13 Ohio Italian Restaurants Where The Portions Are So Big Locals Always Take Leftovers Home For Tomorrow’s Lunch
Some Italian restaurants give you a nice dinner. These Ohio spots give you dinner and tomorrow’s lunch without even trying.
The pasta comes piled high, the sauces are rich and comforting, and the kind of meal that starts as a craving usually ends with a very full takeout container riding home in the passenger seat.
Across the state, there are Italian restaurants where regulars already know they will not be finishing everything at the table, and they are perfectly happy about it. That is the magic of these spots.
So bring your appetite, make a little space in the fridge, and get ready to find a new Ohio favorite.
1. Ferrari’s Little Italy & Bakery, Madeira
There is something almost theatrical about the moment a plate arrives at Ferrari’s Little Italy & Bakery and you realize it is not going to fit in your stomach in one sitting.
This Madeira institution has been feeding families for decades, and the kitchen has never once been shy about portion sizes.
The pasta dishes are the stuff of local legend, loaded with rich, slow-simmered sauces that taste like someone’s grandmother spent the whole afternoon stirring the pot.
The bakery side of the operation is just as impressive, turning out fresh bread and Italian pastries that regulars often grab on the way out to pair with tomorrow’s leftovers.
The atmosphere is warm and unhurried, the kind of place where you feel comfortable staying long after your plate has been cleared.
First-timers are almost always caught off guard by the sheer volume of food that arrives at the table, while regulars just smile knowingly and ask for the to-go box upfront.
Address: 7677 Goff Terrace, Madeira, OH 45243.
2. Jimmy’s Italian Cuisine & Bar, Dayton
Walking into Jimmy’s Italian Cuisine & Bar in Dayton feels a little like being welcomed into a big, noisy family dinner where everyone at the table is genuinely happy to see you.
The energy here is lively and warm, and the menu reads like a love letter to old-school Italian cooking done with real conviction.
Portions are famously oversized, and the lasagna in particular has earned a devoted following among locals who plan their Tuesday around leftovers.
The pasta is made with care, and the sauces carry that deep, layered flavor that only comes from recipes that have been refined over many years.
Service is friendly and attentive without being intrusive, striking that comfortable balance that keeps people coming back regularly.
The bread basket alone could qualify as a starter and a half, and most diners end up taking half of it home alongside whatever is left of their entree.
Address: 824 East 5th Street, Dayton, OH 45402.
3. Alfonso’s Italian Grille & Event Center, Lancaster
Not every Italian restaurant in Ohio doubles as an event center, but Alfonso’s Italian Grille & Event Center in Lancaster pulls off both roles with impressive ease.
The dining room has a polished, comfortable feel that works just as well for a casual weeknight dinner as it does for a celebratory gathering with a crowd.
What really gets people talking, though, is how much food ends up on each plate, because Alfonso’s is not in the business of leaving anyone hungry.
The grilled entrees are standouts, seasoned boldly and served with generous sides that push the meal well past the point of sensible portion control.
Pasta dishes arrive in deep bowls with sauce pooling around every noodle, and the aroma alone is enough to make neighboring tables crane their necks.
Regulars at this Lancaster spot have long since adopted the habit of ordering one dish, eating half at the table, and looking forward to the rest the next day.
Address: 3100 Country Club Rd SW, Lancaster, OH 43130.
4. Moretti’s Restaurant, Dublin
Moretti’s Restaurant in Dublin has built a loyal following over the years, and a big part of that loyalty comes down to one simple fact: nobody leaves this place hungry.
The menu leans into classic Italian comfort food with a confidence that suggests the kitchen knows exactly what it is doing and has no plans to change course.
Chicken dishes are especially popular here, arriving at the table in generous cuts with sauces that beg to be soaked up with the excellent bread.
The pasta portions are equally substantial, and the combination of bold flavors and sheer volume makes Moretti’s the kind of restaurant where splitting an entree is actually a reasonable strategy.
The dining room has a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere that feels genuinely neighborhood-friendly rather than trying too hard to impress.
Many Dublin regulars have adopted a two-meal mindset when booking a table here, knowing that whatever lands on the plate will be just as satisfying reheated the following afternoon.
Address: 5849 Sawmill Rd, Dublin, OH 43017.
5. Giammarco’s Italian Restaurant, Westerville
Tucked into Westerville with the quiet confidence of a place that has never needed to advertise heavily because word of mouth does all the work, Giammarco’s Italian Restaurant is a genuine crowd-pleaser.
The menu covers the Italian classics with skill and generosity, and the portions here are the kind that prompt first-time visitors to pull out their phones and photograph the sheer scale of what arrives.
Pasta dishes are rich and satisfying, built on sauces that carry real depth and are clearly not coming out of a jar.
The house-made lasagna and baked rigatoni are particular favorites among regulars, both arriving in quantities that comfortably stretch into a second meal the next day.
The room itself is warm and inviting, with lighting that flatters both the food and the people eating it.
Giammarco’s has that rare quality of feeling special without feeling stuffy, making it equally suited to a date night or a casual family dinner in Westerville.
Address: 6030 Chandler Court, Westerville, OH 43082.
6. Viva Maria, Ada
Finding a restaurant with portions this generous in a small Ohio town like Ada is the kind of pleasant surprise that makes you want to tell everyone you know.
Viva Maria has carved out a devoted local following by treating every plate like it deserves to be a full, satisfying experience rather than a polite suggestion of a meal.
The homestyle Italian cooking here leans toward comfort and abundance, with pasta dishes that arrive heaped and sauced in ways that make the table feel instantly festive.
The menu is approachable and familiar, hitting all the Italian favorites that people actually want to order rather than a list designed to impress food critics.
Service at Viva Maria tends to be warm and personal in the way that smaller-town restaurants often get right more naturally than their big-city counterparts.
Locals in Ada have a standing joke that ordering one entree here is technically a two-day food plan, and honestly, that is not much of an exaggeration.
Address: 125 South Main Street, Ada, OH 45810.
7. Zia’s Italian Restaurant, Toledo
Zia’s Italian Restaurant in Toledo has the kind of reputation that gets passed down through families, with parents bringing their kids to the same booths where they once sat as children themselves.
The food here is rooted in tradition, and the kitchen takes obvious pride in keeping the recipes consistent and the portions unapologetically large.
Spaghetti dishes arrive with a mountain of pasta and sauce that fills the bowl to the brim, and the meatballs are the size of something you would expect from a place that genuinely means business.
The atmosphere inside Zia’s is casual and comfortable, with a neighborhood-restaurant energy that feels completely authentic rather than manufactured for effect.
Regulars in Toledo often order their usual dish without even opening the menu, a sure sign that this place has earned real loyalty over many years of consistent cooking.
Whatever you order, plan for leftovers, because Zia’s seems philosophically opposed to sending anyone home with an empty to-go box.
Address: 20 Main St., Toledo, OH 43605.
8. Luigi’s Restaurant, Akron
Luigi’s Restaurant in downtown Akron is one of those places that has been around long enough to become part of the city’s identity, and the portions it serves are every bit as legendary as its history.
Open since 1949, Luigi’s has been piling pasta onto plates for generations of Akron residents, and the kitchen shows no signs of scaling back anytime soon.
The spaghetti here is a point of civic pride, arriving in a deep bowl with a sauce that has been refined over decades into something that is hard to describe without sounding overly dramatic.
Beyond the pasta, the full menu covers Italian classics with the kind of depth and detail that comes from a restaurant that genuinely knows its craft.
The historic dining room adds an extra layer of charm, making each meal feel like a small event rather than just another dinner out.
First-timers often leave with a to-go box and a firm plan to return very soon, which is basically Luigi’s way of saying welcome to the family.
Address: 105 N Main St, Akron, OH 44308.
9. Palombo’s Italian Restaurant, North Canton
Palombo’s Italian Restaurant in North Canton is the kind of place that feels like it was built specifically for people who believe a good meal should leave you genuinely satisfied rather than reaching for a snack two hours later.
The menu is extensive and built around the Italian classics, executed with consistency and served in portions that regularly catch new customers off guard.
Chicken parmigiana is a standout here, arriving as a generous slab of breaded, sauced perfection that rarely gets finished in a single sitting no matter how hungry you arrived.
The pasta dishes are equally abundant, and the combination of quality ingredients and large serving sizes explains why Palombo’s has maintained such a strong local following in North Canton.
The dining room has a comfortable, family-friendly feel that makes it an easy choice for everything from a casual dinner to a birthday celebration.
Leaving with a doggy bag at Palombo’s is not a sign of defeat but rather a smart strategy for a very satisfying next-day lunch.
Address: 4100 Portage St NW, North Canton, OH 44720.
10. Naples Spaghetti House, Steubenville
There is a particular kind of joy that comes from sitting down at a restaurant called the Naples Spaghetti House and knowing, before the menu even arrives, that this place is completely serious about pasta.
Located in Steubenville, Naples Spaghetti House has been a beloved fixture in the community for years, drawing in regulars with the promise of simple, honest Italian cooking that delivers every single time.
The spaghetti is the undisputed star of the show, served in portions that fill the plate edge to edge and come with a sauce that carries the kind of flavor that makes you slow down and pay attention.
Beyond the namesake dish, the menu offers a solid range of Italian classics, all prepared with the same commitment to generosity and good flavor.
The setting is unpretentious and welcoming, the sort of place where the food is always the main event and nobody feels the need to dress it up with unnecessary frills.
Address: 329 North Street, Steubenville, OH 43952.
11. Mama Santa’s Restaurant & Pizzeria, Cleveland
Mama Santa’s Restaurant & Pizzeria in Cleveland occupies a special place in the hearts of locals who grew up eating here and have since introduced the place to their own kids and grandkids.
Situated on Mayfield Road in the heart of Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood, Mama Santa’s carries the weight of real tradition without ever feeling like a museum piece.
The pizza is outstanding, built on a crust that has the perfect balance of chew and crunch, and the toppings are piled on with the kind of generosity that makes each slice a full commitment.
Pasta dishes hold their own alongside the pizza, arriving in quantities that make the decision to order a full entree feel like an investment in both tonight’s dinner and tomorrow’s lunch.
The atmosphere buzzes with the kind of energy that comes from a place that has been genuinely loved by its community for a very long time.
Mama Santa’s is not just a meal stop in Cleveland, it is a full-on experience that rewards repeat visits.
Address: 12301 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106.
12. Piccolo, Mayfield Heights
Piccolo in Mayfield Heights proves that a restaurant with a refined, polished atmosphere can still believe firmly in the value of a generous portion, and the combination is absolutely winning.
The name may mean small in Italian, but there is nothing small about what lands on the table here, and that pleasant contradiction is something regulars enjoy pointing out to anyone dining for the first time.
The menu leans toward classic Italian flavors with Sicilian roots, with dishes built around quality ingredients and carefully balanced seasoning that rewards slow, attentive eating.
Pasta preparations are particularly impressive, showcasing technique and flavor in equal measure while still arriving in quantities that make the to-go box a near certainty.
The dining room at Piccolo has a warmth and elegance that makes it feel like a special occasion even on an ordinary Tuesday night.
For anyone in the Mayfield Heights area looking for Italian food that punches well above its weight in both quality and quantity, Piccolo is the clear answer.
Address: 1261 Som Center Road, Mayfield Heights, OH 44124.
13. Silvestro’s Depot Cafe, Painesville
Housed inside a historic railroad depot in Painesville, Silvestro’s Depot Cafe brings together two things that Ohioans love deeply: good stories and even better Italian food.
The building itself is a conversation starter, with the kind of character and architectural detail that makes you want to look around and soak in the atmosphere before the food even arrives.
And then the food arrives, and suddenly the building becomes the second most interesting thing in the room.
Silvestro’s serves up Italian classics with a heartiness that matches the setting, and the portions are the kind that make you grateful you wore a comfortable outfit.
The pasta dishes are crowd favorites, loaded with sauce and served with fresh bread that makes it nearly impossible not to clean the plate, even when your stomach is politely suggesting otherwise.
Located on Railroad Street in Painesville, Silvestro’s manages to be both a genuinely unique dining destination and a reliable source of next-day leftovers that locals across Ohio look forward to almost as much as the original meal.
Address: 470 Railroad St, Painesville, OH 44077.