Luigi’s Italian Gourmet Restaurant

This is my favorite Classy Italian restaurant for sure ! Expect to pay more for quality, but expect the best Italian you’ve ever had as well. Staff was friendly and experienced with the menu. I had a wonderfully romantic date here ! Beef broccolitni (sp?) is the best dish!

Fantastic customer service. It was later that I learned the host was the owner. She is pleasant and sims for excellence. The avocado dressing on the salad was so good that I am now a fan of salads. The meal was outstanding and I will return again.

This is the worst Italian food I’ve ever had. The ‘Italian’ bread they gave me was a sub roll; the mushrooms sat in a dark broth that had absolutely no taste and may have been dirty dish water; I ordered carbonara and it was made with bacon, not pancetta; the pasta was from a box; the dessert was your run of the mill chocolate cake and even the limoncello was horrible.
I’ve lived in Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore where the Italian food is outstanding — althoug all of the restaurants would be outstanding compared to Luigi’s. I’ve lived in Italy and I’m telling you right now, this is not Italian food. Both my nonna’s are rolling in their graves.
If people think this is real and or good Italian food, then that’s a shame. Real Italian food is delizioso and this food wasn’t even close.
The waiter was fantastic — he agreed with my critique and offered to make me a real Italian dinner.
The woman who answered the phone when I called for the hours was unbelievably rude.
Again, believe me, this is not real or even palatable Italian food.

We visited this restaurant recently and the pasta dishes are outstanding. I ordered the chicken Saltimbocca and the veal francese which were excellent! Also for dessert we had the Brazilian custard and it was fabulous!!! I definitely recommend this place for good Italian food!

I want to thank the faithful followers of Luigi’s and Unilocal!for recommending this excellent restaurant.
We stopped here early in the week just as they opened for dinner. The staff was friendly and attentive without being over the top. Meals came out in a timely manner and everything was as expected. What I mean by that is the food was delicious, hot and without any special interpretation by the chef. When you ask for Fettuccine Alfredo there is no surprise. It’s quiet And intimate and classic Italian. Don’t worry about the scruffy neighborhood remarks. You won’t have a problem. Everyone knows not to cause a problem in la familia’s front yard.

A friendly, pleasant restaurant. I’ve eaten here many times. I wish I could give it a higher review but the food is good but not great. I love the linguine with white sauce, and the Steak Matriciana is also very good. I dislike their Fettuccine Alfredo. I don’t think they’ve changed the menu in forty years. But they are always very welcoming. I give Luigi’s 3.5 stars.

I have to give these wonderful people 5 stars for friendliness, kindness and genuineness. Really, the people of the Roanoke area, in general, are just some of the nicest people we have ever come across. At this restaurant, everyone was so wonderful and kind. It isn’t great food but that is not for lack of effort. I would come back here just to be around these people. The food is definitely Italo-​americano in style rather than purely Italian. It may be that this is the best Italian food in the area and, hence, should be a go to. That written, it is not great Italian like Andreolis in Scottsdale or Valter’s in Salt Lake City. I wish them all the best here and will return when in the area just for the warm and lovely service.

We were passing through Roanoke and looking for Italian. The outside was plain, but it was lovely inside. Staff was very attentive and the food was great. The 10 oz veal chop was amazing. We’ll be back!

We were looking for a nice Italian restaurant in Roanoke to celebrate our anniversary. Since we are not local we checked Unilocal and found Luigi’s. We were very pleased with our experience. Luigi’s is a very nice, elegant find. Service was excellent and the food was very good. They have a large wine selection and a nice menu. We would definitely recommend and would return next time we are in town

This restaurant was an old school Italian feel. Very traditionally decorated and a but stiff. Outside patio is refreshing, but doesn’t offer much of a view. Menu is very diverse and portions are large. Enjoyed my experience, but didn’t have a wow factor. Definitely a good safe bet for yummy Italian food in a pinch.

I order Filet Mignon a lot and this was the best I’ve had in several years. The service was very good. The atmosphere was very nice. I will be going back.

A delightful little Italian restaurant, but unfortunately a rather scrufty looking neighborhood. Once inside, you find yourself in the hall entryway of what seems to be a private residence. We were met by the very hospitable Mrs. Roche who despite out lack of a reservation for 7 on a Saturday night showed us to a very nice pair of tables. The dining rooms look like they were taken from a small home and the feeling was one of «coziness» with none of the pretentiousness you often deal with in a fine dining place. The servers were very pleasant gentlemen in the European tradition. Our server, Mark, was knowledgeable, efficient and attentive but not intrusive. The menu is extensive with a full range of Italian dishes and a broad range of appetizers. We had the escargot, which was of top quality and perfectly prepared. Our server told us to have the calamari next time, describing them as freshly prepared at the restaurant. Sadly, they were sold out when we were there.
For entrees, we had the Veal Francesca and Linguine with White Clam Sauce and the Linguine with Mushrooms, among other dishes. Each guest was delighted with the taste and quality.
Interested in a quick meal? this is not the place. also in the Italian tradition the service leaves one time for a leisurely meal and some conversation. There is no rush. The environment is quiet and elegant so it is not really a place that is kid friendly, altho they do have a nice children’s menu.
The desserts are to die for– excellent crème brule’ and cannoli. We sampled each, along with ice cream for the kids, served in a martini glass. The «truffle» cake was gigantic, easily shared by four.
We were not rushed at all as we dawdled over coffee after dinner.
There was an extensive wine list and an intimate full bar. There is outdoor dining in appropriate weather, in a secluded garden behind the mai9n building.
The parking lot in front is not very well laid out. It is cumbersome, although workable, when the place is full.
Reservations are recommended. Prices are reasonable.

Cute little Italian place. We were a little confused when we went in because it was set up like a house. There were a few different rooms and so when we walked in, we were just standing in a hallway. There wasn’t a host, but someone that passed by said someone would be right with us.
The service and food were both good. The were a few other diners there, but they were all senior citizens. Very odd.

A very quaint Italian restaurant. The menu is not too large and the prices are reasonable for the quality and quantity of food you get. I had the stuff veal with mozzarella and prosciutto and it was amazing. My wife had the chicken vodka sauce pasta, which was also amazing. My father had the eggplant parmigiana, which was very delicious. The service was so so (we thought our waitress was high), but overall it was a great experience and I will return again.

This place has kind of an exaggerated rep in my opinion. The food wasn’t terrible, but my hopes were definitely a little high. I ordered a seafood dish, and as with other Italian restaurants I’ve been to in Roanoke, the quality of the seafood didn’t match the quality of the pasta and the sauce.

No complaints, great place, decent prices.

Seems we’ve felt no real need to go back to Luigi’s. Perhaps it was because we’d just moved to town (from Northern New Hampshire i.e. a restaurant desert), but now thinking back, Luigi’s is more 2 and a half or 3 star to me. Many folks have said for good Italian try Norberto’s. Sadly that left us lacking. Mirko? We’ve been twice and find it to be okay, perhaps for take out, but nothing earth shattering. Seems the best Italian in the area is Sal’s out in Bonsack. Just thought it was time I adjusted my original Luigi’s review.

So yeah, we met the infamous «Kev’on» and he’s a trip. Pretty good guy with some good recommendations, not just on food but wise in alcohol selection.
The food was good. My friend had the lasagna and did not find anything memorable about it. I had the rigatoni which was pretty good, a nice mix of eggplant, Italian sausage and cheese. I also had the sausage and peppers appetizer which was a good mix of sauteed peppers and onions with sweet sausage. We washed that down with tiramisu cake which was phenomenal, however could have used some rum.
Service was excellent. My main gripe with the place was while my rigatoni was good, I’m not sure that it was 15 dollars good. Most of the main course dishes are 20 – 30 dollars. While I don’t mind paying that amount for dinner… the food better be so good that I want to vomit the food up so that I can taste it again.
Overall: good really expensive Italian food.

We were told that this is the best Italian food in Roanoke, and I will accept that judgement. I have not visited the other options, but our meal was excellent and so was the service. I’ll go back the next time I am in town.

The best Italian in southwest Virginia. Their eggplant parmesan is absolutey amazing. The sauce is full of flavor with the perfect combination of spices. Zesty!
Service is always professional, friendly and efficient –but they don’t rush you. Go hungry and plan to spend about $ 100 for 2 people with 3 courses –shared appetizer and dessert-​and drinks. (Don’t worry, you’ll have leftovers that are just as good tomorrow.)