Best Italian restaurant in the Pittsburgh area
- Thread starter Cap pitt
- Start date
Bravo has been sold and is closing many of their restaurants. Bankruptcy is being considered. Their menu has changed in the last year and it's terrible. Not that it was that great before, but now it's just one step up from Olive Garden.
Me thinks his post was a bit sarcastic? You didn't catch that?
Yeah, I thought he was being a bit sarcastic. Especially the last sentence. I was just adding what I heard and saw recently.
Lived near Churchill. I believe you are talking about the Villa Capri which was terrific. A similar Italian spot that is always busy is Johnny's in Wilmerding .Pasta, Steaks, and Lobster are excellent.
I mean, "best"? Like I said, Ala Famiglia, Piccolo Forno, the place in Sharpsburg that name escapes me, etc.....
But I mean just good old fashioned fun, old school red sauce places? We are so blessed compared with other cities where Olive Garden is the best. Up here in the AK Valley, I bag on the overall food scene, but the Villa, the Capri are fantastic. I mean, Goodfellas fantastic.
But I mean just good old fashioned fun, old school red sauce places? We are so blessed compared with other cities where Olive Garden is the best. Up here in the AK Valley, I bag on the overall food scene, but the Villa, the Capri are fantastic. I mean, Goodfellas fantastic.
Bella Frutetto in Franklin Park is my favorite. Excellent food, drinks, good people there.
Villa Capri.. little further down from transmissions by Lucille... was really good and a lot of old lead in the finger Italians. Been to Johnny's many times, the last few times was good not great.. used to go there regularly for polenta..
I always enjoyed the Pleasure Bar. Also, La Tavola on Mt. Washington is great.
As a full blooded Italian I'm very picky when it comes to Italian food. When friends want to go to an Italian restaurant I generally get Carbonara, something my family never made tTnd I barley consider it authentic Italian food.
With that said there are a few places where I can eat the tomato sauce (not trying to be full of myself but since I barley tolerate most places tomato sauce, this is the highest praise I can give.) They are Pasta Too in Bethel/South Park and Rizzo's in Crabtree.
My family said good things about La Era's in Monessen but I personally never been there.
I need to try the places Talarico4 stated.
With that said there are a few places where I can eat the tomato sauce (not trying to be full of myself but since I barley tolerate most places tomato sauce, this is the highest praise I can give.) They are Pasta Too in Bethel/South Park and Rizzo's in Crabtree.
My family said good things about La Era's in Monessen but I personally never been there.
I need to try the places Talarico4 stated.
yeah, and fun fact, there is no "alfredo" in Italy. A totally Italian American dish.
You sound like the people that like our place. Haha give it a try! I make the same sauce my great grandparents made in Catanzaro
Love love love your place. Hopefully we'll be able to come and visit soon and hope you're hanging in there. Might have to get some takeout next week.......
My top 10:
1. Il Pizzaiola in Mt. Lebanon
2. Dish in Southside
3. Vallozi in Downtown Pittsburgh
4. Alla Famiglia in Beltzhoover
5. Piccolo Forno in Lawrenceville
6. Girasole in Shadyside
7. Segnari’s in Coraopolis
8. Pleasure Bar in Bloomfield
9. Legends on the North Shore
10. Pasta Too in Bethel Park
1. Il Pizzaiola in Mt. Lebanon
2. Dish in Southside
3. Vallozi in Downtown Pittsburgh
4. Alla Famiglia in Beltzhoover
5. Piccolo Forno in Lawrenceville
6. Girasole in Shadyside
7. Segnari’s in Coraopolis
8. Pleasure Bar in Bloomfield
9. Legends on the North Shore
10. Pasta Too in Bethel Park
But....."Italian American" is a genre......and a pretty damn good one and popular one. I am not sure why people run from this. Veal Parmigiana, with a side of pasta/red sauce, loaded with cheese, a nice salad and bread.....................how is this a bad thing?
On that note, most "alfredo" crap here is just that, crap. Just cream laden, fat stuff that is among the worst things you can eat.
Pasta Carbonara is a great example. No cream. Just pasta, a guanciale or pancetta, some parm and romano cheese, and some pasta water to help make a sauce, a fresh egg added...............and voila......no cream.
Wow. Is Segnari's still around? I worked in Coraopolis in the early 90's. I am glad it is still around.
Exactly, that's how it is supposed to be done but it is hard to find that way
I live one town over from where Erculiani’s used to be. In my 30’s and it was closed in my lifetime, but it is still talked about locally and my parents and grandparents said it was phenomenal. It was in the town of Gallitzin right off 22 about 2 hours East of Pittsburgh as you said.
Sometimes to do things right, you gotta do it yourself!! You are talking to someone who spent my afternoon today in a funeral procession of an Italian icon, who was famous for her bread and Italian food. The entire community came out, fire trucks, police and we lined the street with mini Italian flags. So yeah, I am non Italian but was proud to grow up in this neighborhood and learned how to eat and cook "authentic" Italian American classics.
Portabella’s on mt Washington was very good and was our date place in college - but been closed a long time
Pleasure Bar is one of my all time favorites. Ate There when I was at Pitt from 1971-1975 1st place I had French bread pizza
Goodness - haven't heard the name Cresson in a long time. Spent a lot of time there.
Montemurro's in Sharpsburg was like the biggest treat when I was a kid growing up. Would love when we went there.
Speaking of Bloomfield, owners changed the name several times.. Vic's little cottage, Santucci's, Tucci's.. the food was off the charts...
That was the other date spot
Had eggplant Parmesan rolitini my wife loved
i think that place was were Station is now .
Which is excellent but not Italian
Olives and Peppers(Rt 8 Allison Park and Penn Twp.) Bellisario’s on Duncan rd. Allison park
