As of Monday, Salotto Zarletti, located at 1515 W. Mequon Rd., has changed its name to Zarletti Mequon.
The change in nomenclature accompanies an overall adjustment to the menu, including an overall switch from spicy Southern Italian cuisine to a style more akin to offerings at Zarletti Downtown.
"Sometimes you have to give people what they want," says owner Brian Zarletti. "People have been asking us for more of what they saw on our Downtown menu. So, we’re making that happen."
A number of items will remain on the Mequon menu, including appetizers like the fried olives, saffron arancini and house-made burrata. Neapolitan-style pizzas will also remain on the menu.
But, the new menu will also include numerous Italian American dishes – like Zarletti’s grandmother’s meatballs – as well as veal piccata and marsala, braised short ribs with risotto and the like.
"Essentially, the menu will be an amalgamation," says Zarletti. "There will be things from Salotto, things from Zarletti’s Downtown and a few items from Rustico. But, everything will be prepared in the style of our Downtown location."
Chef Andrew Miller, who opened the restaurant with Zarletti, moved on to start his own restaurant last month. In his stead, Chef Miguel Mayoral from Zarletti’s Downtown will head up the kitchen at the Mequon location.
Hours have also been adjusted. Zarletti Mequon will be open on Mondays throughout the summer. Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner service begins at 4 p.m.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
