Zarra's A Taste-Southern Italy

11/12/11

Worst food on earth!!!

by Dave Morinello at Citysearch

This food is aweful. Chef Boyardee does it better. The stuff has to come from a can. Nothing is fresh or good at all. We asked about wine and the two servers couldnt tell us what kind of wine they had by the glass. We had 2 glasses and although they were supposed to be the same they were not. When they asked us how the food was we were honest and told them it wasnt good. They (the whole staff) began to verbally assault my wife. They were way out of line and very unprofessional. I have traveled many places and have never been as disappointed with food as I was at Zarra's. If you like bland food, poor service and a dirty table -this is your place. They had their young children yelling at us as well. I know its hard to imagine this but man it was BAD.The past reviews have to be from family or staff. There was a total of 10 customers in the whole place on a Saturday night at dinner time and we werent the only one complaining. I would eat scraps out of an Olive Garden dumpster before going back to this place. I wouldnt even give this place a star but it required to post this review.

04/20/11

Great

by HailPitt at Citysearch

Great homemade food and sauces. Its heavy, so bring an appetite. The owners were extremely cool and total characters. I love the atmosphere too. Its a tad overpriced and they hit you for alot of charges, but the food is great. Nice tucked away spot..

08/16/10

Awesome food, atmosphere and people!

by kellyag at Citysearch

Zarra's restaurant is the absolute best Italian restaurant I have ever eaten at. Everything is homemade and simply amazing. Not only is the food delicious, but the atmosphere is great! On warm nights you can enjoy your meal out on the patio next to the fire! The Zarra family and staff are all very nice and genuinely care about your dining experience. I will definitely be stopping by Zarra's on my future visits to Pittsburgh!

05/24/10

Best Italian in Pittsburgh

by Kmwall72 at Citysearch

We first ate at Zarra's about 5 years ago, and we were immediately impressed by the food. My husband is Italian and his mother is an incredible cook, so we have high standards when it comes to Italian food. I had the Cavatelli con Polo Primavera di Judith and it was fantastic. That dish remains one of my favorites followed by the Linguine di Contosta with the spicy "palmieri" tomato sauce. I love red sauce, and can't believe how many different types of red sauce they make here, each more flavorful than the next. My husband has worked his way through most of the menu, and his favorites include the Polenta Calabrese, Pasta e Fagoli and Cavatelli e Verdure di Rena. There are so many good dishes it's hard to pick a few to recommend! We may have started to go there because of the food but we remain loyal customers because of the people. Each time you dine at the restaurant it is as if you are being welcomed into the home of the Zarra family, and it's a place you don't want to leave anytime soon. Johnny, Judy, Donny and Jamie, as well as their entire staff make you feel welcomed and it's truly the best place to relax after a long work week (or work day!). We grew to love Zarra’s so much, we even had our rehearsal dinner there, and our family is still talking about that night. We feel like Zarra’s is one of the best kept secrets in the city, and want everyone to know what a phenomenal restaurant they are missing!

• Pros: Food quality and selection, outdoor patio, friendly staff

04/17/07

Best Food! Better Atmosphere

by jewboy72 at Citysearch

I remember playing here with my punk band back in the day. Stage diving, skanking and seeing the worlds best punk rock acts grace the Electric Bananna stage. Now Judy is cookin and the place has revitalized itself into my favorite restaurant. The sauces here are incredible, and the home made sausage is great.

Johnny and Donny are characters and really nice guys. My only draw back ins that its really expensive..

I love their food though!!!

• Pros: The Food Rocks!!!!!!
• Cons: Price..