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.!

really solid bar food!…read more I love the vibe here and the atmosphere makes you want to stay awhile. Definitely a great local spot if you're looking for good bar food and a fun, relaxed place to grab a drink.

We visited the Yard Bird Tavern in downtown Roanoke. Finding a spot can be a bit of a gamble;…read moreunless you're lucky enough to snag a space at the curb, you should expect to pay for parking. ​Atmosphere & Menu ​Upon entering, we found the restaurant pleasantly sophisticated, though it was nearly at capacity. While we opted not to explore the drink menu, we were eager to see what the kitchen had to offer. The menu itself is concise, focusing primarily on wings, sandwiches, and pizzas, supplemented by a few small appetizers. ​The culinary style is quite eclectic. They feature several unconventional toppings and flavor combinations that might seem a bit eccentric at first glance. ​The Culinary Experience ​I decided on a flatbread-style pizza topped with: ​Smoked chicken ​Pickles ​Peppadew-style peppers (which resembled small cherry tomatoes) ​A tangy, zesty sauce reminiscent of an enchilada base with an extra "zing." ​My wife opted for a "build-your-own" pizza featuring red onions, pepperoni, and bell peppers. Although she realized too late that she had forgotten to request light sauce, she noticed the oversight immediately upon the dish's arrival. ​Service Observations ​The service was a bit of a mixed bag. Our waitress was professional but remarkably brisk. She lacked the usual pleasantries or "small talk" one might expect, focusing instead on efficiency. While her haste felt a bit impersonal, I couldn't complain about her attentiveness--she was incredibly prompt at refilling my iced tea the moment my glass was empty. Make sure you bring your pocketbook this pizza brings a sting at the register.

I can't find the words to begin to describe my dining experience at this Italian restaurant. It is…read moreone of those very unique restaurants that far exceeds the highest of your expectations. After having been selected as number 4 of Yelp's Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I was also awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Photographer of the Year Award at their Yelpies 2025 Award Ceremony, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, and where last year I was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Yelper of the Year Award, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and businesses, 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 Sal's Italian Restaurant in the Bonsack area of Roanoke, Virginia is a perfect example. Located at the Kroger Bonsack Shopping Center, it sits just off US-460/Orange Ave East, in the northeastern part of the Roanoke Valley. Locally-owned and operated by the Scotto family, who originally came from Italy, this unasuming yet award-winning restaurant serves authentic, homemade Italian food in a warm, family-friendly entertainment, offering dine-in, dine-out (in its beautiful outdoor patio), take-out, and catering services. After arriving and parking my pearl white Lexus in their very convenient parking lot, I walked over to the restaurant which had colorful balloons near the entrance with a sidewalk blackboard announcing its Sit Down Buffet (Mon - Fri), all you can eat from a group of items, brought to your table. All for $14.99. I've always dreamed of having a buffet where you wouldn't have to get up, and here they had it. Once inside, they had a small foyer/waiting room, with the walls filled with framed Award Certificates, together with magazine and newspaper articles about the restaurant, its genuine food, and its local family ownership. As I entered through another door to the restaurant itself, one of the sons of the founder of the restaurant (who passed away on July 3rd, nine years ago) gave me a warm greeting, took me to one of the booths, and placed copies of the menu on the table. The background music gave the place a festive ambiance together with the oak hardwood floor and well lit dining room. Soon after, my server Ashley arrived with a friendly smile, to take my order. To drink I ordered an Iced Rootbeer. And to dine, I started out with a Fried Calamari appetizer; followed by a house salad, Italian garlic bread, and as the main entrée their Homemade Meat Lasagna. The fried Calamari was lightly breaded and fried so you could actually taste the fresh Calamari after dipping it in the mild marinara sauce. One of the best I've ever had! The house salad was good but only had one cherry tomato and one slice of cucumber. The tomato based salad dressing was amazing. Their Italian Garlic Bread tasted wonderful. And their Homemade Lasagna was truly one of the best if not the best I've ever had. The pasta was freshly made. The ground beef was perfectly seasoned. The tomato sauce was just the right flavor. And the cheese which covered it helped make it amazingly delicious, like none that I ever had before! My server served all the items at the appropriate time and provided drink refills every time my drink was low. For dessert, the "Grand Finale" of my meal, my server brought a large round tray, with all the desserts so I could visually see them as she described them. I picked the Chocolate Bomba: a vanilla and chocolate premium ice cream ball with a cherry inside and surrounded by a chocolate shell. It was really something extraordinary and sweet. But what was greatest of all was the human touch by this family-owned restaurant. The wife of the late founder of the restaurant as well as her other son and chef made it a point to come to my table to say hi, introduce themselves, and have a short but meaningful conversation. I highly recommend this restaurant where I had an extraordinary dining experience and am already looking forward to returning to taste some other amazing items from their menu.

DW and I went in for dinner on a Friday night around 1830. After waiting for a table for half an…read morehour or so we were seated. Clearly they were busy, think it's a popular local dinner spot. We ordered from a comprehensive menu organized by its protein inclusion. Meal was fine, garlic knots were a bit disappointing. Our plan is to go back on a calmer night.

Want to know why the pizza is so good at Mama Maria's? Because the owner/chef is from South Jersey!…read moreAnd Jersey knows it's pizza! Mama Maria's is the pinnacle of Italian food in Roanoke County. The pizza is great. The bakery is great. The service is great. Anytime I find myself driving down I-81. I always stop at Mama Maria's. And you should too.

Dinner one night while we were in town. We were greeted walking in and seated within the same…read moreinteraction. An old school eatery, pretty basic on the inside, nothing fancy just good food and kind service. We started with the Burschetta Napoletana appetizer. It was a traditional style serving. With a slice of toasted bread, fresh diced tomato, onion and chopped basil, with a little evoo drizzle. Very simple and good. Refreshing and tasty a good start. They had Oysters Rockerfeller on the special menu the night of our visit, so we had to give them a try. They were again very traditional, well made and flavorful. For my entree I went for the Salmon Portofino. A beautiful portion, vibrant and full of flavor. A large bowl, with a nice piece of salmon cooked in a wonderful broth. Line caught fish, pan seared and cooked with cherry tomatoes, capers and artichoke hearts. It was a very good meal. 3.5 Stars rounded up for the kind staff. 01266

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.

Everything was fantastic, meatballs appetizer was good, salad was fresh with the dressing made in…read morehouse. Chicken Alfredo with sautéed mushrooms and the chicken vodka penne were both fantastic. Huge portions and the the service was great too! Highly recommend this one!

Food was excellent!!! Staff were very friendly and helpful!!!!…read moreWhat was exceptional was our waitress Tiffany, she treated my family like royalty!!! My mother is partial disabled and Tiffany made my mother feel very comfortable... I really appreciate the whole staff's effort to make my family experience amazing!!!

Dustin was amazing! He knows how to handle a large group with ease! Everything came out perfectly…read moreand quickly! Great energy too!

The first time I saw a copy of the colorful brochure with solid black background of Porta Bella…read morePizza, I was curious to find out more about this Italian and American cuisine restaurant with a Mediterranean flair. Located in an old house at 1132 Salem Ave SW, Roanoke, Virginia. It's front is creatively painted with the colors of the Italian flag, in such a way that it can't help but to stand out in the middle of this eclectic neighborhood. This laid back restaurant is the creation of some Egyptian entrepreneurs who decided to put together a menu that included pizzas, calzones, stromboli, pastas, salads, burgers, sandwiches, and added some Mediterranean items such as Gyro and Falafel Platters, and Baklava for dessert, among others. And something that I discovered while at the restaurant was that all the meats used there are 100% Certified Halal Premium Quality. In other words, this means no pork products are used. The inside of restaurant was nothing fancy, but natural polished hardwood floors and original ceiling, gave character to the place, that even being old was very clean and organized. When I arrived I was greeted with a warm and friendly welcome by what I think was one of the owners of the restaurant. I ordered a Dr Pepper to drink and a small Super Supreme Pizza to eat. The pizza tasted delicious, especially with the cheese that was used to prepare it. Another customer eating there at the moment was eating and Cheese Calzone, and he allowed me to photograph it for me to include in this review. I recommend this restaurant, especially for those who don't eat pork or pork products, because the taste was so good you couldn't tell that the ingredients were of this nature. They are also available for catering special meetings or gatherings at very reasonable prices.

The absolute best calzone I have had in a long time. Made fresh to order & a small is only $10,…read morelarge enough for 2 people. Came out in 15-20 mins

A new restaurant has risen from the ashes of another. After a period of closure and renewal, the…read morespirit of Aly Baba Restaurant is reborn as Zico's, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes to offer an elevated dining experience. 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 Zico's Restaurant in Salem, Virginia, is the perfect example. Zico's is conveniently located in the corner of 4th Street and Roanoke Blvd in Salem, Virginia. Immediately after hearing of the change, and attracted by its new name and logo, I drove to this location to experience first hand Zico's cuisine. The restaurant has a nice size parking lot right in front of it. Its owner and chef, Zico is a native Egyptian, with a warm and friendly personality, who specializes in authentic Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Italian cuisines, as well as Pizzas. As I entered its door he was the first one to give me a warm greeting and welcome me to his restaurant. It had one red brick wall, imitation hardwood floors, simple ceiling lamps, and a very interesting movable large TV screen with a beautiful outdoor Cafe scene. The background music perfectly complements the relaxing and cozy environment. In the main dining room it has very elegant and comfortable booths all around, and in a separate banquet room it has tables and chairs all lined up. The menu has an excellent variety of items representing the different cuisines. I ordered a Beef Shawarma Platter that came with a salad and Pita Bread with a special in house salad dressing and cream for the Pita Bread. The salad was so fresh and moist that it was a pleasure eating it. The Beef Shawarma was cooked with a special sauce made with cooked onions, green and red peppers, and some seasons that gave it an amazing flavor, one only equivalent to high-end restaurants with sofisticated and award winning chefs. The rice was also a good quality rice with wonderful flavor. I enjoyed the food so much that till the last grain of rice and savored evey minute of it. For dessert I ordered their only in-house made dessert, the Tiramisu. It was amazingly delicious. Like no other that I ever had. What an extraordinary dining experience. I have dined in the best restaurants and yet this restaurant's cuisine is exceptionally outstanding to the point of exceeding even the highest expectations. I highly recommend it and am looking forward to returning to try it's Italian and Greek cuisines.

You HAVE to try Zico (or Aly Baba, as I knew it!). The food…read moreis consistently top-notch. I highly recommend the kofta, which is perfectly seasoned and cooked, the incredibly flavorful shawarma, and the magnificent mussakaa--it's rich, comforting, and authentic. Beyond the delicious food, the standout feature is the service. The owner is the friendliest you will ever meet, always taking the time to make you feel welcome. It's that kind of genuinely warm, inviting atmosphere that keeps me coming back again and again. Whether you're a long-time fan of Aly Baba or discovering Zico for the first time, you won't be disappointed! This is a must-visit spot.