Hidden in plain sight on South Broadway, nestled next to Maria Empanada, is a Denver culinary gem. Pasquini’s is an Italian restaurant with the look and feel of a family joint that is reflected in the quality of food. As soon as you enter the restaurant and pick up on its homey vibe, you just know the food is going to be truly authentic. The tile-plated tables, comfy-looking booths, hardwood floors and handwritten chalkboard signs of the daily specials emphasize the warm feeling. One whole wall is made of a glass garage door that opens up to the patio when the weather is pleasant.

We sit down and start with a glass of red wine for me and a specialty cocktail for him. Our drinks come out right away, along with a (complimentary) plate of warm, aromatic, dripping-with-butter-and-cheese breadsticks. My date is starving and he quickly scarfs down two out of the four of them. I, however, want to save room for the main event.

I order a Rustica salad, which is $8 for a small and $10 for a large. The waiter tells me that the small is great for an appetizer and large is definitely enough for a main course. Don’t skimp; order the large. My date orders the portabella pizza, going for the medium which the server tells us will yield a couple extra pieces for lunch tomorrow ($18). Pasquini’s offers personal pizzas for $10 through $19 depending on size and type.

The menu is so extensive that these choices were very difficult; the restaurant offers a plethora of traditional Italian appetizers ($4 – $10) , salads, pasta, pizza and calzones ($6 – $23), not to mention desserts from chocolate cake to tiramisu ($6 – $7).

Our food comes out shortly; my salad is loaded with arugula, roasted red peppers, portabellas, tomatoes, pine nuts and mozzarella cheese. The arugula and roasted red peppers give the salad a special spice, with some creaminess from the mozzarella and the perfect amount of toasted crunch from the pine nuts. His pizza is served in the “Bianca style,” meaning it does not have sauce, instead being topped with simply with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. It features portabella mushrooms and fresh basil and tastes delicious.

We linger for over an hour, enjoying the atmosphere and several rounds of drinks. This is the type of place you could spend hours at, and although we did not order dessert, all of the choices were displayed and looked amazing. The entire experience at Pasquini’s was impeccable and I will absolutely be frequenting theis restaurant.