Castle Pines’ most-watched empty restaurant space is empty no more.
Castello Italiano is officially open at 361 Village Square Ln, Suite 130 — the spot across from the Castle Pines library that housed Pino’s Italian Kitchen & Bar for two decades. "Castle Pines, the wait is over!" the restaurant announced on Instagram: a "family-owned Italian restaurant, brought to you by the family behind Farro Italian Restaurant," with walk-ins welcome and reservations recommended.
The timeline: a soft opening on Monday, Aug. 31, then doors open for good on Tuesday, Sept. 1. Online ordering is live for scheduled pickup.
The menu
Your go-to Italian favorites are all here — chicken piccata, spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna — alongside a few things you won’t find on every menu around:
- Small plates: P.E.I. mussels ($18), sizzling garlic shrimp ($16), baked brie with prosciutto and fig compote ($18)
- Pasta ($19–34): a white bolognese with pappardelle ($27), bison short rib ravioli in vodka cream ($27), wild boar ragu — cinghiale — over pappardelle ($27), fresh or gluten-free fresh pasta +$5
- Entrées ($24–55): lamb shank ($39), cioppino ($33), truffle risotto ($29), and a 16-oz Black Angus ribeye ($55)
The full opening menu is at the bottom of this article — every dish and price, transcribed from the printed menu.
What I ordered
I went solo — bar seat, Thursday night. Here’s what I ordered, in order:
The Milan Sunrise mocktail ($12 — peach, orange, lime, and a zero-proof agave spirit). Actually pretty good.
The Caesar with anchovies (about $10) — sized right, a starter that doesn’t take over the meal.
The bison short rib ravioli — really good.
Both desserts. I don’t want to hear it — I ordered the crème brûlée AND the Italian lemon cake, and I ate them both. The crème brûlée is solid; the lemon cake is the one I’ll order again.
Next trip: the wild boar ragu — the bartender’s pick — and that white bolognese are first on the list.
Who’s behind it
The family behind Farro Italian Restaurant in Centennial — a South Metro standby, with Castello as the first expansion, described in their own announcement as "our newest creation." On my first visit I met the co-owners, Petrit and Erion. Petrit plans to be at Castello every day, and the idea is to grow it organically — not all at once. (The name, since you’ll wonder: castello is simply Italian for "castle." In Castle Pines. I asked; that’s the whole story.)
The space it fills: a 23-year story
This opening closes a two-year hole in Castle Pines dining — in a space with real history. The restaurant at 361 Village Square Lane opened as La Dolce Vita back in 2003. In 2017, local resident Joe Sabia bought it and renamed it Pino’s Italian Kitchen & Bar, per The Castle Pines Connection. Pino’s changed hands again in 2023, then shut its doors at the end of September 2024 and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy days later, per BusinessDen’s reporting. The storefront sat dark ever since, while its neighbors — Duke’s Steakhouse, Pho 5, and Alta Empanada — carried the center.
The remodel wasn’t a repaint — the renovation took about a year, Petrit told me. They weren’t targeting Castle Pines specifically, he told me; the space came up, and they took it. The early Nextdoor chatter on the result is glowing.
The room is bigger than you’d expect — capacity is 157 — and there are TVs over the bar. Duke’s Steakhouse is down the walk in the same center, the Castle Pines library is right across the street, and parking out front can run a little tight.
Hours and reservations
Dinner only, closed Mondays — 4–9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 4–8 p.m. Sunday, confirmed at the restaurant on my Sept. 3 visit and posted on the door. No happy hour and no lunch service are planned for now. Walk-ins are welcome and reservations recommended — booking is live on the restaurant’s site, and the online ordering page is pickup-only, scheduled orders.
One week-one note: they’d been fully open for two days when I sat down, and a few kinks showed. If your first visit isn’t perfect, give them a little love and try again — the food is good. We’ll keep this article and the directory listing updated as details settle.
The full opening menu (September 2026)
As printed at the opening — prices may change.
Appetizers
| Dish | Price |
|---|---|
| Marinated Italian Olives | $8 |
| Tuscan White Bean Soup — prosciutto, extra virgin olive oil | cup $6 / bowl $9 |
| Antipasta — assorted cheeses, meats, olives, giardiniera | $19 |
| Burrata — tomato confit, herbs, extra virgin olive oil, ciabatta | $17 |
| P.E.I. Mussels — garlic, fresh parsley, clam juice, red pepper flakes, white wine | $18 |
| Sizzling Garlic Shrimp — chef’s seasoning, butter, garlic | $16 |
| Romaine Wedge — creamy gorgonzola dressing, crispy prosciutto, croutons, cherry tomatoes | $17 |
| Flash Fried Calamari — arugula, pepperoncini, salsa rossa | $18 |
| Baked Brie — prosciutto, fig compote, fresh berries, ciabatta | $18 |
| Roasted Beet Salad — arugula, goat cheese, toasted pecans, honey vinaigrette | $17 |
| Caprese Salad — fresh mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, basil, EVOO, balsamic glaze | $16 |
Salads
| Salad | Price |
|---|---|
| Arugula — cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, aged ricotta, white balsamic vinaigrette | $10 |
| Baby Spinach — Granny Smith apples, gorgonzola, spiced pecans, golden raisins, honey vinaigrette | $10 |
| Caesar — romaine hearts, shaved parmesan, croutons, anchovies, Caesar dressing | $10 |
| Insalata di Casa — romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, croutons, house dressing | $10 |
Grilled entrée salads
| Salad | Price |
|---|---|
| Chicken Breast | $22 |
| Pork Loin | $25 |
| Salmon | $27 |
Pasta
Fresh pasta or fresh gluten-free pasta +$5 · add a burrata to any pasta +$5
| Dish | Price |
|---|---|
| Lasagna — traditional bolognese, béchamel, parmesan | $26 |
| Strozzapreti-Chicken — prosciutto, peas, taleggio cream | $27 |
| Spaghetti & Meatballs — housemade meatballs and marinara | $26 |
| Shrimp Fra Diavolo — spicy sautéed shrimp, Calabrese peppers, spicy pomodoro over linguine | $30 |
| Rigatoni-Sausage — fresh tomatoes, arugula, aged ricotta, parmesan, white wine | $24 |
| White Bolognese (Ragu Bianco) — pappardelle, soffritto, Angus chuck, Italian sausage, herbs, white wine, cream | $27 |
| Linguine-Clams — garlic, pinot grigio, parsley, chili flakes | $29 |
| Linguine di Mare — mussels, clams, fish, calamari, shrimp, scallops, jalapeños, white wine | $34 |
| Bison Short Rib Ravioli — vodka cream sauce, shallots, green peas | $27 |
| Angel Hair-Tomatoes — garlic, basil, EVOO | $19 |
| Wild Boar Ragu (Cinghiale) — classic soffritto, tomato paste, red wine, pappardelle | $27 |
| Spaghetti Seafood — scallops, mussels, clams, chili flakes, tomato sauce | $33 |
Entrées
| Dish | Price |
|---|---|
| Chicken Piccata — lemon butter sauce, confit garlic, capers, green beans, mashed potatoes | $27 |
| Rosemary Chicken — olives, garlic, rosemary, garlic mashed potatoes, house veggies | $28 |
| Chicken Marsala — strozzapreti, portobello mushrooms, artichokes, tomato, green beans | $27 |
| Chicken Parmesan — tomato sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, spaghetti | $26 |
| Grilled Eggplant — portobello mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, seared spinach, tomato confit | $24 |
| Veal Marsala — portobello mushrooms, linguine, veal demi, marsala wine | $33 |
| Lamb Shank — garlic mashed potatoes, house veggies | $39 |
| Grilled Pork Tenderloin — sour cherries, pistachios, Yukon Gold potatoes, house veggies | $28 |
| Black Angus Ribeye, 16-oz cut — rosemary, parmesan, Yukon Gold potatoes, house veggies | $55 |
| Grilled Salmon — capers, pine nuts, spinach risotto, house veggies | $32 |
| Cioppino — fish, calamari, clams, shrimp, mussels, scallops, jalapeños, tomato garlic broth | $33 |
| Truffle Risotto — EVOO-preserved black Italian truffles, portobello mushrooms, ground sausage, green peas | $29 |
| Sea Bass — lemon, olives, capers, angel hair, spinach | $33 |
Desserts & gelato
| Dessert | Price |
|---|---|
| Tiramisu | $10 |
| Crème Brûlée | $11 |
| Italian Lemon Cake | $10 |
| Chocolate Mousse — contains alcohol | $6 |
| Gelato — chocolate, vanilla, spumoni | scoop $5 / 2 scoops $8 |
| Sorbet — mixed berry | scoop $4 |
Kids
| Dish | Price |
|---|---|
| Lasagna — traditional bolognese, béchamel, parmesan | $13 |
| Fried Chicken Fingers — garlic mashed potatoes, ranch | $11 |
| Spaghetti Tomato — add meatball $3, add grilled chicken breast $7 | $10 |
| Creamy Rigatoni — three-cheese sauce | $12 |
| Linguine — butter & parmigiana cheese | $12 |
Drinks
| Drink | Price |
|---|---|
| Milan Sunrise (N/A) — peach juice, orange juice, lime juice, N/A agave spirit | $12 |
| Phony Negroni (N/A) | $11 |
| Phony White Negroni (N/A) | $11 |
| Naperol Spritz (N/A) | $12 |
| Castellotini — fresh heirloom tomatoes, Bombay Sapphire gin, balsamic vinegar, EVOO, basil, mozzarella | $17 |
| Espresso Martini — vodka, espresso, Kahlúa | $14 |
| Sicilian Cosmo — Ketel One Orange, blood orange, cranberry | $14 |
| Pomatini — Ketel One, Pama, cranberry | $14 |
| Aperol Spritz | $13 |
| Bitter Amore — Aperol, mezcal, strawberry, lemon, egg white, bitters | $16 |
| Cucumber Gimlet — Hendrick’s, cucumber, lime | $13 |
| Colorado Mule — Elevate vodka, ginger beer, lime | $13 |
| Negroni — Hendrick’s, Campari, sweet vermouth | $14 |
| Paper Plane — Nonino Amaro, Maker’s Mark, Aperol | $14 |
| San Pellegrino Italian Soda — blood orange, grapefruit, lemon, orange, pomegranate | $6 |
| Soft drinks | $4 |
Wine & beer
The wine list runs from a $10 glass of Placido Pinot Grigio or Chianti (also by the half-carafe and carafe) through Italian and California standards by the glass and bottle, up to a reserve page — Brunello di Montalcino ($150), Barolo ($160), Caymus Cabernet 1.0L ($180), Flowers Chardonnay ($225), Philipponnat Brut Blanc de Noir ($260), and Quintessa ($350). Draft beer: Odell 90 Shilling, Coors Light, Peroni, and a seasonal, $6–7; bottles and cans $4.50–6.
20% gratuity is added for parties of 8 or more.
Related: What's Being Built in Douglas County — every tracked development and opening across the county.
Sources: Castello Italiano (site + online ordering) and its opening announcement on Instagram, @castelloitalianocolorado; the restaurant’s Google Business listing; Castello Italiano dinner menu, September 2026; BusinessDen, Oct. 10, 2024, on the Pino’s closure; The Castle Pines Connection, June 1, 2017, on the space’s Pino’s-era history; Westword and The Denver Post reviews of Farro, 2008–2009; neighbor reports on Nextdoor, Sept. 2026.