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Vito’s Pizza & Italian Ristorante
by Cathy Villafana

Vito’s Pizza & Italian Ristorante, located in the heart of downtown San Juan Capistrano, captures the essence of Italian cuisine by importing key ingredients. This homage to the homeland and its inviting ambiance, creates an ideal place for a casual, weekday lunch, dinner with friends or a quick drink before catching a flick around the corner.

Vito’s offers a broad range of appetizers to suit a variety of tastes. Enjoy Italian classics like theCalamari or Bruschetta, or try the Burrata Mozzarella and Tomato starter with heirloom tomatoes and fig marmalade that fuses old world tradition with a modern twist.

Specializing in Chicago-style thin crust pizzas, Vito’s goes the distance by importing its dough all the way from Italy. For those preferring a more substantial bite, simply order a double crust and Vito’s will accommodate your request. There are a wide variety of pizzas to choose from, or you can build your masterpiece from what seems an endless array of toppings. Rumor has it that the Buffalo Chicken and Margherita pizzas are in a close tie for most popular ‘za.

Italian food lovers will delight in the many pasta and chef specialties found on the menu. Options include seafood, chicken, veal and vegetarian dishes. The Penne Caprese, the Chicken Penne Arrabiate, and the Tortellini Sunrise – combining marinara and alfredo sauces – are some of the current menu faves.

Happy Hour is 2 to 7 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 9 to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. On Mondays, Happy Hour is extended from 7 to 9 p.m. Enjoy half-priced bottles of wine with your entrées or pizza on Tuesdays and wind down on Wednesday with $1 glasses of wine (limit 2) and half-price signature drinks. On Thursdays, martinis are a mere $6. Vito’s is also a family-friendly destination where kids eat for only $1.99 on Sundays.

If you’re in need of a venue to celebrate that special occasion or to host a holiday gathering, Vito’s has a private dining area that’s available for parties. Delivery, catering, and a gluten-free menu makes Vito’s an easy and convenient choice!

Vito’s Pizza & Italian Ristorante
31781 Camino Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano
949.481.8300 • VitosPizza.com

Vito’s Pizza & Italian Ristorante
By Bonny Small

If you haven’t visited downtown San Juan Capistrano lately, it’s worth the drive to marvel at the amazing restoration and revitalization. With the opening of the new Regency Theatre, the heart of downtown had a need for additional options for hungry movie-goers. One astonishing highlight is the renovation of the retail space directly below Ruby’s on the corner of Camino Capistrano and Verdugo Street. What had once been a mixture of small stores and quirky walkways is now beautifully unified and reborn as Vito’s Pizza & Italian Ristorante.

Vito’s is family-owned and new to California, but their successful sister restaurant in Mesa, Arizona has given them plenty of time to develop a smooth operation. The owners are very hands-on (you may even see Vito chatting with customers in the dining room) and the staff is very friendly and welcoming.

Fresh rolls and pesto butter will greet you at the table – for apps try the fried calamari which is lightly battered, sprinkled with chile flakes and served with a creamy Cajun sauce. The bruschetta is lightly toasted, mounded with diced tomatoes and fresh basil and then finished with a drizzle of balsamic reduction. So tasty!

From there, the sky’s the limit – get the Piccata with your choice of veal, salmon, or chicken (served with spaghetti and a lemon and caper sauce) or create your own pizza on Vito’s Chicago-style thin crust. Vito’s homemade tiramisu – with a light, fluffy mascarpone layer – was a favorite at our table!

Vito’s lunch specials start at just $7 and a slice of pizza, salad and soda are easy on the wallet at a mere $8.50! They also offer a gluten-free menu, featuring both pasta and pizza, as well as a variety of salads. Kids eat for $1.99 on Sundays, and make sure to stop in on Mondays for “All You Can Eat Pasta.” More good news, Vito’s will soon begin offering home delivery for those staying home to watch movies on DVD!

31781 Camino Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano
949. 481.8300
VitosPizza.com

What a Dish!

Walking into What a Dish Café in Dana Point is almost like taking a quick trip to France for lunch at a cool French bistro. The quaint, relaxed ambiance is just what you’d want in a café and if the delightful lunch menu doesn’t quickly make this your new favorite place, the irresistible desserts certainly will.

Executive Chef Cathy McKnight combines French bistro and California fresh cuisine that caters perfectly to Southern Californians looking for flavorful food made from simple, high-quality, locally-sourced and organic ingredients. Since freshness is a top priority at What a Dish, the menu changes seasonally to incorporate the best of what’s available.

During our lunch at the café, my friends and I enjoyed a few of the hot sandwiches, including the Croque Monsieur du Jour, the grilled vegetable with melted provolone and homemade pesto and the smoked turkey BLT, which came with house-roasted and shaved turkey breast. Each of the sandwiches arrived on perfectly baked Ciabatta bread alongside a remarkably tasty baby green salad with candied nuts in citrus vinaigrette. Though we polished off every morsel, we did find enough room to taste the truffle-dipped cupcakes, petit fours and ganache-frosted brownies, all of which were divine.

In addition to the café which serves lunch, weekend plated brunch and a Chef’s Thursday night dinner featuring a four-course menu, What a Dish is a full-service caterer. Whether you’re planning the grandest of weddings or an intimate dinner, they can create and execute the perfect menu. And no need to look elsewhere for your desserts, as their cake design studio – It’s All About the Cake – will bring your dessert dream to life. Specializing in smooth butter cream work, an exquisite and delicious cake of any shape or design is only limited by your imagination.

WHAT A DISH!
24921 Dana Point Harbor Dr. • Dana Point • 949.276.4884
WhataDish.com

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CAKE
949.240.7100
ItsAllAbouttheCake.com