Italian | The Grumbling Tummy

Nestled in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg, Moscatos Bella Cucina first came to our attention when we went for brunch and fell in love with their crepes. This time around we went for dinner and brought some of our friends.

We arrived with a fairly large party so we got to sit in the special lounge area in the back. The atmosphere is both eclectic and classy and they had a live band playing.

We love how they make their own bread and pasta. The brushetta and calamari were amazing. The calamari sauce really surprised us with its rich and herby flavor.

We shared the Chicken Saltimbocca & Pasta between the two of us. Thought it was a great combination and overall great dish. Again, their sauce was very flavorful with just the right about of herbs.

Here are some dishes our friends ordered:

Vegetarian cheese lasagna

Vegetarian homemade angel hair with fresh mozzarella, zucchini, squash, and spinach

Italian Club sandwich

Now for the drum roll…The desserts! The crepes are fluffy on the inside and crisp on the outside. The cannoli cream topped off the night for all of us.

499 Central Ave

St. Petersburg, FL

http://www.moscatosbellacucina.com/

Thought that we should take a break from the West Coast. Florida after all is our home base. I felt an urgent need to eat at all the favorite food spots before I leave Gainesville, my home for the past four years. With a good friend of mine we arrived just before the dinner rush. I heard this place can get pretty busy. I recognized Satchels right away from the street with its quirky design and eclectic decorations.

“The Satch Salad” was a hit. The dressing was a unique tasting vinaigrette and the apple bits were stand outs. I ordered the Mama Pizza and picked my own toppings; pepperoni, mushrooms, tomatoes, and fresh basil. For dessert, was a Cannoli with fluffy vanilla filling.

The restaurant had both outside and inside dinning. Once you enter, we noticed an old van where you can actually eat inside of! Behind the restaurant is a small shop that sells old school toys and trinkets as well as a live band area and seating. The entire property is designed with recycled toys and colorful decorations.