Pepenero tells the story of the two places chef Giorgio Lo Greco considers home: Palermo, Sicily and Traverse City, Michigan. It starts with the memory of the family, the deliciousness prepared by mother, grandmother, aunts and uncle; past experiences. ‘It comes from my youth memories in Bagheria, home of so many rural culinary traditions where seafood is at its best, the experience and memories gained while working in my uncle’s trattoria ‘Trattoria Don Ciccio, and in Palermo, city of such a popular gastronomic culture. Everything, then, has been filtered by travel memories bringing new knowledge and techniques, local ingredients and my personal touch and creativity.’
Located at the heart of building 50 first floor of the Kirkbride hall building. While keeping the original state of all found pieces of history, we have transformed the first floor of the original chapel of the old state hospital into a place with a warm, elegant and relaxing atmosphere. Visiting PepeNero restaurant is one of the most direct ways to soak in the atmosphere of today’s Italy. for those who choose to dine with us, PepeNero gives you not only an atmosphere of modern elegance, but also a journey into the most genuine and authentic flavors of Italy with an emphasize on Sicily.
Classy, upscale and stylish atmosphere, featuring Italian tapas (small plates), and a great selection of Italian wines. Visiting Ballaró Wine Lounge here in Traverse City, is one of the most direct ways to soak in the atmosphere of today’s Italy. Spontaneous and effervescent as the Sicilian street market it’s named after, is truly the modern day neighborhood hangout; Its a chill lounge with amazing Italian food – set out to recreate the feel and the look of an evening in our home country as we would enjoy it.
Located off the main dinning room, PepeNero offers private dinning great for private dinners and meetings. The room accommodates up to 26 guests seated. Both restaurant or the wine lounge are available to rent out for private functions as well. Best of all, your event can have a custom design menu, which affords guests all the opportunity to choose and personalize. If you would like more information, you may call 231-929-1960 or send us an email at pepenero@pepenerotc.com *Please include your phone number and and a few details about your event (date, approx. nr of guests ) Thank you.
“I promise to serve good, simple and thought out dishes. Freshness and quality of ingredients speak for themselves, the only thing I add is memory and my passion for food. I try to include memories from home in Bagheria Sicily, in every single dish. Each one, in its simplicity tells my story – childhood memories, my world travel experiences and daily life in Michigan Goal is: even though you’re not in Italy (and probably not even Italian) myself and the PepeNero team work tirelessly to make you feel that way. It is with this simple thought in mind that we invite you to join us to celebrate and be a part of our family!”
Giorgio Lo Greco – Chef Owner – PepeNero
Pan-seared halibut with seafood saffron risotto and lemon beurre blanc. Simple, fresh, and full of flavor
Lime panna cotta meets peak-season Leelanau strawberries, Valrhona strawberry gelato, and crunchy caramelized cacao nibs. Tart, creamy, sweet, and crisp.
A great finish to a wonderful dinner! Have you tried our Espresso Martini yet?
