Cafe Il Valetto 4626 Forbes Ave. 412-621-3550 $$$ Panther Funds? No

Il Valetto… Cafe Il Valetto 4626 Forbes Ave. 412-621-3550 $$$ Panther Funds? No

Il Valetto offers small, intimate Italian dining, with a very personal atmosphere. Its exterior may look a little rugged, but combine that with a cozy interior and the restaurant takes on the feel of a neighborhood street cafe.

There is a wide variety of Italian cuisine available, including the traditional Italian meals as well as several seafood recipes. There are also daily specials that are not featured on the menu. Il Valetto is not only known for its quality food but also for its small, friendly atmosphere. It is located on Forbes Avenue just across from the Forbes-Craig Apartments.

Joe Mama’s 3716 Forbes Ave. 412-621-7282 $$ Panther Funds? Yes

Joe Mama’s Italian Deluxe features home-style Italian cooking with a retro look. Guests are treated to the atmosphere of a classic diner complete with the neon signs along the restaurant’s exterior.

The food consists of the traditional Italian meals, including a shrimp and linguini recipe with 100 proof vodka sauce.

One reason the restaurant is well known is, obviously, for its interesting name. The website, joemamas.com, even provides a detailed biography of Joseph Michael Mama.

Space for banquets and parties is also available upon request. Panther Funds are accepted and students can order meals for take-out, which is convenient considering its proximity to the Towers.

Lucca 317 S. Craig St. 412-682-3310 $$$ Panther Funds? No

Lucca does not feature the traditional Italian food; instead they serve northern Italian cuisine. This northern style food includes cauliflower vichyssoise, penne “fra diavolo” (spicy red sauce with seafood) and fettuccine with yellow squash.

The restaurant achieves a quaint vibe while retaining a fancy look, and the fine dining setting and subtle lighting gives Lucca a luxurious romantic atmosphere, which makes this a great place to take a date. Many of the restaurant’s loyal customers consider it one of the city’s best kept secrets. Lucca is located on South Craig Street across the street from the Forbes-Craig apartments.

Pizza Pronto 4611 Center Ave. 412-621-7700 $$ Panther Funds: No

Pizza Pronto is not just the typical Pizzeria; it is a full scale Italian and American restaurant. The menu features many types of pasta, unlimited combinations of pizzas and calzones, several types of burgers, wings, wraps, salads, and much more.

Their menu is rather expensive for the poor college kid’s budget, it’s quality cuisine nonetheless. They also deliver from their Centre Avenue location between Craig Street and Melwood Avenue. Keep in mind, Pronto only delivers until 12:20 a.m. on the weekends, so anybody wanting Italian food delivered to their dorms in the wee hours of the morning will have to settle for pizza from somewhere else.

Zarra’s 3887 Bigelow Blvd. 412-682-8296 $$$ Panther Funds: No

Zarra’s is a family-run restaurant that features classic Italian meals, many of which are made from scratch based on family recipes brought overseas by the Zarra family’s grandparents. The staff personally shops and selects all fresh produce, meat and fish daily, and their bread is delivered fresh daily from a local Italian bakery.

There are three dining areas in the restaurant: a bar area, an outdoor terrace that overlooks Oakland and Shadyside and an indoor dining room that was designed to look like grandma’s dining room. The dining room is decorated with extensive antiques and each table and chair is different from the next, and no two tablecloths are alike, either.

Zarra’s offers a very personal and friendly ambiance.