Story

At Peno, we define our rustic Southern Italian Soul Food by our fresh, authentic, hand crafted dishes that touch the soul.

Established in 2016 and located just outside of the heart of Clayton, Chef/Owner Pepe Kehm opened Peno (Pee-No) Soul Food as a tribute to his mother’s Calabrian heritage. True to it’s namesake, it is here that Chef Kehm focuses in on the flavors of Southern Italy, using generational techniques, simple ingredients, and “soul-touching” flavor profiles that usher an unpretentious experience to his tables. Peno has since come to be the proud, local host of many casual Friday evenings and celebratory private dinners, countless neighborhood gatherings, and a notable amount of both public and private events. Always doing our best to work closely with our community to encourage familiarity, we believe Soul Food tastes much better when there is someone to share it with.

A visit to Peno is to expect hand-rolled pastas, slow-braised meats, fresh seafood and the finest produce of the season taking center stage on your plate. Whether you are interested in a classic Americana-Style Spaghetti accompanied by our Giant 10oz Beef Meatballs, or a simple Calabrian Village Salad with marinated fresh peppers, tomatoes and feta bursting with pops of wild oregano, you will find there is something for each of your guests to enjoy with every experience in our menus. Italian table wines are humbly served “village style” in a short glass prefacing the perfect Negroni, served up or on the rocks, with fresh orange and mint straight from the garden. As the rich scents of braised meats, fresh herbs, and Calabrian stewed vegetables waft out over the patio each evening, we greet our guests with a warm, casually elegant vibe that carries you straight to nonna's table in Calabria.

We believe wonderful food should be paired with delightful conversation and enjoyed by all. We believe in our mission of bringing people together over tables of any size, and we believe bread should be broken openly and constantly; we simply suggest you do not fill up on it. As a team of passionate people, we thank you for the opportunity you allow us to continue to create and do what we love, and we look forward to introducing you to what “Soul Food” means to us.

Mangia! Mangia i tuoi cuori!
(Eat! Eat Everything!)

Peace, Love, & Be Well!
Pepe Kehm & The Peno Crew