Bruno's Downtown Italian Restaurant

Bruno’s Restaurant is a little Italian spot in downtown Springfield. However, it’s not like the chain places commonly seen in the Midwest. Between the ambiance and the homemade food, it brings a better Italian dining experience to the tables of Springfield.

Customers are greeted promptly upon entering Bruno’s establishment by the friendly staff. I was lucky enough to dine there during a slow time in the evening, so there was no waiting. We were seated immediately and given water while we decided what we wanted to order. The server was knowledgeable about the array of specials offered, and anything she didn’t know about particular dishes, she found out promptly and relayed the information back to us.

The lighting was nice and the staff was on top of adjusting the window shades so we weren’t blinded by the setting sun. The decorum was simple and not overdone or too commercial. There weren’t a ton of extra menus on the table; and the walls were lined with little twinkle lights to give off a soft glow and make the room look bigger than it really was. There were a lot of tables crowded in close together, so I can imagine if one were to go during busier times, it would feel like it was nothing but wall to wall people, with no sense of intimacy.

Also, everything dish on the menu is written in Italian, so telling the server what you want to order may be a little more difficult. Luckily there are descriptions of each dish under their names, so you can just read off the description if your Italian is a little rusty.

The meals are served with complimentary bread and an olive oil and balsamic vinegar mixture. Although the oil vinegar mixture was a bit tart, it was still full of flavor and not too filling, so plenty of room left for the entrees to come.

Unfortunately, all soups or salads are an extra cost with an entrée, and they aren’t cheap. Patrons are looking at paying an extra four dollars or more for this accompaniment to their meal. I didn’t try any of these, wanting to make sure I had room for dessert later, but I hear the minestrone soup is delicious.

Pasta dishes are the way to go when choosing an entrée. I had the Fettuccine con Pollo alla Romana, which is a dish of fettuccine noodles with chicken in a white wine reduction sauce. There were sweet onions and peppers sautéed and mixed in that added a little zing to ever bite. There are also classic pasta dishes to choose from, including spaghetti and gnocchi.

A little interesting fact about the menu is there are no dessert options. The restaurant changes the options regularly. All the desserts are made from scratch daily, so no worries about getting a piece of cake that tastes like a freezer. All the desserts cost $6, which is a reasonable price for the giant serving you get. I recommend getting the tiramisu, layers of lady fingers soaked in espresso and sweet whipped cream sprinkled with cocoa powder. This is a delicious after dinner treat accompanied with a fresh cup of coffee.

Throughout the meal, we were attended to regularly, except for a small amount of time after we finished our entrees, when our server disappeared. We went without refills on our drinks and had to wait a while to order our desserts. Once she came back though, the service picked back up.

Over all I would say the dining experience was worth it. I recommend this for everything from a nice dinner out to a good place for a business meeting. It’s professional, intimate, and can even be a little romantic when with the right company.

Location…………………………………………	416 South Ave Springfield, MO 65806
Phone……………………………………………	(417) 866-0007
Hours……………………………………………	11a.m.-10p.m. M-Th, 11a.m.-11p.m. F-Sa, Closed Sun
Take Reservations………………………………	Yes
Price-Appetizer ………………………………...	$4-$11
Price-Entrée……………………………………..	$11-$18
Price-Dessert……………………………………	$6