Locanda Brasato in Lane Parke. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now) — Chef Duaine Clements, one of the co-owners of Locanda Brasato. (Pat Byington / Bham Now)

The duo behind one of Birmingham’s favorite Italian restaurants have teamed up to bring a taste of authentic Italian cuisine to Mountain Brook. Duaine Clements and Marco Butturini, the co-owners of downtown Birmingham’s Lé Fresca, have officially opened Locanda Brasato in the former Post Office Pies space in Lane Parke.

Bham Now met with Chef and Co-Owner Duaine Clements for an inside look at Locanda Brasato to learn more.

Inside Mountain Brook’s new authentic Italian restaurant

It’s been nearly six years since Lé Fresca opened its doors in downtown Birmingham. Located along 2nd Avenue N., Lé Fresca was co-founded by Maro Butturini, a skilled local hospitality professional with experience at Highlands Bar & Grill, Chez Fonfon and Bottega.

Last June, Marco and Lé Fresca co-owner Duaine Clements announced plans to open a second Italian restaurant in the Birmingham area. Located at 270 Rele Street in the former Post Office Pies space in Lane Parke, the new Italian dining spot is dubbed Locanda Brasato—a nod to the owner’s philosophy of hospitality and their commitment to taking the time to craft each dish the right way.

“In Italian, a locanda is an inn or hotel that offers food and rest for travelers, and brasato is a traditional Italian dish featuring braised, slow-cooked beef.

“Locanda Brasato is about the kind of Italian food that takes time to make and is worth the wait — food that feels personal and unexpected, It’s a place where Marco and I can bring all the things we love about Italian cooking and hospitality to the table in a new way. We make all of our stocks, dough, pasta and sauces by hand. You can tell that our food is made with love.”
Duaine Clements, Chef and Co-Founder, Locanda Brasato

What’s on the menu at Locanda Brasato?

At Locanda Brasato, it’s all about quality ingredients, technique and the process—making stocks, kneading dough, and simmering sauces the old-fashioned way.

“We make everything by hand. From our pasta to our sauces, we’re focusing on real, authentic Italian techniques that have stood the test of time.”
Duaine Clements, Chef and Co-Founder, Locanda Brasato

On the menu, guests will find a tight selection of antipasti (appetizers), pizza, primi (pasta), secondi (mains) and dolci (desserts). Clements recommends several standout dishes:

Radiatori alla vodka, a handmade pasta dish topped with stracciatella
Wild-caught Alaskan Halibut, served with a smoked saffron sauce, parsnips and hazelnuts
Burrata, a fresh Italian cheese antipasti with butternut squash, Rosalba and golden raisin agrodolce
Gelato al forno, individually-prepped gelato topped with a lemon curd red currant jam and finished with torched meringue
Lobster arancini, served with fontina and saffron tomato sauce