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Peninsula residents north of Palo Alto won’t have to travel quite so far for Terún’s signature Neapolitan pies. About a year after its anticipated opening, Impasto is opening in San Carlos Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Impasto offers the same flavors of Neapolitan pizza found at sister restaurant Terún, including its signature Terún pizza, as well as certain dishes found at sister restaurant iTalico (like beef carpaccio, grilled octopus, ravioli and chicken Milanese). The main difference between the menu at Impasto and its sister restaurants is the addition of specialty pizza made with caputo cuor di cereali (a whole-grain flour), gluten-free pizza and pasta, and a dessert pizza made with cacao pizza dough.
“Chef Kristjan (D’Angelo) has been playing with different kinds of dough for a while at Terún and iTalico, but we don’t really have the space to do it consistently,” co-owner Franco Campilongo said. “Here we are able to do it because we have a bigger kitchen and bigger fridge, so we can make more dough and use it every day and offer it every day.”
The specialty whole-grain pizzas come in two flavors: fichi (with fior di latte mozzarella, fresh figs, prosciutto crudo and chestnut honey) and porchetta (with fior di latte mozzarella, gorgonzola and porchetta).
“The color of this flour, it’s actually really dark, and the texture is softer than the doppio zero kind,” co-owner Franco Campilongo said. “When you bite the dough, it’s just different. We think the consistency is pretty amazing.”
Gluten-free pizzas come in three flavors: Margherita, prosciutto and arugula, and nduja. While there is a separate oven used only for gluten-free pizzas, Campilongo cautions those who are severely allergic to gluten that there may be cross-contamination since everything is cooked in one kitchen.
Impasto is located in a brand new building adjacent to the San Carlos Caltrain station and shares a parking lot with Caltrain. Guests can park within the Caltrain parking lot closest to Impasto in spots labeled “Restricted parking,” across El Camino in downtown San Carlos or along Old County Road across the train tracks.
The Impasto team (which includes Franco Campilongo, his brother Maico Campilongo, their cousin Giuseppe Errico, head chef Kristjan D’Angelo and managing partner Giovanni Pugliese) secured the lease in 2022, creating a modern, upscale ambiance that has quite a different feel than Terún or iTalico. Impasto has ample natural lighting, cerulean blue wall paneling, brown leather chairs, white and gold tiled tabletops with wood trim and an open concept kitchen. Appetizers go for $12-22, pastas are $22-25 and pizzas are $19-28.
“When you do nice-looking spaces, a lot of times we end up having a very expensive menu as well,” Campilongo said. “But in this case, we wanted to do something where it’s a very cool place within. It’s looking great where you can have simple food, just like you would do it at Terún without breaking your bank. Just low-key, but nice.”
Campilongo, a Redwood City resident, wanted to open his third restaurant in San Carlos not only because it would target a different neighborhood than his existing restaurants, but also because it’s close to home.
“I loved the European feel that it has because there’s a plaza right in front of us,” he said. “I have three kids, and I love seeing my kids running on the plaza, having fun while I was in here. It’s a really nice place to bring your family and have pizza or coffee.”
Another reason Campilongo chose the location was that he thought the plaza would suit live music well.
“Terún, still now, we do it every Monday, and my brother likes to sing,” he said. “There is a professional, but also my brother loves to pitch in and is good. Don’t tell him I said that.”
Campilongo grew up in Italy and had his first experience in the food and beverage industry at 14 years old.
“I was bartending, which is not common here at 14 years old,” he said.
Every year he worked summer jobs bartending, serving or cooking. Then he came to California on a student visa, taking business classes and learning English at the College of San Mateo. He took a job as a busboy, then a server before moving into roles as an assistant manager and later a manager. He became general manager at now closed Pasta? along University Avenue in Palo Alto and met D’Angelo. In 2012, he and D’Angelo opened their first restaurant, Terún, along California Avenue in Palo Alto.
“Coming here has been a dream, and it keeps being a dream,” Campilongo said. “The land of opportunity and all those beautiful places that you can visit and amazing people.”
While Campilongo said he doesn’t intend on opening any more full-service restaurants soon, he is interested in eventually opening a to-go pizza spot.
Impasto, 661 El Camino Real, San Carlos; 650-486-1504, Instagram: @impastosancarlos. Open Tuesday to Saturday 5-9 p.m.
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