Family Owned and Operated

Sam & Raneen Zaher with Brianna

Focus on Business

by Kathryn Gendreau
August 2008

Centreville's newly-opened Pacino Ristorante Italiano (located on Stone Road in the Village Shopping Center near Giant) offers a delicious variety of authentic Italian and Greek cuisine. Formally Milano's Restaurant, Pacino has something to please any palate, and the establishment offers relaxed dining in an unforgettable setting–one might imagine they are dining in Florence or athens!

The restaurant opened on February 1, and owner Sam Zaher explains that patrons will be happy to see many of the friendly faces they have come to know and love at Milano's as well as some new enthusiastic and experienced staff members. Sam, formerly the owner of Clearwater Grill in Manassas Park, brings over 15 years experience in restaurant management to Pacino Ristorante.

Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner–as well as offering a new lunch buffet Monday through Friday–Pacino's offers something to please patrons of all ages (including the "kids' corner" for guests 12 and under). For lunch, sandwich offerings include subs, hamburgers, gyros, and souvlaki; and Sam proudly notes, "Customers say we have the best pizza in town!"

For more formal dining, Chef Rago prepares entrees from specialty recipes like those handed down in Europe from generation to generation, including pastas and the freshest seafood, chicken, and veal. Some customer favorites include "Vitello Corleone," a tender veal scallopini that is topped with shrimp and provolone cheese, and served with linguini; and "Pollo Ala Brianna," (named after Sam's baby girl) made with chicken breast sauteed with garlic and shallots in a Meira wine cream spinach sauce, topped with prosciutto, and served with angel hair pasta. A nice selection of wine is available by glass or bottle, and there is an assortment of imported and domestic beers, as well as espresso and cappuccino (iced or hot).

Make reservations for a romantic dinner, or reserve the private room for an unforgettable dinner for your larger party or special event. Pacino Ristorante Italiano also does catering!

Sam lives in Ashburn with his wife Raneen and their 8-month old daughter Brianna.