So we ended up here because of Kenny Picket...NFL QB and former U Pitt QB. He grew up in our home town and I asked him where to go for great Italian food in Pittsburgh...without hesitation he said Sarafino's. He was 100% spot on! We loved this place. The staff were all so friendly. This place has that old school Italian joint feel! Pizza was really good and the sauce on it was so good! Rita's was their version of Penne Vodka and it was so good too! Great balance of cream, vodka, and sauce. I ordered veal parm special and it was so good (huge portion)! This will 100% be on the list of must visits when our daughter comes to college here starting in 27-28! Kenny nailed it and my whole family agrees! A must visit if ur in the Pittsburgh area! read more

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We drove an hour to try this restaurant after calling the day before and being told that arriving between 5:15-5:30 p.m. would "most likely be fine," as they don't get busy until 6. We arrived at 5:30 and were quoted a 45-minute wait (possibly less). We stood outside for over an hour. During that time, we watched multiple parties who arrived after us get seated ahead of us--including a two-top seated immediately after we were told we were "next." When we questioned it, staff were defensive and claimed some guests "live nearby," put their names in earlier, and leave to wait for a text. That was never explained on the phone or upon arrival. From what we directly observed, the seating process did not appear first-come, first-served. It appeared selective. Transparency matters, and so does basic courtesy when guests ask legitimate questions. Ten minutes after we finally left--after waiting over an hour--we were told our table was ready. By then, the issue was no longer the wait, but the clear lack of organization and professionalism. We will not be returning. read more

We had dinner here as a group of four on a Thursday. They don't take reservations and we had to wait about 45 minutes to get a table, but it seemed like they were pretty understaffed. Our server was running around taking care of tables inside and outside. Definitely not the place to go if you're in a hurry! The food itself was delicious. We loved the Rita pasta and I could have had 6 more servings of tiramisu. My fave was the chicken parm! read more

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Food is an absolute 4-5. Can't complain about the food. The waitlist is absolutely bullish!t. The place is small. So seating is a premium. They have a tendency to pass over parties of 2 for a larger party. Also they will pass you over if a friend walks in. When questioned why they jumped the line. It was complete gaslighting. Good food but poor table management. It's hard to visit a location often when they don't know how to manage a waitlist. read more

Amazing! A classic old-school Italian restaurant with delicious food. The fresh warm bread and dipping oil, pizza, greens and beans, steak, and pasta are all excellent. It's not a huge place and they don't take reservations so you have to plan ahead and be flexible, but it's worth it. You also can't beat the price and it's BYOB. Highly recommend! read more

Sarafino's Pasta and Pizza - Greens and Beans - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Let me start by saying the food was amazing and the service was friendly. That said I will warn you that great food may come with a decent wait. When we arrived, I put my number in and was told that it would be approximately 30 minutes for a table for two. It was a Saturday night so I already expected there to be some delay or wait time; however, it ended up being an hour and 15 minute wait. I personally did not have a huge issue with this because the restaurant is small and you can't rush other guests to eat fast because then their experience is not good. If you hang out for the weight, you will not be disappointed. The portions are huge. The seasonings are amazing and as busy and hectic as the restaurant was, the staff still stayed friendly and upbeat, and that is hard to find in today's restaurant world. I got the bruschetta app and Sarafino's entree. My appetizer was basically a side salad and bruschetta which the enchilada is amazing. Whoever makes their dressing chefs kiss. The Sarafino's entrée is a red pepper sauce with chicken, sautéed mushrooms, and linguine. I had enough for two meals the mushrooms I could've had just a side of them. It is BYOB so be prepared. They do have a corkscrew on site so you do not have to get a twist top wine bottle but do you remember to take your own wine! Luckily for me, we did have the wait time because I forgot and had to run to get a bottle of wine! Seriously, Fridays and Saturdays, may have a wait, but you will not be disappointed if you go! That I promise you (and maybe take an extra bottle for the wait)! read more

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I found this restaurant and was happy I did , the food is great. The only problem is I have the same waitress every time and she's just rude. She's one of those people that doesn't understand she's not the reason people are there. They come in spite of her. She actually said to us. " if you are using a card you should tell your waitress first" WHY? I assume she must be a relative because I can't see how a business would keep her otherwise. read more

I have not been to Sarafino's in over a year and I am not sure why. We loved everything we had! We were there on a super hot Friday, and the only downside was that we had to sit outside. There was a very long wait for the inside, and getting there at 7:00, we wanted to eat dinner. We loved the bread and dipping oil. But my dinner was the best chicken parmigiana I have ever had. It was gigantic...enough to bring home and share with my husband the next day for lunch. He had clams with pasta, and he said it was the best he has ever had too! My parents had spaghetti bolognese and the crab cakes and enjoyed both! We can't wait to go back...and get the same exact things! read more

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Had another GREAT Experience at the most delicious spot in Crafton! The food was on point as always with the best service team of Lori, Tonya and Pam! These three always make the difference! This restaurant is one that I wish I could keep secret, However when Pat McAfee dropped them a shoutout on College Game Day last year I have pretty much realized the cat was outta the bag. This place is homey and comfortable like you are sitting at your Nonna's kitchen table with a great touch of Pittsburgh and Crafton tradition. You will feel the history and tradition of Western Pennsylvania with every bite. read more

Although the food and service here are both excellent, it pains me to have to drop them from a 5 star to a 3 star. That's because my gnocchi with red pepper sauce and sausage came out on a severely chipped dish. It is actually a violation of the Food Safety Act because pathogens can be harbored in the part of the plate that is no longer glazed. If I'd been a health inspector, they would have been in big trouble I'm sure. See this below: 55 Pa. Code § 5320.91 - Food service h) Utensils used to prepare and serve food and beverages shall be free from chips and cracks The server was very nice. I told her to throw it away and don't bother to wash it. She said she'd tell the owner but that he was "old School" and may not listen. Everyone loved their food, including me. The linguine with clam sauce and the butternut raviolis were delicious according to my friends. Just be cautious and keep an eye out for those chipped plates. read more

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I have only eaten here once before, but today (02/12/26) I was in the neighborhood and thought I would bring lunch back to work. I ordered the crab cake salad and once I brought it to work, I noticed I was not given any utensils. Okay, I had some in my desk. After eating some of it, I noticed a piece of plastic in the salad. When I contacted them, the woman who answered the phone was the woman who waited on me. When I told her what happened, she said, "sorry about that". I replied, "you're not going to try to make reparations?" She said "no and as I recall you weren't very happy about the price". I said, "I was surprised that it was $43, but I still paid it". Seriously, I did not make a fuss and even if I did, what does that have to do with plastic in my food? She said, "well, you're okay and there's no way he's going to give you your money back". So that's how much Sarafino's is concerned about the quality of their food and how concerned they are about their customers. Zero stars from me. read more

Sarafino's Pasta and Pizza - Crabcake salad with portabella mushroom and PLASTIC - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Went here for lunch with a coworker / friend and it was such a classic, old school Italian vibe, which I loved. Good service - very attentive and welcoming. They "prefer" cash they tell you but they do accept card (just an fyi!). The food was good and reminded me of traditional classic Italian food, the only thing I would say negatively is there really was not as much flavor on anything as I'd like. We had two house salads to start and the dressing was not overly flavorful. Then we ordered meatballs and the sauce was fine but nothing outstanding. The beans and greens were solid, but again, lacking in flavor - good and filling, large portions, just not overwhelming with flavor. My favorite was definitely the sarafino pasta which I tried a few bites of and the sauce was def the best of all the food we had. Just be prepared to salt and pepper or maybe just even ask for extra sauce on the side and see if it has more flavor when it's separate. read more

Sarafino's Pasta and Pizza - Beans and Greens with sausage - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Great food and service. Nice portions Crab cakes and veal were out of this world. This is a find! read more

Happenstance sometimes creates the greatest experience. We weren't planning on having dinner here. In fact, I'd never even heard of it before. On the way home from watching the Pitt game with some friends we happened by this place. Finding ourselves a bit hungry and seeing the many people mulling about, we figured it must be good. Very glad we stopped. The restaurant is quaint and the people were very friendly. There are only 10 tables, maybe? It kind of felt like we were invited over for supper instead of being at a restaurant. The specials were a choice of veal or chicken parmigiana, I had the veal. My wife had the chicken. They were huge servings, and both fantastic!! It's a BYOB place so next time we'll come prepared, but we will be back! read more

I always love an Italian restaurant, but a BYOB makes it even better! If you don't want to pay a corkage fee, bring a screw top bottle or open it before you enter (wish I had known that). The inside is fairly small, but it has a really nice homey feel. The A/C wasn't working well when we were there and we were uncomfortably warm. The menu is perfect for me as too many choices make me over think things. There were also numerous specials which all sounded good. Our server was super friendly and helpful. She brought warm bread with a dipping sauce which we enjoyed while waiting for our appetizers. I shared an Arancini ball with family, which was a special. It was huge! It was not my favorite as it didn't have the right consistency that I am used to with smaller sized ones. For my entree, I chose a rotini pasta with a bolognese sauce. Good arrived quickly and it was piping hot which I love. The flavor of mine was very good, but was it really bolognese when it had very little protein. The pasta was cooked well. We had a nice experience and I would return and try something different. read more

Sarafino's Pasta and Pizza - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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My wife and I weren't really that hungry after the evening appetizers at our hotel. We still kind of needed dinner. So, a quick search on Yelp told me to go to Sarafino's. It takes a car to get here as it is located in the hills of Pittsburgh. Without my phone's GPS, I don't think I would've ever found this place. They looked a nice and inviting place as I arrived. I had already ordered takeout before arriving. After paying, I got my food and was able to quickly drive back to the hotel. The linguine with clams that I ordered was more than enough for my wife and I. It had a nice clammy and garlicky flavor. It had the most clams that I've seen in a long while. It was good. I think the only thing that would've made it better was if we decided to eat there. Sarafino's did look like a great and happening spot. read more

Sarafino's Pasta and Pizza - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

We had to wait, as we had a party of 13 and they really don't take reservations. Fast and fun service by Pam and Alexis. Everyone loved what they ordered, but some highlights were the greens and beans, polenta, veal Parm, and Arancini. Oh and the bread. The bonus was that dinner came with a show, as several people/prospective customers came in and gave the staff a super aggressive time about the wait. The staff and owner don't take kindly to that. Many folks seated at their tables joined in , ala Jerry Springer. Seriously, management should consider a 90 minute limit on tables during busy times. Once seated, service and food were fast. As our party waited in the Circle Bar next door, we'd have to send a scout over for table status. it was frustrating to watch as 1 table opened only to have to wait on the other 2 tables as guests were clearly done and lingering. Serafino's is small and there is no real place to wait without invading someone else's space. BYOB is a bonus, too. After the wait, the food (and entertainment) was worth it. Great evening, thank you, Serafino! read more

It's been pre-pandemic since I've been here and left with a positive experience. Server was friendly and had about 4 daily specials (no prices told unless I asked). Ordered the seared steak panini which came with a house salad for a reasonable price. The steak was cooked nicely and the bread had a great buttery crunch. It came with "sarafino's sauce" though which was essentially house Italian. I asked for ranch and they didn't have it. Ended up getting a side of Mayo as the Italian didn't totally gel for my preference...otherwise a great sandwich. read more

Sarafino's Pasta and Pizza - Steak panini - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Sarafino's is a hidden gem of Pittsburgh! We went during the week of Thanksgiving and it was busy! We waited for over an hour for our table because they wrote my phone number down wrong, but that's okay. We also waited another 10-15 min after being seated for someone to come to our table a there were 2 servers and they have like 10 total tables. Regardless, I've been here before so I knew what to expect! this is a real homestyle Italian place. Large, delicious potions. BYOB. We got the Spring Diavola and the Sarafino's pasta dishes. Cozy, no frills, homey vibes. read more

Sarafino's Pasta and Pizza - Sarafino's - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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The food was amazing. I cannot recommend it more. The bread and olive oil to start and the pumpkin ravioli was perfect. They were very very busy. We went on a Saturday night and waited almost two hours (food was worth it though). I think they could benefit from updating their system, lots of people in and out asking when their name would be called. Lots of tables and the place is small, but again, food was well worth it. And it was byob which was fun! Everyone in there had great attitudes, even though they were busy. Parking was ok, street parking. The block over had some open spaces and they do have a small lot. read more

Sarafino's Pasta and Pizza - Chicken parm - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Always a good experience. The food is delicious - Beans & Greens are the best in Pittsburgh.

Pizza was delivered so burnt. Prices were higher than quoted.they should think about servicing the area with good service and good pricing on their food. read more

We have been long time customers of Sarafino's. We normally have top level entrees, but tonight both me and my wife had penne pasta each with different sauces. The pasta was overcooked, which is unforgivable. We gently passed this along to the server when she asked about our dinner. I had to throw away my leftovers. Never before did I need to request my pasta "al dente", but if we do patronize again, I guess I will need to do so. One thing we have noticed. If the owner is not cooking in the kitchen (he was there tonight but not working in the kitchen), the food level is average. Tonight it was below average. When the owner cooks, everything is outstanding. Better quality control could easily catch these faux pas. read more

Excellent food and friendly service. I believe they have the BEST Greens & Beans in the city! BYOB and a very comfortable old school setting. LOVE this place! Just be sure that you're prepared for a wait for table on most nights. If you have a larger group, definitely call ahead. read more

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Red clam sauce and meatballs were incredible. Appetizer awesome. Service was perfect, cant beat Sarafinos

Sarafino's Italian Restaurant delivers authentic Italian cuisine in a warm, inviting setting. From perfectly cooked pasta to flavorful sauces, every dish feels thoughtfully prepared. Consistently good food and excellent service make it a place worth returning to. read more

Amazing! Great service & food. I haven't patronized in years & still excellent food just like I remembered. The sausage, beans & greens was definitely my favorite dish (appetizer). My mother used to make this dish for me all the time, but I never had it with sliced banana peppers. Bravo. We also tried the special which was homemade cavatelli which was superb!! Also, we sampled the Pasquale pasta (penne) which was equally as good. That dish had me at "pine nuts". My boyfriend had the pizza (sausage) which was the best he's had in a while (his words). Our server was amazing, courteous & fast. She was busy but never missed a beat. Excellent service we received. It was a treat. We arrived early for dinner & in about an hours time the restaurant was packed. I can understand why. We cant wait to return. Thank you sarafinos. read more

Went there and been "there" before and good food, but a family member got very sick with vomiting after ordering a meat dish...; Had to go to the bathroom room facilities and very dirty conditions leading to a dark, dingy facility. Tried to contact someone, but no replies.. Very disappointed..; wine cork charge is $10.00 to remove a cork with the wine brought..; This "time" very disappointed.. read more

We were traveling from the West Coast and wanted a neighborhood restaurant experience in Pittsburgh and this place hit it out of the park. If you're looking for a quiet, romantic Italian restaurant, this is not your place. If you're looking for an authentic Italian restaurant with a fun and active vibe, that fits the bill. Very good and attentive service. Every course that we had was off the charts from the bruschetta to the house salad and finally our entrées. Bring your own wine to this place because they do not serve alcohol and enjoy the experience. Highly recommend! read more

As soon as I walked in I knew I was in a special place. The pictures on the wall of the owners and family, the paper on the tables - the overall vibes were impeccable. The food was absolutely phenomenal from the beans and greens to the pasta bolognese to the almond cream cake. Our servers were two very bubbly, kind ladies who served us and chatted with us the whole night! I wish I remembered their names, but whoever they are, I love them! If you're in the mood for a good homemade meal with incredible atmosphere, then Sarafino's is the place for you! read more

We were looking for someplace different to try between Carnegie and downtown and Sarafino's came up in my search results. I need to note we arrived around 4:45 so that definitely made a difference in our experience. We were seated immediately and there were still two or three other tables. By 5:15 or so they were telling people anything from 20 minutes to one hour plus wait times. They don't take reservations, so either go early or expect a lengthy wait. Some things to note. Their parking lot is tiny but there is street parking around. The bathroom is upstairs so if you visit with someone with mobility issues it could be a problem. They also don't have a kids menu or half portions, so if you have kids or people with small appetites, expect to need boxes. We ordered soups, beans and greens and three different types of pasta. They were willing to split the order of gnocchi into two different plates right out of the kitchen which was helpful. The soups were delicious. I like that it was traditional pasta fagioli, not the Olive Garden variety. It was simple but packed with flavor. A little bit of a kick to it. My kids and husband had the wedding soup and all enjoyed it. It had plenty of "stuff" and just the right amount of broth. With the soups we had the basket of warm bread which was served with an oil with tomato and other flavoring. The beans and greens were my favorite part of the meal. The portion is huge and could be an entree. It was delicious. I do wish the sausage had more flavor. My kids split an order of gnocchi with the Pomodoro sauce and added a meatball. I had cappellini with the garlic/olive oil sauce and my husband had the Rita's pasta. Again, portions were large and tasty. Our servers were attentive and very friendly (especially of kid mishaps like spilling a drink). They were quick with drink refills and offered great suggestions when asked. Overall a great dining experience and someplace we'll go back to when we're in the area. Overall we read more

Sarafino's Pasta and Pizza - Pasta fagioli - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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A cozy and charming Italian eatery located in Crafton, Sarafino's was a little bit out of my way but I'm glad I had the chance to try it. It's a pretty small menu that's only one page but they did it well. We went on a Monday at 6:30 and were able to be seated right away at the table closest to the door. That was the only free table at the time so keep that in mind when deciding what time to stop by. The place is fairly small with not that many tables and only one table looked like it could seat around eight people so not the best place for large groups. Overall, a good experience and I would come back if I was in the area. read more

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Homestyle, old-fashion Italian- American restaurant, located in Crafton.  They are BYOB and do not offer reservations.  They have indoor and outdoor seating available.  There is pretty much always a wait. Super small vestibule area to stand in, they ask for your name, phone number and how many and ask that you wait outside, in your car or the bar across the street. Open for weekday lunch, and dinner Monday through Saturday.  Friendly staff serving amazing food.  Great portion sizes and fair pricing.  Everything we had was absolutely delicious.  For an antipasto, tried the bruschetta and it was delicious, four crostini's paired with tomatoes, peppers, garlic and lettuce. For the mains, we got the Sarafino's which is grilled chicken, sautéed field mushrooms and garlic, tossed with roasted red pepper sauce, herb butter, parmigiano cheese with fettuccine pasta. Then got one of their daily specials- the Chicken Parmesan which was a huge piece of chicken, covered in mozzarella on top of a bed of delicious pasta and red sauce. We did have to ask for bread and then it came without oil, they were busy, but that was a tad disappointing considering the tables around us all had theirs. read more

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Visited Serafino's for the first time the other night. We had to wait about 45 minutes to get a table, as it is first come first serve and they were completely packed on a Tuesday around 7pm. We ordered the arancini special, the antipasto salad, and I ordered the Rita's pasta. The salad and pasta were the stars of the meal. The dressing on the salad perfectly compliments the ingredients and it was a huge salad that did not skimp out on the antipasto. The pasta was very creamy and had good flavor. I would recommend this restaurant but you may want to call ahead to see if there is a wait time. read more

Sarafino's Pasta and Pizza - Rita's (creamy vodka pasta with pancetta) - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Sarafino's has recently reopened for lunch which is a great option if you live or work nearby. The menu remains the same, however, the 10 inch pizza has been removed from the menu. They offer daily lunch and dinner specials on the chalkboard. The place is very small but the service is outstanding. I decided to still order a pizza and take some home for leftovers. Along with that I wanted to try their wedding soup. The wedding soup was served fresh and piping hot. You can taste the homemade goodness in it. You are also served with your meal warm bread along with dipping sauce. My pizza had mushroom and green peppers on it. Toppings are extra but to be expected. It is a generous 8 cut pizza and can easily go a long way. One of the men checked on me to see how I was enjoying my meal and I told how happy I was with it but missed the smaller version of the pizza. He explained that due to heavy crowd volume and Co-Vid they stopped making the small pizza. The crust was thin so I was able to eat more. Again it tasted fresh and everything was delicious! My waitress prepared my take home box for leftovers and I headed out. Sarafino's is Crafton's "hidden gem" of an Italian restaurant. Since it is small it will get crowded. Lunch is a better option if you don't wish to wait. Located on E Crafton Ave there is free street parking in the area. read more

Sarafino's Pasta and Pizza - Wedding soup - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Food was good, ambience below average, cleanliness terrible. Service was average. There are too many very good Italian restaurants, that are hungry for your business. This restaurant caters to the locals. read more

We went to Sarafino's for my 40th birthday yesterday because I watched a TikTok from Ana Eats Pgh & the food looked incredible! All I have to say is the food was better than I even imagined. The restaurant is very small & doesn't take reservations, but they were able to accommodate our group of 12. The servers were so kind and made the evening special! The crusty Italian bread and dipping oil is perfect! We ordered the greens & beans & Margherita pizza as starters and both were delicious! My friends tried several selections that they all enjoyed - Sarafino's pasta, chicken and veal parm, etc. I had the crab cakes - a recommendation from the server and it was a 10/10! This unassuming restaurant is one of the best in the Pittsburgh area! I recommend 1000% read more

Sarafino's Pasta and Pizza - Crab Cakes - Italian Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Fun visit with large family group. Seating is limited inside and out. Food was wonderful and the bread seems endless. There appeared to be just one server who was hustling. This isn't fast food, prepare to enjoy a dining experience. Plentiful portions. Parking might be a challenge but we were able to find it without too much trouble. Restroom is upstairs and navigation in the small dining area May be a challenge for those with mobility issues. read more

Really good food. Large portions Byob. Gets busy. Enjoy Pam as our server. Highly recommended. read more

They don't take reservations so when we got there it was a short wait, but it was definitely worth it. The food was delicious. My wife and I shared a fried risotto ball, she had pasta and I had a steak salad. We both really liked our choices. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive despite how busy it was. It is a bit small inside so on a busy night I can see it getting very crowded and tight, but overall we really enjoyed our dinner and will be making a trip back! read more