For nearly a century, Cassese's MVR has been part of the fabric of Youngstown.

Located on North Walnut Street in the Smoky Hollow neighborhood near Youngstown State University, MVR has been serving the community since 1927. Through generations of change around the city, it has remained the kind of place where families, friends, students and longtime regulars can gather around a table and feel at home.

Food is at the center of the tradition. The menu is filled with familiar Italian-American favorites, including homemade meatballs, cavatelli, chicken parmigiana, Italian greens and stuffed shells, along with distinctly MVR creations such as Tressel Tortellini, Carmine's Pasta and Hells Shells.

But MVR's place in Youngstown goes beyond what's on the plate. Its close relationship with YSU and its longtime bocce tradition have helped turn the restaurant into a community gathering place. MVR's bocce courts have hosted dozens of teams and countless evenings of friendly competition, adding another chapter to a tradition that has been passed from one generation of Valley residents to the next.

As Cassese's MVR approaches its 100th anniversary, its staying power says something about both the restaurant and Youngstown itself: some places endure because they become part of people's lives.

That's what makes MVR more than a place to eat. It's a Youngstown tradition.