Filippo’s adds personal touch to each delectable bite

Filippo’s’ approach to dining is relaxed sophistication with a modern feel.

“The main bones of the building are modern,” said Joe Sanfilippo, chef and owner of Filippo’s Italian Kitchen & Bar, Chesterfield Valley’s newest eatery that opened in October.

He said his goal is to establish a dining experience he calls modern casual elegance and a departure from his downtown restaurant, J.E. Sanfilippo’s Restaurant, which he opened 24 years ago.

“The downtown restaurant that’s now run by my brother, Paul, is more formal,” Sanfilippo said. “Filippo’s is more relaxed and what I consider casual elegance.”

Filippo’s achieves its casual elegance through a non-fuzzy approach via two elements: the décor design and a classic menu. The dining room’s unique design circles around a central bar, creating a cozy, warm atmosphere. A spacious, sofa conversation space placed off to the side invites guests to relax before or after dinner with a glass of wine from Filippo’s’ substantial wine list.

“We have a good wine selection that complements our menu, which is based on my family’s authentic recipes from Palermo,” Sanfilippo said.

He is a second-generation restaurateur who in the 1960s immigrated to the U.S. as an infant with his family.

Among the menu’s standard Italian classics, Filippo’s offers a number of in-house creations, which often appear as off-the-menu daily specials.

Selezioni tradizionali (traditional selections) are considered house specialties, such as the Vitello Saltinboca, sautéed veal medallions with white wine sage sauce. The Gamberi Bianco, a dish that enrobes jumbo shrimp in a Cajun brandy cream, is another tradizional recommended for shrimp-lovers.

Filippo’s’ Tenderloin Palermitana is a hearty mix of eggplant parmagiania and filet mignon, layering grilled tenderloin with fresh tomato, eggplant and mozzarella – a must-try for lovers of both dishes. However, for carnivores who prefer less complicated steaks, Filippo’s offers a 16-ounce Ribeye and a 10-ounce filet. All traditional selections and specials are served with a salad and vegetable.

Leading Filippo’s’ pasta list is Rigatoni Giuseppe, tossed with a tomato vodka cream sauce that has a subtle, spicy kick. Old-fashioned Spaghetti Bolognese, Cavatelli con Broccoli and the seafood-studded Linguini Crema de Mare features are examples of Filippo’s’ northern white and southern red sauce pasta options.

“All our sauces are cooked daily, and everything is homemade – even our bread,” Sanfilippo said. “My mom and sister-in-law make the bread at the restaurant downtown and deliver it to us here.”

This year, his family is celebrating its 40th year in food service, which began when Sanfilippo’s father opened his first operation on The Hill, a small grocery that sported a lunch café.

“We’re still a family operation, and you will always see us here either in the kitchen or walking around,” Sanfilippo said. “I love that because we have a chance to meet our guests and cultivate relationships. It’s the personal touch we do that gives us our character.”

 

Filippo’s Italian Kitchen & Bar

120 Chesterfield Valley Drive • Chesterfield

(636) 536-6833

4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Mon. – Thurs.;

4 p.m. to 1 a.m., Fri. – Sat.

www.filipposstl.com