We’ve Been Going to This Authentic Italian Restaurant in Pennsylvania for Years, and It Keeps Getting Better

Some of my favorite memories happen around the dinner table, from holidays at my grandparents to ordinary Wednesday evenings out with friends. That’s how I discovered Denunzio’s Italian Restaurant more than a decade ago. My daughter and her friend were just three and four, now 14 and 15, and on an ordinary weekday evening, her parents recommended dinner at a restaurant that serves some of the best Italian food near Pittsburgh. It’s been a tradition for us ever since.

We were seated at the back of the restaurant, in a quiet corner, on our latest visit to Denunzio’s Italian Restaurant, tucked in an unassuming strip mall in Monroeville, but we’ve sat in pretty much every corner of the restaurant – from the booths that offer a look into the kitchen to a table next to the window overlooking the parking lot.

Long gone are the days when the girls would take the crayons, given to us by the server, and draw all over the paper tablecloth, giggling and talking loudly enough for us to remind them to keep their voices down. Today, we two moms sat with teenagers, looking down at their phones and giggling. Time has passed, but some things never change.

Like the server delivering a basket of fresh Italian bread, and packets of butter, to our table as we peruse the menu. Denunzio’s makes some of the best Italian bread I’ve ever had – soft, fresh, and just the right amount of crispiness to the crust. It’s so good I’ve filled up on it a few times, leaving a lot of leftovers from my entrée to take home. Refills are pretty common at our table.

Denunzio’s features a full menu of Italian favorites, including pasta dishes like fettuccine Alfredo and homemade spaghetti, steak and fish, brick-oven pizza, entrée salads, and sandwiches (cheesesteak, Italian hoagies, and cheeseburgers). My two favorite dishes are the eggplant parmigiana and the cheese ravioli. Both come with a house salad or soup. Denunzio’s has some of the best French dressing I’ve ever had; if you like French dressing, try it. The same goes for the wedding soup.

The eggplant parmigiana, with a generous side of spaghetti, is divine. It’s also incredibly filling, so after fresh Italian bread and salad, I usually leave with enough leftovers for another meal or two. My daughter and her friend opted for the chicken tenders and French fries, a first for both who usually order spaghetti and pile it high with fresh parmesan cheese.

Denunzio’s makes a variety of homemade dishes. The homemade cheese ravioli comes with a giant meatball and your choice of tomato or marinara sauce. Both the cheese lasagna and ricotta gnocchi are also homemade. If it’s your first time here and you can’t decide what to order, try one of the specialty samplers. The original pasta sampler comes with ravioli, gnocchi, and spaghetti with a meatball while the My Three Sons includes grilled chicken parmesan, cheese ravioli, and fettuccine Alfredo.

If you go: Call ahead for reservations. Denunzio’s also has locations in Jeannette and Latrobe, the latter of which overlooks the runway at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. Denunzio’s also hosts Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve brunches. Both feature a generous assortment of salads, Italian dishes, and desserts. We’ve done both, and they are well worth trying, especially if you need a break from cooking.

Learn more on the official website of Denunzio’s Italian Restaurant near Pittsburgh. Or, stop by the Facebook page of this Italian restaurant in Monroeville, Pennsylvania.

Let us know what you think the best local restaurants near Pittsburgh are by filling out this nomination form. If you want to work up an appetite before making your reservation, follow one of the best hiking trails in Pennsylvania. You can find a full list, including hiker reviews and photos, on All Trails.