Want a taste of Italy without having to travel halfway across the world? Then you need to take a trip to the brand new Ciao Pasta in Hagerstown, where they are creating old world pasta, sandwiches, appetizers, and desserts from scratch. The owners aren’t just doing Italian food – they are from Italy, so all their recipes are from their homeland. As someone who grew up eating the cooking of my very Italian great-grandmother, I can say with confidence that this pasta is made how it is supposed to be made.
Price 💲💲out of 5
Ciao Pasta is the perfect mix of affordable, quick food with made-from-scratch ingredients. All of the pastas come in at under $16, with most being in the $10-$12 range. They also have a ton of sandwiches and salads which are more than reasonable, as well as some very affordable appetizers. This is easily a spot where you can get amazing comfort food for a reasonable price.
Ambience 🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳 out of 5
This spot isn’t overly decorated, but it is clean and I love how the pasta is made right in front of you at the counter. If you come in on the right day, you will get to see the owners’ young children enjoying some pasta. I love a family-owned business, as those moments with your children are always so special. The owners are so friendly and have such a strong passion for serving the community with authentic Italian cuisine.
Food 🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩 out of 5
Let’s get down to the food we were able to sample:
Garlic Bread Mozzarella – this appetizer was one of the best things I ate the whole day. The cheese just tasted so fresh, and the bread was perfectly crispy.
Polpette Al Sugo – this is meatballs for those of us who don’t speak Italian. These meatballs were so decadent, and their homemade red sauce is to die for.
Chicken Pesto Panini – everything on this panini was made from scratch. The pesto was insanely fresh, and I loved the tomato and arugula.
W.A.P. Panini – no, not that kind of WAP. This one had Italian meats, fresh mozz, and the perfect freshness of the tomato and arugula.
Cacio & Pepe – my all time favorite pasta, this dish was loaded with Pecorino Romano and plenty of fresh cracked black pepper. The casarecce pasta was the perfect vessel for all the cheesy and peppery sauce.
Alfredo – served with traditional fettuccine noodles, this creamy dish was the star of the show.
Toscana – not going to lie, I was a little apprehensive about this dish because I do not like peas at all, but they mixed so well with the homemade ragu.
Porcini – if you are a mushroom lover, this is the dish for you. The Porcini mushrooms had that perfect umami flavor, while the hint of truffle and grated cheese made this dish decadent.
Experience ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
This place makes my Italian heart happy. I’ve been blessed to have multiple family members who grew up learning traditional Italian recipes, including my own mom, so I have a very good understanding of what Italian food should taste like. Ciao Pasta is absolutely doing things the right way, making their pastas, sauces, sandwiches, and desserts from scratch. This is such a quick and easy way to try authentic Italian cuisine!