Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. Pasta of the Month

What's in the box: Expect a selection of dried pasta, probably imported Italian shapes, chosen by the shop's staff. The site doesn't list the exact contents of each box.

Pennsylvania Macaroni Company, known locally as PennMac, is an Italian grocery and importer at 2010 Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh's Strip District. The store has been a regular stop for local home cooks for generations, so a pasta club from PennMac comes from a real specialty shop, not a startup with a warehouse. That is the main reason to consider it. The website is simple. The homepage sends you to the Shop tab and the search box, and it doesn't give much detail about the Pasta of the Month program. It doesn't clearly say which pasta brands or shapes you'll get, how many items come in each shipment, or how long a subscription runs. Look at the product page before you order, and send any questions to orders@pennmac.com. The company says it answers email during business hours, Monday through Friday. Service is limited to those hours, but having a direct email contact at a family-style business is a good sign. The site also links to its refund, returns, shipping and accessibility policies. Read the refund terms before you buy a multi-month plan. If you like trying imported dried pastas you can't find at a regular supermarket, this club makes sense. If you want a polished app, flexible skips or full meal kits, look somewhere else.