The impressive coffered ceiling, glowing with soft golden light, is the first thing you notice when entering Il Palato. White marble tables and understated velvet chairs exude the same coziness. The numerous pieces of artwork hanging in the dining room are equally soothing. The effect immediately puts you at ease.
Restaurateur Mike Del Pietro has a knack for creating such cozy environs, having already done so at Sugo’s, Babbo’s, Via Vino, Tavolo V, and Del Pietro’s. But Il Palato is perhaps his most elegant offering to date.
Find the best food in St. Louis
Subscribe to the St. Louis Dining In and Dining Out newsletters to stay up-to-date on the local restaurant and culinary scene.
The menu at Il Palato (Italian for “the palate”) is representative of the cooking styles of the southern regions of Italy. Fish and seafood, pastas with vegetable- or broth-based sauces, and vegetable-forward offerings make up the bulk of the menu, but the use of meat as a flavor component rather than the main focus is echoed in most of the dishes.
Pastas are offered in smaller primi or entrée-appropriate secondi portions. The gnocchi seems a bit suspect when first placed in front of you. The primi-size portion is presented as five plump balls of dough with the look of Shanghai soup dumplings rather than the familiar striated texture. Resting on a bed of sautéed greens, each dumpling holds a creamy filling center of the smoothest ricotta with the perfume of lemon zest.
The gnocchi is mostly made of ricotta cheese. It’s piped out and cut into individual dumplings, which are gently coated in semolina. The flour dehydrates the outer layer of the gnocchi for 24 hours, creating the dough-like exterior while keeping the center soft.
That technique might be unfamiliar, but much of the menu features straightforward preparations. One of the many charms of Il Palato is that the food, while complex and complete, has a certain ease to it. Take the whole grilled branzino. The fish is deboned and then stuffed with fresh herbs and lemon slices. Grilled until the skin is crisp and the meaty white flesh is tender and fragrant with thyme, it’s served atop green beans with pancetta, caramelized onions, and a vinaigrette that hits the dish with the perfect splash of brightness and acidity. It’s one of the finest fish dishes currently offered in St. Louis.
Seafood and pasta dominate the menu, but a juicy pork chop served with a gentle white bean purée and a whole roasted game hen with panzanella salad are both beautiful dishes, perfect for those seeking meatier options.
Crafted with the same level of finesse as the rest of the menu, desserts at Il Palato are not to be overlooked. The dense and silky panna cotta, served with a peach compote and topped with a barely sweet crumble, is worth saving room for.
Il Palato excels in elegance of décor, expert service, and bright and dynamic cuisine—and it delivers it with a deftness that makes it seem like the restaurant’s been around for years.
