I am writing to you while still completely stuffed and blissed out over a delicious Italian meal we enjoyed last night at Pastina Rustic Italian.

Pastina is truly committed to making as much as possible in-house, as well as sourcing from local distributors whenever they can. We got to see one of the chefs pull fresh mozzarella in front of our eyes.

This process happens daily at Pastina, along with homemade pastas and breads that are on another level of delicious!

So, what did we get to eat? We started with the Smoked Salmon Chips, with chile cream cheese, pickles, chives, and capers, which could make someone who doesn’t like salmon (looking at you, Kate) like salmon.

One of Pastina’s chefs, Michael, is from Alabama and brings in some southern influences to the cuisine when he can.

We had the Arancini, which feature basil risotto, fresh mozzarella, and marinara. Oh my goodness, these are balls of Italian happiness!

We also sampled three varieties of Stone Oven Pizza, which all had that perfect chewy thin crust and delicious toppings. My favorite was the Harvest Pizza, a white pizza with zucchini and butternut squash.

We couldn’t pass up the chance to enjoy the fresh mozzarella in action in the Caprese Salad with cherry tomatoes, arugula pesto, fleur de sel, basil, and EVOO.

For our entrees, we devoured several menu items. The Cavatelli Bolognese is truly a labor of love, with pasta made in-house and a bolognese sauce that speaks to the hours of roasting the meat and melding the phenomenal flavors.

We also had the Chicken Valdostana with madeira wine, roasted mushrooms, basil, and provolone. A really delicious meat dish, that is served with in-house linguine.

And the Butternut Squash Ravioli, with brown-butter sage, crispy sunchoke chips, and fig balsamic is fall on a plate!

Leave room for dessert at Pastina! The pistachio gelato, made in-house, is honestly one of the best ice cream desserts I’ve ever eaten.

The cannoli and tiramisu are also not to be missed!

Everything at Pastina is made with time, care, thoughtfulness, and a commitment to fresh, locally-sourced products. This is not your average Italian food. You can absolutely taste the difference in the fresh pasta, the delectable cheese, and the decadent sauce.

I’ll be full for a week! Or at least until lunch when I dive into my leftovers!

***Disclosure: I was invited to attend a complimentary dinner at Pastina Rustic Italian with a guest. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***