Kentucky pasta lovers, this place is for you! One old-school Italian restaurant was recently named the best in the state. Have you eaten there before?
If I have one food weakness, it’s Italian food. It’s no lie when I tell you that I could eat it every day…if my better half would allow me. Spaghetti, lasagna, ziti, alfredo, chicken parmesan, the list goes on and on. As a child, I was always told that I would turn into pasta one day because I ate it so much. I’m still waiting for that to happen. Nevertheless, it’s safe to say that if pasta is the topic of conversation, I am 100% on board with it. I could talk all day about the deliciousness of carbs and sauce. That’s why I was immediately intrigued when I saw a website sharing the best old-school Italian restaurant in each state. I had to know more…mainly so that I could go there.
The Best Old-School Italian Restaurant in Kentucky
There’s a brand new ranking of the best old-school Italian spots in America by Cheapism. Intriguingly enough, Kentucky’s best old-school Italian restaurant isn’t found in Lexington or Louisville. In fact, if you want to find the best Italian dishes in Kentucky, you can take a little trip to Newport. That’s where you will find Popilio’s.
This place has been in business for nearly 100 years now, and it has a pretty interesting history. According to Cheapisim:
Newport Trolleys bound for Cincinnati used to clack by the doorway of Pompilio’s when it opened in 1933, and its storied history continues: Everyone from gangsters to Marilyn Monroe is said to have eaten here. The restaurant was even the location of a famous scene in “Rain Man.” Fortunately, the food is still up to snuff — the cannoli in particular, fans say.
(WARNING: This scene does feature language NSFW)
Pompilio’s has a pretty awesome menu, on top of its history. This place looks like an Italian food lover’s dream. Check out that menu here.
I’ll definitely be adding this to my Italian Restaurant Bucket List! You can check out which Italian restaurants were named the best in their respective state by clicking here.
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