Pesto Bistro and Wine Bar was a delightful surprise! This small, quaint Italian restaurant exceeded our expectations. We had reservations around Valentine's Day weekend, and since it was such a beautiful day, the restaurant kindly called to ask if we'd prefer dining outside with the heaters on -- and even let us know a solo musician would be playing. What a thoughtful touch! Everything was fantastic: the food was delicious, the sangria was fabulous, the music created a wonderful ambiance, and the service was attentive and friendly. A truly lovely evening and a place we can't wait to return to. read more

Will return. It's more of a full restaurant than a wine bar. We've - Shrimp-escargot - Eggplant Napoleon - Pork osso - Toscana Sangiovese - Cerevelli Chianti The portions are large, hot, and delicious, as are the bread and pesto. I particularly like the pork: off the bone soft. Not too crazy about their wine glasses: thick and sturdy. We came from the Sarasota Open (tennis) at IMG, which is about a 10-minute drive away. The surrounding area is yet to be developed. We're happy to find this little gem. Feeling like a huge family with their daughters working the room efficiently - thanks, girls. Diners are mostly seniors. By 6:20, the inner dining area is packed. read more

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The food, service and ambiance are top notch. They do not skimp on the serving size. We have been there twice now and look forward to more visits. Make sure you try their butternut squash bisque soup. Delicious! read more

The service was AMAZING! Bringing samples of other items we were eyeing.. when other tables were leaving they took the time to ask what we ordered because it looked amazing, Do not pass up on the Meatball starter. Save yourself and order it immediately to enjoy while perusing the menu. The Gorgonzola and Pear "Beggars Purses" with smoked brisket. Eggplant Napoleon was delicious, and bread. The low lighting, cozy seating and an acoustic guitar player was a great escape! read more

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Stopped by after picking up at Sarasota airport on our way to AMI. Super cute restaurant, food is excellent, good portions. I had grouper francaise- with green beans and capellini. My daughter had red fish blackened with capellini. Both excellent. Ordered a tiramisu to go. Was a spin on a traditional tiramisu- pistachio and Baileys. I can't say I was a fan. Will try the chocolate ganache cheese cake next time. Definitely will bring the family the next time we are in the area. Rachel our server was very attentive and friendly. read more

We were very excited by what we saw offered online, my husband and I chose this as the star light, dining experience of our trip. ( we are both of Italian descent) Perhaps I set the bar too high, even though it's main land. Decided to sit inside, which really worked with the weather (misty, cloud), but outdoor seating preference is possible. Inside dining rooms are on the smaller side, seating is intimate, half booth and table or table only and one can see they are going for an Italian trattoria with nod to the locale - a sea vibe. Red wine list is extensive and a few vintages are available by the glass and several more by the bottle only. The red and golden beet salad was well done, the Shrimp-gargo appetizer was clever, the use of who garlic cloves in the shrimp scampi over pasta sauce was a flavorful touch. Although offering a gluten free pasta option (penne), then not having any dessert (besides ice cream) or bread options (none), or meat sauce (meatballs are often used as the meat source in the Bolognese here), falls short. We have been to Italian restaurants that take the time to think of more than a gf pasta. The Caesar salad had one anchovy, but lists as anchovies (again it was part of the all over experience, nice, but falling short of what an overall impressive Italian dining experience can be). The shrimp was over cooked and chewy, for the price, the quality again, just fell short. Service was adequate, our waitress did try to help answer our questions about how to work within the gluten friendly offerings, but again things like attentiveness to the details like filing the water glass when that's all your drinking or removing the dishes promptly goes, a long easy add to overall the dining experience. As this is off season, it's the attention to the smaller details that one would think there would be more time to attend to. Parking was easy and we were able to get a reservation within a 48 hour window for the time of or choosing. read more

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Excellent small local Italian restaurant. The quality of the food is excellent, we had a very nice meal. Rachel, the server, was polite, friendly and made suggestions as well as pointing out the daily specials. This small restaurant, should be your go to choice for a variety of high-quality food. read more

Excellent service, presentation , food and music.The music was a surprise bonus and desert decadent and delicious

Pesto Bistro is a quaint and charming Italian restaurant. It feels like you're dining in someone's home. It's a wonderful combination of Italian cuisine meets old Florida ambiance. It appears like it's a newer restaurant. Don't quote me on that considering I hadn't been in Bradenton in three years. It's in a humble location on Cortez Road before crossing over to the island. The menu sounded great when we read the reviews online. And with my Italian family always craving Italian food, we put our trusts in the hands of Pesto Bistro and they delivered! Everything on the menu sounded great. When I visit Florida I have the immediate urgency to eat any and all seafood. When I saw they had a special on the menu board, Grouper Francese, I thought to myself "this is the best of both worlds." Similar to a Piccata, but with fresh Florida seafood? Score. For one, the portion size was HUGE. Highly unlikely you're finishing this plate considering it comes with pasta and veggies. Oh, and don't forget the delicious bread at the table...maybe I filled up too much on that... I digress. The sauce was delicious. Lemony, buttery, and coated the fish perfectly. It's a very humble and homey dish, I couldn't have asked for a more appropriate meal while on the Florida coast. Service was a tad slow. One server in the main dining room. Although she was knowledgeable and friendly, it did take a long time for us to get acknowledged once we were sat. For the four of us, the bill added up quickly considering I was the only one who ordered a glass of wine. Nice little restaurant that you could easily pass by without knowing it's there. And sometimes those hidden gems are the ones we should know about the most. Thanks for a tasty dinner, Pesto Bistro! read more

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A neat little spot I bet I have driven by hundreds of times and so glad our friends Bill and Michelle introduced us to Pesto Bistro. Absolutely cannot beat the atmosphere and if you're lucky enough to have Courtney be your host (she was much more than wait staff), you're guaranteed to enjoy the evening. Wine selection is crazy and everything is amazing. I was lucky enough to be offered a taste of their butternut squash and zucchini bisque, definitely ordering that next time. The bruschetta with goat cheese was amazing, I easily could have had for my main course, but the veal piccata blew me away. Everything was great, cooked to perfection and served with a smile and a laugh. We're in east county and this is a drive, but will be well worth it. We'll be seeing you again and if you have not dined here, what the heck are you waiting for? read more

Pesto Bistro & Wine Bar - Bruschetta with goat cheese, made perfectly! - Italian Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

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The food here is the best I have ever eaten. I been to Italy and other places around the world. The best I have ever eaten. Well done. Don't miss this place. read more

Our party of 6 ate inside in the front dining room. It felt like we were in Italy. We all ordered something different, and we all agreed that the food was excellent. Our server Rachel was wonderful. It was absolutely a beautiful evening. read more

The food is always hot and fresh. Love the presentation n excellent service, We feel like family as we go often!

First time at Pesto and definitely won't be our last. The food was Magnifico!!! Every thing from the appetizer to the dessert was to die for. The tomato sauce was probably the best I've ever had. Hard to find a good tomato sauce. Everything was so fresh I just can't say enough!! Rachel was so knowledgeable and attentive. We had a great conversation and time with all the staff. The owner even came out and chatted with us. Now the ambiance was perfect. Such an Italian feel. Lastly all the choices you have in food wine and beer makes it very difficult to decide. Everything we ordered was perfect!! Thanks and we will be back!! read more

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Very good Italian food with friendly staff and cozy environment. The entertainment was a nice surprise. Offer big portions at a reasonable price. read more

Pesto Bistro & Wine Bar - Shrimp-cargot - Italian Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

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Amazing meal with my wife this past Saturday. Grouper was fresh and tasty, Swordfish special was outstanding. Wonderful ambiance and service. One of our favorite spots! read more

Pesto just keeps getting better and better. This week was one of their best dining experiences. Bill Vintage a local musician played and sang. The veal burrata, swordfish and pasta bolognese were the type of meals everyone raves about. Pesto is a must visit restaurant. Our server was both engaging and professional read more

Went with a girlfriend, wine was great, bread too. The meals were not good. The eggplant was not cooked well at all! Probably one of the worst eggplant parm I have ever had. Very mushy. My friend had the special of the , a fish dish, she said it was just ok. I really wanted to like this cute place, I have been wanting to try it for years. read more

Food was amazing! Service Outstanding! We ate inside because of threatening weather and it was very nice! read more

Pesto Bistro & Wine Bar - Try the Mad Man Red Blend! - Italian Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

We always enjoy Pesto. The food is excellent. I've enjoyed everything I've had there. I literally crave their amazing green beans! If there is a problem they are very accommodating. Courtney is a gem. They have a nice wine selection and a 10 year tawny that I just love. I try to get someone to go with me at least once a month. It's not too hard. read more

We dined for the first time at Pesto's for my husband's birthday. We were greeted by such a warm welcome. We were a half hour early but we were seated upon arrival. It was very quaint and intimate inside. Our server was such a ray of sunshine. She suggested her favorite dishes. So helpful. They were running a special on the red wine and it was so amazing we ordered two bottles. The reason for the four stars, the gnats! Our food was swarming with gnats. Those little black bugs were in everything and on everything. I have never encountered this INSIDE a dining room. I could see it if we were outside but we were in the back room of the restaurant. If I owned this establishment I would have an exterminator come immediately. I'm not one to complain about something like this, but it's gross. In Florida I realize that some things are out of your control, but I do hope they address the gnat problem because the food is delicious. read more

Pesto Bistro & Wine Bar - Wine - Italian Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

Yet another must try in the area! For starters, the focaccia was fresh and delicious, best I've ever had. We ordered two meals, the chicken marsala and the chicken saltimbocca. Both dishes were accompanied by penne alfredo and garlic green beans. I couldn't tell you which was better. The saltimbocca was smothered in amazing cheeses. Both were heavenly!! Highly suggest this small gem. Oh and the crunchy coffee ice cream was delicious! read more

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Pleasant experience at Pestos restaurant on Cortez Road. Great experience from walking in the door to having a fantastic waitress named Courtney, who was quite busy Saturday evening. The owner Joe definitely wants to make sure his customers are happy. I admire him for his hard work. He was in the kitchen working and did a phenomenal job. My husband had the chicken piccata which was delicious and I had the Pork Osso Bucco which was one of the best I've had ever! The portions were good size . We also had the tiramisu for dessert scrumptious! Absolutely no complaints. We wanted to meet and Thank the owner/chef but he was still busy in the kitchen. A good little find. We will be back. Kim W read more

Pesto Bistro & Wine Bar - Italian Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

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Stopped by on a random Wednesday evening from out of town because the menu looked amazing. The Gamberetti was amazing and the table bread with pesto was unique + delicious. I loved the fun spin on the tiramisu with the wine glass and pirouline! Rachel was an attentive and kind host with excellent hospitality skills. The chef and I assume owner checked in on me and was on top of his game. Really happy I chose to eat here and hoping I have a chance to come back again next time I'm in town! read more

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Once again, absolutely amazing food and service! Made reservations via Facebook messenger and got a prompt response. Since we don't have long in the area, we asked to get an additional plate to share the entrées we ordered and they were so kind and amazing that they plated them separately for us. Huge portions, so delicious. Definitely one of our favorite Italian places here! 5 starts all day long ! read more

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A recent goal has been to venture out and try different restaurants and Pesto Bistro and Wine Bar was our most recent stop. This building was formerly occupied by a Cuban restaurant featured on Dives, Diners and Drive Ins... Pesto does not qualify for any of those labels. The transformation to a small, but more intimate dining experience is amazing. The food we enjoyed seemed to be high quality and reasonably priced...not cheap, but reasonable. The specials were terrific...branzino and a veal entree. Next time, we will order from the regular menu. So many things looked good, we want to return. Our server, Rachel, was terrific too! They were pretty full and she was on top of things. I recommend making a reservation because it is small. read more

We happened upon this gem of a restaurant yesterday afternoon and were so happy we did. The food was exquisite, and the interior of the restaurant was decorated beautifully. Our server Courtney was wonderful. She made a great wine recommendation for my wife, and provided us with flawless service. We will definitely be coming back. read more

Goldie and I came to pesto's for the first time. The food is absolutely fabulous. The service is great and sitting outside in the shade very comfortable. Highly recommend this place will return. read more

My fiancé said the veal saltimbocca was the best thing he has ever eaten. We loved the wine and service was phenomenal. We had a lovely romantic dinner for two. We will be back for sure! read more

Delicious! Chicken parm was excellent, service was great. Definitely recommend if you are in the area

It was our first visit so we made a reservation but it was not necessary as the place was not booked up the night we went and we were seated immediately. We both had sangria, it was very good. I had the butternut squash bisque and Sicilian Capellini and both were outstanding. My wife has a small house salad with chicken Marsala, and she loved it. The server was attentive, the atmosphere was very pleasant. I recommend this little jewel to anyone who likes Italian food! read more

Excellent! We love pesto! We just went and had fantastic meal and service. I had Special of the day Sea Bass & husband had Shrimp Scampi. Waitress was professional and friendly. We love the atmosphere too. read more

The service (Courtney), ambiance and especially the food was exceptional. Our new "special" eatery in Bradenton

From the outside, not impressive. But food & service, very good imo. Need more words, words... Thx, Dave read more

Food was just fair. Service was terrible. 2 waiters for 25 tables! Chaos to place order.Hour and half or so just to get food. We've eaten there before and had a good experience, but this was very disappointing. Won't return any time soon. read more

I rarely post reviews but we had a wonder dinner here. This was our third time. We both had the "Butternut Squash Bisque" that was delicious. My wife had the "Tortelini Rustic" and I had the "Sicilian Capellini." The veal/pork meatballs reminded me of my father's famous meatballs. The pasta was served al dente. Courtney was a fabuous server. Great ambiance. The musician (didn't catch his name) sang and played perfectly in the background. read more

The food is always great here, warm bread, nice glass of wine and Chicken Marsala. Atmosphere is cozy like being in the North End of Boston.

Do you ever hesitate to write a great review, fearing that the restaurant will become so popular that you'll never be able to get a reservation again? I'm having that uneasy feeling about what I'm about to write. We found this place on one of the "foodie" websites and a quick perusal of the menu justified making a Wednesday reservation. Weren't we pleasantly surprised to find that Wednesdays are "Wine Down Wednesdays" at Pesto. They select a couple of the wines on their extensive wine menu for a nice discount. My companions enjoyed the Hearts of Romaine salad while my wife and I had one of the best Caprese Salads ever. The Caprese came with Roma Tomatoes, Burrata, and Balsamic Glaze. WOW was it good. The gals had the Shrimp-Cargot and declared it worthy of being eaten twice a week from now on. I shared the Gorgonzola and Pear Beggar's Purses and still had enough left over to enjoy for lunch on another day. The owner stopped by our table and chatted for quite a while. We reassured him that we'd be back, and booked another Wednesday before we left. One last point -- it was worth the 45-50 minute drive from east Bradenton for this dining experience. read more

The best meal of our vacation. The grouper Adriatic was amazing. Great service as well!

I dined here with my family last night on our vacation to AMI. The description of the online menu drew us there. I ordered the Eggplant Napoleon which was supposed to have a pistachio ricotta and Asiago mashed potatoes. My husband ordered a pasta dish in a creamy walnut pesto sauce. My dish did not contain and pistachio or Asiago and the eggplant wasn't cooked well. In addition, my potatoes were cold. My husband's dish didn't have any pesto. The waitress was kind and was really hustling but it took a long time for us to get our food. Overall, disappointed. Will not return here. read more