I read the reviews, looked at the pictures, but still did not expect the dining experience I had at Il Vinaio. The atmosphere was very lively, with several different guys getting up to sing and a live band playing some Italian tunes.
We started out with the share platter, which was a great starter. The veggies and soppressata all seemed fresh, and with a glass of wine could probably satisfy the needs of a couple light eaters. For our entree we chose the rigatoni with tenderloin tips and the braised pork shank. It has been a long time since I had a pork shank, but I don't recall it being as tender and juicy as this one. Rigatoni was excellent as well. There wasn't one thing on either of our plates that I would have given under 4 stars. Couple that with great service and a fun atmosphere, and Il Vinaio has given me a good reason to occasionally visit Mesa.