If you are looking for authentic Italian cuisine in Plantation, Florida, you have to check out Il Baretto. This family owned restaurant has become one of my favorites in Broward County and today I’ll share with you everything you need to know before you find this truly hidden gem.
Il Baretto Italian Cuisine – My Experience
Italian food is one of my favorite types of food – but that’s not what drew me to Il Baretto. In all honesty, having some conversations with friends at Smoke on the Water in Weston, I heard that this was the closest spot to get a genuine Chicago Deep dish pizza. Deep dish pizza is my absolute jam, and having a two month withdrawal after visiting the iconic Lou Malnati’s in Chicago, I had a hankering for it.
I came in without any expectation other than I wanted a deep dish pizza in the worst way. Knowing we were going to eat a lot of carbs, we started off with the garlic rolls. OMG! These were to die for! The garlic rolls were freshly baked and came piping hot. They were a great way to start the meal while we waited an hour for our deep dish to be prepared.
Chicago Style Thin Crust Pizza
We then witnessed someone else get a thin crust pizza at an adjacent table and our eyes were popping. The thin, crispy, cracker crust “tavern style pizza” is another one of my favorite vices. Naturally, we asked for one of those as well. It was phenomenal! Literally the best thin and crispy pizza I’ve had in Broward County and maybe even in South Florida.
Deep Dish Pizza
We barely had room for the main event – the deep dish pizza! However, we were ready for the challenge. Our group of four foodies were impressed at the perfect bake, use of the freshest ingredients, and overall amount of sauce applied in this almost 3″ thick baked pie. The owner came to our table to ask about our experience and asked how we heard about Il Baretto and we shared with her how we found out about it. We told her that the pizza brought us in and that we loved the venue. She went on to tell us to come back and try any of the pasta dishes and she swears we’ll love them. She did say that many people come up north on University Dr in Planation to the venue due to the deep dish, but she really prides her Italian food and main dishes while accepting that the Chicago pizza is the draw.
We will be back to try the pasta dishes and you can expect this Il Baretto review to be updated with more pictures.
More Information on the Venue in Plantation, FL
I’ll be honest with you just like I was with the owner – this venue is easy to find but it’s in a corner where their signage is blocked by a tree. It’s located at 220 S University Dr in Plantation, which gives it a central Broward county location that makes it easily accessible for people from Weston, Davie, Coral Springs, Sunrise, and all surrounding communities. There is no need for us to drive 25 – 30 minutes further to go east to get delicious Chicago style food and amazing service.
Service at Il Baretto Plantation
The service was great. It’s a small venue with 12 tables and everything was very much to our liking. This is probably why they get such rave reviews on platforms like Google and even the tough to get people to get anyone to say anything good platform of Yelp.
Il Baretto Menu
So while we haven’t gone down the whole menu (yet!) – here’s what they serve.
Starters & Salads
Everything you could imagine from an Italian food venue, you can find the following:
- Garlic rolls
- New Zealand mussels
- Salads
- Calamari Fritti
- Fra Diavolo mussels
Build Your Own Pizza
Choose from either a traditional pie, Chicago Thin Crust, Deep Dish, or even cauliflower pizza options.
Pasta Dishes
- Create Your Own Pasta
- Penne Alla Vodka – marinara & cream with top-shelf vodka
- Pasta Aglio e Olio with Shrimp – angel hair pasta with olive oil, garlic & shrimp
- Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken – scratch-made alfredo with Reggiano & Pecorino cheese
- Fettuccine with Calamari – white-wine sauce and blistered grape tomatoes
- Spaghetti Carbonara – creamy sauce with pancetta and piselli
- Spaghetti Alle Vongole – spaghetti with clams in reduced white wine sauce & fresh herbs
- Lasagna – homemade layered pasta with bolognese, ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella
- Spaghetti con Polpette di Carne – marinara sauce with house-made all-beef meatballs
- Chicken Parmigiana Pasta – hand-breaded chicken breast topped with Italian cheeses, served with angel hair & marinara
- Veal Parmigiana Pasta – hand-breaded veal topped with Italian cheeses, served with angel hair & marinara sauce
- Homemade Lobster Ravioli – served with creamy sauce
- Homemade Snapper Ravioli – served with creamy sauce
- Homemade Spinach Ravioli – served with marinara sauce
- Cheese Ravioli – served with marinara sauce
- Home-Made Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms Truffle Cream Sauce
All of these pasta dishes are made fresh in house! It’s a small yet very clean, open kitchen that lets you smell the magic as it’s being created!
Desserts
There were three desserts available when we visited: tiramisu, cannoli, and Limoncello Mascarpone Cake.
In Summary
Il Baretto offers amazing authentic Italian cuisine nearby in Plantation, Florida. We enjoy Italian food and consider this our latest hidden gem that we’ve uncovered. We will be back to sample the pastas and more! Please check back for more pics and know that Il Baretto Italian Cuisine is a venue we highly recommend!
About Peter C.
Peter is a digital nomad who largely writes from Asia, Europe, and South America. Always following the "vibe," he sets up shop in hostels and AirBNB's and continues to entertain us with wild stories from life abroad. Ask him anything in our community forum. Make sure to download the AllWorld Travel Hacks FREE ebook.
