When I used to live in Columbus, I would frequent the North Market in the Short North almost weekly. I visited for the first time in many years and found that most vendors have changed over the years. One familiar vendor is the Pastaria at the North Market. I had a delightful experience ordering some macaroni and cheese as well as some pizza at Sarefino's next door. I arrived and looked around at the options. There was a small wait for a Saturday lunch, and I jumped at the chance to order a limited edition macaroni and cheese from a familiar restaurant. My friend ordered the mac and cheese first, and I followed suit shortly afterwards. The sides of mac and cheese seemed small but were very rich and filling, and I was quite filled up after finishing up a slice of pizza and a side of mac and cheese. When I was next door at Sarefino's, I met the Pastaria owner Don Ziliak, who is also the owner of Sarefino's Pizzeria & Italnian Deli (and also Pastaria and Pastaria Seconda, also located in the North Market). Don was very welcoming and made me feel right at home. He shared some of the history and also let me know how he had been an owner of the restaurants for quite some time. I learned that he initially acquired Pastaria in 1993, purchased Sarefino's in 1995, and opened Pastaria Seconda in 1998, making it a family-run business. The location is on the west side of the North Market along the wall. The hours at the North Market are Monday from 9 AM to 5 PM, Tuesday through Friday from 9 AM to 7 PM, Saturday from 8 AM to 5 PM, and Sunday from 12 to 5 PM. I would assume that later during the lunch hour during the weekends (and weekdays) it is probably quite busy. The restaurants are known for "good Italian food without the fuss." If you look on their website (https://www.pastarianorthmarket.com), you will see that Don will recognize regulars and their names along with their regular orders. I certainly would come back to eat there again! read more

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I order the linguine with the "shrimp and scallop carbonara" sauce. Idk if it was foolish of me to assume the "shrimp and scallop carbonara" had shrimps and scallops in it, but it didn't...didn't even taste flavored with any kind of seafood if that's what they meant. Just tasted like plain linguine carbonara. When the woman taking my order asked if I wanted to add any chicken or something, I thought "that'd be way too much on top of the shrimp and scallops!" but now I see why she asked. Because there wasn't any protein in it lol I mean, it was good, for a plain pasta. And it explains the low price. But I feel like the wording on the menu should be adjusted. Just call it carbonara lol makes me wonder if the white clam sauce actually has clams or if they're invisible clams too. Oh, and I was given the wrong order at first. There was only a couple and me, and they mixed up my box with one of theirs. I thought they just messed my order up because it was also a white sauce but with penne. I almost just kept it to avoid the hassle of having them make a new one, but ended up deciding to get what I actually paid for. Thankfully mine was still there and the couple hadn't walked off with it yet. But with only 3 boxes, for 2 of them to be mixed up feels very sloppy. It wasn't exactly like they were busy either. Despite the negatives, the pasta was good and affordable. It wasn't a huge serving where you'd have to take home the leftovers. More like a lunch portion. The bread and garlic butter were good too. read more

Pastaria - Linguine with "Shrimp and Scallop Carbonara": It did not have any shrimp or scallop in it! But it was tasty. - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Pasta dishes were great for lunch, we were served quickly and by friendly staff. We sat at the bar, and enjoyed a well priced and relaxed lunch. It's part of the North Market, which is a great place to go every so often for a quick lunch. It was not busy, we enjoyed our pasta dishes, I had meatballs as an addition. Freshly done, hot, great taste, two happy customers - recommended! read more

Pastaria - Pasta and meatballs! - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Ordered through Door Dash. Hmm...I am a huge lasagna fan and this just didn't do it for me. It was exxxxtremely cheesy, like too cheesy. And I never say that! Also the noodles were gummy. The sauce was a bit too sweet for me as well and had a weird aftertaste. I think I may try another pasta dish with different sauce and give them another try bc the service was great when I called to ask them a question. read more

Pastaria - Cheese lasagna add meatballs. - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

My review is focused on the pastas and sauces offered here. And both deserve five stars. On our recent visit we purchased five different pastas and five sauces. Combined with prior visits we've tried 80% of their offerings and not been disappointed. Favorites are these raviolis: sausage; six cheese (so versatile); wild mushroom; and smoked chicken. So many others are also excellent though we've not tried the seafood raviolis. The same is true for the sauces and we highly recommend the chipotle and the wild mushroom sauces and pesto, which is the best - often used by us to make pesto pizzas. The raviolis and sauces are all restaurant quality eliminating any need for carry-out from an Italian restaurant. We've other place in Columbus that offers quality this good. It's probably not the cheapest, but it's the best and worth the money. I'd add the counter staff deserves high marks and are very helpful in guiding you to good pasta/sauce pairings. read more

Cannolis were so bland I tossed them out. The shell was ok but the filling has absolutely no flavor. I've never thrown out a cannoli before even when subpar. Paste was ok but sauce was undewhelming read more

What stood out most to me was the service. The service was great. They were happy to answer questions about everything so I really did like that a lot. Food was good in the ambiance was that of a marketplace? read more

Pastaria - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This review is only for tiramisu. I LOVE tiramisu and this was very good. Non alcoholic, moist, good ratio of lady fingers and mascaprone. $5 for a square or $60 per tray. I'd get the tray if I live in Columbus. Did I say I love tiramisu? read more

Pastaria - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I ordered the Cajun pasta sauce over linguini, which was $9.99. Getting three very small meatballs and a so-called "large" soft drink (it was really a medium if ever i saw one) added $6 to the price tag. Three very tiny slices of bread were thrown in. For what I got, I was not happy. First, the entree tasted like normal cafeteria spaghetti with hot sauce mixed in. And second, the portion was not very big. The service was mostly miss. Instead of being offered a seat, I was told to wait over to the side to be fed. Like some kind of charity case or something. I took a seat anyway. I had to ask for napkins as they weren't offered freely. The only decent part was the atmosphere, as the North Market is always an exciting place for dining. In the end I just have regret I didn't give one of the other vendors a try. read more

Pastaria - The sign at the location - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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So many authentic Italian options available at Pastaria that I wanted to try out several things. The staff was helpful and friendly and worked quickly on preparing my meal while also preparing several others at the same time. On the recommendation of friends I went with the lasagna, which was a hit both then and later that evening (piece was big enough for good-sized left overs). The sauce was flavorful with great pasta layered with ricotta, mini-meatballs, and additional cheese. Joining the was a good chunk of crusty-on-the-outside-soft-inside baguette served with herbed butter. And I could not resist a piece of delectable tiramisu. What is left to do? Come back time and time again to get my Italian on and enjoy all of the dishes. This could take a while! read more

Pastaria - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Pastaria is one of the many wonderful vendors in the North Market. Displayed in front are their many delicious pasta dishes, and it's helpful that they have them for viewing. As nice as options are it can be comforting to go with old favorites, and Pastaria has plenty. There are also quite a few vegetarian friendly as well. Our most recent visit, we had the Pasta with Pesto over Fusilli and a Caesar Salad. Bread and two drinks were included. It was a ton of food for two people and a little over $15. I also am a huge fan of their Arrabbiata with Penne. Also the linguini and clams. You can also order even larger portions next door where they prepare family style and catering meals to take home. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Definitely recommend. And I can't wait to go back! read more

Pastaria - Pesto Over Fusilli - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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What a gem! I've walked by this spot many a times while exploring the North Market. While I've never ordered food from there, I've always kept in mind that they have fresh pasta, sauces, and a huge variety of frozen ravioli to choose from. That being said, I was recently talking to friends about my love for fresh pasta and it dawned on me. I still hadn't tried it from here. Well my friends, that day things changed. This is a locally owned biz and the owner/staff at Pastaria were incredibly friendly and I loved chatting with them. A local gentleman makes all of their pasta, which is the cutest thing on the planet. I got some of their fresh pepper pasta (linguini I think.) to make at home and it did not disappoint. It cooked up perfectly in only a few minutes, the pepper flavor was strong, and it was delicious. For $2.99 a serving, you can't go wrong. In addition to the pepper they also had spinach and regular pasta. While the ravioli wasn't fresh (it was frozen) I was amazed at how many different options they had. Everything from cheese and sun dried tomato ravioli to lobster ravioli. If you're looking to impress a love one with a delicious meal, stop by Pastaria. If you're interested in cooking yourself some fresh pasta like myself, stop by Pastaria. read more

Once again visiting the North Market walking and looking at all the amazing places with so many types of food. I settled for the spaghetti with meat sauce and fresh mozzarella. We also got a penne the same way to go this place is another hidden gem in the North Market. read more

Pastaria - Spaghetti with meat sauce and fresh mozzarella - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Best pasta in Columbus, The puttanesca sauce is heaven, I highly recommend that. The business owner will even remember what you usually order. read more

Pasta is one of my favorite foods and this place always has plenty of it. Their food is delicious and they have a large variety of things to choose from. I go often and buy sides of their cucumber and mozzarella salad just to have at home for a few meals because it's so good! It's usually a busy place but worth the wait. read more

Pastaria - Cucumber and tomato salad and mushrooms with fennel. - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I wasn't feeling like eating a large meal so I picked up a slice of pizza on my way out of North Market for lunch. It was delicious! Crust, sauce, and cheese were all in perfect proportion and the slice was much bigger than I was expecting. Service was very friendly and they had lots of other options that I am excited to go back and try. read more

Pastaria - Cheese Slice - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Good food quick. Was able to get a quick bite to eat and it was quite tasty. Can either carry out or take to the upstairs dining area. Plenty of parking. read more

Pastaria - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Always absolutely amazing- the spicy arrabbiata is AMAZING! So authentic- and the garlic butter with the bread- yum. Love the shop and food. If you have anything authentic Italian- this IS the place to go. read more

Was reading some of the yelp reviews and asked the cashier what to get - excitedly decided on the tomato alfredo and three cheese lasagna. It all went downhill when the lasagna was put into the microwave right before me. Of course restaurants microwave food more than we like, but doing it with no shame and in front of the customer isn't my cup of tea. When the food came out, it looked fine. But anyone who has eaten microwaved food before knows that some bites will be excruciatingly hot, others quite cold. And that's what happened. The hot parts stayed hot for maybe 3 minutes. After that, it wasn't edible. As for the tomato alfredo, the already cooked pasta (totally fine with that) was put on the stove and tossed with the sauce. It wasn't bad, although it needed both salt and pepper. There's a separate section that's all freshly made pasta to take home and cook, and it looked like that was the way to go. Unfortunately, won't be back. read more

Pastaria - Microwaved Three Cheese Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

stopped by the north market to look for something to eat. I saw the pizza and I was somewhat skeptical because the pizza looked cold. I ordered anyway. The workers actually reheated each slice in the oven and It ended up being some of the best pizza I have had. it was hot and cheesy and the crust was very crispy. Sat down and ate it and talked to the lady that owns it and she is very passionate about her business. 10/10 definitely would recommend. Looking forward to eating here again. read more

Not good. Bad service. Bad food. Not worth the price. I came at 3p for a late lunch and waited five minutes for one of the 6 people behind the counter to come and take my order. Sorry but this isn't a sit down restaurant this is a prepared food counter made to go fast fast especially when there's no one in line. And she was rude on top of that- good thing I didn't have questions I can't imagine trying to get an answer. The food looked really good and pasta is their specialty so I figured it would be fresh and tasty but holy was I wrong. They re-warmed the lasagna in the microwave but the best was that she left it to warm and let the microwave beep multiple times while she disappeared so my already potentially mushy food can spend some time getting mushier. We went upstairs to eat it and a bite in I was crazy unimpressed. The lasagna was a pile of mush. Cheese and sauce and couldn't find the noodles. It also tasted familiar, my husband tried it and said- taste like sbarros pasta. Ya!! Exactly like mall pasta, good going guys. Also let's chat about the bread. Hard. And this mound of butter? Had some brown spots that I'd like to assume were either roasted garlic or brown sugar but it was inedible looking and did not even spread on the bread. Really?!?! For $9 I'd pass. read more

Pastaria - Mush cheese lasagna. Flavourless and tasted like Sbarro. Pass. - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Everything I've tried here has been amazing!! There hasn't been a sauce I haven't loved. You have to try the spinach and prosciutto! The tiramisu is the best around. The employees always greet me with a big smile read more

By far the best Italian food in Columbus, probably all of Ohio, maybe even the country?! simple but delicious should be the slogan. They have what seems like endless sauce options for any type of preference. Picky? there's a sauce for that. Adventurous? there's a sauce for that. Particular but wanting to try something new? there's a sauce for that!! My family has tried (i think) every sauce, and we can't pick a favorite! read more

From out of town and this is BY FAR the best Italian food I have eaten that isn't my grandmas!! I was in the area for 1 week and ate food from Pastaria nearly every day. Everything I have tried on the menu has been DELICIOUS but my absolute favorite is the Wild Mushroom and Prosciutto sauce. I could not get enough of it and I am so sad I don't live closer because I would eat this every day if I could!!!! Highly recommend stopping by and trying multiple sauces and brining some home!! read more

You can't go to the North Market without picking up dinner here. Consistently the best pasta I have ever had. Well priced, easy and delicious. Ambiance: It is in the middle of a bustling North Market, but when you're talking to the workers you would never know. Extremely excited and passionate about their raviolis. They are always ready to make suggestions but when they say "everything is good" they really aren't kidding. Food: First things first, Raviolis. My number one favorite is the veal and truffle. As was recommended, you don't want to have it as the only ravioli since it is very rich, but this just gives you a chance to try more types. The Smoked Mozzarella, Jerk Chicken, and Wild Mushroom were all amazing. Second, sauces. I doubt you can go wrong here either, we always ask for a recommendation of what would compliment our ravioli selection the best. We have tried everything from Pesto to a few of their tomato based sauces but the best by far is the Wild Mushroom and Prosciutto Cream Sauce. When you have made all your other decisions and you finally ask yourself "Do I want garlic bread?", the answer should be a resounding yes... read more

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I've never been to their actual stand in the North Market with the intent to buy lunch, but we had them cater our wedding reception and I did a huge tasting before that to figure out what to serve. The food is amazing, it is as good as I can ever remember having Italian food and the prices are really reasonable even to the point of being kind of absurd. We had them cater our wedding reception as well and not only was the food just as good as it was for the tasting, but they worked with us every step of the way to carefully make sure the entire venue was set up appropriately even as we had to move the whole wedding from being outdoors to indoors in the last 48 hours because of rain. They were also by far the most affordable option putting us in the wonderful spot where we picked the food we liked the most at the price we liked the most. They also really know their stuff. We had some ideas about what we wanted at the wedding, but they suggested that we try 3-4 extra things that we might like and our final menu was pretty much just those extra things and almost none of the things we thought we wanted. If you ever get the chance you should eat here and if you need anything catered in Columbus, these are your guys. read more

This wasn't my first visit here, and I am happy with it. I don't come to Columbus often, but each time I do I make sure that I make my way to North Market and make a b-line to their spot. It's fun to look over their selection that are made and sitting there for you to pick from. But it also makes it hard for you to pick just one to have to lunch/dinner. The portion you get of pasta is huge. And they give you a side of bread to sop up the sauce, or you can use that amazing butter for the bread. My first time I was there I had to have their lasagna. It was perfect. So perfect that I wanted another piece almost right after that. My most recent visit I opted for the pesto penne, although my breath was garlic heavy later, I could have cared less (sorry for anyone in downtown Columbus I may have passed that day). Some people may complain about the wait time, but not me. I enjoyed watching them cook my pasta right in front of me. Plus the aroma is an added bonus. I highly recommend not using your bread just for sopping up the sauce. Take that butter that is loaded with garlic and I believe chives. That blend of flavors is making my mouth salivate right now. read more

Got the penne pasta with the tomato alfredo sauce and it was SO good and SO well seasoned. Wish there was another location!

There are two Pastaria's inside The North Market. The first is a favorite lunch spot with counters to enjoy your food right there. The meat lasagna (a cheese lasagna with a meat sauce) and the bowtie pasta with arrabiatta sauce are my two favorites. Pastaria Seconda is where I go for pasta sauce and ravioli. The sauces taste good and the ravioli is pretty. read more

Jason went above and beyond to pack our food for travel. My friend and I were in town for business and we wanted to take some food home. The food was wonderful and the staff went above and beyond to help us. Great place! read more

This is the first place I was drawn to when I stepped into North Market, and I am so glad I stopped! What a great company! The selection of frozen ravioli and gnocchi is great! So many tasty choices, I had trouble deciding! I knew I wanted to try one of the striped ones, cuz they were just too darn PRETTY to pass up! I opted for the lobster ravioli. Then I asked the woman working the counter what her favorite one is, and she recommended the goat cheese. I was so tempted to buy some of the sweet ravioli as well, but I restrained myself, since this was just my first stop in the market! The ravioli is bit pricey, but not INSANELY so. I bought 8 pieces of each, which I think is enough for 2 people for dinner. I didn't even really get a chance to look at the sauces or other pre-made dishes! The verdict - the lobster ravioli was very delicious, with actual chunks of lobster, as opposed to being totally pureed. My boyf is a wonderful cook, and made a great brown butter and sage sauce for the lobster, and topped it with Parmesan. A great choice, so as not to cover up the lobster flavor. The goat cheese was SO rich and creamy, and I think I might have actually liked this one better, simple as it is! Mr. Man made a simple fresh tomato sauce for this one. A perfect compliment to the cheese. Check out the pics to see Mr. Man's culinary handiwork! If I lived in Columbus, I would DEFINITELY be back to try their sweet potato gnocchi, veal & truffle ravioli, and also the sweet varieties, and maybe even a sauce or 2! I HIGHLY recommend checking this out if you live in Columbus and find yourself at North Market! read more

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I love free samples! Thank you! I tried almost all of the sauces available to me. The Chipotle alfredo, I think is what it was called, was my favorite. They sell 8 and 16oz containers. The 8oz was $4.99. Realistically, I would probably not buy it something like that at Giant Eagle, but being in the North Market, I suddenly felt the desire to support local businesses. When I tried it again at home, the sauce wasn't the same. It was good, but this time tasted a little grainy. I was too impatient to heat it up first, so that may eliminate the problem. If it's a grainy cheese or something, then I guess it would. Great weekend morning stop, when your in the planning stages of the evening's romantic possibilities. read more

Pastaria - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Oh, how I wish I was Italian. Everything about Italy - minus the hairy boys - is perfect: the art, the culture, the accents, the FOOD. Pastaria is a wonderful representation of Italian food. Flavorful hot and cold pasta dishes are served deli-style under a glass display case here. And what pairs better with a good, Italian pasta than a hunk of freshly baked bread? Of course, they have soups, salads, and a few desserts too. But the pastas! The pastas are beautifully made: brown and white striped raviolis, spinach tortellini, tiny bowties. There are nearly thirty ravioli varieties to choose from. I can't even think of thirty ways to make ravioli! I'm in love. You can grab a boxed lunch and few Italian cooking ingredients like pasta and chunky canned tomatoes. The staff is wonderfully pleasant. They cater events and meetings. read more

Pastaria - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I've bought pasta and sauce to go before and it was great. This Saturday we got a monti crisco sandwich to go. It was still cold inside and tasted like it was made two weeks ago. My girlfriend and I took one bite and tossed them, ugh. Hate wasting money but really hate wasting food. read more

Ordered the Italian Monte Cristo sandwich and watched as they microwaved it in front of me... if you are familiar with a Monte Cristo sandwich you know they are dipped in egg and fried like French toast. To have this cooked who knows when, chilled in a cooler, and reheated in a microwave created the soggiest sandwich I have ever had. The customer service girl was less than friendly and definitely didn't make me feel welcome. I ate 3 bites and threw the rest away! read more

The service I just received was beyond horrible. The woman with the brown hair in the bun, taller, was so rude over a piece of bread. She was so unpleasant, if you don't like working on in the morning or even working with people/customer service, get a new job! She was arguing with me over a piece of a bread that she refused to give me that costs 50 cents. She continued to be rude and tell me how much bread and butter costs and that the option I bought does not come with bread. DO NOT SPEND YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY HERE! read more

Pastaria in North Market has been one of our favorite meal-to-go options in Columbus. The Veal & Truffle and Smoked Mozzarella raviolis paired with their Prosciutto & Mushroom sauce is absolutely delicious and the prep time is very minimal (20 minutes max). We've also frequently bought their homemade Italian bread and garlic butter and both are great. Whenever we've asked for recommendations the service has always been very friendly and helpful. Keep up the good work! read more

Pastaria - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I was wandering around North Market and decided to give this place a try based solely on the look of the sandwiches in the display case. I can't speak to the pastas, etc but the sandwich was very disappointing. I ordered the Monte Cristo because I love Monte Cristos. It looked so good in the case! I give it points for that alone. Upon ordering, I was asked if I wanted the sandwich heated up. The prospect of a cold Monte Cristo sandwich did not appeal so I said yes. As she made her way to the microwave, I immediately regretted this decision. What I wanted was a nice, hot, and crispy sandwich from a panini maker or press of some kind. What I got was a soggy, half hot, half cold mess. I also had an issue with the fact that there were no preserves served with the Monte Cristo. Preserves are a staple of any good Monte and the cashier said that they had been asked the same thing more than once. If the demand is there, why not provide? I would have even paid extra for them! On a more positive note, the service was friendly and everything was nice and clean and well presented. The ingredients tasted quality, albeit tainted by the microwaving. I would like to return here and try something else. read more

I always get the mozz and tomato salad and tiramisu, but got the alfredo and Puttanesca today. Fantastic. Been coming in for 12 years now. Ladies at front are attentive and fast. When it's swamped and they have a line waiting, they move quick. Thank god. Oh, get an extra bread with the chive and garlic butter. That butter is . Cannolis are solid as well. read more

If I'm at the North Market it's a rare thing for me to buy something I could make myself at home. But, there are times when I can't resist the siren call of their garlic smashed butter and I decide to ditch all my usual favorites for Pastaria. 99% of the time it can do no wrong. My recommendation? Go for the spiral pasta or the whole grain penne and then ask for a mix of the Balsamic Tomato and the Pesto Sauce. Maybe it's a weird combo but it is OH SO good. Then, ask for extra bread because the chunk they give you is probably going to leave you wanting more. Most of the time it's free, though I think I've been charged once or twice. DO NOT order the eggplant parmesan if you have an aversion to microwaves. I don't know if they always microwave it or if I just happened to be there at the wrong time, but that was a major ewwwww for me. It's the main reason Pastaria isn't getting five stars. The food is very reasonably price, and the meat add-ins are worth the small amount of money you have to pay if you want them. Also, the staff at Pastaria has always been very nice to me. Even with long lines and my request for two sauces mixed together. read more