Out in Roswell where the stories lean extraterrestrial and expectations can get a little... out…read morethere you find yourself at Portofino Italian Restaurant, chasing something far more grounded: a proper Italian meal. And this place delivers with a quiet kind of confidence. The pizza? A well-balanced composition crust with just the right snap, sauce that doesn't overreach, and toppings that know their role. The pasta leans into comfort, rich without being overbearing, the kind of dish that doesn't need reinvention to win you over. It's familiar but executed with care. Inside, the space is clean, composed, and inviting. Nothing flashy, nothing forced just a setting that lets the food do the talking. Service follows that same rhythm: attentive, smooth, and effortless. In a town known for the unusual, this is a reminder that sometimes the best experiences are the ones that don't try too hard. A solid pick. A refined pause. And when you're in Roswell, that's more than enough.

I wanted so badly to love Portofino Italian Restaurant in Roswell, NM, but it fell short for me for…read morefour main reasons. My oldest daughter and I were quickly seated on April 16, 2026, for lunch before her doctor's appointment. 1) the wait staff was short-handed and did NOT work efficiently. They took a long while to get requested items to us. 2) the food lacked flavor particularly with my eggplant parmigiana ($9.95 on lunch specials!). 3) the tea was exceedingly cloudy and did not taste good. 4) we were there for nearly an hour before our check was brought and did not get to try dessert! But this was an affordable restaurant that serves beer and wine. They offered excellent table bread - my daughter wouldn't stop pigging out on it. Lol. The lunch specials were a good deal. I liked their pasta e fagioli soup. Not my favorite since the pasta was so incredibly mushy, but still good. There are other places I want to dine at before trying this place out again, but I will return someday.

Food was very good. Service was on point and the ambiance hmmmm could be better…read more We came for the first time because we were visiting. If we go back we will visit again.

We always order pick up and it's always hot and delicious. It's ready quickly too! They can get…read morebusy at times and it's hard to call the order in but I know they are busy and there aren't many people to answer the phone so I just call back and order.

I always enjoy Pasta Cafe. It's just a few blocks away for me - so I enjoy the pleasant stroll. The…read morebar staff and managers are so friendly. When I sit at the bar I can always find some friendly conversation. I enjoy the manicotti the best. But also pizza and most dishes. Drinks are great, beer is cold and now they have Guinness on tap! Friendly people and staff is at the top of my list!

Two Foodies from Houston on a Roswell, New Mexico winter break road trip…read more On our first night, we decided to explore Italian food so we picked Pasta Cafe located near our hotel. The outside and inside are well maintained and have an Italian style. Ideal place for date night. Wait staff and hostess were both professional and friendly. Our waitress had an amazing personality and helped us pick two dishes. Bread basket was brought to the table. As a bread lover, I was not too happy with the quality and baking style of the bread. We ordered Lobster Ravioli and Chicken Piccata. While the dishes were not seasoned to what I am accustomed to, they did the trick for two hungry tourists. As always, I encourage you to try it for yourself when you find yourself in Roswell, NM.

While visiting Carlsbad Caverns we stayed in town for a couple days and had dinner here our first…read morenight. The waitress who served us was wonderful, friendly, attentive, and incredibly kind to our dog. Prices were very reasonable and the portions were generous. The only negative part of the evening had nothing to do with the restaurant. A man seated next to us spent much of dinner being rude and entitled, repeatedly questioning how the salmon was prepared, criticizing the wine list, and generally acting unpleasant toward the staff. The blonde waitress with glasses handled the situation with impressive patience and professionalism. Honestly, it took restraint not to say something myself. She did a fantastic job dealing with a very difficult customer and deserves recognition for it.

Came here because locals swore this place was "so good." Absolutely not…read more The outside gives you hope, but don't be fooled. They marched us straight to some random back room that looked filthy and forgotten. Dirty walls, dead flies sitting on the window sills, dusty air vents directly over our table, worn-out floors and furniture... the whole place felt grimy. On the way to our table we were also walked past a nasty smelling dishwashing area, which really set the tone for the experience. Now the food. The kids got chicken fettuccine Alfredo, and somehow it managed to be both lava hot and completely flavorless at the same time. The chicken tasted like it lost a fight with the microwave. The meatloaf? I genuinely have no idea what they served me. It looked like cafeteria mystery meat drowned in tomato puree. Honestly offensive. I ordered the green chile cheeseburger with fries thinking maybe they'd at least get that right. Nope. The green chile had zero spice, zero flavor, zero reason to exist. The burger itself was forgettable at best. And the best part? The bill was nearly $100. For dirty vents, dead flies, bland food, and mystery meat. Would I come back? Not even if someone else was paying.

Great oval pizzas. Fast service for the traveling types, with friendly servers. Good outdoor…read moreseating with plenty inside as well. Also a life size Fabio, so there's that.

Such a great find! Everything was so good. We got the turkey my way and that jalapeño pesto was…read moreso unique and so delicious with great jalapeño flavor but no real heat. We split the sandwich. Everything was very good but it is a little on the pricey side. We spent $30 for one sandwich, two chips, two drinks and a piece of tiramisu. Considering the sandwich itself was $12 that was a pretty expensive bag of chips. But everything was delicious!

My daughter and I had a pleasant outdoor dining experience for lunch at Pecos Flavors Winery +…read moreBistro back on April 8, 2026. If you do not like honeybees, do not sit outside. They don't bother me at all, but we also had to shoo away them and especially flies which are sure annoying. I opted for a whole #9 turkey with black olives ($13). I am glad I did get chips, salad, or soup. It would have been too much for me. The avocado on my sandwich was a bit of a turnoff, having browned quite a bit. However, it was tasty. My oldest got a whole #12 BLT ($14). That thing had a ton of bacon strips which she didn't share. Lol. She at all of it. She had a cup of tomato basil soup which I thought was okay. Not my favorite. The lemon berry mascarpone cake ($7) was very delicious even though the cake part fell apart easily. Our waitress was friendly, but just a bit weird at times - like not handing me the receipt when I reached for it. She instead placed it further out in front of me. She just was in La La Land I guess. I would back for a lazy brunch with mimosas.

Stopped on our way to Texas. Awesome food and very friendly staff. They welcomed our dogs on the…read morepatio and brought biscuits and a water bowl. Patio was very pleasant. Will stop next time through

Just passing thru Roswell & grabbed us a few delicious cold drinks great service! I highly…read morerecommend stopping by if your thirsty

This as mentioned in past reviews is another Road Trip Regular! Not Only for the Great Cup of Java!…read moreBut for THE RIDICULOUSLY SAVORY HOMEMADE JERKY!!! So many options it's insane. Stop in & Check them out. I know you will leave with at least 3 different flavors, lol!

Passing through from Guadalupe Mountain NP and had a great CFS! Good service as well They also…read morehave the good crushed ice and with the sweet tea it really hit the spot!

It was decent, but for the price I would rather eat somewhere else other than that good serviceread more

When we asked around for good places to get a drink at Pepper's frequently came up on the list…read more Staff was amazing and helped seat us somewhere we could be a little more loud and the location next to the bar was perfect. The interior is surprisingly large with a spacious dining room to the right, more seating near the bar, and even an outdoor space that had live music when we went. Spicy Beef Nachos Appetizer: Chips topped with queso, green onions, jalapeños, black olives, tomatoes, guacamole, and sour cream. My friend got this and I had a couple bites. Chips were not soggy and it was large enough to cover as his dinner. Green Chile Burger: Topped with monterey jack cheese and roasted chopped Chaves County-grown hot green chile. Served on a jalapeño bun with a side of our hot green chile sauce. Their signature burger and it tasted good. I don't need too much food but the amount of fries I got was too little even for me. Got two Johnny Walker Blacks with a splash of coke and they came well mixed and quickly. We did end up getting rained in and hilariously went back for a second dinner to wait out the rain. Black corn taquitos were OK, I would not get the fried shrimp basked again, the shrimp was too small and there was too much breading.

My band (Shine on Floyd!) is in town on tour and stopped in for dinner and drinks. TBH the food was…read moredecent, but unexceptional... i bumped this up to five stars for the amazing service! The hostess (whose name I forget) went out of her way to take special care of our huge group of 10 people who dropped in on her on a busy night. Our server Heather was a total rock star! She had never heard of Pink Floyd (heresy!) but treated us like royalty. All in all I would have to believe that Peppers treats every single customer like this - and highly recommend a stop.