Alla Famiglia
804 E Warrington Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15210
Alla Famiglia Menu
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Address :
804 E Warrington Ave
Pittsburgh, PA, 15210 - Phone (412) 488-1440
- Website https://www.allafamiglia.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :4:30 pm - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Intimate, Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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C M.
The first time I went here was with a group - we had reserved the entire restaurant for a retirement party. I had a horrible experience. Vowed never to go back! At that time, I even had a terrible interaction with the owner. This time I was invited with a couple of girlfriends because they love it. Decided to try again since it was more about the "get together" than the food/location. This time, overpriced food and bad service. Overall, it was not anything out of the ordinary and not worth the price. I had the veal speciality. Large portion, but ok. Staff was not very attentive for the small amount of customers present. I am a Pittsburgh native. This is a bad neighborhood. I am NOT interested in ever going back!
(1)Jason J.
Possibly the best Italian Restaurant I've ever been too. The Vodka Sauce was phenomenal. I finished the evening with a Fernet Branca.....perfection.
(5)k k.
Cannot say enough about Alla Famiglia. So good! Started with bread with olive oil, goat cheese and chick pea compliments. We ordered shrimp and trifolata appetizers. They were amazing. Then they served a pasta course. Cavatappi in vodka sauce that was perfect. For entrees we ordered house specialty Veal Chop Milanese, Cioppino, Buccatini. All were so delicious. Raspberry Tiramisu for dessert finished off a simply wonderful experience. This was my first time here, and I will definitely be returning. Staff was great too. Five Stars!!!
(5)Amanda M.
After hearing about AF and reading the reviews, I was expecting an amazing experience. We made reservations weeks in advance and I counted down the days. Finally, D day arrived. We arrived and quickly valeted the car. I would definitely suggest you valet. The neighborhood seemed a bit sketchy. Into the restaurant I happily galloped. What a cute little place. Open kitchen in the first room. We sat in the second room. Homey, old school Italian feel. The server explained the menu and took our drink order. Hubs and I split a bottle of wine. Nothing better than a good bottle of red wine with a hearty Italian meal. We were ready to eat. I dug into the bread on the table and thoroughly enjoyed the holy oil dip. So much so that I didn't even bother with the other two spreads. The menu was very veal heavy. I guess that's their specialty but not what I was looking for. I chose the filet gorgonzola. Our first course was salad. Served family style this salad was savory and sweet with raisins and gorgonzola on the side. Then we waited, and waited and waited. They are definitely not in a rush here. The next course was pasta with vodka sauce. After reading the reviews, I was a little disappointed that we were not offered the alfredo cheese wheel as an option. The vodka sauce was lacking flavor for me. I added a little chili oil and it brightened up some. Again we waited and waited. Finally, our entrees arrived. My filet was cooked well and tender. However, I did not care for the peppers and creamy sauce it was topped with. Also, this was the only part of the meal that I had left overs to take home. For me, the portion sizes were about average. I did not have mounds of left overs as other reviews noted. We opted to skip dessert. Overall, it was a good meal but nothing blew me away. I had high hopes for AF and was slightly let down. For the price, I have had better meals and better service at other restaurants around the city.
(4)Tessa S.
Words to the wise: 1) Don't eat for approximately 3 days before having dinner here. You'll thank me later. 2) The bread and fixins (especially the bean and cheese gustoso), while EXTREMELY yummy, pale in comparison to the rest of the meal. You want to wait for your meal. Trust me. YOU want to wait for the homemade pasta. The smaller portions of veal are PLENTY and so unbelievably tender. Also the preparation is really well balanced. I had the Escalopes of veal (lots of mushrooms and spinach) and it felt like the veggies were integral to the dish. Most places would have skimped . . . not Alla Famiglia. Really good. So good that I ate till I looked like I had a food baby in my stomach. Pretty? No. Completely worth it? Yes.
(4)Kimberly R.
I ordered dessert from the restaurant for my wedding. They did not disappoint!! They brought all the trays of tiramisu a day early and "taught" the venue how to plate and serve the dessert! The tiramisu was spectacular and we got so many complements on it. The guests loved it!
(5)Colleen C.
Let's just start with the elephant in the room...picture a vintage Arnold Schwarzenegger flexing his biceps in the mirror. This is the framed "art" inside the women's restroom located on the 2nd floor. Odd. I nearly poked my eyes out with my mascara brush from staring. It's hypnotizing. Now that we got that out of the way, let's talk about the restaurant! After months of whining, a group of 8 of us finally decided to nut up or shut up and finally made plans. (Thank you, Samantha B. for organizing!) Getting a reservation for 8 is not an easy task. The building is a three-story, traditional townhouse that is very narrow leaving only so much space inside for the dining area, bar, and the kitchen. And, it is located in the middle of Allentown. Yes, Allentown. This fact could qualify as the baby elephant in the room but it seems to be the trend to operate fantastic restaurants in areas that would make your average xenophobe from suburbia go bat shit cray cray. And, for the record, I'm not drinking Hatorade. I was equally "scurred" during the drive up E. Warrington Avenue...and I live in the East End where hipsters and old school hippies are known to reside and give peace a chance. The reality is what it is. It's a scary part of town but it did not matter a damn when we got out of the car. It was a Saturday night and we were greeted by an average Joe valet who sincerely welcomed us to the restaurant and told us to enjoy our dinner. The locals who walked by smiled and nodded as if they were giving us their approval. It's as if the restaurant was under a dome, protected by a force field that doesn't allow the stereotypical nonsense most would fear when entering Allentown at night. We were greeted by our server who immediately took our drink orders. I didn't see a bar on the first floor so I almost hesitated to order my usual dirty martini and my sweetheart's Manhattan, thinking they were limited in their mixology. Orders were taken without pause and both drinks were most impressive. Our friends enjoyed vino rossos and biancos from their diverse wine list that is 100% Italia! Tables are set with "Holy Oil" for dipping artisanal Italian breads, a seasoned cheese and cecci bean gustoso, and, my favorite, a fresh goat cheese olive spread. We started with the artichoke appetizer special and shared the meatball appetizer with the rest of the table. Yes, shared. The meatball is bigger than Barry Bonds and Kanye West's egos combined. And, it was friggin' fantastic. The flavors, the marinara sauce, the mozzarella stuffed inside...If I could marry a meatball, this would be matrimonial bliss. My sweetheart chose the highly recommended veal chop Milanese. This is yet another piece of meat listed on the menu not small in size. Because I am always the a-hole of the group, I asked if I could have Linguine and Clam sauce instead of the pasta prep on the menu. Again, no hesitation. Wow. But the groans from my our table makes me still an a-hole. I DON'T CARE! IT WAS MY CARB DAY DAMNIT! :-) Our entrees did not disappoint. TASTY!!!! The entrees minus the pasta came with salad and pasta side served family style. Lots of food to be shared. We finished with the hand-spun espresso gelato. Others at the table went for other gelato flavors and the Tiramisu. We all had spoons to share. All were "delish". I was tempted to order the other highly recommended entree, the Cowboy Steak Diane. My friend Beth had the pleasure. The wild mushrooms on her dish looked just as big as the meatballs and she raved about the Worcestershire butter. She offered me a sample but I was too full and ready to birth my food baby. Oh yeah. How could I forget! Franco Harris walked in. SHUT UP!!! Not entirely surprising after viewing the wall on the second floor covered with photos of VIPs posing with the chef/owner. It's great to see a gem in Allentown that can shine a light on the other diamonds in the ruff in that area. But don't let the neighborhood fool you. This restaurant is VERY high end in service, cuisine, price, and atmosphere. I really enjoyed my experience at Alla Familigia so maybe it wasn't such a coincidence they placed The Terminator's Mr. Universe pic in the restroom...because... I'll be back.
(5)Zachary K.
So, if you are reading this, read no further, tell your girlfriend/fiance/wife or whoever - you've made up your mind, you're going. Until further notice this may be the best restaurant in Pittsburgh. This has everything I look for in a restaurant - charming atmosphere, great cocktails, good service and most importantly, amazing food. I had the Veal Milanese and would have a hard time ordering something else next time. This was by far the best veal dish I have ever had and at $65 I would almost call this a steal. The vodka sauce pasta starter that comes with it is wonderful in and of itself, and the salad, the salad is spectacular! That's the thing about this place, not a single aspect of the meal disappoints or falls short of amazing. I did not order an appetizer as I had to send some of the pasta back as well as some of the veal because I just couldn't eat it all - this will feel like a sin, but what can you do. I am sure the appetizers are amazing as well. Lets not forget the martini that I would say is about the best you're going to find in "the Burgh"! Not to mention it's BYOB, I brought my favorite bottle of California red wine to take the guess work out of the wine selection and guarantee an amazing amazing meal. (If you know your Italian wines and that's your thing then I would forget the BYOB) Bottom line - this is the proverbial no-brainer, enjoy
(5)Andrea B.
Everything about Alla Famiglia was outstanding. They start you off with freshly baked bread accompanied with olive oil with basil and pepper, a chickpea, pepper flakes and cheese mix, and a goat cheese and walnut spread. The next course is a salad with red wine vinaigrette with olives, roasted red peppers and raisins. They bring out a pasta with vodka sauce about 5 minutes before the entrees, sort of like a side to the meal. My boyfriend got the Veal Chop Milanese which was excellent, soft with a crispy crust. I got the Seafood Diavolo, it was pure seafood heaven for me. It had a nice spicy kick to it, without being overbearing. The wait staff was very attentive and friendly. I will say that it is not a cheap restaurant (entrees started at $50), so definitely a special occasion place, but totally worth it!
(5)Jason F.
I stopped by here this past Thursday with my fiance and 4 other dining companions for dinner. Alla Famiglia has been on my list of places to try for quite a long time and I was eagerly anticipating eating a dinner here. We arrived shortly before our reservation time of 7:30 at about the same time as another couple from our party. We were almost immediately taken back to our table which was on the first floor in a back room. I honestly didn't notice too much while we were walking back to our table but thought there was not much decoration in the room we were in. Yes there was a fireplace but nothing else really sticks out besides the fact that the lights would dim a bit for about 5 seconds before eventually brightening back up every 10 minutes or so. Since none of our party had ever been to Alla Famiglia before our server took the time to go over the menu with us. Whenever he got to the veal chop and explained it was their specialty, I immediately knew that was what I wanted. So I ended up ordering that with the pizzaiolo option while my fiance went with the seafood diavolo. My veal chop was described as a double cut natural chop braised with hot and sweet peppers, homemade Italian sausage, and plum tomatoes while my fiances seafood diavola had many different types of seafood in it including a lobster tail. All entrees also come with a first course of salad and a second course of pasta with vodka sauce, both served family style. While we were waiting for our first course to come out they served us some crusty Italian bread along with a couple of different dipping sauces of which I remember one that had a couple of different imported cheeses, one with goat cheese and then another which was olive oil based and called the holy oil(?) due to a trio of herbs of which one was basil. That one was my favorite and when combined with some of the Parmesan cheese that they had on the table was awesome. After a short while our salads came out, 2 family style bowls for the 6 of us along with a dish of Gorgonzola so that we could top our salads with it. The salad ended up tasting decent, I only wish that I had more of it. The six of us quickly finished it all and then were in for quite a bit of a wait before our pasta with vodka sauce arrived. It was long enough for all of us to notice and wonder what was taking so long for pasta. Whenever it arrived, once again 2 family style bowls for the 6 of us, I thought that it tasted pretty good. It wasn't the best vodka sauce I have ever tasted but since I was still pretty hungry at this point I really enjoyed it especially after adding some of the chili oil that they brought to the table with it. The chili oil gave the sauce that perfect bite for me. Almost immediately after finishing our pasta our dinner entrees arrived. My veal chop looked impressive and was big enough to make comments about how it could tip the car on the Flintstones. Most of that was due to the size of the bone although there was a decent amount of meat on it. The veal itself was cooked perfectly as it was moist and juicy and I ended up enjoying it. The pizzaiolo sauce was just ok though as some of the sausage that I had seemed to be burnt while others were fine. Whenever I had the non burnt pieces I liked it but the couple of burnt pieces really made the sauce inconsistent from bite to bite. I was also lucky enough to try some of my wonderful fiances lobster tail and thought that it was very good. It was cooked perfectly and was tender and tasty while not being overdone at all. After all that we had eaten our whole table ended up passing on dessert and I left the restaurant full but not overly so. I am still wondering about all of these reviews that tell you how much food they received which was also said by the valet on the way in. It made me wonder do they normally serve a family style portion to two people instead of the three like they did at our table? Should I feel cheated on this one? Maybe I will find out on a future visit but then again maybe I will not. The bottom line for me is that I might come back here again in the future but I don't think that this would be my first choice. Don't get me wrong, the food here was pretty good but whenever my food bill after tip is coming out to about $150, they had better either have impeccable service like the Capital Grille or Ruth Chris' or to die for food. Sadly Alla Famiglia let me down on both accounts here as the food was good and the service average.
(4)Kylene W.
Updated: 5 stars Recently went back and this restaurant lived up to my expectations and more! Got the same thing as last time. Couldn't resist because it was so awesome the last time I visited. Jordan made me feel at home, she was cool. Mmmkay So jordan next time we come back we will be ordering your recommendations. Oh the bar upstairs was nice and classy. Nice touch on the auto lights in the bathroom. Ahh.. the little things. Lastly, thanks for having valet! :)
(5)Marie M.
This is my favorite restaurant EVER- the food is amazing, I will echo that the meatball appetizer is yummy, veal chop fantastic and HUGE, my favorite dinner choice is the veal del monzu with pine nuts lemon and crab- of course the pasta is amazing with the vodka sauce and oil, and dont leave without trying the raspberry tiramisu which is like heaven in your mouth-
(5)Ryan B.
Expensive? Yes. Worth the price of admission? Every penny. My wife and I dined at Alla Famiglia last night, and we were both blown away. It was our first time here so we went with our waiter's suggestions from start to finish. After snacking on the ridiculously delicious 'Holy Oil', we started with a couple apps - Greens and Beans, and the Meatball; both were incredible. Braised endive, house sausage, and tender white beans seasoned to perfection, and a meatball the size of your fist. Before our entrees were brought out, we were each brought a salad and pasta course. The fresh made pasta was served with the best vodka sauce I have ever had - amazing. On to the entrees; I got the Veal Chop Pizzaiolo and my wife got the Coteletta Del Monzu. Spectacular. Both the veal chop and the cutlet melted in our mouths. All in all, after a couple apps, two entrees, a bottle of wine and a couple cocktails, we got out for about $260 after tip. That said, I've eaten at some amazing restaurants in my time, and I can say with confidence that last night's dinner is easily one of the top 5 meals I've had in my lifetime. I can't wait to find an excuse to go back. Well done, Alla Famiglia. Update: Visits 2 and 3 to Alla Famiglia were just as spectacular as the first. My wife and I have ordered something different each time we've visited, and normally I'd say something like 'we haven't been disappointed'. However, that would be an egregious understatement. Every visit to this wonderful restaurant has been nothing short of astonishing. The food is truly breathtaking, and the service is top notch. In my humble opinion, this is without question the best restaurant in Pittsburgh. Update 2: As you can see by the number of check-ins I have here, we find every excuse we can to continue to come here. It is still the best restaurant in the 'Burgh.
(5)Robert P.
Always an amazing meal...If you are a going to complain about the bill or having to wait 20 minutes while you have a drink, you probably shouldn't be eating there anyway.
(5)Patrick B.
The food was delicious. But it is a ridiculously expensive restaurant. If you're intimidated by spending $100 or more on a complete meal for 1 person, then this is not the place for you. Knowing that we had other plans for our evening, my date and I cut the meal short with appetizers, salad, and a bottle of one of the lesser expensive wines they offer, which was $54 a bottle. Our check was still $120, and we left hungry. Which is a shame, because the little of what we did have, we fully enjoyed. There are plenty of Italian restaurants in Pittsburgh, and many of them are very, very good - where one can enjoy a meal for a fraction of what it costs here.
(3)Jeremia F.
Incredible experience up here, I would have to say that this goes down as one of my most memorable dining experiences in Pittsburgh for a number of reasons. I personally love this style of Italian cooking. Sicilian, so folks who are not familiar should take look at their menu online before coming because it might catch you off guard, it isn't what the "normal" Italian restaurant offers. I had a great experience dodging potholes on my way through the Allentown neighborhood of Pittsburgh which it makes it much more awarding arriving with my wheels of my vehicle still in alignment. They have valet parking which is great because it takes the stress out of trying to find parking. Upon entering I almost fainted at the smells and views of this place. Right when I walked in I saw an array of freshly prepared vegetables that were on a table in the kitchen area. It was beautiful and really made realize right then what kind of place this was. The service we had was second to none. Right from entering we were promptly seated and received an explanation of everything that was on the table for our enjoyment. The "Holy Oil" was ridiculous and almost addicting I couldn't stop drowning the fresh bread in that stuff that I think I ruined my appetite. Folks when you come here don't eat lunch because the food dishes are huge. We ordered an appetizer of Mussels Diavolo which had a huge amount of decent mussels in a spicier tomato sauce. The sauce was really spicy and flavorful that I couldn't waste it so I asked for more bread and took care of that. I think I should have come here with more people because already it was too much and too good just for two people. Then be prepared after your salad there is a pasta course, which I probably could have done without because I was approaching topped off. The pasta was in a vodka sauce that I could have been happy with for my main dinner. I then ordered the Filet Mignon, which was hands down the best piece of meat I have ever had in my life to date. They cooked it to my request of medium spot on,and the chunk of filet was so large that I can't figure out how they cooked it so perfectly. Than it was covered in a red wine sauce with mushrooms that was savory to say the least. We both had to take most of our entrees home with us which was unfortunate because they were so awesome. Matter of fact I'm eating the side of bacon mashed potatoes this morning as I write this review. I did think that it might be hard to come here if you don't eat meat because the menu on this Friday night was meat-tastic. They probably could make a pasta dish without might to suit ones requests but I don't know for sure. Also I did think that the menu online was a little misleading as I thought that there would have been more pasta options on the particular night I was there. There was only one option when I was there and it had a sauce that contained two meats sausage and pork. I wish my bank account could handle more of this place, I will be back once I roll my wallet out of the ER. If anybody has any suggestions on how I can do this place more often please let me know!
(5)Amber T.
After a friend told me about her wonderful experience here, I knew I had to go. I also knew that it wasn't really in my budget. Well, lucky for me an old college friend of mine decided that he was coming to town for a visit. I sent him the websites for various restaurants and when he saw Alla Famiglia he said, "Oh honey. Make the reservation - I've got it." YES! I knew I kept him around for some reason! So on a cold, snowy Saturday night, we trudged up the mountain. And it was glorious. First off, it IS in a bit of a sketchy neighborhood. But no worries - they have valet, so you don't have to deal with trying to find somewhere to park and walking around. The Holy Oil is the best thing I've ever dipped bread into - and I'm a dipper. I come from an Italian family - we dip everything into everything - bread into sauce, cookies into coffee, bread into coffee, etc. This is by far the best dipping experience I've ever had. Onto the MEATBALL. We got the mozzarella-stuffed meatball for our appetizer. The meatball was good. The sauce was great. There isn't much more I can say about it, to be honest. It was just so, so yummy. Salad course: Great salad! Pasta course: So, I was slightly disappointed that they did not give us a choice. I was really looking forward to the fettuccine in the cheese wheel that I had read about here! Alas, only vodka sauce. Great vodka sauce, though. I should've asked about that damn cheese wheel... For the main course, I got the veal chop milanese and it was perfect. My friend got the cioppino and he enjoyed that very much. I could not even think about eating dessert. We had so much food. I took 1/2 of my pasta course and 3/4 of my main course home. I really wish I had gotten a dessert to go and eaten it later, though. I really cannot wait to go again.
(5)Michael B.
Our all-time favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. We have been coming here for years and it never fails to provide a comfy, cozy, welcoming atmosphere and simply unbelievable food. Let's start with the appetizers (you get bread and various dips before but please take my word for it, try not to eat it, you will thank me by the end of your meal). My favorite is the meatball, it is giant, perfectly seasoned, sooo flavorful, covered with tons of sauce and gooey provolone cheese. Seriously the best meatball you will ever have. Make sure to share this bad boy with at least one other person because it is HUGE. Next you get a salad with your entree. The salad is refreshing, well balanced and very tasty. Pine nuts, very sweet raisins (I love these things), gorgonzola cheese, nice dressing, peppers and greens. Considering how heavy everything else is, the salad is perfect. Next you're brought out pasta alla vodka. The vodka sauce is creamy, flavorful and goes excellent with the spicy olive oil mix they give you. If you like spicy make sure you put some of that oil on. Now onto the mothership - Veal Milanese. Let me end all debate and discussion - this is THE BEST VEAL CHOP YOU WILL EVER HAVE ANYWHERE. Simply AMAZING. Perfectly cooked, lightly breaded with pine nuts, crab meat, olive oil, natural juices, it is seriously PHENOMENAL. MUST TRY!!! Everything is great, but I have only tried those other items off other people's plates because I ALWAYS get the veal milanese. However, the steak here is incredible as well. Lastly, I love their take on Tiramisu very unique. Let me say again, the best restaurant in Pittsburgh and THE BEST VEAL MILANESE IN THE WORLD.
(5)Ken J.
Wow. Some of the best Italian food I have had in my life. Everything feels authentic, straight from Italy, and family owned. Where to begin? Well the appetizer selection is incredible, my favorite being the provolone fried in truffle oil. The stuffed banana peppers were to die for, and I have had many others that were spectacular. For the entree, I have had both the veal chop and the filet. The veal chop is almost as large as my arm (not joking) and was delicious, prepared either of their two signature ways. For the filet, I do not like gorgonzola so I asked them to prepare it a different way (which they are very willing to do and usually announce to the table at the beginning of the meal). It was done is a mushroom sauce that was a perfect compliment to the perfectly cooked filet. Finally, do not forget to save room for dessert (which will be fairly difficult considering the sheer volume of food that they give you). The tiramisu is amazing, and I would highly recommend trying their gelato. In short, my favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. I would highly recommend a visit, especially with a large group. Reservations help, but not usually required.
(5)Ron C.
Just recently returned. PHENOMENAL meal! Glenn our waiter was superb. Loved the veal dishes. I also enjoyed the new cocktail menu. One of the drinks was iced coffee with orangicello and frangelica cream. DELICIOUS!
(5)Ken S.
While visiting the Pittsburgh area, my wife and I were intrigued by the excellent reviews we found of Alla Familgia. While it was a bit of a drive from Cranberry Township, we needed a dining reprieve after a disappointing visit at BRAVO! Cucina Italiana. East Warrington Avenue is undergoing major construction which made finding parking a bit difficult, fortunately there is valet service in a lot to the side of the restaurant which we took advantage of. Upon entering, we were warmly welcomed by the host. We visited on a stormy evening and were fortunate to find that some reservations had been cancelled due to the weather, which enabled us to get a table. I strongly advise to get reservations in advance. We were seated on the first floor with a view of the chefs cooking. Awesome. All that has been said in prior reviews, I heartily agree with. The bread, cheese, and dipping oil was a delicious start. Ingredients were fresh. The pasta and main course dishes were done perfectly. My wife had the Gorgonzola Filet Mignon, which she described as one of the best meals she has ever eaten. When we are in the area, we'll be back.
(5)Tom B.
Probably one of the top 5 meals I've had in the last 10 years. I travel a lot for work and have enjoyed the benefit of eating at some of the finer establishments in NY, LA, Chicago, SF and London. True, it's in a HORRIBLE part of town (there was a robery at the liquor store next door about 10 minutes before we left) and the place is tiny. But, you will not be sorry about making the trek to this place. I got the Cowboy Steak Gorgonzola, but someone in your party has to get one of the veal dishes, they are out of this world. You can have the veal smothered in the Gorgonzola sauce from the steak, which was amazing (also probably took 5-10 minutes off my life span, but oh well). On the flip side, don't be fooled into thinking that because the place is in a war-zone and it's small that you'll get a good deal. It was also one of the more expensive meals I've had in some time. So, be prepared to have a great meal, but you will pay for it. (menu with prices here, allafamigliapittsburgh.c… )
(5)Lisa P.
Okay.. I have never eaten there before last night, but I have eaten at Davio's and that is what the atmosphere reminded me of.. we were there a total of 3 hours start to finish.. 3 hours until our main course was served. But, many courses are served as you wait... most of them were delicious. They bring you out fresh, delicious, warmed bread at the beginning with a garlic oil sauce dubbed "holy oil" and it truly is heavenly. They also have a bowl of cheese and garbanzo beans to eat atop of the bread. Delicious. There is also a cheesy spread available. All were wonderful. Then about 45 minutes later, they brought our appetizer. It was a soupy-looking mushroom appetizer with a sweet flavor. I do not recommend this app. It wasn't good. Then about 35 minutes after that, a salad was served. It came dressed and was one of the best I've had. 35-45 minutes after that, the HIGHLIGHT of the dinner came. Pasta in a bowl. It was the best part of the dinner. Finally another long time after that - our main course came. Mine looked only slightly better than it tasted. I got the seafood diavolo and it was a huge disappointment. I really liked our waiter - he was very busy but attentive - but I cursed him under my breath for recommending this main course. I was so close to ordering a pasta dish, which I'm certain I would have loved and devoured. But I was talked out of ordering pasta, because pasta comes with dinner. I wish our waiter would have asked me what I liked; sauces, etc before recommending this dish. $68 for something you give to your cat is a hard pill to swallow. I love seafood, but I enjoy it in butter sauces, lemony butter sauces, Alfredo sauces, wince sauces with garlic... not this red soupy dish. It was literally like eating cold tomatoes and water with Tabasco sauce poured in. It looked like "seafood soup." All the delicious seafood was drowning in a dark red, spicy, soupy mess. I wanted to cry when I saw it.. then I tasted it and really wanted to cry. It was gross. This is the last dish I would have ever ordered had I known how it was presented. I looked around at my date who had a massive veal tenderloin in front of him and I was so jealous.. wishing I had went with my first instinct - the pasta - or even the Halibut.. anything that wasn't drowning in a spicy red soup. I just hope that staff read this and never recommend this dish to a first-timer.. especially someone who enjoys seafood they can actually TASTE that isn't drowning in some spicy tomato sauce. If this dish wasnt so awful, I would have given 5 stars. The only other bad dish was the mushroom appetizer, and it was also a soupy mess. but, i would eat the mushroom app 3 times a day for the rest of my life if it came down to that and the seafood diavolo.
(3)Jamie B.
Love it here. The food was great and had anazing service. Will be back again! Everyone was so poliet and greeted us with a smile.
(4)Andrew K.
Seated in the bar after having made reservations a week in advance. That, paired with a mediocre menu and overall experience, gives this two stars. Save your money and stay in town. I would probably send you to the (gasp) Olive Garden before I referred you here.
(2)Heather B.
I have been frequenting Alla Famiglia since 2007 and it is still my favorite Italian restaurant in Pittsburgh and perhaps my favorite in the world! Chef Jonathan is a genius - his "Veal Chop Milanese" with lump crab, toasted pine nuts, and lemon is the BEST I've ever had. Every time we eat here, my husband orders this dish and refuses to try anything else - that's how AMAZING it is. I have tried a variety of entrees - everything from the the Veal Chop Pizzaiolo to the Steak il pizzaiolo to the Medallions of veal Pomodoro ai Pepperoni. Each dish is infused with deliciousness that makes these entrees OUT OF THIS WORLD! You have got to try the following: mozzarella (apptz), hot peppers (apptz), mozzarella stuffed meatball (apptz), vodka pasta (automatically received with your meal - sauce is delicious), veal chop milanese (entrée). You won't be disappointed - the kitchen is open so you can even watch as Chef Jonathan prepares your dinner. Make a reservation. Neighborhood is a bit sketchy so be careful. PS. I've taken all my friends, family, and business partners (many who do not live in Pittsburgh) here and everyone absolutely loves it and wishes they lived in Pitt so they could come here more often. In fact, we no longer live in Pittsburgh, but every time we come into town for a visit, we HAVE to eat dinner at our favorite Alla Famiglia!
(5)Nick L.
Absolutely incredible restaurant! It is by far my favorite restaurant in the city. Everything about this place is fantastic especially their Veal Chop Milanese, the restaurant is pretty pricey but 100% well worth the money. I recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking for a fantastic Italian meal.
(5)Elizabeth R.
UPDATED: Just wanted to share that we attempted to visit for a third time when my husband's brother was in town in mid-November of 2014. We had reservations for 7:30 on a Tuesday, so we obviously figured we would be seated immediately. The brother and his girlfriend arrived a couple minutes before the reservation and were told to go up to the bar while they set the table and wait for the rest of the party. I arrived about a minute after and my husband a few minutes behind me as he needed to park due to the lack of valet during the week. There was no one at the host stand when either of us came in. So we went up to the bar, declined a drink... and waited, and waited. The bartender soon became deeply involved in picking a wine for a couple at the bar, not his fault. The brother eventually was able to flag down a waitress to ask if she could check on our table. She looked very annoyed. She eventually went over to the phone at the bar, called down, hung up the phone and said, dead pan, "no, it's not ready yet." Not a smile, not a sorry, not a "can we get you a drink on the house?" Meanwhile, there was an open table for 4 on that floor. The bartender eventually told us "that's for a reservation." "Yes, we have a reservation... for 25 minutes ago." "They must have specifically requested that table." They did, however, offer us the table right next to the door on the first floor though - the one with the 10 degree breeze coming in that night. No thank you. We were very insulted by the lack of table for our reservation, but more so by the lack of acceptable service. We decided to leave and spend $20 on pizza instead of $100+ per person and enjoyed much better service.. which is never the way it should be. Hopefully they solve this problem soon. We'll give it one more go when the insult has worn off. My husband won't hesitate to tell you what his favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh is: Alla Famiglia. And to be honest, these days I agree with him! While my husband enjoys many of the more "up and coming" restaurants with smaller portions and interesting flavor combinations, he often finds himself longing for the same quality food with better cuts of meat and bigger portions. This is where we satisfy both of our appetites for big flavor and, well, big portions. But to reduce Alla Famiglia to those two things alone would not do it justice. Let's start out instead with addressing the two biggest critiques of this place: its location and the price. Yes, it is in Allentown, but they also have plenty of parking and valet if you prefer. Honestly, we drive almost everywhere to get dinner, so this is not an issue for us. The other thing I always hear about is how expensive it is. Some of those complaints come from people who I know have no problem giving their money to the big steakhouse chains, while getting a lot less value. No, it is not cheap. You will likely pay upwards of $50 for your entry. The veal chops are close to $70. But, that's not all you get. You get delicious, fresh baked bread, a spread, dipping oil and gustoso for same, a delicious salad, and homemade pasta served family style. If you wanted to be especially frugal, you could approach this place like an Olive Garden senior special: feast on the freebies and take your entree to go. But, even if you're full, it may be too difficult not to savor the meal as it comes out... I've been here twice and my husband has been here three times (lucky - he got to go for work and he said they ordered almost every appetizer, all of which were apparently delicious). The first time I ordered the filet with gorgonzola. It was one of the most delicious and largest filets I've ever had. My husband ordered a veal chop with prosciutto which I don't think I recognized on the current menu, but he absolutely loved it. The veal chop is one of the largest bone-in cuts of meat I've seen and the sear on it was absolutely perfect. We also ordered the mussels, which were spicy and delicious, and the meatball appetizer, which I remember being tasty, but nothing too out of the ordinary. I think there are other things on the menu to try first. The second time we came I ordered the Milanese veal chop, breaded, slightly citrusy, and absolutely heavenly. He had the cowboy ribeye which was also large and an absolutely beautiful cut of meat. The husband has a thing about fatty cuts and avoiding anything that is the least bit chewy, and he barely had to leave a piece on his plate. We also got the calamari appetizer, which was perfectly, lightly fried with a savory, garlic sauce that sets it apart from the sweet sauces often served with calamari. Finally, I should note that the service we have received here has always been exceptional. Everyone is always professional and courteous.
(5)Mark M.
Gotta say....worth the effort to find this gem of a restaurant off the beaten path. First, the waitstaff at this place are incredible. They take everything in stride. Things start with fresh bread, a small dish of olives and the Holy oil....better love garlic! Appetizer....a tasty softball-sized meatball with mozzarella in a nicely spiced red sauce. Not your average hamburger meatball...this is a work of art...perfectly seasoned, juicy and delicious. Salad....wow! Crisp greens, olives, peppers, Gorgonzola with a red wine based vinaigrette...couldn't stop eating it. Pasta course....opted for both house pastas....the first was the oft mentioned linguine tossed in the wheel of Romano with cream and black pepper. Served table side with a bottle of deliciously spicy oil. Second was the curly pasta tossed in the signature vodka sauce! The pasta was spot on cooked...not a soggy noodle in sight. The preparations were executed to perfection. Entrees...veal Milanese...this is a beautiful double chop, "paddled" into tenderness, dredged in house made bread crumbs, tossed with pine nuts and cooked to perfection. If you can only order one thing here...this is it! We also had the filet of beef in Gorgonzola cream...medium rare, tender, well seasoned...rich, decadent and incredible. Dessert....yes...we forced ourselves...homemade cannoli and a variant of tiramisu with toasted/burnt almond slivers and raspberries. Tiramisu was delectable...light, balanced and very flavorful. Haven't really added much to the raves from previous patrons...just had to chime in our hearty AMEN of agreement. Love everything about this place. Thank you Jonathan...and all of your staff for an awesome dining experience.
(5)Carly H.
My boyfriend & I went to Alla Famiglia for our (late) Valentine's Day dinner last night. We don't go out & splurge like this often, so we were really excited for a special dinner. The food was out of this world (bread & sides, salad, pasta alla vodka and veal chop Milanese), but the service was absolute garbage. I've seriously been treated better at a TGIFriday's. We waited, pretty much unattended to, at the bar until 8:20 for an 8:00 reservation. Once seated, I practically had to beg for a wine list. We called a cab at the end of our meal and decided to get drinks & wait back at the bar. The cab was taking forever, so we called a different company. As my boyfriend was talking with the cab company, a waitress walked by. We heard her walk into the kitchen and loudly announce to the rest of the staff, "UGH, those people at the bar are JUST now ordering a cab." It was 10:30. On a Saturday night. I don't know if it was the fact that we were some of the youngest patrons in there (early/mid 20s), but we felt talked down to and disrespected the entire time. Maybe if we were in our 50s like everyone else, they would've treated us like adults. When I plunk down $160 for one of the most highly-recommended restaurants around, I expect to be treated like I'm spending $160 at your restaurant. Despite how great the food was, I won't be returning. SO disappointed.
(2)Bob J.
The atmosphere was nice. The food was good. Very old school Italian. The signature meatball is, well, a large meatball. Good, yes. The salad was very good and was abundant. The home made pasta was good. We also had a veal dish but was disappointed that it was served with a thick brown gravy over it. Not listed on the menu. Very good drinks and wine list. Although we were seated in the absolute worst table in the place ( in front of kitchen doors) we had a good experience. The food was good but wasn't WOW'ed by any of it.
(4)Christopher T.
Alla Famiglia is quickly becoming my favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. Where do we begin? For starters, I appreciate an upscale restaurant that allows for BYOB. There is a $10 fee. The table is set with fresh Italian bread and Holy Oil with banana peppers. There is also a smal cheese plate served with chick peas and a goat cheese spread Appetizer: Mussels in a tomatoe sauce was the best I've ever had. The sauce was amazingly flavorful. My veal chop was prepared perfectly. Worth the price of admission although expensive. We shared an entree and brought our own bottle, yet still managed to drop $110. Sharing meals is also acceptable there because of portion size. $15 add on that includes an extra salad and side of pasta. Only complaint was having dinner in the upstairs bar area where a Lemieux jersey was hanging on the wall. I love Mario, however, this isn't Fatheads. I suppose the yinzer roots can't be completely ignored. In some ways it's charmingly Pittsburgh.
(5)Erin L.
All I can say is.... O.M.G. My husband and I went on our Honeymoon in Sorrento, Italy in October. The food was so amazing! Since we have been home we have been trying to find an authentic restaurant that actually lives up to real Italian cooking. It took months... but we finally found it at Alla Famiglia. The restaurant itself is beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. From the moment we walked in the door it had the feel of a little Italian place on a side street in Capri. The wait staff was wonderful and very attentive. They serve Aqua Panna, just as they would in Italy. They also serve a wonderful hot bread with cheese spread, olive oil, and a small bean and cheese salad. It was fabulous and unexpected. Mistakenly, we ordered two appitizers (not knowing how much food we would be getting with our meals!). We got the greens and beans and the pan seared shrimp and calamari. Both were very tasty. Our meals came with salad and a pasta course, which we did not realize at first. I do wish the waiter would have told us, because we did order WAY too much food and didn't eat much of our meals because we were so full by the time they came out. But everything was amazing, so I shouldn't be complaining. First, they brought out our salads. They were unique and very well presented with olives, raisins, and fresh roasted red peppers. So good! A pasta course came next -- with a vodka sauce that was to die for. I love a good vodka sauce but my husband isn't really a fan. However, he couldn't stop talking about how good the pasta was! I was impressed. Finally, they brought out our meals. I got a veal and house-made sausage dish with spinach, cherry tomato and beans. It was absolutely wonderful. My husband got a white fish with risotto. I am not big on fish but it was also amazing and my husband said it was the best fish he has had in Pittsburgh. To sum it up -- we are big fans now and I hope to go back soon!
(5)Matt D.
First, the Veal Milanese is easily the best veal chop I've had anywhere. Ever. And I've had plenty of veal. Second, the veal chop is definitely in my top 5 favorite dishes I've ever had, ever. Fantastic restaurant. The relatively new chef has made this place even better than it was. This is THE most underrated restaurant on Yelp in Pittsburgh. Great service, extremely friendly staff, fantastic atmosphere. Be sure to come hungry. You cannot leave unsatisfied. Meals typically last me 3-4 hours, but I take my time. BYOB is a bonus too. In summary, Alla Famiglia is consistently the best restaurant in Pittsburgh. Try it if you have not, and you won't be disappointed.
(5)Todd B.
Wow... This was not just a dinner it was an amazing experience. From the moment you walk in they treat you like you are family. The bartender up stairs was an encyclopedia of knowledge on the beer and spirits he had. Then there is the dining experience. By far the best food ive ever had i drove from ohio just to dine here and it was worth every penny and every mile.
(5)Jason M.
Simply outstanding...we had a large group (11) and everything was perfect. Several comments that this was the best Italian cuisine several of our group had experienced anywhere in the world. Can't wait to go back! The famous Meatball app did not disappoint (my fav was the stuffed peppers) and the many preparations of veal (main courses) were all exquisite. Absolutely recommend for any and all who are considering this fantastic establishment!
(5)Larry B.
TOTALLY one of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh!! Food and service was just amazing. The quality of the dishes was better than we had even in New York City. This is definitely a restaurant to bookmark and remember for the ages. Reminds me of the old style Italian restaurants that used to be in Bloomfield when that area was just a horrid place to go. Well, Alla Famiglia is in the Allentown area which is not a neighborhood of choice. Yes, your car is guarded in a private secure lot!! Get over the location, this is the gem of gems! Old style design in a charming old building with copper and huge fans. The kitchen is right there for you to watch and its worth watching this chef do his thing! The dishes come out hot, no waiting, the service staff is like a tag team and they all share duties to get the food to you once its ready. The quality of the food was impeccable and the 5 course presentation was really enjoyable... Oh and dessert was to die for; Belgium chocolate gelato in a fresh waffle cone and the creamiest NY cheesecake you ever had with a hint of orange zest...
(5)Michael c.
Went looking for a place to enjoy a good Italian meal. Was not interested in more pizza or sloppy pasta, but looking for something that tasted genuine and that was served in an equally genuine and friendly environment. Could not have asked for more than what we got tonight at Alla Famiglia. Service was very good, helpful and friendly. The right balance of being there without dominating the table. Food was top notch. My only complaint would be that there was too much of it ! The Lamb Chops were fantastic. Our kids shared a serve and they had to fight us off. I had the House Specialty, " Veal Chop Milanese" and was very impressed. Hard to fault any of the food actually. From the bread and Holy Oil that starts the meal, through the appetizers, the salad and the pasta, on to the mains. Everything was stunning. This is not a cheap meal, but it is worth every penny and we will be going back.
(5)Jesse W.
Incredible food and favors. The location is very cool once you're inside, but the neighborhood needs to step up! People in Pittsburgh often judge food more by the portions than by the actual flavor and quality. This place would win on both fronts. The portions are embarrassingly large. However the food is so amazing that you're happy to have leftovers in the refrigerator that you will actually reheat and eat...usually my leftovers sit in there until I realize it is way past time to throw them out. Not so with this place. The service is friendly and family-like. The ambience is warm and welcoming. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about this place...the bar upstairs is also very nice, with friendly bartenders and waitresses. The drinks are perfectly mixed. My next first date will take me here or there won't be a date two.
(5)Brin F.
This is one of if not the best meals I have ever had. I have only gone as part of work functions (about 3 different occasions) and every time we get the upstairs private room. The service is fantastic. I always have the Veal Chop Milanese which is AMAZING. They also have a delicious pasta as an appetizer which has a little spice to it. You will not find a better meal in Pittsburgh. I have no idea what the prices actually are as I have never paid but it is definitely very pricey. The neighborhood is real grimey but don't let that dissuade you from going there.
(5)Jerry F.
This restaurant was phenomenal. We went for my wife's 30th birthday with a large group of people and it was a great experience. The meatball and fried cheese appetizers were really good. The marinara that came with the meatball was the best I have ever had. Don't go here if you are in a rush, because the entire dining experience will take several hours. But we were there to enjoy the night, so we did not care. I would definitely recommend this to anyone as long as you are willing to spend the money. If you do appetizers, drinks and dinner it will run about $100 a person. But I thought it was well worth it. The wait staff was great. Our server was Emmett and we had a lot of fun with him. The owner/chef even came out and chatted with us on the upstairs outdoor patio.
(5)Kavi S.
No better in taste than a Fazoli or even an Olive Garden. Inflated prices, like the cheapest entree was $40, try to disguise this place as something it is not. Went with a group of co workers, so we pretty much got everything on the menu and not one thing stuck out really good. Service is incredibly slow. Not worth it at all. Even if you tell yourself that atleast the portions are large, the food is just not good enough to warrant wasting a meal eating there.
(1)Brad B.
Spent the weekend in the city with some friends. This was our first time to Alla Famiglia. Unbelievable!!! We enjoyed everything. If you are looking for high quality food with a great friendly staff, this is it. It is a little out of the way but it is worth the trip. If I had the option to give 6 stars I would do it. Very impressive.
(5)Brennan K.
This is my favorite restaurant in the world. I love it substantially more than any Italian restaurant I have frequented in Italy. If there's a special occasion to celebrate, it's done here, no questions asked. Everything on the menu is phenomenal, and the service is phenomenal as well. The restaurant itself is very intimate and cozy and there is valet available, so the fact that it's in a sketchy neighborhood matters not. The bar upstairs is nice, but dining downstairs is something else, as you can watch your food being prepared. Make sure you visit on an empty stomach, as you will be served multiple courses! The vodka pasta you are given is AMAZING. You also get salad and bread with two dips/oil. Entrees are well-sized and you'll probably have the leftovers ever after gorging on all of the mini meals that come before the entree. I do not eat beef... until i go to alla famiglia and order the meatball appetizer. That's saying something, so don't forget to order it. My mum gets some hunk of beef (sorry, I don't even really look at beef/pork options) every time we go and I can hear her making moaning noises as she chews, and then she talks about how to die for it was afterward. I usually get a seafood dish, whatever it may be at the time, and it is always one of the greatest things I have and will ever eat. I want my final meal to be from Alla Famiglia. Please. I don't care if it costs a car payment or two or three.
(5)Matt M.
Some people train for marathons, other people train for this meal. Before sitting down make sure you get in the proper state of mind and prepare yourself for a long night of indulgence. This being my first dining experience at Alla Famiglia, I was unaware of the challenge that I had undertaken. We had A Party of Five, empty bellies and an optimistic mentality; we couldn't resist the tempting appetizers recited to us and ended up ordering the mega meatball, calamari and shrimp, and sausage over polenta. All were amazing. The meatball was the highlight: twelve ounces of perfectly cooked beef, filled with mozzarella and covered in sauce and provolone (kisses fingers). Big plus for including the tentacles in the calamari. I've noticed these legs less and less while dining out, when did they lose suction as a staple of a calamari appetizer? Also adorning our table were a few clothing options in which to dress the bread, all of them enjoyable on their own or as an ensemble. One would think after such a hearty opener all that remained was the main course. How wrong of an assumption that turned out to be. Before we could even think about crushing our dinners, we had to face two formidable courses of salad and pasta. As mentioned by other reviewers, the salad is great. Nice dressing, nice fillers, nice roughage. The pasta that's included with the entree was a fusilli bucati in a vodka sauce served family style. Unable to pass up the promise of a great carbonara with guanciale and fresh egg, we had two pasta opponents to tackle. Both were cooked so perfectly al dente I would have put them on my NHL all-star ballot as a write-in if voting hadn't already closed. At this point in the meal, I had completely forgotten that I still hadn't even seen my main course. And I was fine with that. As a table we compiled quite the culinary collection: bistecca fiorentina, veal milanese, veal marsala, mussels in a diavola sauce and the sea bass special for the evening. You know when a meal is so utterly divine that you just stop talking to everyone around you and have a one on one pow wow with the gastro-gods? Yeah, that's what happened. I will say at one point during the meal, my brother had to get up and take a walk around the restaurant for fear he would wake up two days later in the ICU if he didn't fight off the impending food coma that threatened his existence. Instead of napkins they should have given us a white towel and a trainer to throw it on the table for us because we were doing our best impression of Apollo Creed...and our food was Ivan Drago. Our waiter, who we thought was our friend, then had the nerve to ask if we wanted dessert, some balls on that guy. Of course we wanted dessert. We decided on the tiramisu which I hope had a clean bill of health because it blew our minds. It was so good that I was upset with myself. I did exactly what I hate seeing someone do on any and every food network show. I took a bite, put down my fork, closed my eyes and just said, "wow!" I just hope it was as good for the tiramisu. Other housekeeping items: you can bring your own wine for which they charge a corking fee. All the water is bottled, but I didn't see it on the bill so I figure it's included. The chef/owner is extremely friendly and accessible, as he is cooking basically right next to your table. Parking at the meters next to the building is free after 6pm, despite what it says on the signs; our waiter informed us they have an unspoken agreement with the parking authority. Heavy on the belly, heavy on the wallet, heavy in our hearts!
(5)Kevin S.
Had dinner last night. Amazing flavors, the sauces are wonderful. Like the other reviews, a wonderful dining experience. A little pricey, but well worth it. Be prepared for large portions. The staff is super friendly and well informed. Nothing here is "normal". It is truly a unique Italian dining experience.
(5)Joe D.
This is my second review of Alla Famalgia and again this place gets five stars. I loved every part of my meal. I started out with the twelve ounce stuffed meatball and the truffled mushroom appetizers. The waiter invited me to watch as the mushrooms were being prepared at the kitchen counter. There I chatted with the chef as he prepared my app. Explaining as he went on, first slicing fresh chantrel, portobellos, and button mushrooms. Next he sauté them in olive oil, added brown sugar, brandy, raisins, and finished it with heavy cream. They were fantastic. There were a variety of specials including wild boar chops, a risotto with prawns, scallops, and black truffles. But I chose the dry aged filet with lump crab in a leek cream. It was the best piece of filet I've ever had. It was easily a pound of beef and a half pound of crab in a light cream sauce with leeks. I could barely touch it after the pasta, salad, bread, and appetizers. I brought my leftovers home and have them another time. Dessert consisted of a nice portion of carrot cake with an apricot cream cheese icing with apricot jam filling. It was a nice take on an old favorite. For the four of us the bill was over 300 dollars, but well worth it for the attentive service and extremely well prepared food.
(5)Marilyn H.
Service was ok. Food was sub par for rave reviews. Prices were outragesly expensive. Pasta was over cooked. Yuck!
(2)Erica H.
good food, we had the bean appetizer, seafood diablo, and the flounder...It is expensive but well worth the money, classic.
(5)Faun B.
The menu online gives no prices, and the entrees are ridiculously overpriced for what you get - a good meal, but far too much food, and nothing extraordinary. The entrees are $50 - $60. BE WARNED - if you want atmosphere to go with your $60 entree, you'd better REQUEST DOWNSTAIRS! Otherwise you can have your anniversary dinner in a small room in front of large televisions. Who knew? And the staff will definitely not accommodate your request for a more romantic spot - even if they know it is your tenth anniversary! Wow. Should have walked out.
(1)darren l.
The food is unforgettable, but unfortunately so is the bill. Sicilian themed with fresh ingredients in an intimate setting all prepared in an open kitchen. Ask before you order a special, or you might be stunned when you are handed the check. But if you love food and money is no object, this is your place. A great place for Valentine's day or a special anniversary splurge, with the emphasis on the word 'splurge'.
(4)Melanie S.
I was in Pittsburgh (my hometown) for a visit from Boston. I was so pleased with the meal at this restaurant. It was by far the best restaurant I have ever been to in the Burgh. The wait staff, chef, food, was stellar. We are known for very good restaurants in Boston and this restaurant could be in Boston or NYC it is that fantastic! I would highly recommend going here if you have a special occasion, date night, or just want a superb meal.
(5)oldman n.
Maybe I went on a bad night, but the service was stunningly bad. Water glasses stayed empty for almost 15 minutes! Ordered 5 dishes, all pretty average. The tab: $300+. I won't be back.
(2)craig b.
Took my son out on a recent visit to Pittsburgh second visit for us. If you love Italian food and cost is not a issue then this is the place. The appitizers were enough to fillyou up. We had the stuffed meatball which is the size of a softball. Melt in your mouth. The pasta courses have alway been right on. FOr main course we have tried several, all fantastic but the veal chop was out of this word, huge, perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. Jonathan's mom made one of the desserts, a pumkin mousse/chiffon cake that my son said was the best he has ever tasted. he requested I try to duplicate it for next Thanksgiving. In a word or two: Outstanding, pricey but worth it.
(5)Joseph G.
Wow! I never expected a great meal like this in Pittsburgh. The food was some of the best Italian I have ever had in a restaurant. All the people in our party can't wait to go back. Unfortunately we are all in NY. One warning... The neighborhood is not very nice, so be careful.
(5)A M.
I gotta give my man Jonathan kudos for some recent changes he's implemented. The upstairs now has a menu with smaller lighter items for the bar. I can now finally go here and just grab an app' at the bar without having the customary food coma afterwards after his multicourse feast. He's upgraded the staff and kept the pro's from the past (marney and errol). Steve and Clint are good newer additions as server and bartender. This is only my second 5 star review, probably should deserve 4.5, but wtf it's so obvious he cares and appreciates the business so much. The food is still great, the patio is nice, the hood' location is still scary and fun and the smaller menu items and additional staff are appreciated. I do wish he had more options than just italian wine, but last night we were able to find a great white. The salmon carpaccio last night is the best I've ever had. The mussels with diablo sauce was also excellent. I don't know of any other small restaurant chef in Pittsburgh that takes as much care in the quality of ingredients used (except for Douglas Dick at Bona Terra). In my original post I said it was a bit pricey, but I've decided it's well worth the cost now. I also tried a ceviche here that was out of this world. There's definitely a lot more to have at this italian place than just pasta and red sauce.
(5)Andrew T.
I've reviewed and I'll review again... Best Italian in Pittsburgh by far! You have to experience at least once.
(5)Tracy N.
Rating the overall experience we had here. First off this is family style multi-course meal; every main dish comes with a salad and pasta dish to share. The salad is one of the best salads I remember eating and could easily be enough for an appetizer. The pasta tossed in a vodka sauce was just ok. The homemade pasta is not actually made in house (I asked), but it is 'fresh,' which I'm assuming meant bought from a store on the strip or a market district. We had also ordered the calamari and the meatball appetizer because we were starving and that proved to be way too much food for a family of 5. If you must get an appetizer, I highly recommend the meatball, you will not regret. The veal chop is easily the best thing on the menu and where Alla Famiglia really shines. From all the pasta plates and steaks and seafood dishes that were ordered at our table, the veal chop was by the unanimous favorite at our table. Incredible flavors and tender cuts, but by the time you get to the main course, you're full with the bread, salad, and pasta that comes before you can't really enjoy it fully. Most plates come with a side of their grilled veggies (which again were ok), but some dishes come with nothing so I would make sure to ask if you need a side. So long story short, this is a marathon and don't expect to be done in an hour and a half. Pace so you can really enjoy that veal chop at the end! When you first walk in it seems very small, but there are back rooms and stairs that go up one or two floors. There's also a back patio one floor up from ground floor. It's tight sitting spaces, but very cute and authentically Italian. So now that we established that the ambiance and food are pretty solid, the thing that earned this 3 stars is how we were hosted to our table. We had a reservation at 7:30pm and were 30minutes early, which we recognize is nowhere near to our reservation time so we elected to grab drinks and sit on the patio. When 7:30 comes around we inquire about our table only to be told that there was not a sitting space yet, which would be ok minus the fact that there were multiple tables open that we asked about. 7:45 we asked again and were told that they were setting up a table immediately. 8:10 comes around and we're still not seated so had to ask the hostess again, which apologized and sat us at the table we had asked about 40 minutes ago when our reservation time was. It took 40 minutes to seat us at our table for our reservation time of 7:30 when there were tables open. It was a frustrating experience because everyone was hungry and we weren't even offered bread sitting on their patio... The frustration unfortunately set the mood for the dinner and although our food was great, we didn't really enjoy the time we had here. We really wanted to love Alla Famiglia. Perhaps we'll try one more time and hope our experience is better.
(3)Jason M.
This is the best restaurant in Pittsburgh. The atmosphere is only outdone by the quality of the food. Order the veal chop. Phenomenal experience and the only place I recommend to every person that visits Pittsburgh!
(5)Angela R.
My favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. Always delicious and I always order a different entree. The accompaniments to the meal are perfect. Every. Single. Time. Love this place!
(5)Brian L.
This place is wildly, unabashedly, insanely- two things. 1) Honest. It is honest in its presentation and commitment to the abbreviated menu that it produces. 2) Outstanding. The Chef and his team execute at a very very high level. Protip: I came in on a very slow moment. Early early dinner with some work people. We had the pleasure of talking to the Chef- as we were seated at the table just by the door, in close proximity to the kitchen (you'll get it when you get there). We liked the guy so much we handed the menus back to the server and told him to just bring us whatever the chef suggested. The whole meal was amazing. But I will say this without any qualification. The next sentence is not at all taken lightly. The smoked cheese app with truffle oil, arugula, and lemon was the best first bite of food I have ever had in my life, a life that has had a considerable amount of top contenders for bites. Let that sink in. Go eat here.
(5)David A.
Old school Italian. Enough said. This place sets the standard for great Italian food. The meatballs are a muct have and the pastas are incredible. I had a veal chop with long hots. It just doesn't get any better. And don't miss the tiramisu. As good as it gets.
(5)Farha A.
This spot is the definition of a hidden gem. I lived in Pittsburgh for 5 years and still had not been here or heard of it despite my extreme obsession with Italian food. It was thanks to Yelp we discovered it and what a discovery!!!! Its been a couple months since I ate here so my memory of each course is a little foggy but, suffice it to say, that every single time I now crave Italian food, this restaurant is what comes to mind. I now live in Philly otherwise I would probably end up here every other week (which would hit hard on the wallet since its delicious but pricey). It's a small place with a very romantic/intimate vibe and an authentic feel. The portions were generous and extremely tasted even better re-heated the next day (a rare thing). The one thing I would advise is do not gorge on the bread! This will be very difficult to do as it is delicious, along with the oil it is served with but you will regret it because there will be a lot of food coming afterwards. The waiter warned us but we couldn't resist and barely had room for the delicious courses that followed. This might be one of my all time favorite restaurants and I plan to come here again (most likely for an occasion that warrants the cost).
(5)Sarah N.
Outstanding meal. Will absolutely go back. Restaurant is small with very busy/tight space vibe. Try antipasto appetizer if available when you go. Also, the meatball appetizer is kind of a signature item to this establishment, so absolutely try as well. All entrees comes with salad and pasta, so come ready for a big meal that will be worth every calorie, every bite. We had veal and duck entrees and they really were quite deliciously special. Lots of leftovers came home with us. Area not so shady, so don't let this discourage you. They have Valet as well, which makes parking easy.
(4)Kristen H.
I had been wanting to come here for a very long time. I finally ate here this past Saturday and it was awesome. Now I can't wait to come back! First, I urge you to make a reservation because every single table was filled while we were there, and for good reason--the food is AWESOME. The food is so good you aren't even going to feel guilty about the calories you have consumed--because you will eat A LOT OF THEM. The second thing you need to know is to show up HUNGRY. Don't eat all day. If possible, do what I did and work out earlier in the day, because you will leave this restaurant WELL FED. To quote one of the great artists of our time, Ice Cube, "Life ain't a track meet, its a marathon!" It is a marathon. They're going to bring you out delicious warm bread as soon as you sit down, and supply you with heavenly toppings for it, including the famous Holy Oil that is truly divine. Temperance is a virtue. Don't be like me and commit a sin against your entree by eating it when you are STUFFED, and can't fully enjoy it. because like a fool you couldn't restrain yourself with the bread bc carbs turn you into AN ANIMAL and you didn't pace yourself. You'll get all the bread you can handle. Our waiter John, who was super nice and attentive, suggested we order the meatball appetizer and he was right. Its huge, its literally the size of a softball and comes out wrapped in cheese, in a heavenly marinara sauce, served with love. It was extremely good. Then you get the salad course, which comes in a home made vinagrette which is also delicious. Then comes the pasta course, We had fusilli pasta in vodka sauce which was very good but at this point I was basically full and tapping out. I ended up eating not even 1/4 of my pasta, but then the waiter offered to bag it up for me, so I had lunch for the next day. Your entree comes out after the pasta course, and you're going to be already stuffed at this point. Now, I took my friend here for his birthday. I think they key is to come here when you are not paying, bc my bank account was crying when I saw the entrees start at $40. More on that in a moment. I ordered the filet and it was SPECTACULAR. I mean, amazing. So good I did not share, and after I ate it, I fondly reflected on the time my filet and I spent together. Temporarily in my mouth, forever in my heart. Or on my hips. It was not diet food, it was covered in some sort of heavenly cream cheese sauce that is the stuff dreams are made of. It was a $60 dinner and it tasted like one too. My friend ordered the blackened sea bass and it came out looking like a work of art. Both our dishes were basically food porn. He loved his dinner too and said that his fish came out topped with large chunks of crab and he loved it. We were waayyy too full to even think about dessert. I'm sure the desserts would have been divine but we just could not do it. In fact I ended up taking half my filet home with me. This place is technically expensive, but if you think about it, it's really not that bad. Our bill came to $200 for the two of us, but for what you get, it's really a pretty damn good deal. You get top notch service, the restaurant itself is beautiful, and the food is absolutely incredible. This was probably the best meal I have had in Pittsburgh. Oh--and you get enough food that you get a full meal the next day. I cannot believe that I had not been here before, and I will absolutely be back.
(5)Jennifer G.
If I'm ever in a situation to pick my last meal on earth, it wouild be from Alla Famiglia. My husband took me here for my birthday celebration. We were treated extremely well from the second we walked in the door. They even had a menu printed with a "Happy birthday Jennifer" message on the top! What a nice touch. We were seated in the area near the door with a view of the kitchen. There is also a small room (three tables) on the same floor. The upper floor has a dining area and bar, but they are often booked for private events. When you arrive, there are three accompaniments for your fresh baked bread. The "holy oil" that is an olive oil and banana pepper mix. It lives up to its name because it was divine. There was also a goat cheese spread that had red peppers and olives. I'm a huge goat cheese fan, so I could have eaten this by the spoonful. There was also a bean and cheese mixture with three types of cheese chopped up. It was incredible as well. You may be tempted to fill up on these delictible delights, but don't, becase as good as these items are, it only gets better from there. We were having a hard time deciding whether to get the meatball appetizer or the hand pulled mozzarella. The waitress steered us towards their meatball since it is one of their signature items. It was a wise decision. The meatball is the size of a fist and it was perfect. I don't usually like meatballs or red sauce and I found myself devouring every last bit of both on this plate. The meatball is stuffed and topped with an excellent mozzarella and then drenched with an amazing red sauce with bits of garlic. If you order this, make sure you are sharing because it is huge. The salad course was very tasty. It as a mix of field greens, an olive oil dressing, gorgonzola and other incredibly tasty things. I could have eaten the entire plate of it myself but wanted to save room for the pasta and my entree. The pasta course is a house made spiral pasta in a vodka sauce. It was extremely tasty. So much so that my husband said he would have been happy if that alone had been his main course. It had such incredible fresh taste. For our main courses, I got the veal chop prepared in the milanese style. It was HUGE, pretty much the size of the plate. A nice surprise considering how small portions tend to be at other fancy restaurants in the area. It was served with a lemon butter sauce and had large chunks of crab on top. It was tender and you could cut it with a fork. I savored every bite (and have leftovers to enjoy at home). My husband had the filet and loved his choice as well. A lot of flavors and extremely tender. It was served with a leek cream and I would love to know how they make it because I have leeks at home that I need to use for something. I swore I didn't have room left for even a single bite more, but when I learned that pumpkin gelato was the dessert, I had to try it. It was so smooth, sweet and reminded me of the amazing gelato I had when I was in Italy. A house made limoncello completed my incredibly amazing meal. Yes, it is expensive, but it is worth it! I don't know when we'll be back simply because of how expensive it is, but I do know we'll be back.
(5)Amin A.
Let me say this place is awesome! Heard about it through word of mouth from a friend, and decided to get reservations... And it was such a good dining experience! Grade A+ Italian. Got the meatball appetizer and it was delicious. My girlfriend got the seafood Diablo, my god! It was spicy and delicious... I absolutely loved. I ordered the veal chop! My god it tasted tender buttery and made my tastebuds flourish. The pasta sauce was made perfectly and the salad was tangy and contained a number of mind blasting flavors as well! Service was very good and friendly. Our server was named Daniel. He did a fantastic job. Great place for an anniversary, birthday, or any really quality meal. Love it, will return.
(5)Jenny B.
My husband made us reservations here to celebrate our 5th anniversary and I am confident in saying that it was the best meal I've had in Pittsburgh. The atmosphere is warm and cozy and not stuffy at all, which is not often the case with "fine dining." I appreciated the home-like feeling and the framed Pens jerseys on the wall! I am becoming a Yinzer... The bread and holy oil, chickpea dish, and goat cheese spread that they set the table with was amazingly good, and it only gets better. All their meals come with a salad and a pasta dish with vodka sauce. (I didn't see anything about fettucine in a cheese wheel, so maybe they don't do that anymore--not sure.) I ordered seafood diavolo but could only finish about 1/3 of it, and my husband ordered a steak dish that he (amazingly) polished off. He said it was the best steak he's had since we left Nebraska, so that's a pretty high compliment. Yes, this place is expensive ($50-ish/entree), but you can DEFINITELY get at least two meals from one, and there is an option to share a dinner with a $15 charge for the extra pasta and salad dish, which may be the route I would take in the future since I'm a snacker and would rather have an appetizer as dinner anyway. I think everyone in the 'burgh should try this place at least once, for a special occasion dinner because it's awesome!
(5)McKenzie D.
There was a wonderful staff that I would go for to my surprise the last time I went I was disappointed the wonderful staff he had was gone I was not happy with my last experience and it was not as homey and family oriented as it was before food wasn't that great either! Not happy about the new staff. Also over heard the owner using racial slurs and provocative terms that just made my stomach turn for these reasons I will not be returning!
(1)Antwain C.
Without question the best Italian Food I have devour! Everything they make is simply delicious! I can't really write a 3 paragraph essay when there is one word.... Perfect - you may never own a Bentley! But you can eat as if you own one!
(5)Whitney E.
Pretty good food, I felt so miserably full afterwards. I think the things that come with the meal are far better than the meal itself. I really enjoyed the warm bread and the salad with candied walnuts. Family style pasta was included as well, if I go back again I'd only want those things.
(3)Christine M.
Let me start out by saying that we rarely look to dining out for Italian food. We have found that to find quality Italian worthy of spending $$ outside of our own home has been difficult to find in the Burg. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of Italian restaurants out there, but none we would seek out for a special occasion, so to speak. We have always found the New York/New Jersey establishments more to our liking....until now. Alla Famiglia is nestled in a not so nice of a neighborhood in the Burg called Allentown. Although we were never worried, but I could see how some may feel it is out of place in it's location. There is valet parking, so need to worry about your car while dining. Now once you are inside, you will soon forget where you are. The inside is very small and there are 3 floors where you may be seated for your meal. On this occassion, we were seated on the third floor. Way up, climbing 3 flights of stairs can work up an appetite. Once on the 3rd level however, you can enjoy some of the religious artwork and beautiful stainglass featured throughout the dining area. There were 5 tables of various sizes and the bonus was the private restroom located nearby, so you did not have to manage the steps again until you were finished with your meal. I would also like to mention that we were dining early and although the room was rather private at first, it became QUITE loud as the evening went on and other patrons were being seated. I also think the free flowing wine helped the noise levels as the night progressed. Needless to say, we had difficulty hearing one another towards the end of the meal. There were 5 in our party and our server was very attentive throughout the night to make sure any requests or special customizations were welcomed and met. We started our meal with the complimentary bread, dipping oils, goat cheese spread and cheese medley brought to the table. We all agreed to share the famous 12 oz stuffed meatball which was enjoyed by everyone at the table. In fact, everyone was asking for more of the wonderful sauce to accompany thier bread. Several items are served family style and come with any of the entrees that are ordered. We were then delivered and very tasty salad tossed with a light vinegarette which included olives, nuts and cranberries. Gorgonzola was brought on the side if desired. Then the pasta with vodka sauce made it's arrival. Several mentioned that they would have just ordered this if they knew how delicious it was. And this was just the beginning.... On came the entrees, several veal dishes were ordered, as it is their signature item on the menu. Although there were also many specials offered that night, everyone seemed to gear towards the classics. I ordered the veal marsala, which was delish! It was certainly one of the best I have had. One member of our dining party ordered the special pork chop offered that was huge! Another entree ordered was the filet mignon topped with lump crab meat and gorgonzola cream sauce. It literally melted in your mouth! I decided this would definitely be ordered on my next visit. All the food was cooked perfectly to order and scrumptious! We were all pretty full but decided to share the Burnt almond tiramisu stuffed with raspberry for dessert. It was divine! I swear I heard the angels in the nearby painting sing as we devoured it! As others had mentioned, it is a bit pricey, but for special occassions it is a must do. I felt it was quite worth every penny of our bill which was $306 for the party of 5. (We did BYOB) We have dined at much more expensive establishments and left unimpressed, which was not the case at all here. The only negative was the long walk down the steps through the many other diners after too much wine. It can be challenging! So, watch your step! But do make a visit, you won't be disappointed!
(5)Vince E.
Alla Familgia is to die for. This was described as a MUST have on my trip out East and boy was I glad to stop in as soon as I got off the plane. This is traditional Itaiian at its finest. Hearty sauces, fresh meats, exquisite flavor. To kick things off- amazing oils, a cheese marmalade and HOT bread. The Meatball was excellent. Note I said Meatball, as this is one ball bigger than your fist. Stuffed with cheese, served in an amazing tomato sauce and topped with fresh parmesan. And this was just the appetizer Next up was the Veal scallopini Tarfuto, which is served with onions. But before that arrived, first comes an amazing walnut vinagrette salad then a fresh pasta in vodka sauce. Both to die for. Picture the pain I am in before I even get to the veal. Then comes comes the veal. Succulent and melts in your mouth. No knife needed. It goes without say I did finish a single plate, but what I did not finish served me well as breakfast the next morning! Round 2! If in the area, I would highly recommend stopping by and being transported to a country far far away
(5)John S.
From the appetizer to the meal itself everything was great. Our server Bob was informative and detailed in explaining the menu a great addition to this establishments.
(4)Eftihia B.
Very good Italian. The portions are very large, so do not be tempted by the bread early. My fiancé and I shared two appetizers and an entree. The entree also gives a huge bowl of salad and penne alla vodka. This was so much food, we couldn't even look at the dessert menu. I would absolutely recommend this place, but would suggest pacing yourself.
(4)Abdul M.
Real authentic Italian food. The must try dishes are 1) Meatball appetizer amazing 2) smoked provolone with arugula 3) Mussels in diavolo sauce. The Holy oil served with warm bread is truly holy. Little spicy but oh so flavorful. Excellent service and they will modify any recipe to your liking. If you like Italian food then this is a must!!
(5)Amy B.
Ok. I have been here 6+ times and it's getting complacent on its service and quality of food. We ordered over $700 in food for 8 of our party and it took over 1 hour and 55 minutes to receive our entree's. The timing was horrible, and not worth the wait. Granted, the food is good, but not that good. A fall from grace.
(1)Mia Minyan Z.
Awesome Italian cookery! Very fine food with perfect wine selection. Me and my friend ordered the meatball as the appetizer. For entree we had a meat pasta and a pork shank! The pasta are really thick and nicely stretched and the sauce is yummy as well! The pork is of high quality and braised so appropriately that it still tastes great after getting cold. We also had two desserts: the banana n coconut pie and the tiramisu! Both desserts are served w cream and taste fantastic! The pie has a very banana-ish texture with pieces of coconuts in it. And the house special tiramisu is made from raspberries and almonds instead of espresso or coffee. The two of us usually need one or two boxes for leftovers but the food here is so delicious so we ate them all. I will definitely come here again!
(5)Rachel C.
FACT: Thee best Italian meal I've had in the Burgh, hands down! FACT: I ate so much I thought they would have to wheel me out on a stretcher. FACT: It's a serious hidden gem in a slightly sketchy neighborhood. Need some more info, because I'm comin' atcha with the goods! To start they set the table with "Holy Oil," which is banana pepper olive oil for dipping Italian bread in, a seasoned cecci bean and cheese gustoso and a goat cheese and olive spread. I wish they sold that banana pepper olive oil because I wanted to have it every day of my life! We ordered the famous Meatball appetizer. This meatball is for serious! It's massive and stuffed with mozzarella cheese. Yep, I'm for realz. It was just oozing Italian sexiness, in a ball. As soon as I tasted the red sauce, it tasted like my Grandma's, which sparked fond memories and made me want to actually live in this place. We also ordered the Trifolata, which is assorted mushrooms and currants in marsala cream. It was also incredible. The bad/good of it was that it wasn't really needed because they give you so much food, but it was delicious, so whatever! For the Third course they serve you your choice of pasta either with their famous home made vodka sauce or fettucini. But here's the thing, the fettucini is made in front of you... in a cheese wheel. Yep, I'm for realz again! I know I'm crazy for not ordering it, but I really love me some vodka sauce and was incredibly happy with this amazing homemade sauce. My hubby got the fetticini and loved it. See, we're all happy here! Fourth course is a salad with red vinagariette, roasted red peppers, candied walnuts, golden raisens and gargonzola cheese. It wasn't memorable amongst all the bangin' dishes but not too shabby at all. For the Fifth course (and when I finally tapped out) I ordered the Cioppino with shrimp, mussels, clams, scallops and fish in a saffron and tomato broth with sambuca. It matched all the other dishes. Just incredible. Loved the broth, loved the succulent scallop (just one, but I can't complain, I was stuffed by that point!), the shrimp was jumbo and the fish was perfectly cooked. And the garlic bread was excellent. Whenever anyone says things are expensive, I usually think they're talking $30 a plate. But, this place is legit expensive. Think $50 (ish) a plate. But what I can tell you is it was 100% worth it! We had leftovers for two days! Talk about an Italian hospitality. Which, by the way, the service was exceptional, but I would have expected that here. A perfect special night out, if you don't mind unbuckling a couple notches in front of your dining companion, of course!
(5)Chris D.
Their prices are exorbitant but so worth it. I've only had Italian this good in NY, LA, and Italy. No wonder there are pictures of celebrities all over the walls. What a hidden gem. $260 for two? Money well spent.
(5)Michael P.
One of the best meals that I have had in PIttsburgh. We had the mussels in a slightly spicy red sauce, and their meatball. For both of these appetizers, the sauce was amazing - the best that I have had. So good that I could have happily made a meal out of the sauce and their bread, which was hot and fresh. For our entres, we had the lamb chops and the veal chops, cooked Milanese style. Both dishes were cooked perfectly - the Milanese was pan fried and a bit delicately flavored, but wonderful. The service was very good, and all the staff were working very hard and quick, but were available to answer questions and assist us when needed. I would recommend making reservations well in advance and trying to get one of the tables upstairs - a more quiet and intimate setting, also slightly more comfortable temperature wise for me. The kitchen is downstairs, and is open to the dining room, so I think we got some of the heat. I will definitely go back there someday.
(5)Sarah K.
Worth going for the booze and cheese alone! I have heard so much about this fab place. It's in a rando area in Allentown, but totally worth the trip! I went and drank the blood orange caprahina and it was definitely worth $9. Not only was it delish, but it came in a decently-sized glass too. I also had it with their mozzarella appetizer. I was surprised when it came to the table because it was literally a giant ball of cheese, but I crammed that puppy down real fast. Yum!
(5)Kenny J.
In the Burgh, it's rare that I'm willing to pay for an expensive meal and ever rarer that I think it was worth the money when I do. This place was worth the money. We got the meatball app, pasta Al forna and the veal chop, and paid around $75 per person. Everything was out of this world good, and we still had enough left over for dinner the next night. I guess it's in a weird spot, but I'd probably still go again if it was in the middle of a war zone.
(5)Adam L.
Incredibly authentic Italian cuisine. If your looking for a memorable spot with some of the most delicious actually Italian dishes then look no further than Alla Famiglia. This is a restaurant to celebrate an occasion at such as New Years, Valentines Day, Anniversaries,etc. my girlfriend and I came here for New Year's Eve and we could not have enjoyed it more. To start we had the Alla Famiglia Meatball. I couldn't get over the rich tomato sauce that the meatball was surrounded in and the smoothness of the actual meat. Just delicious, must have. When you order an entree you also get their house salad served in a homemade Italian vinaigrette (light and complimenting to the diverse salad topped with great peppers!) and their Penne Alla Vodka. This pasta dish alone is enough to warrant a visit . I am a alla vodka lover and this is the best I've ever had. It's hard to describe but its not to rich or creamy it's absolutely just right. The pasta itself was so smooth and melted in your mouth with their sauce. For entree my girlfriend had their Ahi Tuna Steak (special). Prepared perfectly and with a great lemon butter sauce. I had their speciality, their double cut Veal Chop. This is something straight out of The Flintstones in its portion but let me tell you it's with every penny. I had the Veal Chop Pizzoaloa style wivh was with hot & sweet peppers, a great tomato sauce covered in provolone cheese. This was such a moist Veal Chop that literally fell off the bone and with the marbling it just melted in your mouth. Everything was spectacular , it's a restaurant you have to visit if your in the area at least once given you are willing to spend for your meal. $$$$ but you absolutely get what you pay for.
(5)