This family-owned Italian restaurant makes you feel like you've stepped back in time to the 1940s with checkered table cloths, brick walls, & old time photos. Our waiter may have been the grandson of one of the owners (not sure). Even though he was young he was very engaging and worked hard to please us. The menu was extensive with every Italian dish imaginable, including pizza. We ordered meat ravioli on spaghetti with homemade red sauce and angel hair pasta with little neck clams in white wine sauce. We had a house salad and the meals came with their homemade cheese bread and marinara. Everything was absolutely delicious. We ate every bite (no leftovers to take home)! We highly recommend Belini Cucina. Wish we lived closer so we could go there often! read more

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Stomach filling Italian food for the soul! I'm usually not an Italian food lover because red sauce doesn't like me, but I very much enjoy the Alfredo sauce here! It's a nice little restaurant, staff is friendly, and the food is very tasty. I typically like to order the stuffed shells with Alfredo sauce, recently I started adding Italian sausage with it for a little bit or zing and protein. The portions are typically huge and worth the price! The only feedback I can give that stopped this from being a 5* review is that often they are missing ingredients for certain dishes. Last time it was Caesar dressing, one time it was the Italian sausage, and the list goes on. They have a chalk board at the front to show you what items/ingredients they are out of for the day. Regardless, there are enough great recipes that you can absolutely find something that will be just as great. read more

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If you're ever in the Portsmouth, Ohio area craving some Italian you DEFINITELY NEED to swing by Melini's!!! (Or Belini Cucina, same place). It's been quite a while since we've been here, but it was sooo sooo good!! Maddie our server was absolutely as sweet and attentive as she could be & before she started her shift, the other 2 ladies who took care of us were just as friendly. Pleasant surprise, the side salad had thinly chopped mushrooms; something you don't see very often Very clean & nice ambiance. Highly recommend!!! read more

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Pasta was over cooked and not enough sauce. When I asked for a side of sauce he said he'd get it. Still waiting and pasta is cold now. When I asked the waiter what kind of wine they had he said "josh" I liked the atmosphere though, read more

What a lovely gem of a restaurant! First of all it's adorable and such a lovely environment for a date night. We ordered the shrimp Alfredo and the white pizza and were very impressed! The Alfredo was the probably best we had ever had! It was so rich and creamy! The white pizza was rich in flavor and covered well in delicious cheese. The server did a fantastic job as well! We would not hesitate to come back! If we lived close, we would definitely be regular customers. Highly recommend! read more

Excellent. Great tiramisu! The past was delicious and the bread was very good. Looking forward to eating there again.

tried to call in several times . got someone twice only to be put on hold for several minutes each and to be hung up on when they clicked over . then each time after when i tried to call in because, I get it maybe they are super busy, I just got hung up on to eventually the phone just stated voice mailbox not excepting messages . so unfortunately went somewhere else that actually wanted to take my business. shame too because when we ate here before it was great. good food and nice help. read more

Delicious! This place has the best local Italian food! Would recommend to anyone. Very pleasing, inviting environment.

It was a slow Monday night, which we enjoyed not many tables so a nice quiet meal! Service was superb the young man who served us was VERY attentive to us which in this area was a lovely change!!! We got a little bit of everything to try. Unfortunately they were out of lamb( not surprised for a Monday, more of a weekend dish). I got the ravioli very creamy on inside out side perfectly al dente, I prefer it more cooked imo!! He had the veal with eggplant and mushroom sauce(forgot the name). He liked it. Meatballs were yummy also. We will be back!! read more

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We love this Restaurant! It is so cute! We have never had a bad experience or bad food. The bread is delicious and wait staff is always right there checking on our needs. And to top it all off the prices are very reasonable! read more

Very nice local restaurant with polite staff and good food and good prices. Enjoyed a fresh garden salad with a chicken, angel hair pasta with a light marina. read more

Hidden Gem!!! We have been coming to Portsmouth for many years and usually eat at the Ribber. Someone mentioned this place so we thought we'd try it; certainly did not disappoint. Everything from the fresh bread to the main entre was amazing. My wife got the Ravioli and I got the Mediterraneo, which was over the top. This is my favorite dish when I eat at nice Italian restaurants. This one was the best I've had. Loaded with a LOT of seafood. I actually ran out of pasta before I ate all the seafood, which is rare. My new favorite place and dish. Seafood Pasta read more

Belini Cucina - Mediterraneo - Italian Near Me - Portsmouth, Ohio

I have eaten here a lot and I have never been disappointed with anything. Love this place the cheesecake is amazing as well!!! Service is amazing be seeing you soon!!! read more

Belini Cucina - Shrimp scampi, and calzones - Italian Near Me - Portsmouth, Ohio

The best thing about this place was the waitress. She was so nice and accomodating and did a really nice job. I think the complimentary bread was really good. It was like a flattened loaf with olive oil, seasoning, and parmesan and a side of sauce. The pasta was ok. I mean it was good but it was kind of bland and a smidge undercooked (better than being mushy). My suggestion, give it a whirl. You may love it, you may hate it. It just depends on what you like. I needed more garlic or seasoning in mine. It was good to dip bread in but bland on the pasta. The place is cute though. read more

Good service, food was decent. Salads should be cut a little bit more, however the calzones are excellent!

Food is fantastic, service is on point and the ambiance is amazing!! Alfredo is the best I have ever had. Delicious, delicate, and affordable. read more

An excellent choice for Italian food in Portsmouth. A wide variety of foods from fun to fancy, nice wine selection and friendly, efficient service. However I'd recommend you call before planning dinner as they don't always honor their posted opening times and close early. And the closing time means when they expect you to be finished and gone, not to be seated. Seems to not be unusual in Portsmouth - you've been warned. read more

This was the best dinner out and best service I have had in a long time. Waiter was friendly, knowledgeable and patient. I typically do not order spaghetti when at a restaurant but I did and was very pleased. read more

Great service and the food was fresh and was very good! Clean inside! Waitress was very knowledgeable

We ordered Cozzie Pei (mussels in tomato sauce) requested not to receive my appetizer and salad at the same time. Our server brought them at the same time , the salad was not drained after washing. dressing turned to water.I ordered Zingara with veal the veal was extremely tough. Past on desert due to the terrible food we received. We told the server about the toughness of the veal he just shrugged it off. We had to ask for bread and a pepper mill.Stay clear of this place if you want good Italian food. read more

My family bought a Pizza pie from Belini today,and the crust was wonderful and the pizza was outstanding.... I'll be back again... Ciao... read more

Left my man at the studio to work on recording while I meet with family and friends for some grub. My sister-in-law and her man are always fun but when you add their bowling buddies, it is a riot. We had some appetizers, cheesy bread with sauce,Iitalian shrimp kabobs I had some wine, Moscato I think, while they stuck with their old favorite, Miller Lite. I can say that everything was great and yes I was surprised because Portsmouth is not the big city. Yes it is a little pricey but it was delicious. I got the Chicken Marsala and Italian Wedding Soup. I ate all of the soup but could not finish the Marsala, so I took it back for my man. I have going to Portsmouth for years and years but we usually eat at the regular places (BW3, Applebees, Bob Evans, etc...) So I have been pleasantly surprised the last few times we have gone down because I have tried a few different places that I did not even know existed. Of course I will be back, I'm normally down here once a month. Next time I will take my man with me so he can get some good eats. read more

I love Melini's! It's really a great little Italian restaurant for the city of Portsmouth. They have a cool little building which I love, but even better, great food. The Fettuccine Alfredo, the Ravioli, Chicken Parmigiana, Calzones, Pizza, Garlic Bread....it's all been great! The staff is usually great too. Definitely give Melini's a try! read more

Belini Cucina - Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo...so delicious! - Italian Near Me - Portsmouth, Ohio

Without a doubt the best Italian restaurant in Portsmouth, Ohio. A cute space to dine-in, but their pizza for take-away is the real star. The crust is perfectly seasoned and not soggy! Great cheese to sauce ratio, and the sauce is seasoned well, not too sweet, like I've experienced with a lot of Ohio-based pizzas (I'm looking at you LaRosas). My husband is a native New Yorker and even he approves of their pizza - a huge compliment considering he's so judgmental of pizza, ha! read more

Fresh and tasty food. Very reasonable prices. Many options to please all the gang. Appetizer flat bread is delicious. Salads are generous. Daily special is even more of a bargain. Skip the chains. Street parking on both sides of the street in front of the restaurant. Convenient location and hours. Don't overlook this little gem, Full bar if that is your thing read more

This is a very good Italian restaurant. I took my dad, brother and daughter there for lunch. We had the lunch specials of spaghetti and meatballs. It was way better, a lot larger serving, and much less money than my serving of spaghetti at Moyer's restaurant near Marysville two days before. My brother ordered a ham and cheese sandwich, it looked good and he said that it was. The atmosphere was great, very clean and friendly staff. Everyone agreed that it is our new family go to place for Italian food. If the other dishes are as good, you cannot go wrong in choosing this place. read more

This is one of the nicer storefronts on Chillicothe Street in Portsmouth. I wish that they had carried this through a bit more on the inside; maybe not offering a fine dining experience but steering clear of the plastic dishes and glasses which made me feel like I was eating in just a run of the mill pizza parlor and not the type of Italian restaurant they are trying to appear. Maybe because of this, I went for the Hawaiian pizza. Even a single was huge and lasted me that night's dinner and 2 more meals. The price was reasonable and with tip, didn't set me back more than $15. It was a typical pizza. Nothing flavor or presentation wise that made it stand out in my mind. I think that so much more could be done with this place. It's in a great, central location, looks interesting, and serves a cuisine with wide appeal. But as it is right now, I think it's lacking that special something that would make me come back on a regular basis. read more

Best (only) Italian food in Portsmouth. I love pasta and this is one of my favorite restaurants in town. Their dishes are delicious and all the pasta comes on a plate of spaghetti, which was weird at first but now I love! Usually not too busy and the service is typically good. They also have fantastic Stromboli. read more

Delicious! Our tennis team stopped here after a Ling day at the District tournament and enjoyed a great meal! Cheesy garlic bread was amazing. Calzones were delicious. Everybody loved their food and the portions. read more

Good service. Pleasant atmosphere. A great alternative to the beer and burger offerings in Portsmouth. Lots of choices. Not just pizza and spaghetti. read more

Great Italian- just a few comments; I initially wanted to order the Veal Parmesan but alas they were out.. at 5pm. Also another member of my party tried ordering the Grouper, also not available. I don't like leaving negative comments, especially when I actually liked the meal I ended up ordering and it is a lovely restaurant that I will patron again ... but that being said I feel it's unacceptable to be out of two dishes at 5pm (the start of dinner) on a Saturday evening. I'm certain this oversight will be corrected in the future with management as this gem of eatery is certainly a new favorite of our family. Solid menu, delightful tasting dishes and desserts at stellar prices! read more

Only one star because I couldn't leave zero. Two visits in a row I've asked for a second plate a bread to share among three guests and didn't receive it. I asked for it 4 times during my last meal and never got it. Only excuses while I watch other servers carry plates of bread out of the kitchen and give it to other diners ( some receiving their 2nd and 3rd plates of bread). Then they had the nerve to ask if everything was okay. I told them I never got my bread, and I get more excuses. The service ABSOLUTELY SUCKS! As far as the food, Shrimp fettuccini Alfredo is watery. I wore a great deal of it on my shirt and the shrimp still had the tails on it, forcing you to pick the shells off the shrimp. Who wants to get their hands in Alfredo sauce just to be able to eat their meal? When I complained to the server, she said other people complain about this too but they don't fix it. Also, they're always out of popular items. Ravioli, stuffed shells, chicken parmesan, tiramisu, usually never available. I give up on this place. If you're looking for a great meal, don't bother with this place. read more

This is one of the very few sit down restaurants Portsmouth has. It is pretty nice, clean. I didn't like the seating which are hard wood chairs. The food is filling and good. Used to go many times with my boyfriend, and we liked it a lot. read more

Nice atmosphere and good service! We got a simple pepperoni and mushroom pizza. The toppings were sparse and the sauce was very mild and thin. Not our favorite type of pizza. read more

Our anniversary of 10 years was this past Thursday and so the hubby made reservations here. The atmosphere wasn't bad. The hostess was a nervous wreck as I received the entire story on why there was no coffee, never mind the fact I asked for decaf.I felt bad for her. The mother/ owner was the waitress and everything I asked for was either they didn't have it or didn't make it that way. So I ordered chicken parmigiana. What I was given was a processed patty with two tbsp maybe of spaghetti. I talked to the mother about this, after she tried to insist the patty was chicken she changed her story to "You didn't ask for chicken". Being floored I told her that I shouldn't have to ASK for something real. Chicken should be a real chicken not a processed piece of meat I could buy in a bag at Walmart. That is why I went to an Italian restaurant. My husbands Turkey Club wasn't much better. It was a sloppy sub of random meats without mayo. This is the worst restaurant I have ever been to. She didn't make us pay but it still doesn't help the fact they are ripping people off with expensive dishes by giving them cheap processed food.Thanks for ruining our anniversary dinner! read more

the only real italian restaurant in town. i love their salad and homemade pasta read more

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Came from shawnee university looking for a nice and good place to eat, service was great food was delicious I have no complaints. Happy customer read more

Very solid meal! Not the best Italian food I have ever had, but I'm betting it's about the best you can get in Portsmouth, Prompt and friendly service, even when the place was busy. The meal value was on point. read more

we eat there alot. however we eat there every birthday for me and my daughter. last night 1-5,my birthday,7 of our family went there. table was set,jazz was our server. she was courteous,friendly,prompt. she checked often seeing if we needed refills,extra bread,etc. we were very impressed with her. nancy,i was 82,my daughter,cyndi,will be 61,fri 1-8-2021. food is excellent,prices very reasonable. thanks for this great restaurant. a five plus stars. read more

I had the chicken fettuccine alfredo and a Hawaiian calzone. The water had an 'off' taste to it. They provide bread with marinara sauce with every meal, it is a very good authentic Italian bread, great with every food they serve. The Calzone was just a tad bit undercooked on the outside. The ingredients inside the calzone are top notch. The pineapple was not just your average precut prepackaged pineapple, the ham was very good, and cheese was exquisite! The fettuccine was cooked absolutely perfectly and the alfredo sauce was a perfect mix of creamy and cheesy. Chicken was grilled perfectly. read more