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| - I've now been to Donatelli's multiple times, and have sampled several of their products, so I feel that I can review it comprehensively. Overall, I've been pleased with most of their products, the prices, and the customer service and atmosphere, hence the 4-star rating.
As others have mentioned, the space is rather cramped and chaotic, esp. during peak business hours (e.g., Sat. around noon, when I last stopped in). The layout when you walk in is a bit strange, to the point that I inadvertently ended up behind the counter on my first visit. (Stay to the left and you won't have this problem.) The most crowded section of the store is the deli counter, where you can obtain not only meats and cheeses, but a variety of made-to-order sandwiches and sides. If you visit the deli counter during peak hours and are feeling indecisive, take a number right away--trust me, you'll have plenty of time to decide what to get as others are being helped.
As for the grocery products, there is enough variety that you can find several versions of most Italian ingredients you'll need here, as well as other general grocery items like milk and ice cream. In general, prices are very reasonable-- generally less expensive than Groceria Italiana. Unlike Groceria Italiana, a good portion of the product consists of commercially-available brands--albeit many that you wouldn't encounter in a mainstream grocery store like Giant Eagle. Having said that, the main attraction for me is the made-in-house items, such as the fresh pasta, the sauces, and the biscotti, as well as the hot meals.
In the interest of brevity, here is a list of products I've bought at Donatelli's, followed by price, recommendation, and comments:
Grandma's plain sauce ($3.65): Recommended--Better flavor and seasoning than commercial jarred sauces (e.g., Ragu, etc.) Also, I like that Donatelli's makes meatless red sauce, unlike Groceria Italiana, since I don't eat beef.
Lobster ravioli ($9.99): Not recommended--After following boiling directions (necessary to avoid curdling cream sauce via baking), pasta was good, but filling was mushy. Also, included imitation crabmeat, and I'm not a fan of imitation foods. I'll be sticking to Groceria Italiana's handmade ravioli from now on.
Ricotta pie ($5.49): Recommended--Though this was my first time trying it, I was favorably impressed with the flavor and texture.
Biscotti ($3.52): Recommended--I've only had the spumoni biscotti (a flavor I haven't seen elsewhere), but it tasted fresh and was good.
Italian bread ($1.50): Recommended--Soft and fresh, and inexpensive
Hot food from deli counter: Recommended--I had the half pound fish sandwich ($2.49) and a half pound of the white cheddar bake ($2.99), and both were very good. Notably, the roll was proportional to the fish, so the sandwich didn't fall apart, as is common at other PGH eateries serving fish sandwiches.
Despite how hectic Donatelli's can be during peak hours, I've been impressed at the friendly service that I've received at the deli counter and checkout. If there's one drawback, it's that waits at both counters are inevitable during these times. Of course, if your schedule permits, this problem can be avoided by simply visiting at non-peak times.
While Donatelli's may feel kind of cramped and may not seem as immaculately clean as some big box grocery stores (at least for the section the customer sees), this is part of its charm as a neighborhood ethnic grocery store. I'll definitely continue stopping in for certain Italian grocery items, such as the plain sauce, biscotti, and bread, as well as for inexpensive, delicious hot lunch items.
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