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    PapaLeno's

    3.7 (243 reviews)
    InexpensivePizza, Desserts, Sandwiches
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    PapaLeno's Photos

    Business Info

    PAPALENO'S ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - PapaLeno's

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    Whole Italian Sandwich with chips and a pickle.

    The food is always good here. My wife & I did some shopping around the corner and this is our go to Berea place! We had to wait in line for about 20 minutes not an issue because the food is so tasty. I had the whole hot Italian sandwich and my wife had the half. We also ordered a bread stick with a side of marinara sauce. Their breadsticks are the best, you have to try one. The staff here are very personable and care about your experience in the restaurant. The ambiance is very small town feel. They have some great photos on the wall by local photographers, very nice pics of Kentucky places!

    Exterior
    Bob S.

    Located near Berea College, this place hits all the high notes: Good pizza, a variety of Italian dishes and sandwiches, fast and friendly service and reasonably priced. We stopped by for lunch while visiting Berea and were very pleased with everything about the place. We split a salad and a 10 inch pizza and had a great lunch at a very reasonable price. You grab a table and a menu, then walk up to the counter and place your order. A server will then bring your food to your table. You have to pay when you place your order which I don't like but in this case it worked out OK. Plastic forks and foam plates so not high class! Beer and wine are available and parking is free on the street. Recommended.

    The mountaineer
    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
    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
    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

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    4 years ago

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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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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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

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    3 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

    I always enjoy the food, they get you in and out. Best pasta in berea, thanks papalenos

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    3 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Food is great and service is great also. Ambience can't be beat in old Bakery. One of Berea 's great places with ties to College.

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    3 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great pizza and food. Eat here every time I travel through town. Highly recommend if you love pizza.

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Food is always great. Sometimes it's a little bit greasy for me. But 90% of the time it is

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

    They said that they were open until 9pm on Sunday. We drove a long way only to find them closed.

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Amazing food and service, we have been coming here for quite some time. The atmosphere matches Berea very well.

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    Apollo Pizza & Beer Emporium - 9" Pizza & a side of Beer Cheese

    Apollo Pizza & Beer Emporium

    3.8(164 reviews)
    12.0 mi
    $$

    Apollos is great. Fairly fast service, clean and food has always been good. If in town I would…read morerecommend it.

    Last night went to Apollo Pizza. I have to say the place was cool. It reminded me a lot of the…read morelittle hidden pubs in Chicago and the decor was interesting and fun to look at. The pictures of other reviewers are accurate. Since this was date night I do not bring a phone. The app was the beer cheese and little bread nuggets. This was delicious. The nuggets were freshly done and the beer cheese had a good little kick to it. Highly recommend. We ordered the 14 in gangster this. It was good. There were plenty of toppings, cooked perfectly. The sauce there was light and a nice accent to everything. We devoured the entire thing. Now you have read this far and are asking why the ranking. The service. The "server" I felt like was being held against her will. She literally walked up to table and said ready to order? That was all nothing like have you been here before, how are you not even hello. We ordered the appetizer remember I said there was a kick to the beer cheese. Well you drink more when that happens. No offers at refills. She did not even come back to check on us only to bring food and to hurry us out after we were done. And half the place was empty. If I am eating in service is a big thing for me and this was not good. Will I return to Apollo for pizza. Yes most definitely but I will be taking it to go. Hope your dine in experience is better than mine was.

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    PapaLeno's - pizza - Updated August 2026

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