If you're looking for non-chain, non-fast food type fare, this is a solid option. The food was good and we were satisfied. I don't have anything else to say about the food - it was good, filling, did its job. And I would eat here again...however...I would order ahead and do take-out next time. Having been our first time here, we just walked in (order at the counter, get a number, sit yourself and wait for your food) and while the food was good, it was not good enough to justify the 40 minutes it took to get our order. We were ravenous when it finally arrived and were slightly disappointed that it wasn't amazingly delicious. read more

PapaLeno's - 10 inch pizza w/ pineapple, spaghetti w/ garlic bread & meatball sub w/ fries. - Pizza Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

On a busy Friday night we were able to snag a table. I wish they had beer on tap but the Sierra Nevada hit the spot. I ordered the lasagna and a side salad. The salad arrived within minutes of ordering. The lasagna was an ample portion of cheesy goodness. We had to remind the staff that we needed garlic bread, but I'm not going to deduct points for missing that on a busy Friday night. They delivered the bread within minutes and it was a large portion generously covered in melted garlic butter. Delicious! read more

Excellent from scratch pizza!!! This was the highlight of Berra, KY. The order was taken efficiently & the order arrived to our table before it was promised. The combination of ingredients was delicious. The 10" Mountaineer filled 2 of us up. Would go there again. read more

PapaLeno's - The Mountaineer - Pizza Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

Yeah so...there was a woman here with purple hair. And one thing you better know about me is that I HATE purple. And when I told the manager about it, he said "b**** you better not". So I flipped him off, and rammed my elbow between his ribs. That oughta teach him. AND THEN (y'all really just won't even believe this part), THE MANAGER BROUGHT ME 13 PURPLE CRAYONS. WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!?!?!? And so you know what I did next?!? I drew on the wood floor. Bet you can't guess what I wrote....y'all really just can't even guess. That's how good I am with words. I wrote, "bitch better have my money. - Rhianna" Did I star out the B word? NO. No I did not. Were there children present? Yes. I think so (honestly, couldn't tell you. I'm not that observant). Did I clean it up? ABSOLUTELY NOT. I told the manager that since he seemed to love purple so much, he can do it himself. UPDATE****: I saw a child read more

It's an East coast style pizza joint in sleepy little Berea. It smells amazing when you walk in the door. Counter service only. I opted for the chicken parmesan, from their extensive list of pasta dishes. I wanted to start with soup but they were sold out of 2 out of 3 of their soups of the day four hours before closing. I ordered the tiramisu for desert, and the cashier gave that to me right away. I never knew some people consider it an appetizer. The have a reasonable selection of beers and Ale-8-1 on tap including diet and cherry. read more

PapaLeno's - Tiramisu - Pizza Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

Food is very good but every time I stop in for dinner the tables are piled up with dirty dishes. Not as much seating as what is actually needed but overall very clean and nice. This restaurant is behind the Boonetavern and a very short distance to Berea Hospital and right at the Berea College campus., read more

See all

I have never had a bad experience here. It is a very clean and friendly environment. Food is fast and delicious.

This place has addicting French fries. This place is no too big so social distancing caused our wait to be a little longer. Not an issue, I just want to let you know you may have to wait a little longer than you like. I do like the fact that you wait in line order then go sit down and they bring it to you. I would like to see a cashier just for beverages. After we ordered it took a little while for the food and I would have liked to get another beer but did not want to wait in the line again just for that. I had a burger and it was nice and hot when it came out. It was juicy and cooked the way I like it. They are not shy about their fry portion and like I said they are addicting. I am not sure why as there does not seem to be anything special about them but they are good. Next time we ride through on the bikes I was told to try the pizza so that is what I will do. read more

I'm no quitter, and I've gone to Papa Leno's three times, each time I've been disappointed. On my first trip I had Fettuccini Alfredo. It was like someone had poured milk over the fettuccini. Nothing about this entrée said "Alfredo". I returned the dish to the counter and if looks could kill.... Second trip: I order the Philly Steak. There wasn't much "steak" on the sandwich. The meat had a weird consistency and taste, and it was extremely dry. Third trip: I had the spaghetti and meatballs. What could go wrong? The spaghetti was hardly drained and my food was sitting in water. While the sauce was a bit spicy, it didn't set itself apart from jarred pasta sauce. The meatballs (all three of them) were small. Almost every authentic Italian restaurant I've been to makes meatballs the size of your fist. And someone needs to explain the appeal of the "garlic" bread. It's always as hard as brick, it's never warm, and it's dripping in something that doesn't really seem like real butter, and I've never found a bit garlic in or on the bread, or in the "butter". I've tried three times. I'm out. read more

First time ever, the wings delicious, pizza superb, the mountaineer pizza is a must. Service excellent, comfortable atmosphere

Cute, cozy restaurant right across the street from Berea College. Ambiance is great- there are intimate wooden booths and larger tables to sit at. The restaurant is inside of an older, historic building, so the layout is very unique. At any given time you see people dining here, laughing and feasting under soft, warm lights. The prices are affordable and the food is tasty. They offer pasta, pizza, sandwiches, and dessert. Next time I have to try the Mountaineer, their version of supreme pizza. The name is actually the mascot of Berea College! The pasta comes with their famous garlic bread which the students swear by. It was delicious too! Garlicky, buttery, crunchy and salty on the outside and soft on the inside. Sandwiches come with chips. Drinks are self-serve and if you order water and like it with lemon, there's no shortage of citrus near the soda station. Service was prompt and even though my order was misheard, they promptly fixed it and brought out the correct order- oven baked spaghetti. Couldn't beat it for $8.99. Spaghetti and meat sauce served with a heap of melted mozzarella cheese on top. I red-pepper flaked that bad boy and it was soooo yummy! I also tried the philly cheese steak sandwich. It seems like it is served with the same bread used for the garlic bread except that it is plain, sans garlic butteriness but it stands up well to the juicy, seasoned beef, onions, and peppers. I loved the food and of course the company made it even better! read more

See all

This is a typical greasy Italian joint. Great pizza if you like a lot of crust and cheese.. the 16 inch is definitely the best bang for your buck. We tried the mountaineer, veggie, and , chicken bacon ranch. Out of all of them I recommend the chicken bacon ranch. The veggie was sparsely covered in veggies and then loaded with mostly cheese so it was more like a cheese pizza with some veggies. I think one piece of it had a lot of veggies on it. The pizza came out hot and great and within 2 minutes. We went at 1 and there was a pretty decent crowd. You stand in line to order then find a table to sit at. We had not trouble finding a table and the tables were clean. The restaurant overall was clean. Once we got our pizza no one checked on us but we didn't need anything after that. They do have pats, salads, and sandwiches. I recommend their bread sticks for an appetizer. This place is great for large groups. read more

We ate here today after the craft festival and although it was packed it was well worth the wait! The pizza was amazing and so was the loaf of garlic bread covered in garlic butter; delicious!!! If you're near Berea Kentucky, this is a must stop to eat!!! read more

PapaLeno's - Pizza Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

See all

What happened. This once well notable Italian favorite that the city of Berea coveted has become such a massive disappointment. Stromboli sandwich, gotta go with a no, dawg. What grade of possum did the hippie out back decide to dissect before throwing it on my burnt loaf of over buttered tasteless hoagie. No joke, as 2019 comes to a close I can confirm that this was actually the worst sandwich I've eaten this decade. 1/10. Wouldn't recommend. read more

What kind of business offering take-out doesn't answer the phone for an hour? Next place.... Unreal

We heard about the garlic bread and decided to stop in during a trip to Berea. I ordered a salad with fried chicken breast. I seriously think it was a chicken patty. The salad was fine but nothing special. The garlic bread was essentially frozen bread drowned in butter...I was done after a pinch. It was okay and given the limited options around campus it was okay. read more

PapaLeno's - Bread, drenched in garlic butter is the think Papa Lenos is known for - Pizza Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

Got the baked spaghetti to go and it also came with garlic bread. The container was still super hot once I brought it back home. Didn't expect much bc it was plain spaghetti with marinara sauce. I added Siracha sauce on it which gave it a little more spice. Only good thing I liked about it was the baked cheese part. The garlic bread was also my fav but it was drenched in a lot of butter (you can see it in the picture). But it did taste good tho! read more

PapaLeno's - Baked spaghetti with garlic bread - Pizza Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

Great food. Fast service. Manicotti was great. Beef ravioli was too. To e garlic bread was ovine.

If I could leave no stars I would. Too bad Berea only has a few places to eat! If you want crappy, high priced food than you'll like Papaleno's. We recently ordered takeout and the lasagna appeared as if it was leftover and than thrown in a to go box. We took a picture and called the restaurant to tell them. The girl that answered the phone said she'd make another. When we went to get it the owner wouldn't give us the fresh entree cause we didn't bring back the old one. Curtis, the manager didn't want to see the pic and walked away! I asked for the owners name which is Jerome Lewis. I got a hold of him and explained the situation. He made many excuses and never once offered a replacement entree. Folks, if you want good, fresh Italian food head to Richmond. There's a restaurant called Garlic Heads and it's sooo much better than Papaleno's. So much better. read more

Great pizza and I love their subs. Every time I've been though they have been packed so if you're in a hurry I would recommend calling ahead or ordering online and picking it up. read more

Oh my goodness! Dinner absolutely delicious. The meatballs are to die for. And don't get me started on the bread stick. It's more like a bread loaf, and that homemade wonderfulness is some of the best I've ever eaten. read more

Prices suggest mid tier Olive Garden-esque food. Experience, look, and taste wouldn't even satisfy a frequenter of Fazoli's. Sad excuse for a local restaurant. Sauces taste like they come from a can and the "garlic stick" was hard and dripping with margarine. Food came out barely warm as if it had come off an old buffet. There was a .35 cent charge for water and no service beyond taking our money before we sat ourselves. Don't come expecting a sit down restaurant because that's just not what this is, despite the pricing. Do yourself a favor and order pasta from Dominos or Pizza Hut. I would love to support a local place but simply being local does not forgive overly priced, average "home cooked" food. read more

This place is fabulous! The best baked spaghetti I've ever eaten. The garlic bread is amazing. Every time We get halfway close we stop. I mean we go out of the way to stop here and it always pays off! The best place to eat for miles! If I lived near here I would eat here everyday. But for now it's something I look forward to every time I'm on 75. I could talk about it for a week! If you're close don't miss out! The smell in the place is out of this world I could sit here and just smell the place and be good. Not really I have to have the baked spaghetti! read more

Papaleno's is located on College Square adjacent to the Berea College campus. It is one of very few places that serve lunch and allow you to get in and out quickly during your workday. This review is written based on several dining experiences. The interior of the restaurant is huge. There is ample seating with standard table-tops and booths. During a busy lunch, the line can go extend out of the door. It's a good idea to come by between 11:30 and 11:45 if you need to get back to work quickly. Menus are located next to the cash register, though patrons often snatch one and stand in line. Orders are done at the counter; food is delivered to your table. The counter staff tend to be quite friendly. If they do make mistakes on your order, they'll promptly fix them. If you're sticking around to eat, avoid the church-style pew booths in the back. Since the tables are low, you'll find yourself perching over your guests and it's not comfortable. Papaleno's menu largely consists of pasta dishes and pizza, though they also include sandwiches, salads, and pub food appetizers as well. My go-to lunch here is the house chili and a garden salad. The chili is really meaty and quite spicy; I prefer the beef version to the chicken version. The garden salad comes with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, sliced bell peppers, and dried cranberries. I have tended to avoid the pasta dishes. There is a grilled chicken pasta that comes with roasted veggies, banana peppers, and green and black olives, served with a breadstick sitting in a pool of garlic butter. The pasta itself is rather bland, so the toppings are what make the dish edible. The breadsticks are massive and since they're sitting in the butter, they tend to be rather messy to eat. In the past, I have also eaten the Philly cheese steak sandwich which is piled high with nicely flavored meat, cheese, and veggies. The restaurant charges extra for fries, and frankly, it's not the same eating this with potato chips. While the pasta falls flat, the pizza is pretty tasty. I highly recommend the Mountaineer Pizza, the local version of what makes a supreme pizza. Pizza is often cooked to appropriate crispness, and the house tends not to be stingy with the toppings. If you can't get a couple of friends to split a whole pie, they serve "big slices" (e.g., 2 slices) for individual consumption. Papaleno's also serves beer and wine; however, you must order a food item. Some front-of-house staff interpret this as a food item every time you get a bottle or glass. But this is really out of their hands: it's a local ordinance. Because it is one of few places to eat on College Square, the three-star rating is really the product of long-term consumption. Papaleno's is okay, but it gets boring ordering the same few dishes. Aside from the chicken veggie dish, the restaurant gets away with plain and uninspiring pasta dishes. I would have appreciated choices beyond spaghetti and lasagna, beyond marinana and meat sauce. That way, this place would feel more genuinely Italian than fast food. read more

PapaLeno's - Pizza Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

Have been going here since I was younger and I love coming back to enjoy a nice meal with family!!

BEST PIZZA IN KENTUCKY. My family loves this restaurant, you need to check it out. There are great vegetarian options!!! Super cute environment. Their homemade bread that they use for there sandwiches is amazing. read more

PapaLeno's - The Mountaineer, The Vegetarian Sub - Pizza Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

This is your typical, fast-casual, cheap Italian, but your options are limited in Berea, so enjoy.

Definitely not the best restaurant in the area. The back dining area smelled strongly of pee, the garlic bread was swimming in butter/grease, the pizza was dabbed with a napkin and came off soaked in grease with more STILL on the pizza on top of that the dough was undercooked and the cheese was like rubber. I had nearly finished my drink when I noticed something lumpy dried on the inside of my cup which I picked out with my straw only to reveal dried mold. The tabletop salt shaker was disgusting caked in sticky goo and an unknown wet substance I had the most unpleasant time of accidentally touching. The parmesan was left on the table warm and borderline melted on the rims, with a clear refrigerate when opened sticker glaring on its cup. Overall I was severely disgusted and disappointed with the service and state/quality of this restaurant and I will hopefully never have to return. read more

We were just passing through the area and looking for pizza but I am so glad we stopped here! The pizza/pasta/bread were all delicious!! I only wish this was closer to IL so I could come back!! read more

not the biggest fan of their pizza, but MAN is everything else amazing. Best beef ravioli and baked spaghetti on planet earth. AMAZING garlic bread. Perfect place for a casual date with friends or your significant other. Nice staff. Its not a typical sit down place- you walk in, order up front, they give you a number and you sit down wherever you want. You get your own drinks and refills but its overall wonderful read more

Fabulous lunch option for myself and my tweens/teen kiddos as we returned from our mini vacation. One kiddo got a customized pizza while the rest of us ordered various pastas. When your kids are hungry - this is the place to go! I got the manicotti and it was hands down the best I have had in a long time! The breadsticks are ginormous and delicious. The staff was very friendly and helpful throughout our lunch. Will definitely make this a standard stop when traveling along I 75. Bonus is we could park right outside the door and keep an eye on our dog while we had lunch. read more

The delivery of the food was nice and speedy. Although my ravioli did not appear the most appetizing, the taste definitely made up for that aspect. Would highly recommend this Italian restaurants to other people visiting the area. read more

PapaLeno's - Cheese ravioli with marinara sauce. Super yummy! - Pizza Near Me - Berea, Kentucky

Doesn't look like much from the outside has wonderful food but the only thing is the service can be slow

Good food and nice atmosphere, but they need to have actual servers. I hate having to go get my own drinks! What a strange business model.

We love Papalenos! Pretty much our favorite restaurant in Berea. I love to pickup lunch on the way to my client's homes for listing appointments! Their breadsticks are the best and it's a fun, open atmosphere surrounded by artsy stores to browse. read more

Great pizza. Not to much sauce which is nice! Then crust was somewhat crunchy but not burnt which I personally love! Great pizza!

Said it was open until 9 but was closed when we arrived at 2pm. Several people were trying to go, so they lost at least 15 sales at 2pm.

Very large indoor eating space! Given food allergies, I ordered the cauliflower crust and it did not disappoint. I had a great dining experience and will absolutely return! read more

Papa Leno's was recommended by the clerk at our hotel.she said that all the locals always dine at Pap Leno's. She did not mention that it's difficult to find a seat. We arrived for lunch around 1:40. Everyone stands in line to place their order and then find a seat. When we arrived there was short line P, however by the time we placed our orders and found a booth the line was backed up to the door where it stayed until after we left. I think it is the busiest restaurant When it was not peak meal times. It reminded me of the line at the Cheesecake Factory without the hour wait for a seat. Once you place your order finding a table or both was not difficult, people were always finishing and leaving. We found a booth immediately and went and got our soda/tea, no alcoholic beverages served, which was fine with us. We waited for 65 minutes to receive our meal, but they were hot when they arrived. My husband and son ordered a small pizza each, one cheese and one pepperoni, my daughter ordered a child's serving and she received a very generous order of fettuccini Alfredo and a home-made yeast breadstick. It was about 2 1/2" inches wide and 8" inches long, and I ordered lasagna which came with a breadstick also. My daughter enjoyed her Alfredo pasta, she said it was very tasty and it had plenty of cheese. The lasagna was ok, it was not the worse lasagna I've ever had but it was no where close to the best lasagna. There was a lot of meat and cheese, but there was not much tomato sauce in the lasagna. There was more mozzarella cheese than noodles, or meat combined. For a lasagna dish that had lots of meat you can imagine the amount of cheese. I assume the excess oil in the lasagna came from the excess cheese. The bread was delicious if eaten while hot, when the bread began to cool it became hard and difficult to eat. It was served in an oblong dish sitting in a bed of melted butter. We would go back again, next time I would get a cold cut sandwich or Something different. The overall experience was acceptable, and a change of pace. read more

Owner keeps deleting my post about his rude behavior?? Went in for lunch with my husband, tried to order my usual kids chicken Alfredo meal (since Gastric Sleeve surgery I can't even finish it), never had issues before. When asked what drink I wanted I said water, then she looked at the menu and then said I couldn't get it, I said I always normally get that since I've had surgery ( at least 6 times since July this year). Then she asked a man in the back and he replied. "No! I'm the owner and I said no!!" His tone was extremely rude, which is why I left. Will not be back. You've lost very frequent local customers. He has since replied on a post but deleted it about being "annoyed" that people want to pay a kids menu price. Lied about offering a solution. I get that he wants to cover up his actions, but employees and my husband were witnesses. Now he has blocked me from posting it on his business page read more