Visit PaPa Js Twin Plaza Restaurant in Pittsburgh’s Strip District for the Best of Italia.

Our Pizza is the style of the Roman Baker. 

Dough is nearly equal parts water and a custom flour blend mixed in stages with plenty of rest time to develop slowly for several days in bulk prior to being draped into specialized, coated aluminum pans and baked on a stone at very high heat. Once removed from the oven, pizza is left to cool, breathe, and release moisture on special perforated pans. These processes create an open crumb, a light, airy and crunchy crust that is unique. PaPa J’s Pizza is twice baked and offered fresh all day street style – by the cut. In the spirit of the Strip District, try the pizza folded in half and wrapped in wax paper when you take it on the road (and add a some sautéed Banana Peppers.) When you won’t eat the pizza until later ask for ambient and reheat it in an oven or air fryer for a few minutes – it will be perfect. 

Our Fresh pasta is a passionate romance of the pasta and the sauce. 

The majority of  PaPa J’s Pasta is fresh made featuring Semolina and Water only and cold extruded from bronze dies. Stuffed Pastas and Lasagna Sheets are are made featuring a blend of Semolina Flour, 00 Flour, Whole Fresh Egg and Water. Machine Laminated and hand cut, filled and shaped into Tortellini, Ravioli  Agnolotti and more. At PaPa J’s you choose your noodle and your sauce and your dish is made fresh at your order. PaPa J’s Fresh Made Pastas are also dried slowly with monitored and circulated air and packaged fully shelf stabilized to enjoy at home and give as gifts. 

Our Gelato program is committed to the highest quality in store experience. 

The Gelato production systems of pasteurization, batch freezing, holding and scoop services are an orchestration the world’s best gelato equipment imported from Italy; selected for their generational development of systems combining technology and artistry to respect the opportunity of your taste experience when you are served at PaPa J’s. Each small batch is scaled, pasteurized and frozen independently. Only the most considerate processing of the best flavors including fresh fruits, roasted nuts and highest quality chocolates and our gelatista’s style make PaPa J’s Gelato extra-ordinary. Our Gelato is available over the counter scooped into cups, cones or hand pint-ed to take home.

Our Full Bar features Boutique Cocktails: Negroni, Aperol Spritz and Amaro Menu, 20 Cold Drafts including locals and nationals, select Wines by the Glass and very well priced bottles, Gelato Cocktails, Sorbets floated in Prosecco, Sorbets corrected with flavored Whiskey’s and Affogatos.We are most grateful to keep alive PaPa J’s Brand which started in Carnegie, PA in 1987 and to showcase the Troiani Family’s renovation of it’s historic Twin Plaza building at 21st Street and Smallman in the Strip District.

Featuring: Full Service Dining, Counter Service Dining, Dine-In Events, Bar Service, Happy Hour, Carry Out … 

Benvenuti!

Michael Troiani