A brief history of our opening is included in the opening

paragraphs of "Take the Gun, Leave the Cannoli" on the

"Attenzione! A Culinary Journal" page.

 

Pasqualino's Italian Restaurant was founded in 1971 by the Pasqualino family as Pizza Palace. We started in a tiny storeroom around the corner from our current location, where we moved to in 1986. Though still affectionately referred to as Pizza Palace by many of our customers, the name change reflects the pride we have in the evolution of our menu to include many of our traditional Southern Italian family dishes perfected in our family kitchen over many decades and generations. Our Pasta Sauce is made in our own kitchen, not factory-made, from a recipe created by my mother, Maria Pasqualino, shortly after immigrating to Pittsburgh in 1951. Our signature item on our menu, Stuffed Shells, is also my mother's recipe. Each week we hand-stuff thousands of shells, still following her recipe of perfectly blended cheeses.

 

Our commitment to healthy, ingredient sourcing is rooted in our family's  farming heritage in Southern Italy, where growing and cooking clean, simple foods was a way of life. We begin our day before dawn, seven days a week to hand-make almost everything on our menu. Whatever we don't make ourselves is made for us using our recipes, or is chosen with the same attention to detail we have proudly used for over 50 years. Our pastas are either handmade or imported from Italy.  Our butcher is a third-generation, family-owned business, USDA inspected, who pride themselves on the quality of their beef sold to the finest restaurants in the city. Our olive oil is sourced from a family-owned California oilery that exceeds the quality of olive oil shipped to the United States. Recognized by the Extra Virgin Olive Oil World Rankings (EVOOWR) as the #1 EVOO in the United States, they have redefined the olive oil business in the world. Our chicken is Humane Certified,

all- natural, antibiotic free, steroid free, cage free, all vegetarian diet, locally sourced from small, family farms. Our passion for serving "clean" food includes serving locally-roasted, fair trade organic coffee.

 

The decor of Pasqualino's is inviting, reminiscent of the Italian home kitchen, where meals for family and guests are not only prepared, but also served. Pasqualino's maintains a mutually respectful working relationship with the Allegheny County Health Department to operate one of the cleanest restaurants in Pennsylvania. We are proud of our attention to detail in cleanliness and food safety.

 

Experience Pasqualino's fresh, house-made difference. We invite your family to join ours, to dine in our restaurant or for take away orders to your home or office. Let Pasqualino's do the cooking for your next event - Catering and Party Trays are available.

                                                                                           Francesco Pasqualino