Neighborhood restaurants rarely get the praise they deserve. Tried-and-true workhorses like Windsor’s Grata Italian Eatery aren’t chasing trends with tweezer-plated food, tiny portions and “pick me” chefs. Instead, they’re convivial gathering places for friends and neighbors where the food is reliably good, you can order your “regular” and there’s always someone glad to see you.
Chef Eric Foster and his wife, Christina Keeney, opened Grata — their dream restaurant — just off the Windsor Town Green in the fall of 2020. All around them, restaurants were closing their doors as Foster and Keeney rolled the dice and dove in head first.
“I knew (COVID-19) was a tough situation for everyone, but I thought maybe it’s a window for me to open my restaurant,” said Foster. The former Chinois Bistro, which closed in 2019, was a perfect fit.
Grata quickly found an audience with crowd-pleasing chicken Parmesan ($24), spicy shrimp diavolo with Calabrian chiles ($28) and warm doughnut holes with Nutella ($11). During the pandemic, Grata’s socially distanced outdoor patio was a popular gathering place, and steady takeout business helped keep the doors open.
“In 2020, people were freaking out and we were all turned upside down. So we decided to do old-school comfort food — the classics with big portions and big family platters,” said Foster, a former Stark Reality Restaurants chef.
In the four years since opening, he’s refined his well-executed nonna-style recipes, adding a few cheffy tweaks, but mostly leaving the fan-favorites alone. Standards like gnudi (ricotta dumplings) get seasonal updates with of-the-moment ingredients, as do salads and weekly specials. Asparagus and fresh peas dotted several dishes on a spring visit, while fall brings squashes and Brussels sprouts.
“A chef told me that your best food is going to be for your family and loved ones, so cook for everyone in the restaurant like it’s your mother,” said Foster. And eating at Grata certainly feels like home.
Fun Fact
Foster’s impossibly creamy polenta is so good that it’s permanently filed in my brain as “oh my god good.” Sadly, it’s not a regular menu item any longer, but does show up on specials. If you see it, order it.
The Food
Favorites include the Grata Burrata ($15) with lemon honey and sweety drop peppers; grilled octopus puttanesca ($18) that’s impossibly tender; and creamy cacio e pepe ($21) with salty Pecorino cheese and pepper. Short rib lasagna ($29) was an emotional experience, with soft layers of braised beef, bechamel and a puddle of pink vodka sauce. Save room for cocoa-dusted, raspberry-filled doughnut puffs on a bed of whipped cream ($12) or the Nutella zeppoli ($12).
The Tab
You can go big with a $44 hangar steak or make a dinner of two appetizers for under $30. Cacio e pepe ($21) can be glammed up with prosciutto ($5), truffle oil ($3), sausage ($3) or greens ($3) if you’re feeling fancy. Our $170 bill (before tip) included six dishes, dessert and two Aperol spritzes.
The Deals
Meatball Madness (offered Monday through Wednesday) includes a glass of house wine, two housemade meatballs, a choice of pasta and housemade sauce (pesto, marinara or creamy vodka) for $19. Focaccia pizza ($6) is a happy hour secret menu item (4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday).
The Vibe
Neighborhoody without forced conviviality — Foster and his staff are truly delighted to see you. A date-night cocktail dress is as appropriate as jeans and a T-shirt, and the patrons are mostly local. Comfy banquettes throughout the L-shaped dining room help dampen some of the noise, but things can get loud near large groups. Insiders know to head to quieter tables at the back of the restaurant. The outdoor patio is particularly enjoyable in the summer and early fall.
The Service
Good restaurants attract good staff and it’s clear the young, well-trained servers at Grata enjoy their jobs. Being greeted at the door by a host shows polish, while engaged waitstaff keep the meal humming along. A dedicated bartender means you won’t be waiting all night for that Aperol spritz. Four stars.
The Spot
Open from 4-9 p.m. daily. Reservations suggested but not required. 186 Windsor River Road, Windsor, 707-620-0508, grataitalianeatery.toast.site
You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats.