Discover Authentic Italian Eats At Pompilio's In Kentucky
By Sarah McCosham|Published May 07, 2021
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
Americans have a thing for Italian food; and really, what’s not to love? Pasta and pizza, meatballs and lasagna, Italian food are like a big, warm hug (from your Italian nonna, of course). But let’s be honest: the Italian fare you’ll find at most restaurants is, at best, a pale imitation of the real deal. Traditional Italian food is not smothered in sauces, mountains of cheese, and served with never-ending breadsticks. It’s nuanced and veg-forward; fresh and light; balanced and best served with a glass of red. Which is precisely what you’ll find at Pompilio’s in Kentucky.
Located in the historic Ohio River town of Newport, Pompilio's opened its doors in 1933.
In fact, this site was the location of a big raid during Prohibition!
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A hit from the very beginning, during the 1940s, stage performers and famous celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe -- who were performing at local clubs -- all dined at Pompilio’s.
During this scene, Hoffman and Cruise sat at a table in the dining room, just past the bar. Their waitress (Bonnie Hunt) approaches the table and Hoffman's character recognizes her name from the phone book that he's memorized. He then tells Cruise that he wants pancakes and he has to eat them with a toothpick.
It's a famous moment, and the warm, familial feel of Pompilio's really does make the scene.
As a family-owned restaurant, the Pompilio family operated it until 1982, when it was bought by another Italian family who kept the name, simply changing it from Pompilio's Café to Pompilio's Restaurant.
The new owners continued to serve the same pastas and sauces that the Pompilios had perfected, adding some new dishes, like Italian sausage, lasagna, cannelloni, and manicotti.
The chicken parmigiana is light and herbaceous, paired with linguine and two of the restaurant's signature sauces.
Fresh eggplant is lightly marinated and baked for the eponymous dish, which, contrary to what you've likely had at Italian chain restaurants, is light, fresh, and very veg-forward.
And if you just simply can't decide what to order, try the Original Sampler, which comes with lasagna, meat and cheese ravioli, eggplant, homemade Italian sausage and one of Pompilio's famous meatballs. It's a true taste of Italy!
Pompilio’s really is a dining must in Kentucky; a historic treasure dishing up the most authentic Italian cuisine in The Bluegrass State. Learn more, and order their famous sauces, on their website.
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