My favorite local restaurant in the entire southwest Virginia region. Primarily family-owned…read more Delicious menu items that sre consistent every time and friendly staff. I've been to Italy and this restaurant is the closest to going to Italy anyone will ever get, from flavors to ambiance. At lunchtime this restaurant also offers a buffet which is a great idea if you're a first-time diner. ALWAYS save room for their homemade gelato!! Their gelato is best I've ever had outside of Italy itself! We love, love, love this place. (Also, squeaky clean bathrooms)

The welcoming atmosphere at this Italian restaurant was evident from the moment I walked in. I was…read moregreeted by the Host with open arms, and this brought back happy memories of the time I visited Italy with my parents when I was growing up, and I was immersed in the true spirit of Italian Hospitality. As I was seated at the table of my choice, it made me feel as comfortable as the other guests there that you could clearly see were satisfied repeat customers. My server Suzana, who later I found out was from Bosnia and carrying a child, had such a friendly and warm personality, and attention to detail, that she was the ideal server that one could ever imagine. The menu featured a variety of exquisite options, and I selected the following: a Coke to drink, the Fried Calamari as appetizer, a House Salad with homemade Italian Vinaigrette dressing, and as my main entrée Scallops Fiorentino. My server also brought me soft freshly baked bread with three dips to dip the bread in. The food was amazingly delicious and served in large portions at reasonable prices. My server checked on me at the appropriate times and always kept my glass filled up to the rim with Coke. As the Grand finale I had their famous Pumpkin Tiramisu which is only made during this time of the year, together with a small homemade Mango Gelato. Both desserts tasted marvelous. In conclusion, I highly recommend this Italian Restaurant for an unforgettable dining experience.

This place is in a pretty dead shopping center far away from anything. There are a couple of tables…read moreif you want to eat indoors, but I got takeout. I came seeking an arepa, the South American grilled corn sandwich of note that is hard to find in this area. By getting takeout and taking it home with me, I probably waited a bit too long on it, but the arepa was still quite satisfying. The best thing in it was the beans, warmly spiced with a note of bay leaf, but cheese and plantains made for a rounded flavor experience, of course accentuated by grilled corn. Their more conventional pizza and garlic bread delivered basic satisfaction. I also enjoyed a cake slice with finely chopped nuts the next day. The arepas are far more notable that the pizza, but if offering pizza and locating themselves in a mall next to a karate studio and an orthodox church is what it takes to get some diversity in the local culinary scene, I'm for it.

The food was amazing and the service great and very friendly. There was about 4-5 tables and a…read morepickup for to go orders. There were also great lunch specials that were very reasonable

Visiting from out of town and glad we found Lydia's. Delicious lunch. We both got sandwiches…read more Host staff and wait staff were both friendly and efficient Would definitely eat here again.

The restaurant was easy to find and there was plenty of parking and it looked really nice. I had…read moregreat expectations. The young lady who served me was very friendly. But the spaghetti was overcooked almost to the point of being inedible. And the meat sauce just didn't have much flavor. In fact, it tasted a little bit sour. I gave up after a few bites. The salad, though, was very good.

Always a favorite and this trip did not disappoint. We weren't sure what time we would finish up…read moreour work on this particular Thursday evening so I waited to check for a table last minute. Thankfully we were able to get it with just a 30 minute wait or so. I had dreamed of arancini all day long only to find it was not on the menu any longer unfortunately! Heartbroken. All of our dishes were still delicious of course but please bring back the arancini! Service was impeccable, lighting and cocktails on point, still on my short list of all-time faves! Can't wait for our next visit!

Fortunato was an experience. From cozy posture friendly chairs to amazing filling and decadently…read morecooked meal, beautiful ambience, open kitchen, muted lighting, conscientious service.. this place is simply amazing. We were a group of eight, who magically became nine and we were accommodated. We let them know ahead that we had a vegetarian in the group, so they made markings to a separate menu card to help us choose. The drinks were well done, Food was so creative and done just right. For dessert we chose the chocolate salami platter, which was awesome. Our top recommendations, eggplant Parmesan, spinach and cheese pasta, roasted olives, brussels sprouts, and the chocolate platter. Give this place a try. Keep up the good work guys.!

Delicious food and top notch service. Old school Italian, and a quite charming dining experienceread more

One of the best Italian Restaurants in the Roanoke area, Luigi's is one of my favorite restaurants…read morearound. The owner is very warm, kind, and hospitable, and every time I've dined there I've felt right at home. I've received excellent service in a cozy environment and the drinks and food have been to par with my high expectations of a restaurant of this nature. However, I was a bit disappointed when I dined there this time. Unfortunately the owner wasn't feeling well so she appointment one of her best servers as Host in charge. When I arrived, since I showed up without a reservation, she greeted me by asking what I wanted, if to order for takeout. This was a bit insulting, since I was there to dine in, like always. I then requested to seat in the well lit dining room, in my usual table next to the window. She consented and took me there. Shortly after, a young lady server shows up and greets me. Not giving me enough time to study the menu, she asks what I wanted to drink and what I wanted to order for dinner. Without asking for her opinion, she starts telling me what she thinks I should order as appetizer. It was like she was trying to rush me. I don't know if it was her inexperience or lack of training, but I was beginning to feel uncomfortable and asked the Host to change my server and explained the reason why. My server replacement was completely the opposite. He was the epitome of customer service. Philip had good manners, was respectful, and didn't rush me, taking his time to make sure I had a relaxing and enjoyable dining experience. The first thing he did was introduce himself as my new server. He then repeated my order that my previous server had taken to make sure it was right. I already had my Fried Calamari appetizer on the table. My house salad was with balsamic vinaigrette dressing. My Filet Mignon was to be cooked medium-rare and served with sautéed mushrooms, broccoli, and delicate new potatoes. During my meal, he made sure my Iced water glass was always full, and after my Filet was served and I had a chance of cutting it, he came by to make sure it was cooked appropriately, just like ordered. The Filet was cooked medium-rare, the broccoli was fresh, and the potatoes were delicious, but the mushrooms were not seasoned nor sautéed enough and were somewhat tasteless. For dessert, I had my favorite, the Brazilian Custard Pudding. As I was leaving my server opened the door for me and thanked me for dining there, while the Host stood inside without even having the courtesy to say goodbye. I hope the owner of the restaurant reads this review and takes action to see that her restaurant is run appropriately, and each of her customers is treated as they should.

Food and service was excellent! Had the chicken parm and loved it. Salad was also nice and fresh…read more Service was plenty fast with a kind and friendly smile.

Located in the Mountain View Plaza, off Lee Highway in Troutville, Virginia, this family-owned…read moregenuine Italian restaurant, is well-known for its New York style pizza and its homemade doughs and sauces, as well as its real mozzarella cheese. The restaurant doesn't have a full bar, but they do serve beer and wine. My friend and I who love Italian food decided to go try it out today. As soon as we entered the door we were warmly welcomed and greeted by a friendly young lady who to us to our booth and handed us the menus. The dining room was very clean and decorated with cute yet elegant Italian artworks on the walls. The menu was very extensive and contained popular items such as homemade lasagna, pizza, Philly cheese steak subs, and unique Italian dinners. . Our server, another very welcoming young lady with a big smile came by and took our order. Although most of the customers there were sharing a pizza, and they looked so delicious, we both decided to have the Stromboli with the works. Believe it or not, I think this was the first time that I had ever had Stromboli at an Italian restaurant. To drink we both had Cokes. When the food arrived, the Strombolis looked so fresh and delicious on the outside, and in the inside it contained fresh quality ingredients such as Mozzarella, Green Peppers, Onions, Pepperoni, Sausage & Mushrooms. I was very impressed with its homemade dough and real Mozzarella cheese. The Peperoni, Sausage, and all the other ingredients were also quality products. Our server came to check on us at the appropriate times and provided us with some refills for our drinks. They had some good Italian desserts on the menu as well, but we already had planned to have dessert at another place. Everything was so good, that even though we hadn't finish eating yet, I already was looking forward to try one of their pizzas or unique Italian dinners. I also found the prices to be very reasonable for the quality of their food. I highly recommend this place to all those who love Italian cuisine, and I heard they are currently in the process of expanding.

Was back in Roanoke, evaluating some properties and decided to stop by to see if my prior…read moreexperience might be a fluke. The staff here are charming, knowledgeable, warm, and inviting. The wine and food iare superb, and despite how busy they were for a special event they treated everyone cordially and warmly. Clearly one of the best spots to stop at if you happen to be in Salem! And I actually discovered that they make good wine in Lubbock, Texas! Whoda known? Anyone who might be interested the winery in Lubbock is McPherson Winery!.

On a Sunday afternoon, we wandered in to Stave and Cork to find live music being played…read more The owner was quick to approach us and let us know how thing worked. One key. Was the wine tasting. There are three curated flights available: Virginia, US and International. As we were in the mood for a bottle to go with our food, she allowed us to try a couple to find the perfect pairing. We decided on a Italian white :) Added to the wine, we ordered a small charcuterie platter and the Sharp Top Panini. They thoughtfully split the panini and chips onto two plates for easy sharing. We truly enjoyed this unexpected gem on Main Street. As it is close to I81, I would also recommend it for travelers looking for a lovey place to take a break from the road. Along with the wine, we ordered the small charcuterie platter and Shar

So this was for a DoorDash order, but it was so good. I wanted to make sure I gave them credit…read more I was in town for the Virginia's governors housing conference and stuck at the Hampton Inn with not many food options nearby, so I jumped on DoorDash to see what I could find. Feeling like I wanted a bit of Junk food, something greasy, and potentially fried, I decided to see what Roanoke had to offer. And I was pleasantly surprised to find a restaurant not in Roanoke, but in Salem and in delivery distance. I ordered the Philly cheesesteak sandwich and the gyro and was pleasantly surprised that how good both sandwiches were. The gyro was stuffed full of meat with a very soft pita with fresh ingredients. The Philly cheesesteak was equally substantial, and the cheese was perfectly melted. For a DoorDash order, this place definitely begged for a in person visit, so I definitely will be checking them out when I get back to Salem.

Located off the road less traveled and housed in a cute little place, in Salem, Virginia, Tivoli…read morePizza prides itself in having the best Halal Pizza around. And rightly so. After being awarded the Triad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And Tivoli Pizza, in Salem, Virginia, is the perfect example. As soon as I entered this Pizza Shop, I was very impressed by its cleanliness and cute interior design of the place, as well as by the flow of satisfied customers eating inside the restaurant, and others making Take Out orders. A friendly young lady greeted and welcomed me at the counter and explained to me a little about the restaurant, its owner, and its menu. It was a family-owned restaurant and the owner was Egyptian. They have a variety of excellent items on the menu but they are best known for their pizzas. I ordered a House Salad and a small Supreme Pizza. And for dessert I ordered a Tiramisu. They were all delicious. The salad had fresh ingredients. The pizza crust was very good and the ingredients, especially the cheese were amazing. You could tell the owner/chef took pride in his cooking. This was actually the second time I've eaten from an Egyptian and both times they have far exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend this place for its relaxing ambiance, amazingly delicious food, friendly staff, and excellent customer service.

I had one of the most frustrating dining experiences I've ever encountered at Carrabba's Italian…read moreGrill, and unfortunately, it's not something I can just overlook. From the moment we were seated, the service was noticeably poor and only continued to get worse as the night went on. To start, our server seemed completely disengaged. After taking our initial drink order, they disappeared for an extended period of time. When the drinks finally arrived, it was already a long wait--but what made it worse was that once they were empty, they stayed that way for well over 10 minutes. We sat there with empty glasses, trying to flag someone down, but our server was nowhere to be found. It felt like we were being completely ignored. We had also ordered soup and salad to come before our meal, which is pretty standard. However, those never showed up at all. Not late--just never. No explanation, no apology, nothing. Our entrées arrived, and we were left wondering what happened to the first part of our order. It's basic service to ensure courses come out correctly, and this was completely missed. Throughout the meal, the server would vanish for long stretches of time. Every time we needed something--refills, utensils, even just a quick check-in--it turned into a waiting game. Getting drink refills took forever, and by the time we finally got someone's attention, it felt like more of a hassle than it should ever be. A simple dining experience turned into constant frustration. Overall, the lack of attentiveness, poor timing, and complete absence of communication made this visit extremely disappointing. It honestly felt like we were an afterthought the entire time. Between the empty drinks, missing soup and salad, and the server disappearing repeatedly, this was far from an enjoyable experience. We are regulars at this restaurant and this by far is the worst experience we have ever had at any restaurant we have been to ever! I only tipped something to be gracious but in reality I should have not tipped anything. To make matters worse at the end of the meal is when the waitress showed up eyeing our table like a hawk waiting for me to sign the check. I would expect better from Carrabba's! We would have been better off going to Chic-Fil-a. I would not recommend this location if you're expecting even average service.

Even though it was a Friday night, I hardly had to wait for a seat…read more Meal was excellent, I had the special three item feast. My waitress was good? Did a real good job but seemed to be upset at me for asking if she was seventeen. I feel like she sort of snarled back; "no, I'm twenty three!" Nevertheless, I added a $10 tip. :)