The Spaghetti Warehouse: From Houston, Texas to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania & Beyond

One of Pittsburgh's favorite eateries actually began in Texas when restaurant owner Victor Petta Jr. located an old railroad warehouse lacking of spirit and most certainly nearing its death, and visualized what it could be with a little bit of designer level insight and creativity. He had a vision of embellishing its interior with stained glass, antiques and nostalgia that would eventually be highlighted by a unique dining experience that you will find nowhere else.

Lucky for us Victor was not just daydreaming, and actually made his vision into a reality. In fact his interior designing skills are so outstanding that guests are so awestruck by the restaurants finely detailed creative flare that on their next visit to the Spaghetti Warehouse they come with cell phones, digital cameras and other image recording devices in hand just to take photos of the upscale interior of the Spaghetti Warehouse to have for a keepsake.

Nothing quite makes a statement like the Houston Avenue Port Authority trolley car dating from the mid-20th century dominating the interior of the Spaghetti Warehouse or the elegant hand-carved staircase that came from a castle in England inviting you to give her a climb. Each of the sixteen locations from as far west as Texas to as far north as New York has a trolley car in the dining room and patrons are able to sit in the car.

Period collectibles, statues and advertising signs from the era preceding World War II have been placed just so, making the Spaghetti Warehouse a total conversational piece no matter which location you are currently dining at. The owner left no stone unturned and went all out restoring many of the original structure's wood beams, as well as adding ornate glass doors throughout the interior to magnify the space.

Popularity of the restaurant due to the great food made expansion inevitable, and soon hungry diners in Pittsburgh were able to enjoy the Spaghetti Warehouse when in the mid 80's Victor purchased yet another warehouse in Pennsylvania to further expand his unique restaurant and all that it entails. Blacksmiths and carpenters once dominated the large space that is now home to the Spaghetti Warehouse on Smallman Street in the historical section of Pittsburgh just northeast of the downtown area. The large riverfront neighborhood has an industrial past dating back to 1814, and it is packed full of historical buildings that have been spit shined and spruced up, and was noted by The New York Times as a "go-to destination.

Pittsburgh never had it so good because the Spaghetti Warehouse offers a unique touch to a plate of spaghetti by adding a creamy sauce featuring a trio of fresh mushrooms tossed with artichoke hearts, then topped with a grilled chicken breast and roasted red bell pepper. The featured 15-layer lasagna makes a statement all by itself, and it is a crowd pleaser simply from sight and small alone. The garlic enhanced bruchetta can be found under appetizers and it easily compliments any Italian or seafood dish on the menu.

The prices are reasonable, and there is no need to worry about leaving hungry, because it simply won't happen. The meals are not only deliciously and eloquently prepared, they are also extremely well portioned with large servings to satisfy even the biggest of appetites. From the soup and salad to the delicious appetizers and meals, the Spaghetti Warehouse offers a generous selection of lunch and dinner specials. Most of the lunch entrees and many of the dinner favorites are under ten dollars. The Sicilian Sampler is the perfect choice for true Italian lovers, and their garlic butter could easily be labeled as the "Food of the Gods"!

Spaghetti Warehouse

Pittsburgh Location: 2601 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Phone: 412-261-6511

The Spaghetti Warehouse currently has 16 locations spanning from New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio to Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Texas.

Sources:

http://www.meatballs.com/

http://www.examiner.com/comfort-food-restaurant-in-pittsburgh/the-spaghetti-warehouse-sw-pennsylvania-pittsburgh-never-had-it-so-good

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaghetti_Warehouse

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/36719/where_italian_lovers_should_eat_in.html?cat=16