By Zach Brown, Berks County Eats
There are many restaurants in Pennsylvania that embody the term “unique,” but there are far fewer that make a claim of being “the only restaurant in the world” to offer a specific experience. Mangia! Italian Restaurant is one that makes that bold claim.
The restaurant is located in Mohnton, just a few miles south of Reading in Berks County. Mangia celebrated 15 years in business in 2025, no small feat in today’s restaurant scene. The family also expanded their business to include a brunch spot — Cafe Folino — in nearby Wyomissing in 2024, and they will add a second Cafe Folino location in 2026.
On a cold Friday evening in January, when we would otherwise have no reason to venture out, we headed to Mangia to meet my mother-in-law for a family dinner.
It was around 5 p.m. when we arrived, and there were plenty of tables available. (With a two-year-old in tow, we like to eat early.) Guests continued to trickle in over the next hour until the main dining room was nearly full. An additional seating area is beyond a half-wall at the back of the dining room and is usually reserved for large parties or overflow.
For the most part, Mangia offers a standard menu for an Italian restaurant and pizzeria, but there is a corner of the menu marked “Tableside” that sets Mangia apart.
According to their claim, Mangia is the only restaurant in the world that offers two different cheese wheel pastas prepared tableside: pasta al Parmigiano Reggiano and spaghetti cacio e pepe. The former debuted on the menu a decade ago, while the latter was added a short time later.
I’ve tried both, but on this occasion I ordered the spaghetti cacio e pepe.
Both have a similar preparation — dinner and a show brought to your table and prepared by owner and chef Giuseppe Folino. The dish starts with a partially hollowed-out wheel of cheese.
In this case, it’s a large block of pecorino Romano. The chef then scrapes more cheese inside before the show truly begins.
The next step is to take a ladle of grappa — Italian brandy — and heat it over a small burner until the alcohol ignites and begins flaming. You can feel the heat as all eyes in the dining room turn to watch as the flame rises from the ladle and is then poured into the cheese wheel.
The grappa melts the loose cheese, and the pasta is added to the wheel and tossed in the now-melted cheese. Black pepper is added, and the result is a pasta fully immersed.
I really love this dish, not only for the pre-meal show but for the flavor. Pecorino Romano has a natural nutty flavor that pairs really well with the pasta and pepper. And unlike a sprinkling of cheese on top, every bite holds the rich, deep tones in every bite. It’s fun to watch as the dish is prepared, but it’s even better to eat.
To add a little protein to the meal, I ordered a chicken breast, which was cooked and served separately. And all pasta dishes, including the cheese wheel offerings, come with a starter salad, even though there is plenty of food just in the main course.
The rest of the menu is an offering of good, solid sandwiches and pizza. My mother-in-law ordered a cheesesteak, while Julie ordered a chicken cheesesteak on a salad. They don’t measure up to the cheese wheel, but they’re both solid offerings. And the portions are hearty, so no one is going home hungry after a meal at Mangia.
Like most Italian places, Mangia is also kid-friendly with plenty of options to please the pickiest palates. Our eight-year-old, Jakob, devoured his cheeseburger and fries while two-year-old Lukas had chicken fingers and fries.
Adding to the kid-friendly ambiance, each table is set with large sheets of white paper on top of the red tablecloths. And with a pack of crayons for each of the boys, they get to pass the time by doodling. They’ve also added a basket of kids’ books, which can be borrowed to be read at the table.
As of this visit, the cheese wheel pasta dishes start at $23 with available add-ons priced between $4-$7. Entree salads cost between $10-$16, and sandwiches are in the same price range. And with kids’ meals in the $10 range, Mangia is a reasonably affordable meal for families.
BCE Rating
Food: Very Good
Atmosphere: Good
Service: Very Good
Price: $$
Maniga! Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria
322 E. Wyomissing Ave.
Mohnton, PA 19540
This story was contributed courtesy of Berks County Eats, a local resource for food and dining information. Berks County Eats is dedicated to promoting the dining scene in Reading and Berks County, PA, offering restaurant reviews, news, and events, and a comprehensive Berks County restaurant directory. You can read more at berkscountyeats.com.
