Unearth The Voyage
Just minutes from Hersheypark, one family-owned Italian restaurant transports guests from Central Pennsylvania to the flavors and traditions of Tuscany with every meal. Visitors come for fresh house-made pasta, handcrafted mozzarella, Old World pizza, authentic family recipes, homemade desserts, and warm hospitality that has earned a loyal following for more than a decade. It’s the kind of place where a simple dinner quickly feels like a memorable trip to Italy.
The experience extends far beyond the menu. Tuscan-inspired surroundings, family traditions, live accordion performances, exceptional gluten-free options, private dining, handcrafted desserts, and genuine Italian hospitality have made this one of Hershey’s favorite restaurants. Whether you’re taking a break from the attractions or searching for one of the area’s best local dining experiences, it’s easy to understand why so many guests return again and again.
Here’s why Piazza Sorrento has become one of Hershey’s most beloved restaurants and one of Central Pennsylvania’s best places to enjoy authentic Italian cuisine.
Where Hershey Meets the Heart of Italy
Most people arrive in Hershey expecting cocoa and roller coasters, so discovering a genuine Italian restaurant with this much depth feels like a pleasant plot twist.
Piazza Sorrento sits at 16 Briarcrest Square, Hershey, PA 17033, directly across from Penn State Hershey Hospital and less than three miles from Hersheypark. The location is easy to reach, the parking lot is free, and the building itself gives off a warm, welcoming energy from the outside.
Owners Pete and Anna Maria Collura have built something that feels rooted here, not transplanted. The restaurant earned the “Best New Restaurant” title from Harrisburg Magazine back in 2009, and it has maintained steady community loyalty ever since.
It holds a 4.4-star rating across more than 1,700 Google reviews, which is a strong signal in a competitive dining area. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday starting at 11 AM, with Sunday hours beginning at noon, giving visitors plenty of flexible dining windows throughout the week.
A Family Recipe Book Turned into a Full Restaurant
Pete and Anna Maria Collura did not open Piazza Sorrento by following a business trend. They opened it because they had something worth sharing: a collection of Old World Italian recipes passed down through generations of their families in Italy.
That backstory matters because it shapes everything about the menu, the flavors, and the way the kitchen approaches each dish. These are not adapted recipes or approximations. They are the real thing, made with care and a clear sense of culinary identity.
The Collura family’s commitment to tradition is visible in the details: house-made pasta prepared fresh daily, mozzarella crafted in-house using the classic pasta filata method, and sauces built from premium local ingredients. Nothing on the plate feels like it was designed by a committee.
That personal investment in the food translates directly to the dining experience. Guests frequently note that the meal feels like something a skilled home cook prepared specifically for them, which is rare in a full-service restaurant setting.
Two Sides, One Building, Endless Options
One of the first things you notice upon arrival is that Piazza Sorrento is actually two distinct operations sharing the same roof, and understanding that distinction saves you from ordering confusion.
The left side of the building houses Mr. Sorrento’s, a dedicated pizza and sub shop where you can order pizza by the slice, subs, wings, salads, and garlic knots either for dine-in at the counter or for takeout. It runs at a faster, more casual pace and is perfect for a quick meal or a family pickup on the way home from Hersheypark.
The right side is the full Italian dining room, where the experience shifts to a more elevated register. Table service, a broader pasta and entree menu, and a more polished atmosphere define this section. Reservations are accepted here, and on busy weekends, booking ahead is genuinely worth the two-minute effort.
Both sides share the same commitment to quality ingredients, but the moods are entirely different. Knowing which side fits your plans makes the whole visit smoother from start to finish.
The Pasta That Makes You Rethink Everything You Know About Noodles
Fresh pasta has a texture that dried pasta simply cannot replicate, and Piazza Sorrento makes that difference abundantly clear with every plate that leaves the kitchen.
The restaurant produces its pasta in-house daily, using a straightforward formula of flour, water, and one egg per batch. That simplicity is intentional. The goal is a pasta that holds its shape, absorbs sauce beautifully, and delivers a soft, tender bite that feels nothing like the boxed variety.
Options include spaghetti, linguini, fettuccine, penne, and ravioli, among others. Guests who try the ravioli for the first time often describe it as a revelation, noting how the freshness of the dough changes the entire character of the dish. One visit is usually enough to convert even the most skeptical pasta skeptic.
The kitchen pairs these fresh pastas with sauces built from scratch, creating combinations that feel cohesive rather than assembled. If you leave without ordering pasta, you have genuinely missed the point of the visit, and the desserts are worth saving room for too.
Old World Pizza That Locals Keep Arguing Is the Best in Town
The pizza at Mr. Sorrento’s has developed a devoted following in the Hershey area, and the style is distinct enough to earn its own conversation separate from the dining room menu.
The Old World Style Pizza features a New York-style crust with a layer of sharp provolone placed beneath the sauce rather than on top. A finish of parmesan and oregano rounds out the flavor profile, creating a pie that is bold, savory, and noticeably different from standard American pizza. The cheese is high quality, not greasy or rubbery, and the slices are generous.
Garlic knots with marinara are a popular companion order, and the reviews suggest they disappear quickly. The XL cheese pizza draws consistent praise for its flavor depth and ingredient quality, and the kitchen takes obvious care with the bake.
Locals frequently cite this pizza as the best in Hershey, which is a meaningful title in a town with no shortage of casual dining options. The pizza alone justifies a stop, even if you never make it to the dining room side.
The Gluten-Free Menu That Actually Delivers
Restaurants that claim to offer gluten-free options and restaurants that actually deliver a meaningful gluten-free experience are two very different things. Piazza Sorrento belongs firmly in the second category.
The restaurant holds official certification from both the Gluten Intolerance Group of Harrisburg and the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America, which means the kitchen follows verified protocols rather than just swapping out one ingredient. Guests with celiac disease report feeling genuinely safe eating here, which is not something they say lightly.
The gluten-free menu covers a wide range, including pizza with a rice flour base, pasta dishes, bread, salads, and dessert. Servers are trained to understand the dietary requirements and will confirm preparation details without making guests feel like a burden for asking.
Strawberry shortcake, chicken and penne, and gluten-free pizza have all received strong praise from guests with gluten sensitivities. The portions on the gluten-free pizza have drawn some criticism for being smaller than expected, which is worth knowing before you order. But the overall program remains one of the most serious in the region.
The Menu Highlights That Keep People Coming Back
Beyond the pizza and pasta, the full dining room menu at Piazza Sorrento covers a range of Italian classics and regional specialties that reward repeat visits with new discoveries each time.
Chef Pete’s Veal Marsala is a standout entree, built on the kind of rich, wine-forward sauce that defines traditional Italian cooking. The Seafood Cioppino arrives loaded with scallops, mussels, and jumbo shrimp in a robust red sauce over spaghetti, served with garlic toast. Lobster ravioli and chicken fettuccine Alfredo are also frequent favorites among regulars.
Appetizers set the tone well. The fried calamari arrives crispy and properly seasoned, while the homemade ricotta and mozzarella spinach dip, baked hot and served with fresh bread, tends to disappear before anyone has a chance to think about pacing themselves.
The eggplant parmigiana earns specific praise for not being soggy, which anyone who has ordered it elsewhere knows is a real achievement. The daily soup, called Zuppa Del Giorno, adds a rotating element that gives regulars a reason to check in frequently throughout the week.
Hosting Events with an Italian Flair
Piazza Sorrento handles private events with the same level of care it applies to nightly dinner service, which makes it a surprisingly strong option for anyone planning a celebration in the Hershey area.
The restaurant features private dining rooms that can accommodate groups of 20 to 50 people on-site, making them suitable for rehearsal dinners, birthday gatherings, corporate lunches, and family reunions. The Tuscan-inspired decor provides a ready-made atmosphere that eliminates the need for elaborate decorating efforts.
For larger off-site events, the catering program scales up significantly. The team can handle gatherings of 50 to 600 people at external venues, covering weddings, graduation parties, and corporate functions with full-service Italian menus built around their house-made sauces and fresh ingredients.
Mr. Sorrento’s also operates a Party Truck that can bring pizza, hot and cold subs, and drinks to events accommodating nearly any crowd size, reportedly up to 2,000 people. For anyone planning a large outdoor event or company gathering in Central Pennsylvania, that kind of flexibility is genuinely useful and worth a direct call to the restaurant to discuss options.
Desserts That Earn Their Own Paragraph
Tiramisu made in-house is not a minor detail. It is the kind of finishing touch that signals a kitchen taking the full meal seriously from start to finish, and Piazza Sorrento’s version draws consistent praise from guests who almost skipped dessert entirely.
The cannoli also earns strong mentions, with crispy shells and a filling that does not turn soggy by the time it reaches the table. Strawberry shortcake has been highlighted specifically by gluten-free diners who rarely expect a dessert option worth getting excited about.
The general consensus from regulars is that if anything warm and chocolatey is on the specials board, ordering it is not optional. The kitchen clearly invests in this final course rather than treating it as an afterthought.
Tiramisu sells out on busy nights, which is either frustrating or a useful piece of information depending on how you look at it. Arriving early or asking your server about availability when you sit down is a practical move that more than one guest has wished they had made before the last portion disappeared from the kitchen.
Practical Details Worth Knowing Before You Go
A little preparation goes a long way at Piazza Sorrento, especially during peak tourist season when the area around Hersheypark fills up with visitors looking for a sit-down meal.
The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 11 AM to 10 PM, with Sunday hours running from noon to 10 PM. Reservations are available for the dining room side and are strongly recommended on Friday and Saturday evenings and during summer weekends. Walk-ins are welcome, but the wait can be significant during busy periods.
The parking lot is free and shared with neighboring businesses in Briarcrest Square, including a gas station. The location at 16 Briarcrest Square places it directly across from Penn State Hershey Hospital and about a half mile from Hershey Lodge, making it easy to find without relying heavily on GPS once you know the area.
Takeout and delivery are both available, with delivery covering Hershey and Hummelstown addresses and a minimum order required. The phone number is 717-835-1919, and the full menu can be browsed at piazzasorrento.com before you arrive.
Why This Place Stands Out in a Town Built on Sweetness
Hershey, Pennsylvania, does not lack for things to do or places to eat, but most of the town’s culinary identity leans predictably sweet. Piazza Sorrento operates in a completely different register, and that contrast is a big part of what makes it memorable.
The combination of house-made ingredients, a certified gluten-free program, two distinct dining formats under one roof, and a family that genuinely cares about every plate creates an experience that feels more substantial than a typical tourist-area restaurant. It has earned its place in the community over more than fifteen years, not through novelty, but through consistency.
The 4.4-star rating across more than 1,700 reviews reflects a broad base of satisfied guests, from locals who stop in weekly to travelers who discovered it after a long day at Hersheypark and now plan their return trips around a reservation here.
A visit to Hershey that includes Piazza Sorrento is simply a more complete visit. The chocolate will always be there waiting for you, but a plate of fresh pasta made by people who learned the recipe from their grandparents in Italy is a little harder to find anywhere else in this zip code.
