Cobb County restaurant famous for possibly labor-inducing eggplant parm closes after 40 years
COBB COUNTY, Ga. - After 40 years, an iconic Cobb County restaurant is closing.
Scalini's Italian Restaurant has been a metro Atlanta area legend for years. Now, after 40 years of servicing the community, the restaurant announced its closure on its website.
"Thank you to all our customers for your patronage," the owners wrote in a statement on its website.
The restaurant was known for its eggplant parmigiana that allegedly sends women into labor in the 48 hours after eating the dish.
"I would say on any given night we get about five to six pregnant women in, weekends even more, but it's very popular," Scalini's General Manager Robert Bogino told Good Day's Alyse Eady and Katie Beasley in 2018.
The restaurant estimates they've helped with thousands of "Eggplant Babies," but it's a tough number to calculate. They keep a log of expecting women, and highlight those that call back or send in a baby photo.
"Then we put their baby's picture up on the famous baby wall, and they get a gift certificate and a little baby t-shirt, so it's like they become part of the family forever," Bogino said.
The restaurant said people as far as Arizona had come to eat the special dish and people from overseas even asked for it to be shipped to them.
For expectant moms-to-be who are disappointed by the closure, there is a bit of positive news. Scalini's has a sister restaurant called Provino's Italian Restaurant that serves the same signature favorties - including the same eggplant pargmigiana. All Scalini's gift certificates will be honored at any Provino's location.
For a list of the Provino's locations, click here.