PA Raffa’s Italian Restaurant

This kind of place is all about setting proper expectations. I grew up in the Bronx in the 1970s, and the old neighborhood had a number of these «old school» no-​nonsense, family pasta places. Do you remember Louie’s (in the Bronx) from The Godfather movie? It’s where they hid the gun in the bathroom for Michael and he came out and shot the Police Commissioner and Solazzo. That was a real place under the EL. In fact, my grandparents took my dad to that very restaurant the night after his high school graduation in 1955. My dad still remembers the black and white tile floors.
So, I was excited to see that Pa Raffa’s appeared to be cut from the same cloth. First, the good: The staff are lovely, funny, and have a great rapport with the regulars who seemed to be all around me. The portions are «Italian Family» sized, read: BIG! The menu is broad enough so you can have your regular spaghetti and meatballs/​lasagna fare, along with some things you won’t normally see like sliced Zucchini Parmesan which is sweet and lighter than its Eggplant Parm cousin. The pizzas are not quite NYC thin, but certainly better than the typical local pub pie. And the prices are very good — what you’d expect from a plastic table cloth joint. Heck — lunch plates start in the $ 4 range!
For the not-​so-​good: I paid $ 3.50 for a Stuffie and the stuffing somehow managed to be both salty and tasteless at the same time. And it had a little more sand than I think is acceptable. The marinara — I’m sorry, this is just a peeve of mine — they put Sage in the marinara sauce! Sage is for seasoning meat. Now, I don’t have a show on The Food Network, but I come from Southern Italian DNA on both sides of the family. And I’ve eaten Italian food up and down the boot from Capri to Milan, along with multiple Italian enclaves in NYC and Chicago. Nobody, but nobody pollutes a marinara sauce with sage! There, I feel better now. And the bread is more like american bread formed into an Italian loaf. But no restaurant that turns out $ 5 plates of pasta should be expected to supply good Italian bread and hold their prices. I’m probably placing the bar too high here. Let’s get back to expectations. Are there better, more refined places than Pa Raffa’s? Of course. But this place delivers precisely on its promise; piles of «good enough» food for short money.
So, grab a casual meal here with the kids without breaking the bank. Or better yet, wait for a rainy weekend, come by and pick up a «Bucket of Spaghetti”(yes, that really is on the menu!) along with a dozen meatballs to go. Stop on your way home for some proper crusty bread and a boxed red wine of your choice. Invite 5 of your best friends over and pop in The Godfather Trilogy. Life sure is good.

I ordered a chicken parm sandwich and the waitress brings out a sub roll and sauce on the side and says chicken and cheese will be out in a minute. Who serve a sandwich like that. Waitress was horrid and called and complained to manager and he was telling me the chicken was in the sauce so I must be blind. There was no chicken. I’ll never eat there again there is better Italian restaurants around as I’ve had better.

I come all the way from New Jersey to get the linguica pizza. I am from the New Bedford area and anytime I’m here I go.

I have eaten here several times.
My favorite on their menu is their meat lasagna and their anti pasta salad, the best.
I’ve always had great service.
I just always wish I could get a glass of chianti with my pasta.
I definitely recommend the place though.

Anyone that grandstands and compares local established icons like Pa Raffas to far away eateries in Rome, New york and places that have never heard of international ingredients like Linguica should get a life. Linguica pizza is sold in Hawaii! Bet they never been there

This is a no frills lunch spot that takes cash only, so be warned. I’m a huge fan of the pick 3 lunch special and for under $ 6 you can’t beat it!!! The meatballs are amazing– soup is ok… Salad is just ice berg lettuce but hey, you don’t go to an Italian joint for the salad right? The eggplant sammy is delish!!! Def check this spot out if in New Bedford!

I come here often mostly for take out but their food is amazing. Always fresh and hot.

.great subs and pizza here. Also the tuna antipasto is really good. I would highly recommend getting the meatball sub or their Italian sub. Only downside is they only take CASH! Other than that great food and service.

I’ve been coming to Pa Raffa’s for over 30 years. There are other thin crust pizzas in the New Bedford area but Pa Raffa wins hands down. Always fresh and consistent. Service is always friendly. Restaurant is clean. Good prices. Clean rest rooms.

This is a very small place. All of us ordered the lunch lasagna. I got meat sauce. Dear God in Heaven… Either thank you for blessing the hands for making it, or thank you for being in the kitchen yourself. I’ve never had a better authentic Italian lasagna before in my life and the prices were well beyond reasonable.
The place doesn’t look like much, but it’s a great find.

I do love the food here.
I think the booths and the hanging grapes from the rafters have been there since the 60’s. Yesterday, we went for lunch and was seated at the booth underneath the Nunzio map where the leather cushion was worn out… I mean really worn out. I didn’t get to inspect it too closely before Abner plunked himself down on it, but I could have sworn I saw duct tape holding the red cushion together. It’s time to renovate or at least get new furniture.

I got pizza on my lunch break at work, and let me tell you, the crust was soggy. If it wasn’t pineapple and bacon, I wouldn’t have eaten it. Very disappointed.

Gotta Love Pa Raffa’s! We live right down the street & get the cheese pizzas, lasagna w/​meat sauce, meatballs, & antipasto salad, yummm! Can’t go wrong, just remember to bring cash bc no credit cards accepted! ATM inside, but I don’t prefer to pay the fee lol An Oldie, but Goodie!

Whoever says the pizza here isn’t good just have extremely high standards, as theirs is the best thin crust in the area in my opinion. The other food is enjoyable as well, but the pizza is the best option. As for the atmosphere, it may be tacky/​outdated, but it is tolerable. And the lack of acceptance for credit cards is merely a minor nuisance to experience the food at this restaurant (a practice used by other area business which I do not hesitate to patronize; they do it because they know we’ll go there regardless)

Huge antipasto even the order for one. Their pizza is so good!!! Quality ingredients and the thinnest crust ever!!! You won’t be disappointed!!! This is their 50^th year in business!!! We had regular antipasto lettuce black olives tomatoes green and red peppers pepperoncini peppers onions salami and ham with huge mountains of I think mozzarella cheese we took more than half home. Thin crust mushroom, garlic and linguica pizza, delish!!! You need to try it!!! Glad it was as good as ever.

Ok how to politely put this. Well if you grew up down here you will think this place has bomb food. Everyone in this area raves about this place. The reality is if you are like me (a transplant) and or travel often and have tried pizza in places like Boston, Brooklyn and Rome then this place is going to disappoint.
Any place that puts linguica and or chouriço on pizza knows nothing about making a good pizza! The pizza sauce lacks flavor and the cheese is just a cheap mozzarella and not a blend of cheeses.
I found the building a bit dirty, and they only take cash.

My family has been going to this location for over 15 yeas and must say that we highly enjoy the food. The meals come in great portions as well. The parking lot can get a bit tight on a busy night, but other than that I rate this location 5 stars.

I absolutely Love this place! Quality and low cost. Italian comfort food at its best. The minestrone soup is so yummy. Their chicken antipasto is huge and flavorful. My go to place everytime.

The place that once was a grand to eat at is starting to lose it. The best part was the mozzarella sticks. The worse was the chicken parmesan that I had that was over seasoned with garlic with a small thing of spaghetti. My wife had the baked zitti that was not fully seasoned with both dishes doused in mozzarella…
Overall the place hasn’t changed on the inside and the placement of the food is awful. Having to eat out of these tiny tin bake pans. If you love garlic and don’t give a crap… Then you can come here.

Great homemade Italian food, excellent minestrone and the best value in town.