After seven years holding down a spot in Clayton, Italian restaurant Il Palato is preparing for its final service on May 4, as owner Mike Del Pietro shifts his attention to nearby Cibo Italia. The move essentially relocates Il Palato’s dinner program to a converted Sinclair service station about a mile away at Hanley and Delmar, where Cibo Italia is set to open for breakfast and lunch on May 4 and roll out evening hours, including happy hour, on Monday, May 11. Del Pietro describes the change as both a financial and practical play: he owns the Cibo Italia building, wants to concentrate on running a single restaurant, and plans to offer a comparable menu in a more relaxed setting.
Timeline and Context
St. Louis Magazine reports that Il Palato will close after service on May 4, even though the original headline name-checked May 2, and that Cibo Italia will begin daytime hours the same day, followed by dinner service the following week. In that interview, Del Pietro explained that shedding rent, consolidating his focus, and offering a similar dinner experience in a different format all factored into the decision. The former Remy’s space that became Il Palato in March 2019 seated about 90 guests inside, with room for about 20 more on the patio, and its kitchen has been helmed by executive chefs Tim Adams and Jordan Knight.
What To Expect At Cibo Italia
“I had a great seven‑year run at Il Palato,” Del Pietro told St. Louis Magazine, adding that he is “too old to split time between places every night” and prefers a building with both a patio and on-site parking. In the evenings, Cibo Italia will highlight housemade pastas in two portion sizes, classico-style pizzas, and a tight lineup of entrées. During the day, the focus will shift to coffee, pastries, Roman- and New York-style pizza by the slice, and Italian sandwiches. The restaurant fills 7489 Delmar inside a restored service-station shell, which Del Pietro says finally gives him the outdoor space and parking he has been looking for.
What It Means For Del Pietro’s Group And Diners
The Michael Del Pietro Restaurant Group website now lists Cibo Italia among its brands, underscoring the strategy to consolidate operations in a building the owner controls. Del Pietro will continue to operate two Sugo’s Spaghetteria locations in Frontenac and Edwardsville, and he has said he intends to keep pricing at Cibo Italia fair and accessible. For now, there is no word on what concept might eventually replace Il Palato at its 222 S. Bemiston address once that final May 4 service is in the books.
