Sal e Pepe:

Fine Dining In A

Polished Casual Atmosphere

“The Secret of Life is Enjoying the Passage of Time,” reads the whimsical mirror on the wall at Sal e Pepe Restaurant & Wine Bar at 97 South Main Street. It is a philosophy that owners Angelo and Renia Marini convey in the warm, familial atmosphere of the restaurant that opened in the South Main Marketplace in November of 2005.

“It’s a come-as-you-are, sort of neighborhood feel here, where you will probably run into someone you know. You could call it ‘polished casual,’ I guess,” said Angelo.

Rich tones of blue, terra cotta, and gold coat the walls of the bar and main dining room, with booths along one wall offering a sense of privacy. Tables for two to six are topped with white table cloths suggesting an elegant yet comfortable style, and each of the tables is set with a different set of decorative salt and pepper shakers — hence the name of the restaurant, “Salt and Pepper.” The salt and pepper shaker theme is a favorite with regulars, said Angelo, some of whom have even brought back sets from their travels to give to the restaurant.

The dining area seats nearly 80 customers, but never with a sense of crowding. Colorful floral paintings decorate the walls, and mirrors reflect the natural light that pours through the delicately curtained front windows during the day.

Sal e Pepe also has an 800-square-foot deck where 40 diners can relish the outdoors seated at tables beneath oversized dark green umbrellas. Boxes of geraniums and petunias cascade over the railings, creating a garden atmosphere for enjoying a drink or a meal.

Angelo is on the premises nearly every day overseeing the operation and filling in where needed. It is an atmosphere in which he is very comfortable, having been in the restaurant business since 1985, when his father opened Monica’s in Stamford. The planned one-year stint helping out at Monica’s after getting his degree in finance at UConn turned into a ten-year run when his father fell ill, and he took over. In 1997, Angelo opened What’s Cooking Deli in Fairfield, running it until 2006, one year after taking the opportunity to open Sal e Pepe. “I’m not the 9 to 5 kind of person, so the restaurant business appeals to me,” said Angelo. “And we love to cook and eat.”

Under the deft direction of Executive Chef Carlos Pineda, formerly of Aqua in Westport and Solé in New Canaan, the kitchen turns out an impressive array of northern Italian dishes with a global twist. “We like to make what we like to eat,” said Angelo, so the menu is a little nontraditional. With the addition of a pasta machine imported from Italy last year, however, Sal e Pepe has been focusing on fresh pasta dishes, turning out 20 pounds of linguini, fettuccine, and lasagna noodles each day, as well as specialty raviolis stuffed with lobster, roasted pork, beef, and veal, porcini mushrooms, or duck.

The restaurant is devoted to using top quality, local ingredients when available, said Angelo. It has partnered with Cherry Grove Farm in Newtown to grow produce selected exclusively for Sal e Pepe. The ice cream on the dessert menu is from Ferris Acres Creamery on Route 302, and most premium meats are supplied by Steve Ford of Butcher’s Best at the Newtown Deli on Route 25.

Diners can start off a meal with one of several appetizers, such as lobster spring rolls, fried calamari, or a baked artichoke dip. Appetizers range from $9.95 to $12.95.

Crisp romaine, mixed greens, or baby arugula form the base for the salad options on the Sal e Pepe menu, and two of the salads, the Mista and the Caesar, are available in small or large sizes.

Light eaters can enjoy the individually sized pizzettes, including the unusual fig pizzette topped with dried figs, prosciutto, and Gorgonzola cheese.

Light ricotta gnocchi with a Bolognese meat sauce and homemade cavatelli join more than half a dozen other pasta dishes on the dinner menu. For other entrees, diners often go for the Black Angus rib eye steak, the grilled mango salmon, or the broiled parmesan tilapia, said Angelo. Pasta and dinner entrees are priced from $17.95 to $29.95.

Mashed gorgonzola potatoes, broccoli rabe, or wild mushroom risotto are among the side dishes that can be ordered with a meal.

The bar, located near the entrance of the restaurant, is cozy, and customers can belly up to the polished black granite bar that seats ten, or find a spot at one of several tall tables and watch a concert DVD playing softly on the flat-screen television. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 4:30 to 6:30 pm, with half-price drinks, beer, and wine.

The wine list is frequently updated and features a number of California wines, as well as varieties from Oregon, Italy, and France. The Flora Springs Cabernet from Napa Valley and the Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc are currently two of the bestselling wines. Ten wines are available by the glass at all times, as well as daily specials of a white and red wine by the glass. Wines start at around $20 a bottle and top out at more than $100 a bottle.

Renia Marini does the bulk of the dessert baking for Sal e Pepe, where knowledgeable diners save room for treats like the tiramisu-tini, served in a martini glass, or the fried banana cheesecake, a pastry-wrapped delight served with raspberry sauce.

Daily specials offered each day expand the menu at lunch and dinner. All items on the menu are available for takeout by calling 426-0805. The complete menus can be seen at salepeperestaurant.com.

If the secret to enjoying life means good food, good company, and a welcoming atmosphere, Angelo and Renia Marini hope that customers will find it at Sal e Pepe.

Sal e Pepe Restaurant &Wine Bar is at 97 South Main Street (Route 25) in the South Main Marketplace. The restaurant is open for lunch Monday through Friday, from 11:30 am to 3 pm; dinner Monday through Thursday, 4 to 9 pm; dinner Friday and Saturday, 4 to 10 pm and Sunday from 4 to 8 pm. Closed for lunch Saturday and Sunday. Major credit cards are accepted. Reservations are recommended; call 426-0805.