Jr.
Pelato is taking over the 1085 Morrison Drive space previously occupied by Butcher & Bee, which was gutted and renovated ahead of the opening.
A pergola with a fully retractable roof has been constructed beyond its walls, giving Pelato outdoor dining in all four seasons.
Inside, a new bar has been constructed near the back of the dining room, while the kitchen was tucked behind a wall of banquettes and family photos. An expanded private dining room, which will double as auxiliary seating, can hold about 70 guests.
“We built it exactly the way we have it in Nashville,” Scotto III said of the kitchen. “It’s designed for numbers.”
And that’s a theme at Pelato, where all individual dishes are under $30. The Scottos envision a restaurant that will be visited multiple times a week. They plan to offer takeout and delivery services, as well as catering.
But the atmosphere inside, the family said, will be energetic and vibrant, with guests in casual and elegant clothing visiting for a date night, group dinner or solo post-work meal at the bar.
The menu mirrors Pelato Nashville’s, with appetizers, meat- and seafood-forward entrees and pasta. The family is also bringing their longstanding tradition of serving “Sunday sauce” — made using a heaping portion of assorted meats cooked overnight and served with fusilli pasta — to Charleston.
Plates are shareable, and everything from the noodles to mozzarella and ice cream are made in house, the Scottos said.
“No matter where we open, it’ll taste the same because of that,” Scotto III said. “We make it all here.”
Pelato will be open for dinner daily starting May 13, with a weekend brunch service coming in the future. For more information and to make a reservation, visit pelatorestaurant.com.