Sandwiched between brick and dough gold walls, patrons of Brookline Village’s newest Italian restaurant – Pomodoro – may feel that they are indeed part of one of its delicious panini sandwiches. And according to Chef Frank Van Overbeeke, that is the whole idea!

“The idea was to have a neighborhood Italian restaurant where people could eat on a regular basis and where they could get together for a good time,” Van Overbeeke explains. “We didn’t want to be too high end or a special occasion restaurant. We wanted to be a place for local people to come and eat.”

Eclectically-decorated with seagrass chairs, soft leather banquettes, large-scale canvasses, faux-mosaiced overhangs, U-shaped bar, garlic-inspired light fixtures , and even a pizza paddle in the restroom(!), Pomodoro offers a variety of Italian and local feelings and flavors all packed in to its narrow space. As it is run by the same people who manage the nearby Irish pub Matt Murphy’s, it is no surprise that this equally cozy spot has a very similar feel.

“Matt Murphy’s has become a meeting place for the area,” Van Overbeeeke observes, “and we wanted the same vibe here.”

Once part of The Village Fish, this cousin to Pomodoro in the North End shares a few flavors with its Boston relative, but also has a number of unique offerings as well.

“We share the classics like the fra diabolo and the calamari,” Van Overbeeke says, “and the style of cooking is the same gutsy, rustic Italian, but the menus are not the same.”

In addition to the variety of luncheon panini – which include one with grilled chicken and the signature grilled marinated eggplant, pomodoro sauce, basil, and mozzarella – Brookline’s Pomodoro also serves single-serving pizzettas (classic, white, or with Italian sausage) and a variety of soups (including a deliciously sweet carrot soup, a hearty country bean and a wild mushroom soup), pastas and antipasti. Though the kitchen will try to accommodate vegetarian and other diets, the entrée offerings include grilled chicken Saltimboca, pork T-bone, lamb shank, aged ribeye, salmon, and the whole fish of the day. For dessert, diners can chose from among a fruit parfait, fresh fruits and cheeses, sorbets, and chocolate cake. All meals can be accompanied by either the fruit and mint-infused carafes of water or a selection from the bar or the small but informative wine list, which includes selections from as far away as Italy and as close as Jamaica Plain.

“The menu changes twice a year,” Van Overbeeke explains. “Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter.”

When asked to choose a favroite dish, the chef wisely demurs.

“It is hard to feature any one thing,” he says, “because I like it all!”

And apparently, he is not alone.

“We are incredibly busy,” he says, “and we seem to have developed a local following because we see the same faces over and over again.”

As Pomodoro is often so busy, bustling, and buzzing, it may not be the best place for a romantic dinner or business meeting, but, according to Van Overbeeke, that is okay.

“It is not a quiet place,” he admits, “but that is what we wanted. We wanted it to have its own personality and Village identity.”

With its large-scale canvasses, garlicky light fixtures, earthy, u-shaped bar, and candle lit restrooms, Pomodoro definitely has lots of personality…and personalities!

“It is a relaxed place,” Van Overbeeke suggests, “and that is what we wanted more than anything else. We want to appeal to the fine diner and also to the local laborer and office worker and I think we pull that off.”

Pomodoro

24 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA

617 566 4455