Saturday, July 3, 2010
Jackie and I put Gitto's on our agenda every time we are in St. Louis. We hit it just right Saturday before the Cardinals/Brewers game. The place was packed of course, with Cardinal fans galore. We ordered what we do every year, Toasted Ravioli for an appetizer, yes I am cringing, and house salad and Ravioli for dinner. We split a bottle of Chianti and loved it. Jackie also made a comment about the bread, room temperature with no butter. This is the way he likes his bread!
I took a spin through the bathroom located upstairs and so enjoyed going down memory lane. Before children, we would get a group of friends to rent one of the rooms upstairs. We'd usually have 20 or so and enjoy our own waiters and having the room to ourselves. Both rooms were empty which makes me want to get everyone together again!
I love Charlie Gitto's. You'll get outstanding Italian cuisine and service and if you are a Cardinal fan, you'll fit right in on a game day.
June 2009 Original Review:
Gitto's, Gitto's, Gitto's...This is my favorite restaurant in all of St. Louis and has been for 15 years. Charlie Gitto's, downtown St. Louis, opened in 1974 with Charlie Sr and Annie (his wife) and other family members, running the casual family restaurant. His daughter, Karen Gitto, is my contact for when we book the banquet room upstairs.
Gitto's has a great Italian menu but I don't veer off course when I eat here. I always stick with what I love. I am not an appetizer person but I always get the appetizer toasted ravioli which is the best, homemade ravioli anywhere. It comes in a large bowl with marinara sauce for dipping. The ravioli are small without a ton of crust, which I like, and dusted with Parmesan cheese. For dinner I can't not order the ravioli. My friends swear by the Chicken Parmigiana, Gnocchi, New York Strip and the Manicotti but I just can't order these when I dream about the Ravioli and meat sauce 364 days of the year. A must is the Charlie Gitto's salad which is a shredded iceberg lettuce salad topped with artichokes and a special house Italian dressing and dusted with aged Parmesan cheese. I nearly licked the plate clean. Jackie ordered the ravioli also, we were going to order one and split it since we had been at a beer festival earlier at Forrest Park, but he wanted to get our own. And we both nearly finished both huge bowls. We got to Gitto's just in time to get seated before the Saturday game rush at 4 pm and I was bound and determined to watch the Belmont pre-race on ABC. So luckily it all worked out. We also ordered a bottle of Chianti that Jackie said he'd split with me and he did thank goodness, that was a lot of wine with some really good food.
I have to admit I didn't get our waiter's name. I was so into the ravioli and salad and Chianti that I totally ignored him while watching the race highlights. But I can say he was great and attentive.
All I can say about Gitto's is that it's my favorite Italian restaurant of all time. It is always good, it is always reliable and the staff are friendly and attentive and it's a must when you're in St. Louis. Gitto's sister restaurant boasts a more formal menu and set up on the Hill, which is the heart of the restaurants in the middle of St. Louis. But downtown will always be my choice of the two. Plus you can't get the ravioli on the Hill. That should be a crime.
Charlie Gitto's, 207 N. 6th St., St. Louis, MO 63101 314-436-2828
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