Welcome to Grano PizzAiolo: A Slice of Italy in Birmingham, MI

Food: - truffle carbonara: 7/10, very creamy - truffle scallops: 7.5/10, flavorful cauliflower sauce - eggplant parmigiana: 6.5/10 - Ragu: 8.5/10, the variety of meats are the star, definitely my favorite dish of the night - both entrees were specials - sweet wine after dinner was super good too - crab chowder: super creamy Service: - greeted by the Chef Fabrizio - complementary clam chowder and sweet wine - friendly and informative Ambiance: - very cozy Support your local small businesses!

It was my best friend and I's first time at Grano and we couldn't be happier that this restaurant is now on our radar! I recently got back from a Europe trip and was missing Italian cuisine the most; our overall dining experience warmed my heart in how much it made me feel like I was back in a cozy restaurant on the cobblestone streets of Italy :) We ordered the Strozzapreti Norcina (top left, part of their current 'Grano Specials' menu) and the Scoglio Marinara Pasta ('Red Seafood Pasta', bottom right) with seafood ravioli. I also ordered a glass of San Simeon Chardonnay, per our server's recommendation, and it paired nicely with what we ordered. Both dishes were very well-prepared and tasted amazing: the first bites we took were absolute bliss. I do recommend calling in advance to reserve a table as it tends to fill up very quickly. We arrived at around 6pm on a Friday without a reservation, but thankfully our host was able to get us seated at a table before a later reservation would be coming in at 7:30pm--which we were completely fine with. Customer service was also extremely welcoming and attentive! We definitely felt at-home and well-looked after throughout our meal, and it was evident that the same goes for all other patrons in the restaurant based off of the ambiance. Overall, I cannot wait for my next meal back at Grano and hope to be able to explore more of the menu that Chef Fabrizio has cultivated!

Grano has been on my bookmark for more than a year. When my BF asked me where I wanted to go today, we decided to come here thinking that it would be less people on Thursday date night. Boy was I wrong! There were so many people coming in and out of this charming cozy restaurant. As soon as we got there, we were warmly greeted by Executive Chef Fabrizio Landi and his team. Luckily, we got there at the right time because there was a table that was going to open up in 10 to 15 minutes. I told Fabrizio how much I've been wanting to come to this place to try his food because I love reading that he said "My favorite thing about being a Chef is watching someone eat something I've cooked that they've never tried before and then realizing it has become their new favorite food. This happens often at Grano." And you know what, it definitely happened today. There was not a dish that we didn't love, which is very rare nowadays! We started out with the Fried Calamari, which was perfectly light and crispy. Then we were surprised by the amuse-bouche of lobster truffle stew with love from Chef Landi that blew our minds! Best stew I've had in years!! Next, my BF order the 2 sausages on the side, that he was supposed to eat with his pasta, but we couldn't help but devour it! You can tell how fresh the sausage was from the first bite. He ordered the Zia Clara with Fettuccine Pasta. The flavor was amazing and the pasta was a fresh al dente. I ordered the Zuppa di Pesce - aka Cioppino (just make sure you use the correct name when you're around Fabrizio!) and let me tell you, it was so good. Most places make theirs watery, but I love how hearty Grano's was and you can taste the freshness of the seafood and the tomato base. I also ordered Spaghetti on the side with olive oil and garlic to go with the Zuppa di Pesce. I'm not usually a pasta person with my stews, but this paired perfectly. We ended the meal with their tiramisu. We usually don't order dessert at restaurants because of how full we are, but we had to try it here. And let me tell you again... It did not disappoint. The tiramisu was perfect, not too sweet and a great way to end our meal. We had such a fabulous time at Grano that we already made reservation to come back in two weeks! Which I've never done before! If you have never been to Grano, you're missing out and this needs to be on your bookmark of places to go for amazing Italian food! Make sure to make a reservation prior to going because they are quite busy most of the time and mention that Ann sent you! Thank you, Chef Fabrizio, and the rest of your team. Your service was immaculate and your kind heart and generosity with your food is exceptional! We definitely can feel your love and soul in your cooking. One of the best Italian meals we've had in years! We Can't wait to come back to see you in two weeks! Ps. Thank you for being so kind to our dog Peanut! You might be her new favorite person!

Oh my freaking god... The food! the service! All I got to say about this *real* Italian restaurant with a *real* Italian-trained chef is this: if I die and I go to heaven they better have this food ready for me to eat! In other words, you will not be disappointed... you will have the best Italian food in this area ever and the price is reasonable. Try the oxtail soup and you will think you're in heaven when you eat it. And their delizia al limone. This is food of the Angels! Also the service was excellent.

My boyfriend and I came here on a Saturday night on a whim because the food looked really good. Grano did not disappoint. The restaurant is a bit small, but once you sit down, it's very cozy. We were given bread on the house with a marinara sauce. We ordered two of the specials: the Scallops Appetizer and the Oxtail with Spinach Pappardelle, and the Arrabiatta with Pappardelle. The Pappardelle pasta is one of the pastas that are handmade at the restaurant. When we took a bite of the scallops appetizer, we couldn't help but smile. They were perfectly cooked and the truffle complemented the scallops so well. The chef gave us an Alaskan Crab Chowder to taste after we finished the scallops. Wow, the chowder was so delicious and the fragrant rosemary came through beautifully. The oxtail fell off the bone with just a nudge of the fork. It was super tender and flavorful. The Arrabbiata pasta was incredible. The sauce was mildly spicy and the flavor of the tomatoes were wonderfully infused with garlic, basil, and oregano. Both the regular and spinach pappardelle pastas were cooked al dente. I liked how the chef and server came by often to check in on how we were doing. We ended up ordering a creme brulee for dessert. We were given moscato on the house when we got our creme brulee. The moscato was not too sweet and super refreshing. The creme brulee was probably one of the best we've ever had. We left feeling full and satisfied. It felt like I was transported out of Duarte to Italy during this meal and I can't wait to be back!

I never thought I'd find the best Italian food in life in a random shopping center in Duarte. Stepping inside was like stepping into Italy. The food was beyond amazing! You could truly taste the chefs care and personality in every bite. The owner/chef took the time to come to our table more than once and check on us and even remembered our names. We will definitely be back!

Having been to Italy and living there for a bit I can confidently say that a visit to GRANO is like stepping into Italy for an evening meal. The chef, Fabrizio, stopped by our table, chatted with my wife and I and made sure we were comfortable and felt at home. Grano offers very unique dishes that you wont see at typical Italian restaurants through their weekly specials. I ordered an octupus pasta dish that you for sure wont find anywhere else and my wife ordered another region specific dish that Fabrizio makes sure makes you feel like you're eating in Italy. Our server Mauricio was wonderful and Claudio was very kind, also stopped by our table and made sure that we felt at home and happy with out experience. This was the first time in a long time that we left a restaurant meeting so many people, leaving knowing all of their names and felt so welcome to come back. If you want a special Italian meal with a special chef and family feel please eat at GRANO.

best. pasta. ever. great service & cute date night spot i will never crave olive garden again

Grano is a locally owned Italian restaurant situated in a family friendly and unassuming shopping plaza with free parking. Service was 5 stars for sure! Antonio, our server, was friendly and attentive. He kept checking up on us. One of the managers also stopped by to say hello. The ambiance is traditionally Italian. Shortly after we ordered, we were immediately served with complimentary bread service which I really appreciate. The bread was nicely toasted and came with a hearty red marina sauce. For dinner, I ordered the seafood linguine with white wine. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, which was firm and had a nice bite. I loved the texture. The sauce, however, I found it to be a bit on the oily side, and that's why I am not giving this place 5 stars. However, the presentation on all the dishes was excellent! My partner got the Alla Zia Clara Ricotta and he loved it. We were there to celebrate a birthday and the restaurant offered complimentary dessert. The birthday cake was accompanied by excellent baritone singing from both servers. That was definitely a highlight! The birthday chocolate cake was a bit dry. Still, I greatly appreciated the gesture. I also ordered the spumoni for dessert (that's pistachio, cheery and chocolate ice cream). The pistachio ice cream had nice bites of nuts which provided a good crunch. This was smooth, creamy and delicious! Overall, a pleasant evening with tasty food and excellent service! We felt the warm Italian hospitality in an intimate setting.