When your favorite Nashville food truck decides to open a brick and mortar, you have to go try it out. This was my dilemma when my parents came to visit this weekend. When asked where we should eat for lunch, I immediately knew we had to go to Il Forno (www.ilfornowoodfired.com). Located in the heart of Nashville, Il Forno has been known for years as the best pizza around. The business is run by Italians who want to share amazing ingredients combined to make even better food. We arrived early enough to beat the lunch crowds, but it quickly began filling up with people not long after we arrived. Definitely consider making a reservation online before arriving! They get very busy at night, especially on the weekends. When we looked at the menu, I knew I would get my favorite, their margherita pizza, which consists of fresh basil, parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, marinara sauce, and I added ricotta cheese because I love it. The pizza is fantastic, but the dough is an experience all on its own. It's cooked in a wood fired oven, making the dough chewy but smoky and crunchy around the edges. It's a must try. My dad ordered the lasagna, my husband ordered the calzone, and my mom ordered the cowboy pizza. Everyone loved their food and said they would definitely come back. The tables were set with beautiful, small, floral arrangements and cloth napkins. There were shelves filled with jars of ingredients imported from Italy. All of the staff was friendly, one of the owners even came to our table and said he remembered me from when they had their mobile food truck. If you're looking for authentic, Italian food in a warm, welcoming environment, look no further.
