Unearth The Voyage
Tucked inside a shopping center in Pennsylvania’s Back Mountain region, Tomasino’s Ristorante Italiano has earned a loyal following with brick oven pizza, homemade pasta, fresh-baked bread, and warm, family-style hospitality. Traditional recipes and generous portions have made it a favorite for more than two decades.
The menu features customizable pasta with a variety of house-made sauces, classic chicken and seafood dishes, brick oven specialties, and homemade desserts like cannoli and tiramisu. With comforting food and friendly service, Tomasino’s remains one of northeastern Pennsylvania’s standout Italian restaurants.
Where You Can Actually Find This Place
Not every legendary restaurant announces itself with a grand facade, and Tomasino’s Ristorante Italiano is proof of that. Tucked inside the Dallas Village Shopping Center at 54 Dallas Shopping Center, Dallas, PA 18612, this spot sits in the Back Mountain region of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, right in the heart of the Wyoming Valley.
The address might sound ordinary, and yes, it is a strip mall. But that is part of the charm. There is something almost satisfying about finding seriously good Italian food in a setting that does not try too hard to impress you before you even sit down.
The restaurant is reachable by phone at (570) 675-4343, and their website at mytomasino.com offers menu details and updates. First-timers often admit they almost drove past it, but every single one of them is glad they stopped. The Back Mountain community clearly knows a good thing when they taste it.
A Legacy of Authentic Italian Cooking
Every great Italian restaurant has a story, and the one behind this place is genuinely worth knowing. Andrea Tomasino began his culinary journey at just fourteen years old, training in Switzerland and Germany before immigrating to the United States in 1982. That is decades of cooking knowledge packed into every sauce and every handmade roll served at the table.
His son Giuseppe joined him in the kitchen at the age of eleven, learning not just how to cook but how to run a business with pride and precision. Together, they first operated under the name Original Italian Pizza, or OIP, before eventually growing into the full-service restaurant that Tomasino’s is today.
That evolution from a pizza counter to a beloved community dining destination took patience, consistency, and a deep respect for traditional Italian technique. Two decades later, the legacy they built together is still going strong, and the food still tastes like it was made by someone who genuinely cares about the outcome.
A Strip Mall That Feels Nothing Like One Inside
The outside gives nothing away, which makes the inside feel like a pleasant surprise every time. Once you are seated at Tomasino’s, the strip mall exterior disappears from your mind entirely. The atmosphere is warm, casual, and comfortable without feeling generic or thrown together.
Guests are greeted by the kind of aromas that make it hard to focus on the menu because everything smells too good. The staff adds to that feeling immediately, with a friendliness that feels genuine rather than rehearsed. Many regulars describe the experience as feeling like family, and that word comes up again and again for a reason.
The dining room is on the smaller side, which actually works in its favor. It creates an intimacy that larger restaurants struggle to manufacture. Whether you are there for a low-key weeknight dinner, a date, or a family birthday, the setting adjusts to the mood of the table. That kind of versatility is harder to pull off than it looks.
The Brick Oven Pizza That Keeps People Talking
Pizza at Tomasino’s is not an afterthought. The brick oven setup produces a crust that has the right amount of char, chew, and crunch, and the toppings are applied with enough confidence that you can tell nobody is cutting corners back there.
The Tomasino Special is the white pizza to try: spinach, tomatoes, mozzarella, and a balsamic glaze that ties everything together with a slightly sweet, tangy finish. The Hawaiian and Margherita versions are also consistently praised by regulars who have been ordering them for years. The Popeye pizza has its own dedicated fan base as well.
Pizza by the slice is available for the lunch crowd, which is a smart and practical touch for a busy weekday. The slices move fast, and for good reason. What sets this pizza apart from chain options is not one dramatic ingredient but the overall balance of flavors that comes from a kitchen that actually knows what it is doing. The next section covers something even more customizable.
Build Your Own Pasta and Nearly 20 Sauces to Choose From
One of the most exciting things about the menu here is the custom pasta concept. Guests choose their preferred noodle, then select from nearly twenty homemade sauces to create a dish that feels personal rather than off-the-shelf. That kind of flexibility is rare in a restaurant that also maintains this level of quality.
The Pic Pac sauce, made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, and basil, is a standout choice that pairs beautifully with just about anything. Baked pasta options with cheese are particularly popular among those who like their dish arriving bubbling hot from the oven. Classic preparations like Lasagna Bianco, Manicotti, and Stuffed Shells Bolognese round out the pasta menu for those who prefer a traditional approach.
The homemade bread served alongside is not a side note. It is fresh, soft, and the kind of thing you find yourself thinking about on the drive home. The pasta options alone could justify multiple return visits, and for many regulars, they absolutely do.
The Lobster Bisque That Has Developed Its Own Cult Following
There are dishes people order out of habit, and then there are dishes people plan their entire visit around. The lobster bisque at Tomasino’s falls firmly into the second category. The base is thick, rich, and deeply flavored in a way that makes lighter versions from other restaurants feel like an apology.
Regular customers have been known to call ahead and order it by the quart to take home, which says everything you need to know about how good it is. The consistency of this dish across years of visits is what truly sets it apart. A great bisque is easy to ruin, and this kitchen never does.
The homemade pastanni soup is another starter worth mentioning, with a comforting, hearty quality that works especially well on a cold Pennsylvania evening. Tomasino’s understands that the first course sets the tone for everything that follows, and they treat it accordingly. Soup fans will not leave disappointed, and appetizer lovers are in for an equally good time in the next section.
Appetizers That Set the Right Tone Before the Main Event
Getting the appetizer order right at Tomasino’s is genuinely fun because the options are hard to narrow down. The Risotto Balls, filled with broccoli and cheese, arrive with a satisfying crispy exterior and a creamy center that makes them disappear from the plate faster than expected. They are the kind of starter that prompts a second order before the entrees even arrive.
The Drunken Garlic Knots are another crowd favorite, baked to a golden finish and seasoned in a way that makes plain garlic bread feel like a downgrade. The garlic bread itself, however, is also worth ordering. It arrives crispy, loaded with butter, and paired with a house-baked roll that is soft enough to mop up any remaining sauce at the end of a meal.
Appetizers here are not filler. They reflect the same care and technique applied to every other part of the menu. Starting the meal well matters, and Tomasino’s clearly agrees. The entree lineup is just as thoughtfully put together.
Chicken, Veal, and Seafood Done the Old World Way
The entree section of the menu at Tomasino’s reads like a tour through classic Italian-American cooking, and the execution backs it up. Chicken Parmigiana, Francese, Piccata, and Marsala are all present and accounted for, each prepared with enough attention to technique that they taste like they belong in the category of comfort food elevated rather than just comfort food.
The veal preparations follow the same pattern, offering familiar options done with care. Portions are generous across the board, and the chicken parm in particular has been known to feed a small group when ordered as a full serving with salad and bread on the side.
On the seafood side, the Salmon Mediterraneo stands out, featuring mushrooms, roasted peppers, olives, and a white wine sauce that keeps the fish from feeling heavy. The Zuppa Di Pesce rounds out the seafood offerings for guests who want something more traditional and broth-forward. Each of these dishes carries the same Old World sensibility that defines the restaurant’s entire approach.
Gluten-Free Options That Actually Taste Like the Real Thing
Finding a genuinely good gluten-free pasta dish at a traditional Italian restaurant can feel like a long shot. Tomasino’s manages to pull it off in a way that surprises even skeptical diners. The gluten-free pasta holds up to the sauces and baking process without turning mushy or falling apart, which is a more impressive achievement than it might sound.
Guests with dietary restrictions have noted that the kitchen takes food allergy requests seriously and goes out of its way to accommodate special needs without making the experience feel like a compromise. Zoodles are also available as an alternative to traditional pasta for those watching their carbohydrate intake.
The fact that a restaurant this committed to traditional Italian cooking also makes room for modern dietary needs says something good about how the team approaches their guests. Nobody should have to skip a course because the menu does not account for them. At Tomasino’s, that thoughtfulness is baked right into the experience, much like everything else here.
The Sweet Finish: Desserts Worth Saving Room For
Ending a meal well is an art form, and Tomasino’s handles it with the same care applied to every other course. The cannoli here are the kind that disappear before you make it home, with a crisp shell and a creamy, lightly sweetened ricotta filling that manages to feel indulgent without being overwhelming.
Tiramisu is also on the dessert menu, and it delivers on the classic expectation of layers, creaminess, and just enough coffee flavor to make the whole thing taste like it was assembled by someone who has been making it for years. These are not afterthought desserts designed to pad the bill.
The dessert selection is intentionally concise, which works in its favor. Rather than offering a sprawling list of options, the kitchen focuses on doing a few things exceptionally well. For a restaurant built on the philosophy of quality over quantity, that approach makes complete sense. A meal that ends this well tends to bring people back for the whole experience again.
A Community Institution, Not Just a Restaurant
Tomasino’s has been operating in the Back Mountain community for over two decades, and that kind of longevity does not happen by accident. The restaurant has become genuinely woven into the fabric of the Wyoming Valley, supporting local causes and organizations including Fork Over Love, a food rescue initiative that reflects the family’s values beyond the kitchen.
Giuseppe’s wife Joann and their children, Sophia, JoJo, Rocco, and Gaetano, are all actively involved in running the restaurant, keeping the family-first spirit alive in a very literal way. The business has also embraced social media to stay connected with the community, which has helped a new generation of diners discover what longtime regulars have known for years.
When a restaurant survives and thrives for twenty-plus years in a community, it is because people trust it. That trust has been built one honest plate of food at a time, and it shows in the loyalty of guests who drive across town just to pick up a quart of bisque on a Tuesday afternoon.
Practical Tips Before You Plan Your Visit
Tomasino’s operates Tuesday through Thursday from 11 AM to 8 PM, and on Friday and Saturday the kitchen stays open until 9 PM. The restaurant is closed on Sunday and Monday, so plan accordingly. Friday evenings in particular can get busy, and making a reservation ahead of time is a smart move to avoid a wait.
The restaurant operates as a BYOB establishment, which means guests can bring their own non-alcoholic beverages or other personal drink preferences without a corkage fee complication. The kitchen holds a 4.5-star rating on Google Maps across more than 400 reviews, which reflects a strong and consistent track record over many years of service.
Dining in is generally recommended over takeout for the full experience, since the warm atmosphere and attentive service add a layer that a to-go bag simply cannot replicate. The restaurant can be reached at (570) 675-4343 for reservations or menu questions. When a place has this much going for it, showing up prepared makes the whole visit even better.
