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Best Italian restaurant in the Pittsburgh area

My family owns Piazza Talarico and Papa Joe’s wine cellar. 39th and Penn in Lawrenceville. We are operating on a limited takeout menu because of covid and being short staffed because of it as well. Monday-Friday 12-8 PM. If you’re looking for a red sauce joint, and authentic Southern Italian food, give us a try. Run by Pitt grads, the Narduzzi’s and Capel’s frequent our place. We also make our own wine and sell it to go.
Hail to Pitt!

The next time in Lawrenceville I'll give it a go..
 
By far, the best and most authentic is Bravo on McKnight Road. Nothing says intimate Italian place like a monster facility located on a busy suburban highway. On my trips to Rome, I sat at several Trattorias thinking "Man, this Chicken Alfredo doesn't measure up to Bravo"

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.
 
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?
 
Got me thinking on the Churchill place." Gotta be Tony D'Imperios place was near Sears after the Jonette Bldg.
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.
 
Several very good ethnic restaurants in New Castle. For Italian Ladies of the Dukes, Croton Ave. Only open on Sunday's, long wait for seat. People bring their own pots to get sauce for carry out, before the virus.
 
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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.

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..
 
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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.
 
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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.
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
 
My family owns Piazza Talarico and Papa Joe’s wine cellar. 39th and Penn in Lawrenceville. We are operating on a limited takeout menu because of covid and being short staffed because of it as well. Monday-Friday 12-8 PM. If you’re looking for a red sauce joint, and authentic Southern Italian food, give us a try. Run by Pitt grads, the Narduzzi’s and Capel’s frequent our place. We also make our own wine and sell it to go.
Hail to Pitt!
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.......
 
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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
 
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Great list. You should try Il Burloni on Greentree Rd.

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
 
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yeah, and fun fact, there is no "alfredo" in Italy. A totally Italian American dish.
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.
 
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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
Wow. Is Segnari's still around? I worked in Coraopolis in the early 90's. I am glad it is still around.
 
Many years ago there was a place in Prince Galitzin that Pittsburghers used to take a 2 hour drive to eat there. Pretty sure it’s long gone. Can’t remember the name— maybe Herculinis (Sp.?). There also was a really good Northern Italian place in Churchill in the 1970s that was superb. Also must be long gone from the Pittsburgh area—like me!

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.


 
Exactly, that's how it is supposed to be done but it is hard to find that way
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.
 
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.



Cresson?
 
Senti in Lawrenceville is good, more upscale. Piccolo Forno. Sauce tastes are very subjective and change with regions. Hope everything opens soon and will try Talarico's.
 
Montemurro's in Sharpsburg was like the biggest treat when I was a kid growing up. Would love when we went there.
 
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
Olives and Peppers(Rt 8 Allison Park and Penn Twp.) Bellisario’s on Duncan rd. Allison park
 
Speaking of Bloomfield, owners changed the name several times.. Vic's little cottage, Santucci's, Tucci's.. the food was off the charts...
Know/knew Santucci's. Great kids. The Dad was a piece of work.
 
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