Il Sugo Italian Kitchen - Meridian

I worked at this restaurant as a line cook for about two months. This review was not incentivized, and I wrote it about a month after I left.Short review: il Sugo 's food is fantastic, and the cooks all have individual authority to decide not to serve a dish if it looks subpar. Quality over convenience was always the motto- if I didn 't want to eat it, it didn 't leave the kitchen. I earnestly recommend everything on the menu, but my favorite dish was the Northender Veggie with chicken.Long review: I only left this place because the restaurant industry was incompatible with volunteer work that I wanted to do which was in the evenings during the typical dinner service. I am pleased to report that I left this place on good terms, and the owner and my fellow staff handled my departure with professionalism.The food is amazing. Working in a real kitchen after coming from a fast-food background was such a relief- I was finally eating real food and learning valuable cooking skills that I make heavy use of today in my home life and when cooking for my loved ones. Working for il Sugo carried with it the typical stressors of the service industry; it was not a bad day-free job, but the service industry is stressful. I had many more days where I felt awful before going to work, and better after having worked a heavy service.I told the owner, Grant, when I interviewed for the position: I want to make beautiful food, and he fulfilled that desire. Nothing short of art left the kitchen every day, and the few times that subpar food WAS served, it was because I decided to give a pass to a questionable-looking dish because of how deeply the emphasis on speed had been ingrained in me by the fast food industry. When I got comfortable with going the extra mile like my fellow cooks did, real magic happened.All (or, at least, most? of the recipes on il Sugo 's menu are Grant 's family recipes, and new items added to the menu are usually his personal projects. Several times throughout my employment, he would create or modify recipes for desserts, appetizers, or house specials, and he 'd almost always share his creations with the staff and take their feedback.I do recommend working for il Sugo Italian Kitchen as well as eating there. I long for when my financial situation improves so I can eat there again and visit my friends.

Good food- service was a bit slow- but they completely recognized this and offered a free dessert!

Dietary restrictions: I am allergic to Rosemary, and they are so kind to make sure everything I eat is safe for me. They even bring out special bread!Kid-friendliness: It's my son's favorite place to go! Antonio always makes him feel so special!!

I liked all the sauce options on the menu. I had the spicy shrimp with spaghetti noodles. It was top-notch! The dining room was kind of small but the friendly staff and rustic decor was very inviting. The bread they bring out for a starter is amazing. The bolognese is all beef and reminded me of my Mom's homemade sauce. I look forward to going back and trying something new each time.Wheelchair accessibility: The handicap parking spot is about 10 feet from the entrance door.

Great place and the food was so yummy, the pesto pasta is Soooooo good... I'm ready to go back!