Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Some restaurants chase trends, and some just keep doing the same thing until the trends come to them. In the San Gabriel Valley, one family-style pizza parlor has fed kids who later grew up, moved away, and still come back for a pan of lasagna.
People drive in from neighboring towns, and a few have been ordering from the same menu since childhood. The lasagna gets talked about more than anything else on the menu, which is saying something at a place with pizza in its name.
Keep reading to find out where it is, what to order besides the lasagna, when to go for the best deal, and a few honest tips that will save you a parking headache.
A Valley Boulevard Landmark
Ask anyone who grew up in the San Gabriel Valley about pizza, and one name tends to come up fast. Petrillo’s Pizza sits at 833 E Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776, in the heart of Los Angeles County, California.
The restaurant is a relaxed Italian spot serving pizza, pasta, salads, and more. It has two sides to it, which matters more than you might think.
One side is a casual, sit-down dining room where families settle in for a proper meal. The other is a take-out counter built for grab-and-go orders on busy nights.
With more than 1,900 opinions logged on Google and an average of 4.4 stars, the place clearly has a following. That number is not built overnight.
Plenty of pizza joints come and go along busy boulevards. This one has stayed put long enough to become part of the neighborhood routine, the kind of spot people mention when giving directions.
So what keeps the cars pulling into this stretch of Valley Boulevard year after year? The answer starts with a pan of layered pasta.
The Lasagna That Built a Following
Out of every dish on the menu, lasagna is the one people mention most. It shows up in conversations about this restaurant more than any other single item.
That is a funny twist for a place with pizza right in its name. Yet the lasagna has earned its own fan club, and birthday groups often order it alongside salad and pizza for the full spread.
Families celebrating special occasions have called the lasagna, salad, and pizza combination a winning lineup. It fits the table-sharing style the dining room encourages.
Part of the appeal is consistency. Folks who ordered it as kids now order it as adults, and that kind of loyalty speaks louder than any advertisement.
For first-timers, the lasagna is the safe bet and the headline act. It is the dish that turns a quick pizza run into a sit-down dinner.
Of course, one dish does not carry a restaurant for decades alone. The rest of the menu has some heavy hitters too.
Generations at the Same Tables
Nostalgia is a big ingredient here. Plenty of regulars first came as children and now bring their own families.
Some who moved away from the San Gabriel Valley make a point of picking up a pizza whenever they return to town. Others come back specifically to celebrate birthdays at the same restaurant they visited growing up.
That kind of loyalty is rare in Southern California, where new restaurants open every week. Here, the menu favorites stay familiar, and that is exactly the point.
The dining room has hosted countless family dinners, casual dates, and group celebrations. Staff members have been known to accommodate birthday parties with care.
People also drive in from nearby cities like Monrovia just to see what the talk is about. Word of mouth, plus a wave of social media videos, has introduced a new crowd to an old favorite.
It is a place where the past and present share a booth. The next question is what to put on the table beside that lasagna.
Pizza Built for Sharing
Size is the first thing that surprises newcomers. A medium pizza here can cover roughly half the table, so ordering a large for two is ambitious.
One large square-cut pizza has fed six people at once. That makes the price per person look a lot friendlier.
The crust leans thick and fluffy, which fans love and a few find too filling. If you prefer thin crust, set your expectations accordingly.
Toppings arrive in generous amounts, and the meats are known for quality. The curly pepperoni has a devoted following of its own.
The Petrillo’s Specialty Pizza is the house showpiece. Many order it as is, while others swap ingredients, like trading salami for Canadian ham or skipping the Romano cheese.
Classic combos like pepperoni and sausage remain popular go-to orders. Custom builds with several toppings are easy too, even in a personal size.
Pizza may share the spotlight with lasagna, but it still pulls its weight, and then some.
Calamari and Antipasto Worth the Detour
Not every standout is a main course. Two starters have built quiet reputations of their own.
Fried calamari earns a lot of attention, with some calling it the best in the San Gabriel Valley. A squeeze of lemon is the recommended finishing move.
Then there is the antipasto salad, a frequent sidekick to a pizza order. Some regulars grab a pizza and antipasto every time they pass through the area, even if they admit it is a little pricey.
The classic salad and Caesar salad also get friendly mentions. They make a good counterweight to a table full of carbs.
Ordering one of these starters is a smart way to sample more of the kitchen. It also keeps everyone busy while the big pizza bakes.
Save room, though. The pasta side of the menu has its own story to tell.
Pasta Plates Beyond the Layers
Lasagna may be the headliner, but the pasta menu runs deeper. Chicken alfredo, eggplant parmesan, seafood pasta, and chicken parmesan all have their fans.
Fettuccine alfredo with chicken is a popular shared plate for couples. Dinners here tend to be generous enough to split.
Chicken parmesan divides opinion, with some calling it a highlight and others less impressed. Pasta overall draws mixed responses, so sticking with proven favorites is a reasonable strategy.
Spaghetti with meatballs is on the menu for traditionalists. Homemade bread also comes up among the extras worth noting.
Honesty helps here. The kitchen shines brightest with lasagna, pizza, and calamari, while other plates can vary from visit to visit.
Knowing that trend helps you order with confidence. Next up, a few perks that come before the food even lands.
Free Bread and Small Surprises
Dine-in guests get a small welcome gift. Complimentary bread comes out while you wait for your order.
Opinions on it are split. Some appreciate the gesture, while others wish it arrived warm instead of with packaged butter on the side.
Think of it as a friendly hello rather than a main event. The real show still comes later.
Servers sometimes add a sweet bonus at the end of the meal. A chocolate ice cream truffle has shown up as a surprise treat for some diners.
These little touches fit the old-school vibe. They are the sort of details that make a regular feel like a regular.
Speaking of vibe, the dining room deserves its own look.
A Laid-Back Room for Dates and Birthdays
Nobody needs to dress up here. The dining room is casual, comfortable, and built for lingering.
Families like it for birthday dinners, and staff tend to be accommodating with groups. The setting has a family-friendly feel that works for all ages.
It also doubles as a lowkey date spot. Background music adds to the relaxed mood for couples and family tables alike.
Service is often friendly and quick, with servers checking in during the meal. On slower weeknights, though, staffing can be thin, and some have seen a single employee handling a full room.
Housekeeping could use some attention, as the restroom has had graffiti issues and the room can get warm on hot days. Neither seems to scare off the loyal crowd.
Not in the mood to sit down at all? There is a whole other side of the building for that.
The Take-Out Side of the Story
A separate take-out counter handles pickup orders. Head to the pizza side, not the dine-in restaurant, when grabbing food to go.
Pickup is straightforward, and orders placed ahead have been ready within about 30 minutes on a Friday evening. Friendly counter staff make the handoff easy.
Extra-large pizzas and wings are popular for family nights at home. Many see it as a welcome break from the big chain pizza places.
Online and delivery orders are available too. A few hiccups have been reported, including a mix-up with app charges and a delivery order missing an item, so double-check your receipt.
Dine-in hours have sometimes differed from take-out hours, particularly on weekday afternoons. Calling ahead or checking the website before a sit-down visit is a smart move.
Once the pickup plan is sorted, the next step is timing your trip.
Hours, Prices, and the Tuesday Trick
Timing matters here. The restaurant opens daily at 11 AM.
Monday through Thursday, it closes at 7 PM. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, it stays open until 9 PM.
Most meals fall in the $10 to $20 per person range. A large square-cut pizza has run about $35, which goes far when split among a group.
Tuesday is the budget day to remember. A large pizza has cost around $19 with tax on Tuesdays, a deal regulars happily point out.
Some consider the pizza a bit pricey compared to chains. Given the portion sizes, many feel it balances out.
Parking is the final puzzle piece. Friday nights around 6 PM can get crowded, so be ready to park farther away and walk a bit.
Plan well, and the only tough decision left is lasagna or pizza. Or both.
Is the Drive Worth It
Hype can be a tricky dinner guest. Some first-timers arrive expecting perfection after seeing social media buzz and leave with mixed feelings.
The best approach is to know what this place is. It is a casual, long-running family pizza parlor, not a fancy trattoria.
Order the lasagna, the specialty pizza, the calamari, or the antipasto, and you are sticking with the dishes that built its name. Bring friends, since portions are made for sharing.
Go on a Tuesday for the pizza deal, or on a weekend when hours run later. Allow some patience for parking and busy nights.
For many in the San Gabriel Valley, this restaurant is less a meal and more a tradition. People keep returning for birthdays, date nights, and the comfort of an order that has not changed in years.
That is the real secret behind decades of loyal drivers on Valley Boulevard. Some recipes just stick, layer by layer.
