Pepe’s Italian Restaurant

In an Italian household, where there's food, there's family.

"Nico- no- no fighting."

“Maria- you've got to get in this picture!"

"Cheers"

And at Pepe's Italian Restaurant in Worcester, that's never been more true.

"There's my mom, Tomasina, my brother, John, there's me, my husband, Luigi. You'll find baby Luigi, Niko, Mikey, Freddy and Pepe."

"Wooo!"

"This is all family, Pepe's is all family, and that's what makes it what it is."

Teresa Travaglio and her family are the folks behind Pepe's- a casual spot where you'll feel at home the second you step foot through the door.

"People walking in the first time, they walk in and they just see how much family oriented we are, so it's a lot of fun."

And not only is she operating the restaurant with her brother John, but also, she happens to runs the hair salon right next door.

"I have a restaurant and a salon in the building, so all my customers from the salon, they always come over with foils or perm wraps, and they'll come next door, get a glass of wine, have some lunch, have some dinner. It's like a huge family."

And while Teresa buzzes between the businesses, you'll always find her mom back in the kitchen cooking her time tested recipes.

"My mom's Tomasina. Tomasina is the smallest little Italian lady. She's 4'11" and she just loves to come in here and boss everybody around and cook. Her food is awesome. I love bringing my mom's recipes out to people.  There's a lot of emotion to it. Like you're really happy when you see people enjoying their food, and they're happy. It's like, That came from us. We made that, and we're making you happy".

And no one makes meatballs quite like mama.

"My mom does make the best meatballs. I try to make meatballs, but they don't come anywhere near hers. I think it's just all the flavors blended together. My mom, she does it hands down the best."

These sensational spheres can be found alongside sausage over pasta or as part of a dish you may have never come across. Behold, The deliciously illusive Pizza Pot Pie.

"I've been a lot of different places, and I still have yet to see a pizza pot pie. I've seen a chicken pot pie, but not a pizza pot pie. The pizza pot pie is made in a terra cotta pot.  It's a whole pizza dough put into the pot, filled with meatballs, sausage, all sorts of cheeses and then they put more dough on top, more cheese.

Then we fire it, and it goes right to the customer.

"When you crack into it, sauce and meatballs and sausage and cheese just ooze right out of it, and you see the biggest smile on their faces."

If you prefer your pizza the traditional way, Pepe's tosses and sauces pies that range from understated to over the top. There's the Firecracker- which has all the flavor and fire of a buffalo wing, or the Chicken Broccoli Alfredo- for indecisive customers who can't pick between pasta and pizza.

"The Chicken Broccoli Alfredo is an alternative to a pasta dish. If you don't want pasta, you can have it on your pizza."

But if you ask Teresa, the Potato Pizza is the way to go.

"Potato pizza is sliced potatoes, bacon, cheddar and ranch. You feel like you're eating a potato skin on a pizza crust.  You taste the potatoes, you taste the bacon. Everything just blends together, but there's so many different tastes to it."

Of course, Pepe's has a menu packed with Italian appetizers: mozzarella sticks with tangy marinara, thick cut bruschetta and addictive Italian style wings. Steamed Mussels come swimming in a garlicky broth and the Antipasto is always overloaded so it's the perfect plate to share. But if you really want to kick off your meal right, order the ultra-popular Tomasina's Pasta Fagioli- a fan favorite.

"Everybody comes here for pasta fagioli. It's my mom's recipe. It's a vegetarian pasta fagioli. There's no meat in it, but so much protein with all the beans that she uses. It's a great, hearty meal."

And speaking of hearty, check out Pepe's meat lasagna.

"The lasagna here is amazing. It's ricotta, it's mozzarella, it's our special sauce and people love it. It's a huge piece and you can't eat the whole thing. One person can't eat the whole thing."

Nor will you be able to finish the Chicken Parm.

"It's huge. It's huge you need a to-go container. It's very seldom somebody can eat the whole thing."

You really should try to control your appetite, because at Pepe's, desserts are must with options like fluffy tiramisu and hot apple turnovers. But nothing beats a trip to the Gelato case for a scoop.

"I have it right out in the dining room so all the kids can see it, all the adults can see it. The kids love it. They line up at the gelato machine just to have some."

And whether your part of her restaurant family, her hair salon family or her actual family, you'll always have a seat at Teresa's table when you visit Pepe's.