When a parasite scared people away from eating lettuce, Sammy Parlopiano III seized an opportunity to expand the dining options at his family’s downtown Scranton eatery.
Starting Monday, customers who visit the Salad Shop, 316 Penn Ave., also will have the chance to purchase some Italian cuisine.
Instead of establishing a new, separate location for Pasta on Penn — which will offer homemade fettuccine alfredo pasta tossed in a fresh, 88-to-100-pound Parmesan cheese wheel — Parlopiano merged the new concept with the existing salad options. Customers can choose additional toppings including pesto, chicken, meatballs, shrimp, broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes, he said.
“We wanted to do something different — we like to call it Italian street food,” he said. “It’s very time-efficient for people downtown. You don’t have to sit and eat there; it’s great if you’re on the move. We thought it would be a really cool addition. There are a decent amount of places that do homemade pasta, but it’s cooked right in front of you here and you’re in and out in a couple minutes.”
Pasta on Penn co-owner Sammy Parlopiano III shows off some pasta in his business in downtown Scranton Thursday, August 6, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
When illnesses linked to the cyclospora parasite in lettuce started being reported in late June, Parlopiano figured the concerns would pass in a short period, like other food scares. However, this one has lingered, leading him to look for another revenue source to fill the void.
“Usually, when something happens, whether it be a virus in the lettuce or something with meat, it’s kind of a one-week thing and then people move on to the next thing,” he said. “We’ve been going on probably a month or so dealing with this. We had to do something to try to liven it up. Even though the lettuce that is supposedly contaminated isn’t stuff we buy, or even from companies we buy from, people just hear ‘lettuce’ and that’s the end of it.”
The Salad Shop opened in 2020 and operations were humming along leading up to the parasite outbreak, Parlopiano said.
“About a month before that, we were at our best ever (sales) for that month,” he said. “It was booming; I had to hire more staff.”
Liz Baldi, business development director for Scranton Tomorrow, a nonprofit community and economic development organization, praised Parlopiano’s vision for Pasta on Penn.
“This is a great addition to the Salad Shop,” she said. “We love seeing businesses evolve to meet demand and diversify what they offer, especially when they can capitalize on their talents. It further strengthens the economic sustainability of our downtown business community and we’re thrilled to see them grow and expand.”