Don Vito is a veteran to Italian cuisine in Peru for the last 40 years. Nestled in a quiant area in Miraflores, the trattoria will take you back in time like a literal time-machine as you walk through the halls with old-time memorabilia along the walls. Make sure to visit during their 3 month long celebration!
“I’m gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse”, that famous line from Don Corleone set’s the mood for my visit to Don Vito, an Italian trattoria that just had its 40th birthday in Lima owned by Javier Hundskopf and his wife Alice Wendt.
Entering into the time machine
When you just walk into the wooden doors, is like getting into a time machine, an old-style Italian trattoria welcomes you with classical music in the background and two different areas a the front room and then a long hall that takes you to another dining hall some sort of private space where the regular costumers go. I can imagine a door covering that space and a private place for il capo to has his meetings with la Famiglia.
You’ll be greeted by Senen Villalobos, their maître that has worked on the restaurant for 36 years and is now an integral part of the business. This is a Pre-Gastronomic boom restaurant that has kept with the original style.
A mouth-watering menu
To celebrate their 40th anniversary they have a special program in which they will present their classics and some special preparations.
The menu has a bit of everything from an Italian-style meal, Antipasti, Legumi, Zuppe, Pasta, Carne, Pesci, and dolce. They also have pizzas and entrances to share. Some of the preparations are fusion from Italian and Peruvian cuisine.
As a starter, you can try their beef carpaccio with parm, capers, fresh arugula, and olive oil, simple yet delicious. Or the shrimp alla sorrentina with watercress cream that base has mushrooms and a creamy sauce.
Their pasta is homemade, with a fair texture and you can choose long pasta or stuffed pasta and they will present you an array of options like their pappardelle with pepper. You have to be precise on the term of cooking of the pasta, locals like pasta well cooked. Their raviolis are great you can go from a vegetarian all mushrooms ravioli o a fancy duck stuffed ones. Both options have great flavor.
Dessert as an experience
The dessert is a magic show, they will flame it table side which is always a great experience, they can make you strawberry with pepper or Crêpes Sussette.
Classic cocktails and more
Cocktail wise, one of their managers Javier Hundskopf, has studied and care for them and arranged them in chronological order with all the classics, so you will find great cocktails, wines, beer, and liquor to enrich the whole experience.
Join the celebrations at Don Vito with live music until December
On the other hand, Don Vito has been part of the Peruvian classical music culture as long as it has been open, their inside space has been a stage for many chamber music with different artists or groups. That is included in the inside room décor. To celebrate their 40th they will have three concerts, one each month from October to December which will be their holiday traditional concert.
Location
Trattoria Don Vito is located in Calle Martín dulanto 111, Miraflores – Lima. It’s open every day from 12:30 to 23 hrs. You can make reservations via pone to +511.445.81.56 or via Mesa24
Now… Go out and eat well!
