Where are the good Italian restaurants? (Pittsburgh, Allentown: for sale, courses, town)

[lifepgh2op]

It's been a few years since I have been there, but I did like Segneri's in Coraopolis the couple times I had dined there.

[Rodeno]

Alla Famiglia in Allentown.

[gg]

Up Modern Italian in Shadyside isn't very good at all. Really overpriced and nothing special. I just don't understand how these places can stay in business. The bartenders were on a computer all the time, but they didn't delay when either of us needed a drink. It was sort of dead in there, but still.

I have a theory about the restaurant business in Pittsburgh and I hope it isn't true, but I think it is reality. The restaurant business is taxed to death on alcohol and I think they just shifted quality food to lower grade and just try to make it work somehow to turn a profit. The food you get out is really not very good at all. You spend $60 for two and get about nothing. I just don't think that business works anymore. There are so few good places. To be honest, I don't know of any place that I would consider outstanding. I think that business is just too tough.

[gg]

Piccolo Forno. I have been there for pizza AND now for pasta and salads. The salads are good and flavorful. ALL the pizzas are BLAND. ALL. Yes, we have had about every one! We wanted to like this place. It is pretty darn loud in there, like NYC and that would be fine, but the food really isn't good overall. The pasta I had was tiny in portion. NO, I am not a BIG food type of person, but I have limits. It was tiny and pretty darn pricy for that. I think we are finally done with Piccolo Forno. We really like the location and feel, but we also enjoy good food. Again, I just don't think there are many good places in Pittsburgh for Italian of any kind. They can't be profitable if they serve good food at an okay price. Spending $60 for two for pasta that isn't very good isn't at all worth it. I am tired of the crap we deal with in Pittsburgh.

[rockthecasbah121]

I took two friends to Lawrenceville on Saturday evening and waited the two hours to eat at Piccolo Forno. I agree that the pizza is bland (also overpriced), but I am a big fan of the pasta. I get the spinach canneloni and my one friend got the lasagna. None of us were able to finish our entire meal, so I wouldn't call them small. We also split some of the best tiramisu I've ever had. Both friends agreed it was some of the best pasta they've had.

[Buckeye Burgher]

Originally Posted by Rodeno

Alla Famiglia in Allentown.

Have not eaten there yet, but the restaurant is beautiful. Like a shining pearl atop
a compost heap in that neighborhood.

The Moonlite Café in Brookline is known for serving very good food. Unfortunately
they recently closed their dining area and converted it to music performance space,
so you'd have to eat in the bar. But the menu is pretty much the same I'm told.

There is also the lone remaining Tambellini's in Bridgeville. At one time there were
seven restaurants in Pittsburgh named Tambellini's, all owned by members of the same
extended family.

[WhoIsStanwix?]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Burgher

Have not eaten there yet, but the restaurant is beautiful. Like a shining pearl atop
a compost heap in that neighborhood.

The Moonlite Café in Brookline is known for serving very good food. Unfortunately
they recently closed their dining area and converted it to music performance space,
so you'd have to eat in the bar. But the menu is pretty much the same I'm told.

There is also the lone remaining Tambellini's in Bridgeville. At one time there were
seven restaurants in Pittsburgh named Tambellini's, all owned by members of the same
extended family.

The Tambellini's in Bridgeville is awful in my experience. My former boss took some out of town visitors there, and I was embarassed for all of us. I believe Joseph Tambellini's in Highland Park is known to be pretty good, I have not been there.

[gg]

Originally Posted by rockthecasbah121

I took two friends to Lawrenceville on Saturday evening and waited the two hours to eat at Piccolo Forno. I agree that the pizza is bland (also overpriced), but I am a big fan of the pasta. I get the spinach canneloni and my one friend got the lasagna. None of us were able to finish our entire meal, so I wouldn't call them small. We also split some of the best tiramisu I've ever had. Both friends agreed it was some of the best pasta they've had.

I had Ravioli con Burro e Salvia, Spinach-filled ravioli drizzled with sage butter and the comment at the table was, I wonder if they ran out of pasta? We have had about every pizza and they are all pretty much flavorless. I attribute that to low quality cheese and really the sauces have no zip at all. Just a bland pizza. I am not sure why? Can they not taste that fact themselves? Odd. Most people were eating pasta and some of the big red sauce stuff looked pretty hardy, but it didn't look that appealing and I was hoping for something a little more sophisticated that night. Believe me, we really wanted to like it, but I think we are throwing in the towel. Just for a point of reference, we don't go to Chipotle because those things are just too big. I wish they sold smaller ones. I guess we could cut it in half, but they would most likely fall apart.

I just don't think restaurants can make good quality for under $100 for two these days. I guess that is the price you pay now to go out. I think I will eat like a king at home for 1/3 that price, unless we want mussels. For that we go to Park Bruges or Point Brugge, which also has nice salads.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

I had Ravioli con Burro e Salvia, Spinach-filled ravioli drizzled with sage butter and the comment at the table was, I wonder if they ran out of pasta? We have had about every pizza and they are all pretty much flavorless. I attribute that to low quality cheese and really the sauces have no zip at all. Just a bland pizza. I am not sure why? Can they not taste that fact themselves? Odd. Most people were eating pasta and some of the big red sauce stuff looked pretty hardy, but it didn't look that appealing and I was hoping for something a little more sophisticated that night. Believe me, we really wanted to like it, but I think we are throwing in the towel. Just for a point of reference, we don't go to Chipotle because those things are just too big. I wish they sold smaller ones. I guess we could cut it in half, but they would most likely fall apart.

I just don't think restaurants can make good quality for under $100 for two these days. I guess that is the price you pay now to go out. I think I will eat like a king at home for 1/3 that price, unless we want mussels. For that we go to Park Bruges or Point Brugge, which also has nice salads.

Whaaaaat? How much do you usually order? Do you always get a bottle of wine?

And get a burrito bowl whenever you're at Chipotle. It's a hearty, but not unreasonably sized, meal for a hungry customer.

[Moby Hick]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

And get a burrito bowl whenever you're at Chipotle. It's a hearty, but not unreasonably sized, meal for a hungry order?

Exactly. Flour tortillas are empty, tasteless, calories.