Ciao's — Restaurant in South Bend

Ciao’s in South Bend, Indiana is a culinary oasis. I live in a part of Florida that is fortunate enough to have excellent restaurants, many award winning, and I’ve traveled in Italy. Ciao’s ambiance, knowledgeable servers and fresh, perfectly prepared food is second to none. I started with Cozze Piccante(Spicy Mussels) and Burrata. The mussels were perfectly cooked and the spicy tomato sauce that enveloped them complimented the briny succulence of the bivalves. The Burrata was served with arugula and what at first glance was an anemic tomato. I learned not to judge a tomato by its color. The greens were fresh and the perfect compliment to the the rich, creamy cheese but the tomato was bursting with the flavor of summer and made the dish spectacular. We then had Pheasant Tortelli and Bronzino al Forno. Though Adele, the chef/owner, gently tried to steer us to complimentary entrees, we stayed true to our individuality. My husband had the Pheasant and I had the Bronzino al forno. I had never had Pheasant and loved the gaminess of the pheasant stuffed tortelli paired with the earthy mushroom cream sauce. It was not a heavy dish but brought to mind Fall and forests. My Bronzino al forno was summer on a plate. The fish was perfectly prepared in a light lemon herb sauce that enhanced the fish without overwhelming the delicate fish. If you have been to Italy or if you want to experience fresh Italian fare at its finest, make a...

If you want a piece of Italy.. go to ciao’s! Dinner does take time.. they are not rushing you. I already went twice in the last week and I just keep ordering their specials since it all sounds so good! I had the branzino sea bass and also the duck entree $40. Cooked perfectly. We also tried their bruschetta which was very yummy but my oh my.. their house bread they bring to the table with oil is AMAZING… so soft … and the oil mixture is also good.

I’ve had a glass of their Chianti and also a bottle of their chop shop which was good. I tried their beef carpaccio $20 which was okay- it was sliced but I guess I expected like chunks of meat minced or something. That was on top of a bed of arugula and was a special that day. We also tried their mini lobster pasta $28 (amazing sauce…) and their special which was short ribs with potatoes and green bean $42.

They have a whole display of desserts up front as well. Tiramisu was pretty good. It does get pretty loud and stuffy … so dress in layers so you can peel them off and get a drink to cool you down. Call for a reservation , I don’t know if they take walk-ins. They def can’t if there’s a...

Best Italian in SB, hands down. Closer to actual Italian than the American-homestyle Italian places we have here in SB. They’ve opened the restaurant back up and take walk-ins but reservations are always great. They always have great specials that the waiters will guide you through, as well as a solid wine list for those who partake. I’ve been to Ciao’s quite a few times, but this latest time was just too good not to share. The bruschetta is a mainstay on the menu and is worth ordering. They give you free bread for the table and we got the spicy mussels to start - they were wonderfully fresh with a calm heat in the tomato sauce, would definitely order again. We ordered the special lamb plate and the scallops; both of us were basking in how divine both plates were! They even gave us more bread to sop up the leftover sauce. The owner who often comes and chats to everyone in the dining room is a true delight and remembers familiar faces; she works hard to make sure you have a smile on your face while you enjoy the food. I love Ciao’s and am so happy they have the...