The Cheat Sheet: Barbuzzo

On the shareable list? Barbuzzo's margherita pizza

Barbuzzo is practically a dietician’s dream. Not because it’s healthy per se—a 2010 Philly Mag review encourages diners to indulge and “balance the health ledger later.” Yikes—but because its menu is built for sharing. And sharing, as we know, is a healthy-minded diner’s best friend. (Need a refresher? Read my dining-out tips here.)

I found a lot to love at this Mediterranean-inspired eatery. So grab a friend, and try these shareable dishes on for size.

• Vegetable board, a fresh selection of local vegetables >> This is a great way to celebrate the flavors of the season and reap all antioxidant benefits of farmer’s-market-fresh veggies.

• Farmer’s salad with mixed baby cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, peppers, chard, corn, buffalo mozzarella, basil and herb croutons >> Go light on the mozzarella for fewer calories and fat. And perhaps you could hold the croutons, too.

• Grilled bronzino with wood-roasted mushroom and artichoke farro, tomato-almond pesto and salmoriglio (an Italian condiment made of lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped oregano, parsley, salt and pepper) >>  This light, white fish gets hearty with earthy mushrooms and filling farro. Ask them to go light on the pesto—a little bit goes a long way when it comes to flavor.

• Trecce pasta with olive oil, wood-fired hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, arugula, lemon-walnut pesto and ricotta >> Go light on the ricotta to decrease the overall fat.

• Grilled Spanish octopus and calamari with guanciale, grilled onion, orange, taggiasca olives and roasted garlic aoli >> No surprise here: Ask for aioli on the side, or to be removed.

• Margherita pizza with San Marzano tomatoes, house-stretched fior di latte (mozzarella), basil and extra virgin olive oil >> Add mushrooms and arugula (an extra cost) for twice the veggies. Share this delicious pizza with two to three friends, depending on how many other plates you’ll be ordering.

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Restaurant menus are reviewed by Phillies dietitian and owner of Healthy Bites Katie Cavuto Boyle. In most cases, the individual restaurants were contacted for specific ingredient and recipe information. Note: Many restaurants have seasonal menus and some items may not be available.

>> See Cheat Sheets for other Philly restaurants here.