Family is at the heart of everything they do at Zio Sal Ristorante Italiano, in Redmond Town Center.
Not only is the new restaurant operated by the father-daughter team of Salvatore and Valentina Lembo, but many of staff have been part of the Lembo “family” for years through their longstanding sister restaurant in Bellevue, Firenze Ristorante, welcoming guests for 28 years.
Add to that the authentic Old Country recipes and wines from the Lembo family’s Italy vineyards, and it’s clear why local families have been breaking bread and making memories with this family for years.
So it was with heavy hearts that Salvatore and Valentina chose to temporarily close the doors following the outbreak of COVID-19.
It was the right thing to do, Salvatore says, but as the continued economic impacts grew harder for families to absorb, it was time to create new opportunities to bring people back to work, and reconnect with the local community they’d missed.
“We are so grateful to all our staff, friends and customers for standing by us through these challenging times, and for calling in to share their support – we are so pleased to welcome them back,” Salvatore says.
Welcoming the community, one delicious order at a time!
Born in Sicily and raised in Tuscany, Salvatore moved to the US in 1986, bringing with him a passion for fresh ingredients, authentic recipes and a love of sharing good food among friends and family. For now, our dinner companions may be fewer in number, but the ability to build connections over a meal is as strong as ever.
To welcome the community back gradually and safely, Zio Sal began by opening for take-out, and today the family is thrilled to welcome customers back for table service too, at 50 percent capacity.
Recent highlights included fresh-caught Copper River Salmon, grilled or topped with a delicious Piccata sauce, served with asparagus and spaghetti aglio. Now THAT is a meal made for spring on the West Coast!
Or perhaps Tortellini alla Panna will tempt you tonight: beef-stuffed tortellini in a cream sauce with prosciutto.
For those who prefer the take-out option – including the perfect bottle of wine to accompany your hand-crafted pasta – Zio Sal is also offering 50 percent off all bottles with take-out orders.
To learn more, visit ziosal.com and follow them on Facebook to stay up-to-date with the latest news and offers. And to order your favourite meal – from the Zio Sal family to yours – call