Since MEMO Modern Italian opened in West Park Village last November, it has quickly become our family’s favorite place to dine in Westchase. The delicious Italian food and great atmosphere keep us coming back for dinner. We’ve been wanting to try their brunch menu, but weekends during the school year are usually filled with soccer games and tournaments. Finally, during some summer downtime, we headed to MEMO for brunch on a Sunday morning. Brunch is served 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
While MEMO does offer outside seating, we opted to sit inside since it’s the middle of summer. We were seated at a table by the window and our server brought us the brunch and drink menus. As I looked over the brunch menu, I noticed that it offered some of the same dishes you’d find on MEMO’s regular dinner menu. As a big fan of their pizza, I was excited to see them offered for brunch, so I opted for the Americano Pepperoni Stone Oven Pizza ($15.99). My daughter ordered the Prosciutto & Mozzarella Omelette ($17.99) and my husband chose the Cannoli Waffles ($17.99). Since we were really hungry, we started off our meal with an order of the Stone Oven Wings ($15.99).
The Stone Oven Wings were served in a small, cast-iron skillet, which I thought was a nice presentation. They were covered in Calabrian sweet and spicy pepper honey garlic sauce and served with a side of blue cheese. We’d never had wings with that unique flavor combination, and they were delicious. My pizza was topped with red sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni and char. MEMO’s pizzas are baked perfectly with a crust that’s not too thin or thick and are a generous size. I could only eat half of mine and took the rest of it home. The Prosciutto & Mozzarella Omelette was made with three whipped eggs, Prosciutto di Parma, buffalo mozzarella, oven-roasted tomato, arugula and served with a heaping portion of roasted seasoned potatoes. If you’re a fan of omelettes, then this is a must-order. All of the ingredients came together perfectly in the omelette and the potatoes were crispy and flavorful. My husband loves cannoli, so he just had to order the Cannoli Waffles when he saw it on the menu. They were served with chocolate chip cannoli cream and caramel sauce. This dish tasted exactly like a freshly made cannoli and was as decadent as you’d imagine. If you really want to indulge at brunch, then this is the perfect dish to order.
Eating at MEMO for brunch gives everyone in your dining party plenty of options. For those who are in the mood for breakfast, menu items include Ham Benedict, Smoked Salmon Benedict, Eggs Italiano, Breakfast Flatbread, Meatball and Gnocchi Egg Skillet and Baked Meatball Omelette. The dishes you’d find on MEMO’s regular menu that are perfect for lunch include a variety of pizzas, salads and charcuterie. Pasta dishes include Bolognese, Pomodoro, Alla Vodka and Parmesan Cream, and the Di Carne Plate options are Parmigiana, Marsala, Piccata, Pork Chop Milanese and Cedar Plank Roasted Salmon.
Every meal we’ve had at MEMO has been outstanding and our brunch was no exception. The menu is unique and imaginative, and I applaud them for not serving chicken and waffles like every other brunch spot. Whether you go for dinner or a weekend brunch, I recommend making a reservation. MEMO clearly has a lot of fans because the restaurant and large bar can fill up quickly. I’m glad that people have realized that MEMO Modern Italian & Cocktail Bar is a true gem and we are lucky to have it right here in Westchase.
MEMO Modern Italian & Cocktail Bar
★★★★★
10103 Montague Street, Tampa, FL 33626
Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 4 p.m.-10 p.m., Fri. 4 p.m.-11 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Sun. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.