Opened in 1937, Casale’s Halfway Club, named for its location halfway between Reno and Sparks, has a long and storied history. For nearly 100 years, the family-owned hotspot has been a mecca for locals looking for good food in an unfussy environment. What started as a fruit stand and small market has morphed into one of the most delicious and authentic Italian restaurants around.
The exterior and interior of the restaurant are unassuming, and when driving by the restaurant could be mistaken for a dive bar.. But the food tastes like it came straight out of grandmother’s kitchen—likely because the recipes have been passed down from the current owner’s grandmother.
The history began in John and Elvira Casale’s house on Highway 40, the same spot where the restaurant stands today. Using recipes from their hometowns in Lucca and Genoa, Italy, they built a menu of delicious lasagnas, raviolis, spaghetti and more using the ravioli presses and rolling pins Elvira immigrated with.
Today, Casale’s is a place to go when you want to feel like family, no matter how far from home you may be. It’s the homemade qualities that make Casale’s stand out. The raviolis, meatballs and lasagna are all made fresh daily, from scratch, just like grandma used to make them.
The family’s matriarch, Inez (daughter of Elvira), was the backbone of Casale’s for years before she passed in 2020 at the age of 93. But the restaurant is still in the hands of family, and not much has changed.
While the history is rich and nods to life in early Reno, it’s the food that has kept Casale’s operating for so long. If you don’t start your meal with an order of garlic bread, you’re missing out. Dubbed “kellames,” the bread is enough for two to four people to start their meal and comes with a side of mama’s signature red sauce for dipping. Any carb lover will know this starter is superior, perfectly soft and warm on the inside, with a crispy crust that isn’t hard at all but still provides a satisfying crunch.
From there, the entrees are classic Italian pastas. Each dish is as hearty and delicious as the next, which makes any half-and-half order a winner in my book. Instead of focusing on one item to try, order up The Valentine Special, a small(ish) lasagna with a half order of beef or cheese ravioli.
The half-and-half features the same choices of ravioli with a side of spaghetti—and don’t skip the meatballs. In fact, just order meatballs with everything. Handmade every day, these decadent, large and meaty balls are cooked to absolute perfection, never greasy and always tender so they fall apart in your mouth.
The house-made sauces are what make the food stand out. While every ravioli and its delicious yet simple fillings is a delight, it wouldn’t be the same without Casale’s special blend of herbs and spices steeped into each batch of homemade red sauce. And the upside is that vegetarians can enjoy meals here, too, with an option for vegetable-based marinara sauce, as well.
The rest of the menu is rounded out with a selection of pizzas, staying true to down-home Italian cooking basics. Plus, there are a few sandwiches, including an Italian salami and meatball, not to be missed—served in small and large portions.
As if the helpings weren’t generous enough already, dinners come with a salad, served with house-made Italian vinaigrette, or minestrone soup to start. Every course is more impressive than the last, and the food and the atmosphere are both unbelievably unpretentious without lacking quality.
I’ve honestly never stepped into an Olive Garden and felt like part of the family, so I think the chain should hand over its slogan to Casale’s. When you’re inside their quaint and homey restaurant, it’s impossible to feel like anything but family, especially when you note the occasional small child growing up in the restaurant the way that was once common and now feels like a lost practice.
If you haven’t been in before, be sure to call ahead and make a reservation. With room for only a few tables, the popular restaurant fills up fast. Seats at the bar are always first come, first serve, but you may need to wait. After all, once you sit down and make friends with the owners—and perhaps take a shot or two with the bartender—you won’t be in any hurry to leave.
More
- Website: https://casaleshalfwayclub.com
- 2501 East Fourth Street
- Phone: (775) 323-3979
