Fiore’s South opened not long ago, the latest project of awesome restauranteur Anthony Cerrato. This is the first review I’ve seen. From Bold Life magazine:
Fiore’s South bills itself as offering “Italian Comfort Food” and judging by the atmosphere of the venue, they mean it. It’s a family kind of place. The updated roadhouse style — booths, tables that can be easily re-arranged to accommodate any sized group and a small bar with flat screen TV (tuned to The Food Network) — engenders a sense of unpretentious ease.
The menu, too, has something to please everyone: old favorites with a twist. Yes, you can order up one of their acclaimed 12-inch pizzas (the parent restaurant, Fiore’s in Asheville, won the “Pizza Wars” in 2010), but there are plenty of other options to tempt the more adventuresome appetite.
There’s also the wine list: 40 wines under $40, predominantly Italian and California vintages, with a nice selection by the glass. I started off with the Argiolas Vermentino di Sardenga ($8.50), medium bodied and quite pleasant — slightly mineral with nice citrus notes — which I sipped while we awaited the appetizers.
I was intrigued by the idea of the Caprese Fritti ($7), envisioning it as a melding of the Italian and the Appalachian: “mozzarella en carozza” meets “fried green tomatoes.” The dish, however, was rather bland and heavily breaded, lacking the bite I associate with green tomatoes. This may have been a seasonal issue, attributable to the lack of appropriate produce.