A chef whose father made cheese near Naples now crafts fresh mozzarella and burrata in a small Indiana town. Even the pasta starts from scratch, built from flour, semolina, and eggs.
Then comes the lasagna, layered with handmade ricotta and a hearty red meat sauce. I can’t imagine a more honest lasagna, since even the cheese inside began in that same kitchen.
The dining room pulls its weight too, with exposed original brick, white tablecloths, candles, and live piano music on many nights. It feels more like a slow evening in southern Italy than a quick dinner stop on a weeknight.
I like how a place this serious about cheese still sets a giant wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano aflame right beside your table. So who’s behind all this, and where exactly do you find it?
A Cheesemaker’s Son Brought Naples To Small-Town Indiana
Some chefs learn cheese from books, but Catello Avagnale learned it at home. Catello’s Italian Art Cuisine is his restaurant, and his story starts in Castellammare di Stabia, just south of Naples.
His father was a cheesemaker there. His family also ran a hotel restaurant business, so good food was basically the family language.
That background explains a lot about what happens in this kitchen today. When a chef grows up around fresh curds, store-bought mozzarella probably feels like a betrayal.
Chef Catello opened the Pendleton location on December 14, 2016. The restaurant used to go by Catello’s Mozzarella Bar, which tells you exactly where his heart was from the start.
The new name fits the bigger picture better. Cheese still leads the way, but homemade pasta, slow-cooked sauces, and house-baked desserts now share the spotlight.
The effort has earned real attention across Indiana. The restaurant has been voted the best Italian restaurant in the state, and it’s part of the Indiana Foodways Alliance Italian Trail.
That’s quite a résumé for a corner spot in a small town. It also gives you a good reason to trust the kitchen before you even pick up a fork.
Fresh Mozzarella And Burrata Are The Real Headliners Here
Cheese that was made in the same building as your table hits differently. At Catello’s Italian Art Cuisine, the mozzarella and burrata are house-made and fresh, which is the whole point.
The Burrata Classica is the dish to know first. It’s mozzarella filled with creamy mozzarella laces, so basically cheese wrapped around more cheese.
Honestly, that sounds like something a kid would invent. Somehow it ended up being one of Italy’s smartest ideas.
The Caprese keeps things simple and lets the cheese talk. Homemade mozzarella meets fresh tomato and basil pesto, and nothing gets in the way.
Simple dishes are risky because there’s nowhere to hide. Every ingredient has to be good, and fresh cheese gives this one a real advantage.
There’s also a starter with homemade fresh cheeses alongside aged cheeses and cured meats. It’s a smart pick if your group can’t agree on one appetizer.
Keep an eye on the restaurant’s announcements, too. Catello’s sometimes hosts live cheese-making demonstrations, which is a rare chance to see how mozzarella actually comes together.
Watching it happen might ruin grocery store cheese for you. Consider yourself warned, and maybe a little lucky.
The Lasagna Starts With Cheese Made Right In The Kitchen
Lasagna is the comfort food everyone thinks they understand. The version here asks you to reconsider that, because the ricotta inside it is handmade.
The menu describes it plainly as handmade ricotta cheese with layers of pasta and red meat sauce. No fancy words, no long list, just the classic done the careful way.
Then there’s the pasta itself. Catello’s Italian Art Cuisine makes its pasta from flour, semolina, and eggs, so those layers don’t come out of a box.
That matters more than it sounds. Fresh pasta and fresh cheese turn lasagna from a cafeteria memory into something worth planning a trip around.
Here’s a practical tip for ordering. If someone at your table is unsure about Italian food, lasagna is the friendliest place to start.
Everybody recognizes it, and nobody feels nervous ordering it. Yet the homemade details still give curious eaters plenty to notice.
Pair it with a fresh cheese starter if you really want to see what this kitchen does best. You’ll get a full lesson in house-made dairy without needing a textbook.
Leftovers, if you somehow have any, are a bonus. Lasagna famously tastes great the next day too.
Good Luck Picking Just One Homemade Pasta
Fettuccine, ravioli, tagliatelle, spaghetti, tortellini, linguine, pappardelle, rigatoni, and gnocchi. That’s the pasta lineup, and yes, deciding is going to be hard.
The ravioli comes in more than one style. You’ll find a ricotta and spinach version, plus a mushroom-stuffed one with a loyal following.
Mushroom fans should take that second option seriously. Earthy filling inside fresh pasta is about as cozy as dinner gets.
Rigatoni shows up in dishes like the Genovese, which the menu describes as slow cooked. Fettuccine Al Filetto pairs ribbons of pasta with steak, which suits heartier appetites.
Gnocchi deserves a mention for anyone who loves soft, pillowy bites. Those little dumplings are a nice change from long noodles.
A smart move is ordering different pastas and sharing. Everyone gets a taste of something new, and nobody ends up with menu regret.
Since every pasta is homemade from flour, semolina, and eggs, you really can’t make a wrong choice. The only mistake is ordering the same thing every single visit.
Treat the menu like a map of Italy. Each shape brings its own personality, and exploring them is half the fun.
Yes, They Really Set A Giant Cheese Wheel On Fire At Your Table
A wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano, a little fire, and a pile of fresh fettuccine walk into a dining room. That’s not a joke setup, that’s the cheese wheel experience.
The fettuccine Alfredo gets prepared tableside inside a flaming wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano. The heat melts the cheese, then the pasta gets tossed right in it.
It’s dinner and a show without buying tickets. Phones usually come out fast for this one, and honestly, who could blame anyone?
The experience has become one of the most talked-about things at Catello’s Italian Art Cuisine. It turns a regular evening into something that feels like a celebration.
That makes it a great choice for birthdays, anniversaries, or any night that needs a little extra sparkle. Few dishes announce a special occasion quite this loudly.
Plan to share if you can. A dish built inside a cheese wheel isn’t exactly designed for light eaters.
Fresh pasta plus aged Parmigiano is a dream pairing. One brings softness, and the other brings that deep, nutty flavor Italy is famous for.
If you only try one showpiece in your life, this could be it. Just don’t stand too close to the flames.
Starters Worth Fighting Over At The Table
Appetizers can make or break a meal, and this list leans heavily toward make. The antipasti at Catello’s Italian Art Cuisine cover crunchy, cheesy, saucy, and fresh.
Frittura Di Pesce brings fried calamari and shrimp to the table. Seafood fans will probably claim that plate before anyone else can reach it.
Bruschetta Fresca keeps it light with bright toppings on toasted bread. Good bruschetta is a quiet test of a kitchen, and fresh ingredients pass it easily.
Polpette and Bolognese means meatballs with tomato sauce. It’s the kind of starter that feels like Sunday dinner at an Italian grandmother’s house.
Then there’s the Burrata Puff Pastry, which wraps creamy cheese in flaky dough. Fried Tortellini adds a fun, crispy twist on a pasta favorite.
Ordering two or three starters for the table works well here. Everyone gets to sample, and conversation flows while the main dishes are prepared.
Just pace yourself a little. Homemade pasta and maybe a flaming cheese wheel are still on the way.
Your future self will thank you for saving some room. Or not, because fried tortellini is very persuasive.
Candlelight, Old Brick, And A Piano Set The Mood
Exposed original brick walls give this dining room its backbone. Add white tablecloths, glowing candles, and rustic lighting, and you’ve got Old World charm without the plane ticket.
The atmosphere at Catello’s Italian Art Cuisine leans quiet and elegant. It’s the kind of room where people naturally lower their voices and actually talk to each other.
Live piano music is a regular feature here. Soft melodies drifting across the room make even a Tuesday dinner feel like an occasion.
That setting makes it a natural fit for date nights and anniversaries. It also works for treating parents or grandparents to something nicer than the usual spot.
The space feels intimate rather than huge. That closeness is part of the charm, since it never feels like a busy food hall.
Groups aren’t left out, though. The restaurant can host group reservations and parties, and it offers catering tailored to different events.
A dressier outfit wouldn’t feel out of place here. You don’t need a tuxedo, but this is a good excuse to leave the gym shorts at home.
Food tastes better in a room like this. Pretty sure that’s science, or at least very good logic.
Here’s How To Plan Your Trip To This Corner Of Pendleton
Downtown Pendleton is where all this cheesy magic happens. You’ll find Catello’s Italian Art Cuisine at 103 E State St, Pendleton, IN 46064.
It’s an easy trip from the Indianapolis area and a fun excuse to explore a charming small town in Indiana. The corner location makes it simple to spot.
Timing matters, so check the hours before you go. The restaurant is closed on Mondays, which is the one day your craving will have to wait.
Tuesday through Thursday, doors open from 5 to 9 in the evening. Friday and Saturday run from 4 to 10, and Sunday goes from 3 to 8.
That Sunday afternoon start is handy for families. It’s perfect for an early dinner before the school week begins.
Celebrating something? Catello’s has a lovely habit of leaving hand-written cards for birthdays and anniversaries, which is a small touch people remember.
Planning ahead is always smart for a small, popular dining room. Weekends in particular are a good time to call before you head out.
Right next door at 107 E State St sits INItaly Italian Market, offering deli items and pasta. It’s a tempting stop for taking a little Italy home.
Save Room, Because The Desserts Are Made In-House
Tiramisu, cannoli, gelato, lemon cheesecake, and chocolate lava cake. That dessert list might be the most dangerous part of the whole menu.
Catello’s Italian Art Cuisine features house-baked desserts, which fits the from-scratch theme perfectly. A kitchen that makes its own cheese and pasta wasn’t going to stop at dinner.
Tiramisu is the classic Italian finish. Layers of soft, coffee-kissed sweetness make it a great match after a rich pasta course.
Cannoli brings the crunch, with crisp shells and creamy filling. They’re fun to share and even more fun to keep for yourself.
Italian gelato offers something cooler and lighter. It’s a smart pick if the cheese wheel already stretched your limits.
Lemon cheesecake adds a bright, tangy note. Chocolate lava cake, on the other hand, is for anyone who believes dinner should end with molten chocolate.
Splitting a couple of desserts lets everyone try more. Nobody has to choose between citrus and chocolate, which feels like a win for world peace.
Ending here makes total sense for the best Italian spot in Indiana. One last sweet bite, and you’ll already be planning your return trip.
