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ITALY MEETS HOLLYWOOD: Pane e Vino

(Left) Chef-owner Alfredo Temelini on the patio at his trattoria, Pane e Vino (Italian for “bread and wine”) that opened in Hollywood in spring 2021; (Right) The Italian flag at the front door. 

WRITTEN BY Sandy Lang
PHOTOGRAPHS BY Peter Frank Edwards

It’s a Tuesday when we follow Highway 162 into Hollywood and park beside a cinder-block building that once housed a fire station, as well as the Old Firehouse Restaurant. Next door are hand-painted signs for “P-NUTS” and “CRABS” at a now-closed takeout vendor’s truck. But here, at Pane e Vino, the flag of Italy flutters.

I fondly remember long tables of friends and meals of pasta and wine in the courtyard when the restaurant was downtown on Warren Street, and I’ve been curious about chef-owner Alfredo Temelini’s move to this rural outpost in May 2021. Inside, the trattoria’s comfortable vibe begins immediately—white tablecloths, wooden chairs, and candlelight—and there’s an attached courtyard for warmer days.

(Left to right) The open kitchen;  Parmesan curls and pizza pies.

We’re here for the weekly wood-fired pizza night, and from across the tomato red-painted dining room, we see Temelini in his white chef’s coat. It’s an open kitchen format and the dome-shaped, stuccoed oven is a prominent feature. Once seated and sipping a Negroni, I catch glimpses of kitchen staff spinning and shaping pizza dough. 

Truffle fries soon arrive, along with a crisp Romaine lettuce salad in a wooden bowl and two plates for sharing. We order a couple of pizzas to ensure we’ll have leftovers—one with arugula, Parmesan, and prosciutto and then the chef-recommended “Anita,” topped with lemon crema, ham, and grilled artichoke hearts. Each has, as I’d hoped, Roman-thin crusts with a good char and chew, easy to fold over. 

The weekly pizza night, held on Tuesdays tables full and dinner conversation buzzing.

A family is seated at the next table—in conversation with wine bottles open—and there’s a beautiful moment when the smallest child stands on his chair as the pizzas arrive so he can survey the slices and options. The ever-gregarious Temelini, inspired by his youth in northern Italy and the cooking of his grandmothers, stops by each table to greet everyone and maybe pour a little limoncello—a sunny finish whether or not you’ve just had a beach day trip.

(Left to right) Italian-style cheesecake; cioppino (seafood stew); salad for two and truffle fries.

Location: 6350 Hwy. 162, Hollywood
Miles from Charleston peninsula: 21 
On the Menu: House-made pasta and ravioli; spaghetti Bolognese; grilled meats and fish; wood-fired pizza (Tuesday nights only); truffle fries; and Italian-style cheesecake; plus cocktails, beer, and wines by the glass and bottle
Hours: From 4:30 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday
Contact: (843) 564-1765, panevinocharleston.com
Nearby Adventure: Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge, 8675 Willtown Rd., Hollywood, fws.gov/refuge/ernest-f-hollings-ace-basin

 

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