Zeppo: Where Italy Meets the Pacific Northwest

By: Andrea Vorvick | March 28 2011
Posted in Portland - Cook It - Portland

The Caprese Salad at Zeppo. Photo by: Andrea Vorvick.

Every town needs a gathering place, the kind of restaurant where you mingle with friends and the owner calls you by name. Zeppo, meaning crowded in Italian, is just that place for Lake Oswego, OR. This quaint, family-owned restaurant features Italian food inspired by Pacific Northwest ingredients. Owned by Doug and Wendy Lee, the vibe at Zeppo is sophisticated and comfortable with a playful twist, as seen in the creative use of stainless steel cooking implements as décor - cheese graters and colanders become lighting fixtures, and a potpourri of kitchen tools are reworked into a large leaning tower of Pisa.

For lunch, try the beautiful Caprese Salad (a fresh basil, tomato and buffalo mozzarella tower drizzled with olive oil and a balsamic vinegar reduction), a big bowl of creamy Tomato Basil Soup served with warm rosemary-flecked bread, or a crisp, oven-baked Hot Pear Panini (thinly sliced pear, caramelized onions and blue cheese). Dinners feature pasta dishes and entrees like Aglio E Limone (linguine in a delicious and light lemon cream sauce) or walnut-crusted, pan-seared sea scallops. An updated Spring/Summer menu that showcases a few new dishes as well as Zeppo classics will be unveiled in a few weeks. Both lunch and dinner menus offer a small selection of low-carb dishes. Budget-conscious diners will enjoy the Zeppo Social Hour that runs daily from 2-6pm and 8pm-close, and breakfast is served on the weekends.

When the weather warms up, Zeppo has ample outdoor seating in front of the restaurant. An alfresco meal is especially festive on sunny Saturday mornings, since the restaurant is located next to the Lake Oswego Saturday Farmers Market at Millennium Plaza Park, allowing diners to revel in the hustle and bustle of the busy shoppers.

Chef Jerome Valenty runs the show in Zeppo’s kitchen. Thankful for his talented staff and the opportunities he’s been given, this self-taught chef with a soul for teaching loves passing on his culinary knowledge to others. On our recent visit, he demonstrated the ease of making a show-stopping Caprese tower, even for the novice home cook, using fresh ingredients.

Looking for a fun party idea? Zeppo also hires out Chef Valenty for in-home cooking classes. His natural ease in front of people and at the stove combied with his friendly manner create the perfect recipe for a great party. Or give yourself a break and let Zeppo cater your next event. They can accommodate any style of cooking and will work with you to create a menu ideally suited to you and your guests.

Whether you’re looking for Italian comfort food in a relaxed atmosphere, chef-led cooking classes, or catering, Zeppo fits the bill. Zeppo is located at 345 1st Street, Suite 105 in downtown Lake Oswego. Swing by for some delicious Italian bites and a warm welcome!

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