My friend and I took a little road trip to La Cucina after a friend recommended it for the…read moredelicious food. Overall, the experience was just okay -- not bad, but not something I'd drive out of the way for again. If I lived closer, I'd definitely give it another try. We started with sweet tea and bread. The bread with dipping sauce was tasty and a nice start. I ordered the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, and my friend had the Spaghetti and Meatballs. Unfortunately, both entrées were pretty bland. My chicken lacked flavor, and I ended up leaving most of it along with half the noodles. My friend only ate one meatball and passed on the rest. The highlight of the entire meal was the Crème Brûlée -- absolutely amazing! If you go, I highly recommend ordering dessert and maybe trying a different entrée than we did. A friend had suggested the lasagna, and I wish I had taken that advice. The restaurant itself is in a beautiful country setting, and the interior feels warm and inviting. With a few tweaks to the entrées, I think this place could really shine.

Super! Run to this restaurant...if you can get a reservation. Special cod dish was amazing and so…read moreauthentic Italian.

Upon arrival, we were seated promptly and greeted by our waitress right away. Our drinks (water…read morewith lemon) arrived quickly, which was a nice touch. The dining room was clean and comfortable, though the atmosphere itself wasn't particularly memorable, aside from my lovely view of the countryside :-) We both ordered the Chicken Tortellini Alfredo. I chose the Caesar salad as my side, and he ordered the chicken and rice soup. The sides came out quickly. My salad was fine, but the soup was extremely bland and tasted like something straight out of a can. The breadsticks arrived after our entrees. Unfortunately, they weren't very good. They looked, smelled, and tasted like frozen breadsticks. They were dry and cardboard-like, and even the marinara sauce didn't help much. They were slightly better dipped in the Alfredo sauce. When our entrees arrived, we noticed an inconsistency despite ordering the exact same dish. Mine came with a very heavy layer of melted cheese on top, while his had none at all. I usually enjoy extra cheese, but this was excessive. That said, the Alfredo itself was flavorful and enjoyable. I added red pepper flakes for a little extra kick, but the dish was good overall. One other point of confusion: the menu describes the dish as including either meat or cheese tortellini, but when I asked our waitress, she said it only comes with cheese tortellini. Overall, the service was prompt and friendly, and the entrée was the highlight of the meal. However, the bland soup, disappointing breadsticks, and inconsistency between identical orders left room for improvement.

First time at this location and was pleasantly surprised. Service was friendly, quick and…read moreattentive. We got started off with breadsticks and marinara sauce. Nothing crazy or out of this world. My friend got the wings and said they were amazing 10/10. I got the eggplant parm which came with a side of salad or soup and I got a salad. There's a few different options of salads but I got the Greek and it tasted just how it looks. I was pleasantly surprised with the eggplant parm. The portion was big (lasted me 2-3 meals) and was seasoned well. I would get this again.

We had a dinner circuit with friends of local eateries and this place landed on the shortlist…read more DellaSantina has been open for several years and recently added a pizzeria that is completely separate next door. It is away from from the beaten path of the Smokies and they recommend reservations for dinner. Open at 3pm, I called and he gave us a 6:15 time which worked well on a slower Wednesday. The entrance gives way to a nice bar area with a few TVs, booths and white linen tables. We each settled on a bottle of Sangiovese and Pinot Grigio and the mussels appetizer and bruschetta. Our waiter Andrei was professional and prompt. We decided to have a glass of wine and enjoy conversation and our apps without ordering our entrees and expediting the occasion. Andrei checked back several times and kept our waters full and was very patient. We settled on clams fettuccini with a white wine butter sauce and my lady got the mussels in the same sauce. It was a garlic lover's delight and I'm certain I'll never be a vampire. We enjoyed the setting and the atmosphere was relaxed. A liquid dessert pour of tequila and whiskey settled us and we skipped dessert although it was tempting. Overall the prices were a bit higher but the service was excellent and our meal rang true. It was a great first impression and we had leftovers. It will be added into our rotation and look forward to trying other pastas and seafood.

The Frutti di Mare is phenomenal!!!…read more We happened upon this wonderful location by watching "Adventure is Out There" on YouTube. Totally off the beaten path, and so worth it. Just when you think you're lost, you arrive. The Focaccia bread that is served really good. Suggest getting marina as opposed to olive oil for dipping. The meatball was nice sized (big enough to share) and marinara sauce was really good. The Frutti di Mare was suggested by our waiter Anthony (very knowledgeable about the menu and offerings) to use white wine sauce. It was a great suggestion. The ingredients were obviously fresh and the portion size was easily shareable. We shared a Tiramisu. And let me preface that my wife has never liked this dessert. But the YouTube review swayed her perspective. And she loved it. You can tell that it's a labor to make (we talked to the owner's wife and she concurred). The only negative would be due to personal preference. The Caesar salad dressing didn't have anchovies. It was lemon forward and good, but it's just something that we like.

You would be hard pressed to find a better restaurant in this area. Consistently good. It is a…read morenever-fail good meal for when I have guests, but I often stop in for a meal by myself as well. They are doing it right. Love the specials.

I got the gnocchi and I thought it was pretty good. My boyfriend got the chicken Parmesan and…read morethought it was delicious I just thought it was OK. They rave about their famous Kaseya bread, it was OK. The boy gobbled down his pasta and meatball

Well, this extremely small town only has a handful or restaurants including fast food. So, we…read morechanced Valentino's even thought the outside had a dilapidated appearance. The owner, chef, waiter, and host was very pleasant. He let us sit at any of the plastic covered tables and was very accommodating with an order request. The food was unique, with slightly different flavors than usual. My husband enjoyed the tanginess of the sauce and the garlic knots were very tasty. We ate spaghetti with meat sauce, baked ziti, and garlic knots. All of it was decent, especially considering our other choices (DQ, Hardee's, McDonalds, and Pizza Hut).

The Italian egg drop soup was amazing, I am not a fan of eggs in general so I almost didn't get it…read more That would have been a fail! The soup is a must try. It will have you coming back for more! The calzone was very good. It is obvious much love and care goes into the dishes served here.

One of our favorite locally-owned restaurants! They're got the best Italian food! The Salmon…read moreFlorentine is amazing, as is their Byrne Special Cannelloni! Their pizza's and calzone's are some of the very best in the Tri-Cities area! Amal, who runs the restaurant, is an incredible man - super friendly and a great businessman! Don't dare overlook this gem of a restaurant!! You'll be so happy that you've eaten here! Oh yes, and their bread, served before the meal, is off-the-chain!!

Food was delicious and a good value! All the workers were very polite. I ordered to go and…read moreeverything was included and delicious. Would definitely try again!

My coworker and I were really in the mood for good Italian food. We were not disappointed! I got…read morethe veal piccata with capers and a salad and it was excellent! I ordered the house red wine and ended up getting another glass because it was so good. I have two minor things to report. 1. The waiter made us feel rushed upon arrival but he settled down and ended up being an excellent waiter. 2. The dinner napkins are laundered and a very strong smelling laundry detergent so that when you put it up to your face it was overpowering. I realize that these are little nits but should be reported in case things like that might bother you. Give this place a try you'll really enjoy the food! Ciao!

Came here for dinner with my hubby on a week night. Still great service. Still delicious pizza…read more Mediterranean salad: wonderful flavors Supreme pizza (same pizza as last time but the correct name): our favorite This time we were seated in a booth in the upper dining room around the back. White table cloths cover each table. Soft music plays above you.

Driving along 81 South from Staten Island, New York to visit with our family in Georgia; we were…read morestopping for the night to stay at The Hampton Inn Suites in the town of Abingdon, VA. Before retiring for the night, we searched for a place to eat and found Momma Mia Italiano Restaurant. At first we were reluctant, thinking how could an Italian restaurant be any good in a small town in Virginia. After all, we are of Italian-American descent -- so we know genuine Italian food and being the cook in our home -- I know how to cook Italian. My meatballs are renowned with our family and circle of friends. Not only are we of Italian descent, we are from NYC where there are the best restaurants in the world!!!! We have lived there over 60 years and have ate at the best! We entered the restaurant to see the entry King Kong sign about being the best -- better than NYC. I knew immediately that sign was spot on -- the restaurant smelled like my home growing up as a child on Sunday mornings! The aroma of the red tomato sauce carried us into our seats! (I think I was floating.) There were so many choices on the menu, it was difficult to make our choices. I decided on a plate of spaghetti with meat sauce and the chicken salad. My husband chose the raviolis and a side salad. The dinner included Italian garlic bread! The service from our server was divine: friendly, courteous and professional. The owner/chef visited us at the table a few times to be sure everything was alright, and it was MORE THAN alright. The food was "delicioso! We are so grateful that God brought us to this awesome restaurant in Abingdon, VA!! We'll be back!

I tried eating here on a busy weekend once and found it packed, so I was surprised when I happened…read moreby again on a Friday night and it was not busy at all. I had some skepticism that it would live up to its reputation, and frankly Southwest Virginia is not a place that someone of my urbane character normally looks for high-end pizza in, but this was another Abingdon gem. A salad was quite large; I'm not usually thrilled with iceberg lettuce and the cheese was a bit much, but the ingredients were fresh and crisp and it was reasonably good for what it was. The pizza I came for was a beautifully presented pie with a crust the texture of a cloud. The special I ordered was just basil, oregano, and fresh tomatoes, but this simple flavor combination delivered on every front: tangy, astringent, savory, salty. Ordering a tea with free refills was a sound enough decision. Service wasn't the smoothest to be honest; only one actual waitress was working and some people had a bit of a delay when they arrived. I also felt a bit rushed out and ultimately asked for a dessert to go at the register, which was probably a better way of eating it anyway. The luxuriously soft tiramisu was another good decision. As is often the case with Italian cuisine, this place does not seem like a great option for those who don't eat dairy or wheat. For those who do, it is a reminder of why some flavors never go out of style.