Prato – Winter Park

Prato: 124 N. Park AvenueWinter Park, FL 32789

The South Florida Eats team was in Orlando for a pre-season hockey game between the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning (the better team). We tried to find a place to eat, and the first place we tried was closed. Not knowing where to go, our Uber driver suggested we try a place her friend recommended called Prato. We eagerly agreed, and off she whisked us to our new food destination in Winter Park, FL, a small town neighboring Orlando.

The Restaurant:

As we walked into Prato, we were greeted and notified of the fact that there were no tables available since we didn’t have a reservation. But after just a few minutes of waiting, two seats opened up at the bar. The bar area is nice, with comfortable stools and a good selection of spirits. It’s the perfect place to people-watch around the restaurant.

The rest of Prato is made up of tables and chairs or booths. Towards the back of the restaurant is a larger table for bigger groups, and there is outside seating on most nights. Music plays, which provides a great vibe but can be a bit overpowering at times when having a conversation.

Prato’s Food:

Prato’s menu changes daily and seasonally. This is due to some of the seafood items and pasta they serve, but they provide a nice variety, so you don’t get tired of visiting. Mike and I started the evening with a bottle of Chardonnay, which we enjoyed very much. There is a full bar, so you can order whatever cocktail or spirit you desire.

Mike decided to try two different past dishes with a half portion of each. The mustard spaghettini cacio e pepe included Radicchio, Speack, and Balsamico. He enjoyed every bite of this dish and said the flavors melded perfectly. But the night’s real winner for him was the Squid Ink Mafaldine, which included clams, calamari, and other seafood. Mike was head over heels for this dish, and it truly made his night. He could not stop talking about it as we returned to our hotel.

For my meal, I went with the black pepper campanelle, a full portion of Parto’s bolognese dish, which included a red wine sauce. I enjoyed every bite and felt that the grated parmesan cheese enhanced it even more. I could not have been happier with the flavor of the red sauce and the perfectly cooked meat.

Pricing $$-$$$:  The meals at Prato are very reasonably priced. Adding cocktails or wine to your meal will increase the pricing slightly, but still well within reason. We highly recommend checking Prato out.