Pizzas are excellent, full of flavor, cooked perfectly. I am new to the area, and so glad I found Tony Avellino's.

I dared to go off the beaten paths in search of an Italian family-owned restaurant where they made New York style pizzas; and literally across the street from the well known and famous Montano's International Gourmet Restaurant, I discovered this small, nothing fancy, Italian Eatery owned and run by an older couple husband and wife Italian immigrants. 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 Tony Avellino's Italian Eatery is the perfect example. Located in an old but clean, small restaurant space off Franklin Road, in Roanoke, Virginia, with an ample parking lot, Tony Avellino's stands alone there, that for unknown passers-byers could seem not to be open if it were not be for its well lit red "OPEN" sign behind one of its windows. As I arrived and walked in, the place looked empty, so I walked around and looked into a what seemed to be like a storage room that doubled as the dishwashing room and office. I heard some voices and said: "Is anybody home?" Suddenly, this delightful older couple who were Italian immigrants, and the owners of the restaurant came out to warmly greet me, and as they did, the place suddenly acquired another dimension. It reminded me of the trip to Italy that I took with my family when I was a boy, and the beauty of that country, and its people, who made you feel at home in their home. I enjoyed talking with both the husband and wife, and seeing them work together running their family-owned business. They had a colorful menu published but the wife ask me what I felt like eating today: a pizza, their Special Cheese Steak Sub, Pasta, or one of their Half-Pound Burgers. I definitely wanted to try their New York style pizza so I ordered their 12" size Pepperoni and Mushroom Pizza with a Root Beer. The husband quickly started making my pizza and allowed me to record the process with photos and videos that I could include in my review. The Pizza tasted amazing. There are times that in simple, quality ingredients, one can uncover an extraordinary flavor. While I was eating, other customers started arriving. Some to eat in, some to take out. What a beautiful site of a couple earning a living through the labor of something they enjoy doing and are good at, and their customers enjoying the fruit of their labor. I highly recommend this restaurant. Go there, support this delightful couple, and enjoy their warmth and wonderful food. read more

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3.5 Stars Great pizza for a local spot. Beware - a little pricy but the pizza had better flavor than a National chain. $31 for a 12" stuffed pizza & order of cheesy bread. WOW! The stuffed pizza w/ pepperoni & sausage had fresh mozzarella which was tasty and the crust was cooked well. Cheesy bread seemed like a hoagie roll sliced up w/ melted cheese - not sure it was worth $8. Store itself looked run down and in need of some renovations. Maybe that's the ambiance they are looking for - the vintage or "we been here forever" look. The staff was friendly, smiling & looked to like their job! I would probably give them another try but would definitely look for specials or coupons to make it all worth while. read more

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I met this couple under different circumstances. The husband and wife team was so nice, polite and passionate. They told me that they were from Italy and that they had a pizza restaurant and I had to come and try it. I'm so glad that I did... The pizza crust was buttery, slightly crispy and delicious. I got an eggplant parmesan sub and it was done right... fried right cheesy goodness. I recommend this place to anyone looking for good New York style pizza done right. Simple yet clean place that make you feel like you're in a pizza joint, people recommended the breadsticks so I can't wait to go back! read more

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If you want good new York style pizza dont go here...they are consistently skimpy with the cheese on the pizza. Go to New York Pizza in Vinton read more

One of the top 3 New York style pizza joints in town They also have very good subs and a meatball with cheese sub that's pretty dang gone good read more

We stopped by while visiting the nursery next door. We ordered a vegetarian calzone and added eggplant. It was delicious and the staff ensured it was ready in a fairly quick turnaround time. They allowed us to park our truck and trailer there. They made their dough from scratch and the taste if the bread was great with a nice crunch, but was soft and flavorful. The taste of the calzone was amazing with the eggplant having a very great flavor. I cannot imagine how delicious their eggplant parmesan would be. We will be back and think they are a secret in Roanoke that needs to be leaked to the rest of the city. You should give them a try!!! read more

Food is fantastic I recommend the pizza or the cheesesteak special. Great atmosphere and well priced. Food doesn't take to long to come out can be in and out within 30mins if you eat in. read more

My go to place for pizza. My wife and I make it our 'date night' place to go for good food, good atmosphere, and friendly faces. The crust is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and folds easily for perfect mouthfuls. Not too much tasty sauce or cheese, and generous toppings (sausage, pepperoni and mushrooms). I can't say enough good things about Tony Avellino's. It brings us back to our college days in Hartford, when a pie would stretch into a night, and the only thing you'd have to worry about is closing time. I love Tony Avellino's! read more

We wanted a mom and pop type place to have some authentic, delicious pizza on our family vacation. This met a lot of our expectations. We got the cheesy breadsticks, sausage and pepperoni NY style pizza, and sausage Sicilian style pizza. We all loved the crust. It was soft but had the perfect crunch at the bottom. The sauce could have had a little more flavor, but we also loved the fresh mozzarella cheese. The sausage wasn't what we were expecting; it was the sliced pieces instead of the more spherical chunks. Not sure if they have two different types, but we would have preferred a different kind. The breadsticks were really good. 10/10 cheese pull. Wasn't busy at all when we went food came out pretty quickly, and we got to even watch the owner make the pizza behind the counter. Dinner and a show! Prices were not bad at all either. Overall really good! read more

Tony Avellino's - Cheesy breadsticks - Italian Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Sauce is not good, and owner doesn't know what's on their own menu, or simple culinary terms. Go elsewhere

Easily the best pizza in Roanoke. The God Father to New York pizza. The service is impeccable and the atmosphere is exactly what you wanted to be. Old-school pizza joint in the shell of a waffle house. Great pizzas great calzones and the pastas and cheesesteaks are incredible. read more

Jury is out in this one. Ordered the cheesesteak special. It took about 40 minutes for the order to be finished. I made it home with it piping hot. The only issue was that it was extremely salty and very little onions, peppers, and mushrooms. You can taste the mushrooms were canned as well. They did put a generous amount of meat but it was so salty that we couldn't enjoy it completely. In all fairness it was pretty busy and there was one lady on the grill so I'll have to try it again to be sure. This is definitely an Italian run business. The lady told me they're from Naples so I'm looking forward to authentic Napoli pizza the next time I visit. The man behind the counter was hand tossing it and that was a nice familiar site. The sub came with a pickle spear. Sorry for the half photo but I was famished and couldn't wait to eat after the long wait. Friendly service and easy to find. Large spacious parking off a major road. Will try again and give a follow up review. read more

Tony Avellino's - Deluxe cheesesteak sub - Italian Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

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The calzone was greasy and very stingy meat and vegetables. Plenty of cheese though..

We normally get their cheese steaks and they are absolutely delicious. I would say they are the best ones in the area and probably one of the best I have ever had. The food is priced well for how good it is consistently and the portion sizes. Staff is also friendly. read more

Some of the best pizza that we have found in the central Virginia area!! We don't get to roanoke all that often, but we'll definitely make a trip back just for this pizza!! read more

Another fabulous pizza! Crust, sauce, Italian sausage, pepperoni, and that glorious, stringy gooey mozzarella....heaven! The cheese steak subs are among the best in Roanoke. Hot. Meaty. Delicious bread. Gooey stringy cheese. That's what we eat. Pizza. Or a sub. Other meals look equally delicious but hubby and I drive from Salem for the pizza or cheese steaks. Its next to Dunkin Donuts on Franklin Rd. Dine in or takeout. Owners have done a bit of a refresh recently and it was super clean. You still order at the counter but your meal is delivered to your table fresh to order! Keep these guys in business. Its worth it! read more

Tony Avellino's - Half for later! Always get enough to have next day cause its soooooo good - Italian Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Tony Avellino's is a spin-off from New York Pizza in Vinton. If you like the pizza, and the cheese steaks at New York Pizza, you're going to love Tony Avellino's. I've only visited once so far since I actually live closer to NYP, but I wanted to confirm for myself that the cheese steaks were, in fact, the same--and I'm happy to say they are. They have a kind of oddball menu in comparison to New York Pizza, featuring everything from breakfast (yes, breakfast), to ribeye and seafood (seabass, tilapia, cod, pollock, etc)--and of course, cheese steaks, pasta, and delicious pizza... I was a little surprised to see things like waffles, pancakes, and eggs when I saw the menu for the first time, but after seeing their hours, it makes total sense. They're currently open from 6:00AM to 1:30AM per their Facebook. The menu doesn't seem to say anything about sliced pizza, but I'm under the impression that's one of the things they're focusing on, and claim that their individual $5.00 slices of pizza are bigger than Benny's. That's a big claim to make, and unfortunately I can't confirm or deny that just yet--but I'll write another review once I do. The staff was super friendly, so I'll definitely be back to show my support for this business, but I will still likely be visiting my favorite Vinton spot most of the time unless I happen to be on the other side of town. I'm really excited to see a good option for pizza and cheese steaks on this side of town though. The only negative thing that I would mention (not really a negative) is that the website and menu could use some work. If they're focusing on sliced pizza, there's no mention of it currently on the menu... The website is unfinished and a little rough around the edges. That could turn some people away, but I hope they'll look past that and give it a shot so that they can survive. It looks like they're trying to work on online ordering. Personally, I think that's pretty exciting... There aren't really a lot of places that you can order online with in Roanoke. It's convenient! read more

Tony Avellino's - This is the menu pulled from their website. - Italian Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

Always a good experience when ordering from here. Tried the Stromboli this time. It was very filling and good.

The worst calzone I've ever had by far. Extremely greasy, few toppings and the dipping sauce tasted like ragu from a jar. So disappointing after I'd hear a lot of good reviews about the place. read more

Yikes! Ordered Pizza and lasagna to go. Should have kept going! Makes frozen food 5 star Michelin in comparison.

Is there a sadder piece of commercial real estate on God's green earth than a dis-used longtime Waffle House? I wagered that it would stand empty a long, long time. I lost. But am I ever glad I did! Surprisingly good ambience considering what it used to be, and very good NY style pizza. Definitely the go-to for a carry out pie. Key metric: very, very good leftover - can eat cold, or cut the chill with a few minutes in the oven. read more

Another convincing example of the fact that good pizza does not exist in the Roanoke Valley. While the service was adequate and texture of the pizza was fine, the sauce didn't have that rich tangy flavor you'd expect from a joint like this. I ordered a pep and mush and was amazed (not in a good way) to discover the mushrooms came out of a can. You can get this "meh" kind of pizza pretty much anywhere in Roanoke. This was not the standout I was hoping it would be. read more

I'm an extreme regular here. It's good stuff. George and Vince know how to take care of their customers. Delicious food and a lot of it. Can't go wrong with the pizza or the cheese steak. Pasta is good stuff too with my favorite so far being the real cheesy Alfredo pasta. I also love the hours here and I kinda think they're madmen for it, but in a good way. I can get breakfast AND late night pizza. Definitely recommend. read more

Tony Avellino's - two pizzas on a table - Italian Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

I have only had the pizza here one time but I am very impressed. The crust was chewy and tasty, pizza sauce was good, good cheese coverage a little bit messy and I like that. I will try it again read more

Their philly cheese steak is legit the best in Roanoke. I go there whenever I'm not in Vinton.

This place hasn't been here that long but it's one of my favorite Italian spots in town. They have hands down, one of the best cheese steak sandwiches. The pizza is pretty good but make sure you ask about the daily specials. They're always worth a try. read more

Tony Avellino's - Italian Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

I can't speak for the service in the house because I've only gotten food for takeout. So far the two dishes I have ordered have been delicious. The cheese steak special reminds me of the one that was served in the market building downtown. It is loaded with steak, onions, Green peppers, and mushrooms served topped with cheese melted into it; thats makes this incredible sauce. I ordered a standard Five topping pizza; sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, and black olives. It was far better than anything that you will get from any of the franchise restaurant chains in the area. The dining area seems very clean and modern with a lot of stainless steel and stonework. Customers waiting to order can see into the kitchen which consist of a prep area, standard pizza oven, and large grill, all seemed very clean, and well organized. The staff I've dealt with when I picked up my orders are polite and very helpful, but again I have yet to eat in the restaurant. Though I am looking forward to giving it a try for lunch or maybe a dinner before taking in a movie at Tanglewood read more

WOW! Glad we discovered this place. Fantastic cheese steak! Really good bread and steak was shaved to perfection. Crumbles really. Really good pickles. I have a local food group I posted pics in hope it helps. read more

First time I've eaten here. Philly Cheesesteak Special was good. The bread was crisp to perfection and they didn't skimp on the filling. The place itself is fine.It's clean ,I like the granite on the walls and that they have tables and chairs. It is nice to be able to eat and not have to compete with music or aTV when trying to have a conversation with my dinner mates. The service is good. I like that that they are personable when dealing with customers yet not overly chatty. I will go back again. read more

This place is ......? I just don't know what to say. The food was great!!! The pizza was amazing and the cheesesteak was awesome, unfortunately everything else was a mess! We ordered a medium pizza and a cheesesteak at the counter and then found a table. It's a do it yourself kinda place. You grab your drink from a cooler and there is another small cooler (like one you would take to the beach) with ice and an ice scooper in the bottom of the drink cooler. The idea of a bunch of people scooping their own ice is so gross...and who knows how long that ice cooler has been sitting in the bottom of the cooler with no lid. It's weird. The place overall just looked dirty, when we were ordering at the counter there was an absolute mess at the grill, food everywhere, dirty utensils, dirty towels just piled up and certainly not being used. Not to mention they weren't busy but there were tables sitting dirty which is annoying because there are only 8 tables in the place. We noticed as we waited that the tables around us were getting there food at separate times. One person would get their food and then five minutes later something else would come out. The table next to us got one meal and after about 10 minutes (when the first guest was done) the second meal came out. We were no exception. Our pizza came out quick and it was sat on our table with one single plate? So I had to get up and go grab another plate and silverware. Everyone in the place was having to do the same, I mention this because EVERYONE was talking about it. By the time we were done with our pizza and ready to leave (literally ready to get up) a cheesesteak shows up at our table. We didn't really want it anymore but the truth is it looked so good, we asked for a box and just took it with us. And yes, when we ate it later it was great. Overall this place is a mess which is unfortunate because the food is so so good. I really hope they get it together and step up the service. Trust me, our expectations are not high...just a clean place, a plate for each person, silverware, and for our food to come out together. That's all... read more

Tony Avellino's - Italian Near Me - Roanoke, Virginia

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What a GEM of a restaurant. The place seems to be a mini spin-off of Vinton's New York Pizza, with a somewhat less extensive menu and given where I live, 20 minutes closer to my home. To date, I've placed two takeout pizza orders. Both were ready within 15-20 minutes and both were consistently awesome. For the price of Domino's/Papa John's, you can have the REAL DEAL. Keep in mind that this is a smallish restaurant - a former Waffle House and when entering for the 1st time for takeout, it isn't apparently where you need to head to ... or talk with. Don't be bashful, ASK. I can't comment on the rest of the menu, but anecdotally will add that many of my fellow coworkers have raved about other menu items. I love to see new Mom & Pop restaurants take a spin at success and strongly believe that Tony Avellino's is a keeper. read more

The cheesesteak special here is delicious!! It is by far the best cheesesteak that I have eaten. I have been a fan of this particular sub for years! In my opinion, cheesesteaks from Philly pale in comparison to this sub. read more

I have enjoyed many things from this restaurant in the past, but unfortunately can not tolerate the rudeness displayed by the owner Tony. Will not be back and will definitely encourage others not to support as well!!! I have 2 jobs, both requiring above average customer care. We pride our selves on that. Tony's rudeness and then his unfortunate attempt to make fun of me are appalling! read more

So far this is the closest I have gotten to a plain NY slice of pizza. If you order a slice and eat in, they bring it to the table for you. Pretty decent service for a pizzeria, I must say. The next time, I will get a sub. Not a bad spot to grab a slice. read more

What you need to know going in, Tony is arguably from New York or somewhere close, I imagine ordering a pizza from him is as close as I've ever gotten to getting a pizza directly from NY. He's a little brash and outspoken, but his food is damn good, I'll give him that. Don't expect your typical southern VA manners from him on the phone or in person, but again it's because I imagine he's an authentic NY expatriate. Ordering via phone you're going to get a "Tony Avellino's what do you want?" No thank you's or pleases but again we in this area are so used to that being every other word. We ordered a large pizza and cheese bread for takeout and luckily I overheard him state the order number because that's what he uses to track orders for pickups. In person he was just as unencumbered by southern manners and was complaining about people in this town not wanting to wait for a good product because people cancelled orders on him. The pizza is damn good, the cheese sticks were really good as well, I will definitely be a repeat customer. Just know going in that he's not going to be your well mannered southern VA resident, but he makes some really good pizza and sides! read more

I ordered a large meat livers pizza. When i came in to pick it up i was reprimanded for not know my number. Upon looking for my order, i was informed rudely, that my.pizza was given to someone else and i had to wait 1/2 - 45 minutes. Who gove someone's pizza away and made to feel like its their fault? Never again. read more

If you're going to get food from them, I highly recommend getting it to go. Food was good. We got a cheesesteak and an 18" cheese pizza. You need to ask to have the pizza well done or the dough is a bit chewy. Ask them to go light on the salt for the cheesesteak. Eating there is a journey in itself. Upon entering, there's a menu taped to the glass window on the counter where the pizza is made. When you're ready to order, you have to walk to the center of the counter, place the order, and find a seat. The sandwich came first, then the pizza. We had to ask for plates and silverware and get our own drinks. Once finished, you need to walk all the way to the end of the counter to a cut-out window in the wall and tell them what you ordered to pay. They definitely need to work out a bunch of kinks. read more

Service was great and the food was even better but while sitting here waiting for my pizza, the guy who clearly had authority (could be Tony himself) started talking Spanish to his emploee. I don't speak Spanish but a handful of words so you might get an idea how awkward I felt. I'll order again but I will not want to stay much longer than five minutes. read more

Ever since this place opened, I have been a fan. This last visit has changed my mind and the way they treated us leaves me truly upset that they would treat a returning customer the way that they treated me. My mother, my girlfriend and I went in for dinner on Mother's Day 05/13/2018 expecting the place to be busy. They were mildly busy, but I've seen them busier. My mom decided to eat something light and ordered a house salad. I ordered the lasagna with a house salad to start with. My girlfriend ordered the pasta of the day which was Linguini with white sauce. The guy that took our order, asked what dressing we wanted. My mom responded with, "Your house dressing". He responded with, "All of our dressings are house dressings, what is it that you want?". His response was in a very aggressive tone and my mom responded in kind with an aggressive tone with "italian then". We all placed our orders without any further aggressions. After that, a few minutes later he brought my mom's salad and threw it down on the table. Completely ignoring/forgetting that I ordered a salad for a starter. He didn't say a word or anything, just walked away without allowing me the opportunity to ask about my salad. My mom ate her salad and my girlfriend and I sat there for about an hour waiting for our food. During that time, nobody spoke to us as they have before to give us updates or just provide idle conversation. While sitting there we saw people sit down, get their food and leave. While we had not received anything further than my mom's salad. I saw multiple orders that were placed to-go at the counter, get their food before we got ours as well. I decided to cut our losses and go to pay for my mother's salad. When I approached the man that took our order I asked if I could pay for the salad and cancel the rest. This was our interaction; Me: "Can I have the ticket for the salad my mom ate and cancel the rest of the order?" Employee: "Why?" Me: "Because we have been sitting there and other people that came in after us have eaten and we have not received anything besides that salad that I want to pay for." Employee: "It's mother's day, what do you expect? We have tickets in front of yours and we are about to plate yours." Me: "There were many people that came in after us that were fed before us, so that's not the issue. Can I please pay for the salad?" He then waves us away with a disgusted look on his face and yells at us to leave the restaurant. I was once a fan but now I will never go back to this restaurant. I will make it my mission to ensure that anyone I know is aware that this restaurant is one to stay away from. read more