Classico Italian Mama's Grits - Loudon

This well-managed family restaurant has been a staple in Tellico Village since March 2011. The establishment is impeccably clean and serves excellent food, with everything made from scratch using top-quality ingredients. There are plenty of daily specials, but the main menu is filled with traditional Italian dishes, all reasonably priced. We've consistently received great service, though Classico's popularity—particularly during the early evening rush—can occasionally lead to slightly slower service when many customers arrive at once. However, this is not the norm.

This restaurant is usually outstanding, but the experience can vary when the owners are absent. The food was delicious as always, but the service left much to be desired. Our server was quite rude and seemed annoyed by our presence, as if we were interrupting her from doing nothing. This place deserves a five-star rating, but that won't happen with her on staff.

My sister visited from Boston last night and ordered the chicken marsala, which she rated exceptionally high, claiming it was as good as any she's had in Boston's Little Italy. I agree with her assessment, although I haven't tried it anywhere else. The cheesecake and tiramisu are so delicious that you'll want to sneak an extra piece in your pocket for later! The BYOB policy adds to the fun atmosphere. The staff is very attentive, and the place gets quite busy between 6 and 7:30 PM, but it becomes more relaxed after that. They’re open for both lunch and dinner.

We arrived at 6:15 PM, and it’s now 7:45 PM. The service was sluggish, and our server rarely checked on us, possibly out of embarrassment for the slow kitchen. We ended up sending half of our family home because of the wait. Shortly after they left, the server finally brought out the food, but two items were completely missing. When we spoke to the owner about the delay, she told us we should be more understanding and that they didn't need our business.

I discovered this restaurant earlier this year, and it has quickly become one of my go-to spots. I usually order their pizza, and occasionally pick up gyros and subs to go, so I can't really comment on the dining-in experience. However, the pizza is fantastic in my opinion. It features a thick crust—not too thin but just the right thickness to hold up the cheese, sauce, and any toppings you like. The pepperonis have a nice kick to them and taste wonderful. While the prices are higher than some other local places, the flavor makes it worth the extra cost. Unless someone has the address or happens to be wandering nearby, they might have trouble finding this gem.