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    PapaLeno's

    3.7 (237 reviews)
    InexpensivePizza, Desserts, Sandwiches
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    PapaLeno's Photos

    Business Info

    PAPALENO'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    The mountaineer - A pizza with a golden crust topped with pepperoni slices, sausage crumbles, green bell peppers, red onions, and shredded cheese. The pizza is placed on a wooden serving board on a wooden table, with some cheese and toppings scattered around.
    Drew G.

    I love everything about this place in a small town on the college campus. It has great ambiance and atmosphere. The food is excellent! They sprinkle garlic on the crust and it has the most amazing flavor, I ate every bite of my Mountaineer without cheese. I look forward to going back. BTW - there was a big line at door at 11:55 on a Saturday. The line stayed steady for the hour that we were there. They don't open until noon.

    Page one of the menu - The menu from PapaLeno's Italian restaurant includes sections for starters such as wings, bread, and chicken dishes, as well as soups and salads like grilled or fried chicken salad and garden salad. It offers cold sandwiches including chicken salad and tuna apple, and hot grilled options like portabella sandwich, grilled veggie burger, and chicken Philly. The menu emphasizes homemade bread, scratch baking, and traditional Italian and American dishes, with prices listed for each item. The design features a header with the restaurant's name, a black and white section for sandwiches, and a note about bread made from scratch.
    Michael G.

    This place has been serving Italian food in the Berea area since 1984. It is a true diamond in the rough. Some of the only best homemade garlic bread in Kentucky and claims to be the best pizza in Madison County. We stopped in on our way thru the area. A very relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. The place does not accept reservations which makes it first come first serve. It was not as crowded as we expected. This was our first visit here. We started off with their wings, as that is always one of my favorites. They offer them in hot or mild. They were good but unremarkable. They have a Grilled Veggie burger that my wife is always on a fan of. We were here for the Papa Lena's Famous Pizza. They offer a wide selection of toppings and will do a half and half style. We had the 16 inch with Pepperoni, bacon, jalapeños, sun dried tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, black olive and extra cheese. The pizza was well balanced, and aromatic despite the large number of toppings. All the ingreidnets were very fresh, and the sauce was amazing, The crust was slightly charged and when folded there was a very distinct crack. The crust is the distinctive mark of great pizza and this one did not disappointed. The cheese melted evenly with a ooey-gooey perfection to make it mouthwatering after each slice. This pizza would stand out with nay discerning pizza connoisseur. We throughly enjoyed our time here. life is not about finding your self it is about finding high quality pizza, and this place does not disappoint. If you are in this area you must give it a try. If you are a pizza lover you will not be disappointed. We will defiantly be back!

    Basket of Brew City fries - A red plastic basket containing French fries lined with white paper is positioned on a wooden table. The fries are golden and thin-cut, with some overlapping each other. The table surface is textured with visible wood grain and knots.
    Fat Man Reviews K.

    The Fat Man was in the mood for some Italian. A quick venture down to Berea landed the Fat Man at Papa Leno's with my good friend Kalen. Papa Leno's is a quaint Italian eatery offering classic pizzas & pastas, plus everyday salads, hot subs & other fare. I sampled a Basket of Brew City fries. These are beer-battered fries. They came out hot, fresh, crispy, and they tasted good. The fries were cooked to a crunchy golden brown on the outside while being soft and pillowy on the inside. However, they needed a touch of salt. I did expect something different with "beer battered" in the description; they were not battered at all. I went with Mama's Meat Lasagna for my meal. This was served with a large piece of bread covered in garlic butter. The toast on the bread was excellent. It had a nice crunch. The bread is baked fresh daily, and the garlic butter is thick but not overpowering in the garlic. The lasagna is meaty and cheesy, with a good cheese pull on the first bite. The noodles were a little overcookeded and disintegrated quickly during chewing. The lasagna had an excellent salt level, and the meat had a good flavor. The sauce has a nice sweetness to it. I think there needed to be more sauce to cut through the salt, meat, and cheese. The portion size is pretty good, especially for lunch. Papa Leno's menu offers several selections, including desserts. They also serve beer in a can or bottle. The staff was helpful and pleasant, and the food came out quickly. The Fat Man says that Papa Leno's is Fat Man Approved with 1 chin.

    a chalk board with a sign that says welcome to papatones today's soups - A chalkboard sign with a wooden frame is positioned on a tiled floor, displaying a handwritten welcome message to Papalenos. It lists today's soup options, including broccoli cheddar and minestrone, and mentions promotional shirts. Part of a person wearing jeans and a jacket is visible nearby. The sign is used for customer communication and promotion.
    Tamika J.

    I attended Berea College so PapaLeno's is favorite place to stop off for a good meal. I was staying at Boone Tavern and decided to call my order in. No one answered when I called and decided to walk down. I think I'm partial to this particular restaurant due to nostalgia. I ordered the chicken pasta and veggies and pizza. It took awhile to get my order due to the volume of customers. My only complaint was the pizza. It wasn't good. Very disappointing. Everything else was great. Definitely a recommendation if you are in the area.

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    19 days ago

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    8 months ago

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    Photo of Libby H.
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    5 months ago

    Fun place! Great atmosphere! Love the pastas and the pizzas! Faves are the bread sticks and the cauliflower crust pizza!

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

    This is such a busy restaurant on the weekend!! However worth the wait. Great food !! We go there whenever we are in Berea.

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    10 months ago

    PapaLeno's is one of our favorites when we are in town for a softball tournament. Food is always great and made fresh!

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    7 months ago

    Amazing food. One of the best Burgers I've ever tried. Unreal how great the food tastes.

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    1 year ago

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Had the chicken veggie pasta, delicious! Going back again for more a week later. Highly recommend

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    1 year ago

    phenomenal! homemade garlic bread is a must. staff is very friendly and the vibes are lovely in downtown berea!

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    3 years ago

    Good solid pizza, thick chewy crust. Friendly service. Amole beer selection. Reasonable prices.

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    The Philly Cheese steak sandwich was wonderful tonight the service was fast and friendly

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    Brandi's Bakery and Bistro - Inside of the bistro has a very updated, clean and chic look about it.

    Brandi's Bakery and Bistro

    (7 reviews)

    This place is adorable (and located right by a thrift store)! The staff was polite and friendly…read more The food was really good. My mother got a breakfast croissant and I got the lunch special (pork tenderloin, roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes). My mother loved the sandwich except it came with too much bacon - if there is such a thing! The pork tenderloin special was perfect for me! It tasted like a homemade meal. I would order it again. I give this place only four stars because there was not a great selection in drinks (cream soda, root beer, al8, or water) and the coffee was terrible! The sweet lady at the register even made us a fresh pot but neither me nor my mother could drink it. I do recommend this place overall. I will go there again, especially because the desserts displayed at their counter looked AMAZING. I must try some of their cupcakes and their cinnamon bun! If you go just ...maybe bring your own coffee

    We've been several times to get grab and go breakfast/ sweets, but today is the first day that we…read moreate in. I love the "motivation station" that's set up for coffee fixings. I do wish their coffee game was a little stronger, but it's alright.. The place is really cute and the staff are always pleasant and helpful. They always answer our questions about what ingredients are their items ( mom of two picky kids, I know I'm annoying) We love the croissant breakfast sandwiches, red velvet cream cheese brownies, and cinnamon rolls. Today we ventured out and tried the egg muffins. They're super tasty and loaded with onions, peppers, tomatoes, cheese, and ham. They come served with a side of salsa. Really the perfect low carb breakfast. We haven't made it for a lunch special since we work out of town, but that's on our list of to do's! My mouth waters just seeing pictures of their specials.

    Becky’s Breads - Sign

    Becky’s Breads

    (8 reviews)

    Not sure how to start this review. Firstly, I am baffled by the name of the business, which leaves…read moreone to assume there is bread to be had. Not the case. You have to pre-order, and she only makes a round or a loaf. And that is what I did. I ordered a round, expecting something like a "boule", a round loaf of crunchy bread. I pick up an anticipated yummy round of bread to make sandwiches that same day. Instead, I get a flat, round kind of bread. I accept without anything being said. (But knowing in my head this is completely wrong, but maybe she misunderstood what I wanted) I go to my car and decide at the last second, to go back in, told her what I thought I was getting, telling her and having to explain to a "baker" what a "boule" is. So, I took the bread home, showed my husband and he was in awe as to what we paid for (7.25!). I opened it up, she had wrapped the bread in a PLASTIC WRAP!!!!? What kind of baker wraps a fresh loaf of bread in PLASTIC? You're supposed to put in PAPER! ANYHOW, the bread was as IF it had been baked a day or two before. Did not smell like a good bread, but like a loaf of bread you would get at Walmart. I call her and tell her what the problem is she says to bring it back and she will return my money. Thank you, that was kind. But when I DO return it, her excuse was... "I guess it didn't rise enough as bread has its own mind"!!!! First of all, if you thought the bread did not rise correctly, WHY did you sell it to me? Secondly, don't make dumb remarks like that. If you knew the bread was not what it should have been, call me and tell me that you have to remake the loaf, I would have liked that better than to get an awful loaf of bread. As for the croissants, they should be crispy on the outside and soft and airy and pillowy on the inside and taste of butter. These are like rolls!! With a bit of butter baked in. Subpar. I have been to several bakeries overseas, and have a friend who owned a bakery. This is NOTHING compared to a true bakery. Sorry, not sorry....

    The four of us checking out Berea wandered in for lunch thinking there would be all kinds of breads…read moreto choose from. Your choices are a croissant sandwich with ham, turkey or tuna. We all chose turkey. It was a very flaky buttery croissant-A+. Saw pictures of Humboldt county and assumed she was from there. No actually, San Francisco. Husband tried to make small talk and asked about whether she's ever made sourdough bread. She became very agitated at his question and snappy- her angry San Fran roots came out. Did not fit the friendly, cheerful vibe of Berea.

    Just Love Coffee Cafe - Breakfast burrito

    Just Love Coffee Cafe

    (20 reviews)

    Very cute shop in Berea. Large menu of drinks, but a decent selection of food too. Nice service and…read morethey brought us our food and drinks! Tried the caramel banana chai with espresso and it was just a little too sweet for me. Bur apparently the strawberry matcha is good. Love they have outdoor umbrellas for when it's very hot, and they have a back corner that's quite calm.

    I came here for a breakfast date with my boyfriend earlier that morning and came back a second time…read morewith my son and dog after our hike. Morning was phenomenal, service was impeccable, food was definitely delicious and cooked with love, everyone was really friendly and helpful seeing as we had never been there. The interior is really nice has a home like vibe to it and very cozy. There is a even a game section in the back corner, board games, books etc. They have an interesting take on waffles! The prices are more than affordable, a full size drink can sound a little costly but I would definitely say the flights for the lattes are definitely worth it. I fell in love with Coco Loco and my boyfriend is obsessed with all of them. Womelette, Nutella waffles, and breakfast sandwich were ‍ Refreshers weren't my favorite, not sure if maybe they just put too much syrup etc in it but even my son had a hard time swallowing watermelon crawl and riptide as they had been way too sweet. Strawberry Cloud was extremely refreshing still sweet but not too much just the perfect blend. The panini was delicious accompanied with chips and balsamic vinaigrette and the fact that I could bring my dog Butters was even better! They have a gorgeous patio on the exterior. Lastly, our morning experience was definitely more accommodating than our afternoon experience. Our refreshers came in itty bitty tiny cups not worth the money of roughly 9-10 with tax. The service itself did not compare to the morning service.

    PapaLeno's - pizza - Updated May 2026

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