The Story

This establishment, part of the Larkin’s Restaurants group, has been on our list of places to try for awhile. It’s located in downtown Greenville, S.C. close to the picturesque Falls Park on the Reedy. One Sunday night, we decided to forego our usual ice cream or pizza routine and see if the hype was earned. It was a balmy but clear evening and the intermittent breeze kept the humidity at bay. The al fresco eating area situated in front of the main building is the centerpiece of the restaurant. The plush green turf is dotted with sturdy red tents and an eclectic but aesthetically pleasing collection of tables and chairs. The terraced garden flanks the right side of the plaza and twinkling bulb lights are strung across the space.

The Service

The silver lining of social distancing is that servers can concentrate on fewer tables since there are fewer diners. We had generally good service. Due to COVID-19 guidelines, servers give you laminated card with a QR code instead of a physical menu. After downloading an app, we were told we could have simply taken a picture and been given the option to access the online menu. Live and learn. I don’t know that less tech savvy people would have figured it out. They assume everyone has smart phones I guess? We did have to ask for bread and oil a couple of times but it came eventually. The sweet tea was excellent. Not too strong; not too sweet. Just right.

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The Main Event

Chris selected the Stuffed Chicken Parmigiana. I went with Shrimp Prosecco Capellini. Our orders arrived fairly fast. The crust on Chris’s chicken was like an elevated version of those 90’s Shake and Bake meals. I mean that in the best way possible. The main takeaway from my shrimp dish was the freshness of the ingredients specially the tomatoes and basil. It was simple but filling. We both liked our meals and had enough for leftovers which is always a plus. To top things off, we split a tiramisu in a teacup. It was a decent portion size. Nothing to write home about but it satisfied my sweet tooth. It had a bitter finish.

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Pros and Cons

The food was fine but the outdoor space is the reason we would go back. We were supposed to to got to Italy this year. The ambiance and feel of their space is the closest we are going to get anytime soon. When it comes to outdoor appeal, Limoncello and Jianna are at the top of our list in #YeahThatGreenville. If you are going for the best food, that’s another post.

YTC Takeaways

Dellaventuras, which is more homestyle Italian, is still our favorite local Italian eatery. We would go back to Limoncello with friends to enjoy the downtown scene.