KALAMAZOO, MI — Comensoli’s restaurant isn’t your ordinary Italian restaurant.

It may be the only place in the Kalamazoo area that serves cudighi, an Italian sausage spiced with nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon and popularized by Italian immigrants in the Upper Peninsula a century ago.

Today, cudighi sandwiches and sauces remain a U.P. specialty, but they’re hard to find elsewhere. Comensoli’s offerings include a cudighi and pepper pasta dish as well as a cudighi supreme pizza, both made with sausage that relies on a century-old family recipe from Peter Comensoli’s grandparents, who immigrated from Italy to the Marquette area.

“All of our recipes were handed down through the generations, with the flair of the U.P., so we have some of that influence as well, where it mixes with the Italian,” said Shelby Hindman, manager of Comensoli’s.

Peter Comensoli opened his Kalamazoo restaurant in 2001 near West Main Street and Michigan Avenue, on the western edge of downtown Kalamazoo. It was originally named Pasta Pasta and featured a pasta bar where patrons could choose between a variety of pastas and sauces.

His son, Paul, took over the restaurant in 2007. He eventually renamed it Comensoli’s and rebranded it as a more traditional Italian restaurant.

Open six days a week but only for dinner, the menu currently features 12 pasta dishes, ranging from $14 for the meat or vegetarian lasagna to $26 for the seafood pasta with shrimp, scallops and mussels. There also are seven other entrees, including chicken piccata and chicken marsala (each $19), veal parmesan ($24) and a red snapper in a light red sauce with artichokes, capers and kalamata olives ($23).

Comensoli’s most popular dish is cream chicken and polenta ($20), Shelby said. A staff favorite is the pesto rigatoni with cream sauce ($15).

The restaurant prides itself on locally-sourced ingredients, including the main ingredient in the exotic mushroom pasta ($19), a blend of locally-grown mushrooms mixed with red onion, truffle oil and white wine served over fettucine. “That’s probably our most popular pasta dish,” Hindman said.

“Our meatballs, Paul makes them fresh every day,” she said. “They’re so good and you can really top any of our pastas with them and it makes the dish.

“Paul is our executive chef, and he’s really good,” she added. “If he’s not here, we’re not open,” which is why the restaurant is only open for dinner.

Hindman said the restaurant was able to survive the pandemic shutdowns well, thanks to a brisk takeout business and a loyal customer base. One silver lining: The shutdowns gave the opportunity for the Comensolis and the staff to rethink the menu and the business itself.

One result is taking better advantage of the restaurant’s back room, dubbed The Hideaway. It can accommodate up to 65 people for private parties, including those looking for a menu with vegan and/or gluten-free offerings.

Another new development: Although the Comensoli’s has long had an extensive wine list and a regular array of specialty cocktails, they’re expanding their offerings of mocktails and alcohol-free beverages.

In fact, “the last couple years have been the busiest that I’ve seen” at the restaurant, Hindman said. She recommends making a reservation for weekend dining.

These days, Comensoli’s draws a wide range of clientele — from college students and parents seeking a nice dining experience near the Kalamazoo or Western Michigan University campuses; to people who have been coming to Comensoli’s since the Pasta Pasta days; to those looking for dinner near the college or downtown entertainment venues.

Beyond the location, it’s just a great restaurant, Hindman said.

“We offer an intimate dining experience with a staff that’s really passionate and been here a long time,” she said. “It’s not just about making money, but about caring for families. We’re dedicated to making sure that when people come in, they have an experience that makes them feel like they’re in a quaint little diner in Italy, where they get that attention to detail and can enjoy great food and company.”

Comensoli’s is located at 762 W. Main St., just west of the intersection with Michigan Avenue. The restaurant is open Tuesdays through Thursdays, 5 to 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 5 to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 5 to 8 p.m. They are closed on Mondays.

Reservations are recommended for weekends, and can be made through their website at www.comensolis.com. The restaurant’s phone number is 269-345-6755.

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