CityView Magazine

Pierro’s Italian Bistro www.pierrositalianbistro.com 678.8885 217 Hay St. Open seven days a week. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.; Sundays noon until 9 p.m. May be open later during busy weekends and special downtown events and festivals. People often tell Michael Laurenceau and Daniel Fair, the owners of Pierro’s, that their restaurant is reminiscent of a European café that makes them feel very far away from Fayetteville while, paradoxically, being right in the middle of it all. The owners say that much of this charm is due to the large sidewalk dining area. “The patio adds amazing curb appeal,” Laurenceau said. “People enjoy sitting outside, eating great food and seeing the pretty planter boxes. You can sit outside and enjoy a great meal with friends and family and take in a relaxing downtown view.” The patio seats about 40 to 50 people but books up fast on pretty days. The owners recommend calling for reservations though it’s first come, first served during downtown’s busiest events, namely 4th Fridays, the Dogwood Festival and the International Folk Festival. As the restaurant’s name suggests, the menu is heavily focused on Italian offerings. The owners say they strive to maintain a family-run, full-service vibe with a focus on fresh ingredients and high-quality preparation. What to eat & drink: For cocktails on the patio with friends this summer, the owners say you can’t go wrong with half-priced bottles of wine offered on Wednesdays, the perfect complement to Pierro’s fresh Atlantic salmon served grilled, blackened or pan- seared with fettuccine alfredo and a choice of broccoli or spinach. For lighter appetites or lunch, perhaps, Fair said the timeless Pizza Margharita, with tomato sauce, fresh basil and homemade mozzarella cheese would be a perfect choice for the perfect outdoor feast. Even better, dress up your pizza pie with artichoke hearts or other veggies. food Huske Hardware House www.huskehardware.com 437.9905 405 Hay St. Open seven days a week. Sunday, 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.; Monday & Tuesday, 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.; Wednesday & Thursday, 11 a.m. until 1 a.m.; Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. Tell out-of-towners that you want to eat at Huske Hardware and watch the confusion spread over their faces. After all, with a name like Huske Hardware House, you can’t blame the unfamiliar for expecting nails and bolts instead of entrees and brews. But Huske has been serving up its own award-winning beer and an array of dishes since the restaurant opened in 1996, and all of these things have been served to grateful patio diners since the restaurant’s beginning. Manager Donna Stephens said she hasn’t noticed a big change in the patio’s popularity since the new anti-smoking law went into effect because smoking has always been prohibited inside the restaurant. Still, just like every year, the patio’s popularity has continued to rise with the mercury. So, too, has What to eat & drink: But if you’re there earlier in the day or in the evening before the crowd gets thick, and you want to kick back on the patio, take in the sights and sounds of downtown or the whistle of a passing train, Stephens recommends sipping a Triple H, a three-layer beer cocktail named in the restaurant’s honor. As for food, Stephens said the restaurant has a new salad on the menu that is perfect for a summer meal outside. The Raspberry Salad features mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, dried cranberries and almond slivers, all doused in raspberry vinaigrette. For lunch, the Roma Sandwich with Roma tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and balsamic vinaigrette on Cuban bread, will strike a perfect note even on a hot day. CityViewNC.com | 33 Huske’s popularity since Budweiser began distributing Huske beers and other restaurants around the state began carrying it. A lively nighttime bar scene doesn’t hurt either. “On weekend nights, when it’s like Club Huske here, we have a portable bar outside, and it’s standing room only, inside and out,” Stephens said.

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