Pelano’s

by Warren Rojas

Feeling particularly saucy?

Pelano’s general manager Todd O’Connor wants to help.

O’Connor has aligned himself with a slew of hospitality-minded locals, including co-owners Jerry and Pam Pelano and Great American Restaurants/Escape Group of Restaurants vet Artie Simcox, to open Pelano’s, a family-run restaurant for, well, local families.

“If you need a tray of meatballs with a pint of ‘Sunday Sauce’ to bring to the family, no problem. Just give us a call,” O’Connor asserts, pitching the project as more of a community kitchen than a traditional sit-down establishment.

The space will be dominated by two long, communal tables for those who wish to enjoy their orders immediately (no servers, though). But close-knit colleagues appear inclined to cultivate a steady carry-out clientele.

“Anything you want, we’ll put in a bag and send you home with it,” O’Connor pledges, envisioning a bustling retail operation handily cranking out heaping trays of ready-made noodles, signature meatballs, brick oven pizzas and other share-worthy Italian fare for today’s time-crunched professionals.

At press time, cooking duties were expected to be split between Todd, Jerry and Artie.

Meanwhile, O’Connor says he’s already begun thinking beyond the core menu—custom sandwiches, signature pastas, gourmet pies—to potential breakfast additions, listing pork roll-egg-and-cheese sandwiches and coffee trucked down from Philly as prime contenders should an early morning shift be added to the dining rotation.

11184 Lee Highway, Fairfax; 703-865-4010; www.pelanos.com

Open for lunch and dinner daily. 

(October 2011)