WAYNESBORO – For those locals looking for a little international flare, look no further than The Original Arturo’s Pizzeria located between Waynesboro and Greencastle on Buchanan Trail E. There is more to this charming restaurant than just pizza.
The dining area offered plenty of seating along with its welcoming Italian-themed décor. There was a salad bar and an ice cream case located on the main floor and an open space in the back corner of the restaurant for larger groups and parties. Walking into the dining area brought back fond memories. It was the type of place that I would hang out at after school to unwind with friends and enjoy a slice of pizza and ice cream.
The menu offered the normal pizzeria fare with pies in various sizes in both New York and Sicilian style, specialty gourmet pizzas, calzones and Stromboli. If you are looking something with little more flavor of Italy, Arturo’s has pasta dishes like chicken Alfredo, veal and chicken parmigiana, baked ziti, lasagna and of course a variety of spaghetti dishes.
The tasty choices did not end there. Also on the menu were traditional sandwiches including a variety of specialty burgers, cold cuts, hot subs, including their most popular item, a Philly cheesesteak sub.
As for my choices, I began with an order of their fried calamari rings to start my meal. This deep-sea delight came with a side of marinara sauce for dipping and were perfectly fried with a good meat-to-breading ratio so it was not overly breaded.
Next up was a fresh house salad that came as part of my dinner entrée. While most diners think, a salad is a salad, there are some that stand out. This was one of them. There were lots of veggies including cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and crunchy croutons.
For my entrée, I ordered the chicken parmigiana with spaghetti and garlic bread on the side. The first thing I will note was the portion size. There were at six slices of breaded chicken topped with mozzarella cheese and covered in tasty marinara sauce. This was joined by a nice helping of spaghetti. For the reasonable price of the meal, this was a good amount of food.
The chicken was delightfully seasoned and not too salty. The marinara sauce was the part I was most thankful for. Most family-owned restaurants make their own sauces and you never quite know what to expect. This sauce was the perfect consistency and not overly seasoned and complimented the taste of the chicken well.
To finish up my evening I had a slice of the chocolate cheesecake. The dessert menu offered other selections as well like fried ice cream, tiramisu, cannoli and funnel fries. While all the selections sounded amazing, I can never pass up a slice of New York style cheesecake. It came topped with drizzled dark chocolate, whipped cream and a cherry. It looked as good as it tasted.
What I enjoyed most about my visit to Arturo’s was the welcoming atmosphere. The staff was great, and my server made sure to keep my glass of lemonade full. He was friendly and fast and made sure that all the guests who came in felt welcomed.
The Original Arturo’s Pizzeria is located at 5261 Buchanan Trial E. They are open 7 days a week, Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday noon-9 p.m.
