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"Nettles can be used in anything from soups to pestos and even tea. Chef Walter Pisano at Tulio Ristorante in Seattle, Wa. uses nettle oil for his asparagus, kale and farro salad."

"Our dinner at Tulio was amazing. The staff was fantastic, and the food delicious. The restaurant is small and cozy with dim lighting and a great wine selection. The menu consists of traditional Italian dishes. There was nothing we tasted that we did not like! And did I mention how great the staff was. It was a busy Saturday night, and service was fantastic."

"With 'Jersey Boys' about to start another run at 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, chef Walter Pisano of Tulio Ristorante is reaching out to folks from New Jersey from April 4 to May 4. Pisano, who hails from Hazlet, N.J., plans to have the music of Frankie Valli, the Four Seasons and Frank Sinatra playing at Tulio's, and will give a free slice of clam pizza Monday through Thursday to anyone who can prove they have a "Joisey" connection. Hey, even a piece of mail from the Garden State will do."

"But don’t write off romaine quite yet. If you heart Caesar salad, turn to Tulio (1100 Fifth Ave., Seattle). There, romaine hearts fly first class, with white anchovies and focaccia croutons."

"A fedora, or maybe even spats, wouldn't look out of place in Tulio's handsome 1920s-era dining room. The food is far more contemporary. An Italian eyebrow might tilt at smoked salmon ravioli with lemon cream or grilled calamari with spicy Tuscan Rice beans and a parsley aioli, but chef Walter Pisano treats his ingredients harmoniously."

"Tulio chef Walter Pisano said the restaurant imports corn and rice-based pastas from Italian company Il Macchiaiolo as a gluten-free alternative to his house-made fresh pasta."

"At Tulio, they are courting "legally" wed same sex couples to have a celebration dinner at the restaurant.  If a couple brings a marriage certificate they can receive a French 74 cocktail on the house."

"On Christmas Eve, book a table at Tulio, the hotel restaurant where Chef Walter Pisano serves his Feast of Seven Fishes, a traditional Italian dinner."

"While the rain filled the view out the street-level window, I felt instantly at home in the familiar-seeming, dark wood accented restaurant. Chef Walter Pisano has been cooking fresh, soulful Italian food here since 1992, and the room that Thursday. There's no pretension or fuss at Tulio, just honest-good cooking served on clean white tablecloths. Chef Walter wandered out of the kitchen often to check on his guests and chat with me about the dining scene in Brooklyn, where his Italian family is from. My lunch that day was a perfectly-prepared piece of local fish adorned with a pile of tender seasonal veggies. It was just the reviving meal I needed. By the time I was finishing my pillowy cold pistachio semifreddo and second cup of strong hot coffee, the rain had stopped and I felt completely taken care of."

"Executive chef Walter Pisano of Tulio Ristorante in Seattle is celebrating two decades in business with his top-of-the-line Italian restaurant Tulio, which was recently selected as one of the top 30 Italian restaurants in the United States by Travel and Leisure Magazine."

"Tulio has been a Seattle mainstay for two decades - one of the premiere restaurants for rustic Italin cuisine and wonderful ambience. The restaurant contains precious memories for founder and Executive Chef Walter Pisano, who pours his heart into every dish."

"This month marks 20 years since the chef opened downtown Italian staple Tulio Ristorante, and little has changed since - not the menu, the regulars, or the pasta pounds we put on our hips."

"Next to Hotel Vintage Park, chef Walter Pisano has made a name for himself with Tulio, a reliable source for boldly flavored, sophisticated dishes in an unpretentious, warm setting. Consider the sweet potato gnocchi with sage butter and mascarpone; the linguine with local clams, preserved lemon, chile flake, and garlic bread crumbs; or the braised Kurobuta pork shank with ricotta-whipped potatoes and mostarda."

"And now comes word that Travel Leisure has named stately downtown Tulio one of the best Italian restaurants in the U.S."

"What's better than a giant meatball? A giant meatball topped with burrata, of course. For the uninitiated, burrata is a fresh Italian cheese made with mozzarella and cream. Once you punch through an outer membrane of mozzarella, this sweet, creamy, cheesy deliciousness oozes out. 'Life-changing' is not an exaggeration, at least for me, of the first time you taste burrata - I can remember mine to the moment (years ago, at Tulio Ristorante in Seattle)."

"Though he's originally from New York, Chef Walter Pisano has helped elevate Seattle's food scene for decades. His convival Tulio's restaurant, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, is consistently named of the city's best Italian spots and continues to draw devoted locals and visiting celebs. Don't miss the homemade pastas, perfectly grilled meats and the sweet potato gnocchi appetizer (just go ahead and order two of those). They also offer vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free menus."

"And at Tulio, Red Star's sister restaurant in Seattle, chef Walter Pisano has created an entire menu of 'desserts for grownups', featuring items like a prosecco float with honey gelato, a triple chocolate gelato infused with espresso grappa, and a sambuca sundae with toasted fennel praline and vanilla gelato."

"Chef Walter Pisano's exacting Italian food has earned a loyal fan club, but doesn't quite attract the newcomers it should...But closer inspection rewards with inspired-Italian-with-a-flourish fare - a melting braised pork shank over fat corona beans crowned with horseradish gremolata; crispy duck over farro studded with marinated figs; a distinctively seasoned pasta alla chitarra with braised pork, rosemary, and ricotta - and a record of consistency unusual in a hotel property."

Like any good menu item, a side can raise the bar or kill a dish. Here is Chef Walter's thoughts on great grilled cheese accompaniments. "An arugula salad with proscuitto, cooked eggs and lemon dressing. Marinated seasonal mushrooms, such as chanterelles or morels, work well, too."

"At Tulio Ristorante in Seattle, Executive Chef Walter Pisano has long had a following for his baccala - a spread of salted cod mixed with potatoes and garlic - but its popularity grew by partnering it with a semisweet tomato jam. 'When you put something like "jam," something that sounds a bit sweet, on the menu,' says Pisano, 'it's more appealing to the average person.'"

Chef Walter's dad knew his way around a kitchen. Here's his answer for what he remembers his dad cooking while growing up: "Scrambled eggs with ricotta."

"In Seattle, chef Walter Pisano of Tulio Ristorante has a 'desserts for grown-ups' menu that includes a prosecco float made of honey gelato, honey-infused whipped cream and prosecco."

"At Seattle's venerable Italian spot Tulio Ristorante, Chef Walter Pisano works the stalks into salads, purees them as an accompaniment to duck and uses them to amplify cheese platters...As delicious as the savory dishes sound, however, for rhubarb lovers it's hard to beat dessert at Tulio: a rhubarb crostata served with a scooop of rhubarb gelato. 'Rhubarb on rhubarb!' Pisano exclaims."

Seattle Magazine - Best Restaurants 2009

Travel Leisure - Best Italian Restaurants in the U.S. 2012

Seattle Weekly - Top 10 Hotel Bars 2012