Around lunchtime — in fact, a late lunchtime, so we were extra hungry — the TABLE team sat down to evaluate a half-dozen vodka sauces from regional makers around Pittsburgh and declare a winner.

A Taste Test to Find the Best Vodka Sauce in Pittsburgh

The TABLE team is a fan of vodka sauce. Sure, we like a well-handled marinara, bolognese or Milanese, too, but for many of us, the slightly creamier flavor and texture of vodka sauce is a go-to — especially when it’s done right.

If we want to eat local with our sauce, though, who does it best? There are no shortage of vodka sauce varieties from producers based in western Pennsylvania. Thus, in the name of precision and perfection, we dumped several boxes of pasta into a pot and lined up six local jars for a blind taste test.

The Contenders:

• Alla Famiglia Vodka Sauce
• Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. Premium Vodka Pasta Sauce
• Market District Vodka Pasta Sauce
• Pasta Too Vodka Sauce
• DelGrosso La Famiglia Uncle Joe’s Vodka Sauce
• DeLallo Creamy Vodka.

Each sauce was spooned onto pasta and served to no fewer than four members of the TABLE staff, who were not informed which sauce they were trying. After sampling all six, the judges declared a winner and a runner-up.

But How Do You Even Compare Vodka Sauces?

“I’m not Italian — at all, whatsoever — so I don’t think too much about it whenever I do have vodka sauce,” reports Kylie Thomas, TABLE’s online editor. “Normally, as long as it’s vodka sauce, I’ll enjoy it. But this experience made me realize that the vodka sauce you get does matter. Some are essentially just tomato sauce; some are really delicious; and some are just weird.”

In contrast, director of operations Star Laliberte brought a declaratively Italian perspective to the competition, appropriate for her since she also wrote our round-up of the where to eat Italian food in Pittsburgh. “I enjoy vodka sauce, but it’s not my go-to — but I am very specific, then, about the flavor. It needs to be a very smooth, creamy sauce with a fresh flavor — and a hint of sweetness. Not acidic.”

Some sauces in competition, such as the variety from DelGrosso, had passionate — but lone — fans. (This author, who picked up the sauce on a lovely day at DelGrosso’s Amusement Park in Tipton, PA, was that lone fan.) Others proved divisive; the sauce from Pasta Too split the room evenly, with some objecting to its mouthfeel and others praising it. Ethan Chmura, TABLE’s advertising and editorial coordinator, was unabashed in his appreciation. “I liked Pasta Too’s sauce because it tasted cheesy. I really liked the consistency and the color; I thought that the color was true to vodka sauce.”

There Must Be a Winner (And a Runner Up)

While each sauce had its adherents, two emerged from the pack — and came down to a photo finish.

We asked our roster of taste testers to declare two favorites each; the runner up, by just one vote, was DeLallo Creamy Vodka. Our panel praised the balance and subtlety of the offering from the Jeanette-based company. It’s no wonder that DeLallo, a specialist in authentic Italian and Mediterranean flavors (they claim to be the nation’s largest importer of olives and antipasti), would nail the flavor of their sauce. (You can get it online or in select local retailers.)

One word, however, was associated with the winning sauce: tangy. Fully half our panel included the word tangy (or, in one slightly overwritten case, “nice tang”) in their notes when evaluating Alla Famiglia Vodka Sauce. The in-house favorite at the Allentown restaurant — a must when choosing your pasta course during the famously elaborate dinner service — was roundly praised by our panel. (This sauce is available online, too, and in a handful of local storefronts.)

Now that you have the answers, run forth with your vodka sauce and cook up one of our delicious pasta recipes.

About the Author

Sean Collier is the editor-in-chief of Shady Ave and the arts and culture editor of TABLE Magazine. Before joining the TABLE Media team, he spent nearly 15 years as a writer, editor and columnist at Pittsburgh Magazine. As the in-house film critic for the top-rated WDVE Morning Show since 2009, he’s been Pittsburgh’s most widely heard voice on movies for nearly two decades. A Pittsburgh native, Sean has since 2020 appeared weekly on KDKA-TV’s popular Pittsburgh Today Live talk show. He’s the co-founder of Vigilance Theater Group and an active stand-up comedian and event host. He can be found on Instagram and Twitter at @seancollierpgh.

About the Photographer

Kylie Thomas is TABLE Magazine’s Online Editor, covering Pittsburgh food, drink, and going out, including the Things to Do in Pittsburgh column. A Point Park University graduate, her work has also appeared on The Takeout, QBurgh, and Empire Extreme. She also runs the photography business Photos by Ky. 

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