Donato Enoteca in Redwood City will reopen on August 12 following a month-long interior renovation. The updated space now features an expansive marble bar at the heart of the restaurant. A new Italian-inspired small plates menu complements the modern look.
Highlights
- Donato Enoteca reopens today, August 12, marking its return to Redwood City’s dining scene.
- After a one-month renovation, the establishment brings an expansive bar with new cocktail offerings.
- Donato Enoteca returns with small, shareable plates and an updated menu.
Donato Enoteca Returns to Redwood City
The new Chef Marco Bertoldo poses with Owner-Chef Donato Scotti (Source: Nadia Andreini)
The 2009-launched restaurant and bar confirmed its return to Redwood City through an Instagram post. The restaurant celebrated its 16th anniversary in June, when Owner-Chef Donato Scotti decided the time was right to introduce a refreshed concept.
Scotti and his business partner, Gianluca Guglielmi of Donato & Co. in Berkeley, had been planning the change for years. Their inspiration came from a wave of new Italian eateries featuring simple menus and inventive tapas-style small plates.
The refreshed concept includes small, shareable plates and a custom-made bar at the center of the dining room. Venetian small bites called cicchetti and signature cocktails are the new highlights.
While the establishment reopens, Scotti is taking a step back from the kitchen. New Chef Marco Bertoldo, a native of Italy’s Veneto region, is now going to take charge of Donato Enoteca’s menu.
Bertoldo has cooked in some of Europe’s most celebrated restaurants. This includes three-Michelin-star winner Ristorante Le Calandre in Italy. The Italian chef also worked at Osteria Degli Amici Figino in Switzerland. His recent role was that of an executive chef of San Francisco’s Poesia.
Updated Menu at the Italian Restaurant
Food items at the Italian restaurant (Source: Nadia Andreini)
The new smaller, shareable portions at Donato Enoteca come in three categories – vegetarian, meat, and seafood (maximum rate of $20). Every dish is ingredient-driven with a creative presentation. The renovated restaurant offers items plated on colorful Italian serveware or rustic cookware.
Cannelloni Chiusi is among the opening menu surprises. It features a “closed” spinach & mascarpone cannelloni filled with Genovese pesto and fermented berries. Other tempting bites include golden-fried Monterey Bay anchovies with mustard lemon broth and house-smoked ricotta ravioli in rock cod bisque.
Donato Enoteca further brings an omakase-style Chef’s Tasting Menu for two or more people.
Based on individual taste preferences, guests can choose four courses ($54 per person) or seven courses ($85 per person).
The much-loved ‘pizza program’ at the Redwood City restaurant now goes beyond the old wood-fired Pizza Napoletana. Rotating-style pizzas are also included under the program. An example is the ‘Crunch pizza,’ featuring Rome’s popular crisp, square-shaped dough style. Whereas, ‘Pizza al Padellino’ is a light and fluffy pizza from Torino, baked and served in a small pan.
Handmade personal dessert creations of Chef Bertoldo include marigold gelato with chocolate cookies and strawberry soup with fresh peas and caramelized peaches.
New Expansive Bar Offerings
The new white marble bar at Donato Enoteca (Source: Nadia Andreini)
As part of the renovation, Donato Enoteca has added a white marble bar at the heart of the restaurant. Through it, diners can order from a small cicchetti menu with bite-sized offerings, such as prosciutto & melon, seared Ahi tuna, and more.
The bar’s circular design encourages lively interaction between guests and staff.
Italy’s award-winning mixologist Massimo Stronati handles Donato Enoteca’s new cocktail program. General Manager Martina Cirina further oversees the program.
The revolving menu at the renovated bar includes eight colorful craft cocktails. There are two zero-proof cocktails for complementing the bite-sized snacks. Donato Enoteca’s opening cocktail menu is an ode to classic Italian songs, such as Senza Parole by Vasco Rossi.
Other attractions for Redwood City guests are regional Italian wines and a build-your-own spritz or an ombra. Guests can also order an ombra, a small glass of wine named for the shadows cast on Venice’s Piazza San Marco.
Operating Hours of the Renovated Restaurant
For the initial days, the reopened Donato Enoteca will be open only in the evening. Lunch offerings will be added in the fall. The detailed timings are listed below.
- Tuesday to Thursday – 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- Friday to Saturday – 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday – 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
From Tuesday through Sunday, happy hour will be from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The kitchen will open at 5 p.m. during this period at the Redwood City establishment.
Donato Enoteca will continue to host its semiannual Enoteca100 Italian food & wine extravaganza, which is scheduled for September 13. Its popular Sunday pizza night, winemaker dinners, offsite catering, and private events will also go on.
Parking is available at adjacent metered parking lots. Donato Enoteca has an expansive outdoor dining area.
