Italian restaurant Piatti reopens in Danville with new space and updated menu

If you’re looking for the burger at Piatti in Danville, you won’t find it.

The restaurant has officially reopened after an expensive renovation that saw its interior completely remodeled, and its menu too.

Most of the American foods have been replaced by Italian classics.

“We have some wonderful longtime regulars and we want to make sure we keep things fresh for them and new for newer guests,” said general manager Giovanni Joris. “We changed up the menu and focused more on Italian ingredients and dishes.”

While the burger is gone, the spinach and ricotta ravioli, rigatoni bolognese and thin-crust pizzas remain.

Joris’ favorite dishes on the new and refreshed menu include a pork sugo pappardelle with red sauce and a roasted half chicken with garlic-chili brussels sprouts and olive oil whipped potatoes.

“It sounds simple but it’s delicious,” Joris said.

The wine list was also refreshed to focus more on local and Italian wines while the more contemporary cocktail list focuses on seasonality.

The new menu might sound like what you’d find in an old Italian restaurant with white tablecloths, but Piatti said goodbye to the white tablecloths and replaced them with wood-finished tables and velvet banquettes.

“The space looks more modern,” Joris said. “It’s more open.”

Guests seated indoors will be able to watch hand-made pizza and pasta being made, while guests sitting on the patio will enjoy the view from under the redwoods.

Joris recommends starting dinner with Piatti’s spin on the classic Italian spritz.

“We use a secret ingredient,” he said. “I can’t tell you what it is. But it’s a really nice one.”

Details: Open Sunday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. PT, and Friday and Saturday until 9 p.m. at 100 Sycamore Valley Road West in Danville; danville.piatti.com.