The family-owned and operated Colonial Cottage (thecottagenky.com) serves up traditional American fare, including a limited selection of Italian-American dishes and sandwiches. The restaurant, in fact, is one of the oldest operating eating establishments in the area, dating back to the Great Depression. Italian-inspired options on the Colonial Cottage's menu include an Italian wrap and a Portabella tomato wrap as well as the Portabella burger topped with mozzarella and tomatoes. The restaurant offers lasagna with garlic bread as one of its weekly specials and serves a wide selection of soups and salads.
One of the more popular Italian-American dishes founded nationwide is pizza, and there are several famous pizza restaurant chains that serve up their take on the classic pie. One such chain is Little Caesars (littlecaesars.com), which operates a location right in Erlanger. In business since the mid-20th century, the pizza chain uses a "world famous pizza sauce" and is known for its specialty items, including Crazy Bread, their version of traditional garlic bread. There are several variety of pizzas offered, from deep dish pizza to regional creations such as the Hula Hawaiian.
Located just 3 minutes from Erlanger in nearby Crestview Hills is Carrabba's Italian Grill (carrabbas.com), a franchised restaurant that specializes in Italian cuisine. The eating establishment serves up family-style favorites such as fettuccine Alfredo with chicken, lasagna, chicken marsala and specialty items such as lobster ravioli and linguine pescatore (marina sauce over linguine with scallops, shrimp and mussels). The restaurant also offers brick oven pizza, a wide range of salads and an extensive collection of Italian wines to accompany any dish. Signature Italian desserts include tiramisu and Sogno Di Cioccolata, or "Chocolate Dream." The restaurants is only open for lunch on weekend days.
Scotti's Italian Restaurant (scottiscincinnati.com), just 18 minutes from Erlanger across the border into Ohio, offers a more authentic Italian dining experience. The restaurant, which serves dinner and lunch, is particularly known for its ambiance, which includes red and white checkered table cloths and dimmed lighting. Traditional menu items at the restaurant range from pasta specialties such as stuffed lasagna, spaghetti and fettuccine to sauteed or breaded veal and sirloin steak. In 2009, "BusinessWeek" magazine featured the Italian neighborhood restaurants as one of "America's 50 oldest restaurants."
