Scarsella's Restaurant - Youngstown / The Best Sauce in Town

Scarsella’s has nothing if it doesn’t have staying power. I first visited it in its nondescript location in the Uptown years and years ago. The sauce was primo. Service was ify. The ambience was non-existent. And we kept going for the sauce.

When things got too bad in the Uptown, they moved south down Market Street to what looks to be a former Long John’s Silvers restaurant, and converted it to an Italian restaurant as best they could given the nautical theme. Now the sauce is primo. Service is ify. The ambience is non-existent. And we keep going for the sauce. The more things change….

Of course when dealing with homestyle Italian cooking in Youngstown, the only thing that counts is the sauce. There is nothing outstanding about Scarsella's, which is what makes it so good.  In fact, it is the best I have had out anywhere. Just a fresh tomato taste not overpowered by anything! The meatballs are the same way. It is about the only place in town where I will actually eat the meatballs. I have never walked away from Scarsella’s with any kind of after taste in my mouth, saying you could really taste the garlic or the oregano or the basil. Things are balanced.

But let’s be honest. This is not fine dining. It is a family run establishment that doesn’t have a liquor license. Plastic checkered table cloths are the de rigueur along with a few pictures of Italy hanging on the wall. The building itself can use a redo. And the service leaves a lot to be desired. They tend to bring the plates of food out one at a time…and if they are busy…prepare to sit a spell.

That being said, you get great greens and fried cheese and homemades and really good chicken parmesan. And when you dive into that plate of homemade spaghetti, you tend to forget that the overall presentation of the place leaves something to be desired. That is a testament to how good the sauce is!! These folks know how to do down home Italian cooking.  (Scarsella's sells both commercial and homemade spaghetti.  Opt for the homemades.  Just like Grandma used to make).

It also serves as a meeting place at lunch for various Italian organizations in town. The guys get together for lunch at a long table in the center. You can soak up some of the true local Italian culture when they are there and you are there. Which reminds me…it has great lunch portions so if you are looking for someplace different for lunch…this is the place.

For its wonderful food and spaghetti sauce, this should get 4 meatballs. But I got to knock it down a ½ for its other misdeeds. But at the end of day, I am reminded about an old Italian guy parking cars at an Italian restaurant in Cape Cod. We stopped to ask if the spaghetti was any good. He answered: “You wanna good food, you stay. S’no…keepa goin!” My sentiments exactly.

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Scarsella's Restaurant
4151 Market Street
Youngstown, OH 44512-1117
(330) 788-0806