Four years later, at the age of 22, Marcello Amato, working alongside brother Jerry, has been keeping the family business alive. The Selinsgrove Amato's, located on Route 522, is one of three restaurants in the area owned and operated by the Amato family. Pietro Amato opened the family's first restaurant in Sunbury 20 years ago, shortly after the family immigrated to Pennsylvania from Sicily, Marcello said. The third Amato brother, Aurelio, owns Amato's Pizza and Hoagies in Northumberland. From the outside, Amato's may appear to be small, but inside, the atmosphere is quaint and welcoming.
Patrons have the option of sitting in the cozy dining area or ordering take-out meals.
The menu in the Selinsgrove restaurant features a variety of Italian meals in addition to the traditional pizza and subs. In addition, Marcello said the restaurant also serves homemade bread. Unlike some other pizza places in the area, Amato's doesn't offer a delivery service, but Marcello said he feels Amato's remains competitive. He said Thursday, Friday and Saturday are the busiest nights at the restaurant. Marcello said he and Jerry take turns working in different areas of the restaurant.