We are a Chef owned Italian Reataurant located in the heart of Ballantyne in Charlotte, NC. We’re proud to be the favorite for locals to meet for lunch, a drink at the bar, or an initimate dinner. Nestled in the heart of Ballantyne makes Zinicola a great spot for your private event needs. Come see us today! BEST Italian restaurant in Ballantyne.
Warm, family-friendly eatery serving hearty Italian cuisine from pasta to pizza & meat dishes.
Eric Choltus
First time here. The staff was really good (knowledgeable, efficient and friendly). Props to Benjamin our server. The atmosphere was nice as well; leans towards fine dining without being too pretentious. Food was good, but candidly we’re very picky when it comes to Italian food as we compare it to our own. We had the mussels in white broth as an appetizer (8/10 – mussels were good but crusty bread needs to be delivered with the appetizer, not afterwards). We then had the beet risotto (7/10 – tasty but could use a little more flavor) and the classic lasagna (7.5/10 – also tasty but a little dry and could have used a little pop in flavor).
… moreWill Wooten
We had a chance to visit Zinicola recently and had a very nice experience. The staff and especially the server were more than gracious and provided outstanding service. We felt overall the food was very good. Highlights included the filet mignon, which was perfectly cooked the Caesar salad with the white anchovies, and the meatball appetizer. One note was on my original order of the known as lasagna. It was significantly overcooked, but the staff graciously replaced it within an outstanding version. Also, we felt the sauce and preparation for the Brio was a little bit lacking, and not as rich as we might would’ve wanted. Overall, though a very good Italian restaurant and one we would consider visiting again.
… moreDeandra Dixon
This place is Awesome with beautiful ambiance. The service was wonderful. Our two waiter staffs were amazing and very knowledgeable of the food. I had calamari and meatballs for the appetizers. And for the main course octopus. It was my first time having this dish. And it was amazing. We also had Earl Grey tea with honey. Tiramisu and chocolate cake for desserts.
… moreMaddie Rhodes
Love this restaurant! I’ve been a few times before but the last time I went it was probably 2 years ago. My boyfriend and I made a reservation for Valentine’s Day dinner and we had such a great experience last night. Both of our servers Benjamin and Darin were THE BEST! They were so attentive and made sure that we felt welcome and got all the info on the specials of the evening. I loved that they had a prefix menu in addition to the full regular menu to give flexibility. I had a glass of Sangiovese wine with my meal and it was so delish. They serve complimentary bread with seasoned oil and balsamic vinegar and I am a big fan of that combo so that was a plus! We shared the calamari appetizer and we both enjoyed it. They were crispy and had just enough breading on them and were served with an aoli that I liked and a spicy marinara that my boyfriend liked. For our entrees, I ordered the papardelle bolognese and my boyfriend ordered the chicken parm per Benjamin’s suggestions. Both were SO GOOD! Just the right portion of each dish for dinner. We looked over the dessert menu and it looked so fabulous but we were too full by the time we finished the previous courses lol. Definitely looking forward to coming back soon!
… moreKate Elliott
We came here for our daughter’s 10th birthday and they treated us so special! Charlie was our server and he was amazing! The food was spectacular. It is obvious everything is homemade and fresh. Charlie was attentive and on point the whole evening. We just had the best evening. We got a Best Birthday Ever! Thank you so much!!
… moreIryna Horbatenko
Incredible experience from start to finish! Everything was top-notch, even on a very busy night right before Valentine’s Day. Our server, Dan, was phenomenal. He is extremely knowledgeable, attentive, and full of great recommendations. He truly elevated our evening and made it especially enjoyable. Highly recommend!
… moreTEC
We want to say thank you for making our company Christmas dinner amazing! From start to finish the Service quality of food and atmosphere was first class. From our work family to yours Merry Christmas ✨ ❤️EWSG
… moreNicole Holcomb
I helped plan a large event here for a 90th Birthday celebration. The team was great. Their event coordinator communicated well, and they executed everything as planned. The food was excellent, pricing was a great value and the service was exceptional. I would highly recommend not only for a nice dining experience but for parties, rehearsal dinners and corporate events as well!
… moreThomas Oku
The food here is fantastic. We had the seasonal Bruschetta, Pea Risotto, spaghetti and meatballs. It was all very good. Most of the pasta dishes are made in house. The staff is very friendly, the manager asked us multiple times throughout the meal how we were and if we needed anything, but our server was so attentive, we were well taken care of. They also do a military discount, (the manager served as well). Highly recommend if you have a chance to come here, do it!
… moreShelby Peck
We had a reservation for Valentine’s Day and we had a great time! The food was delicious! We ordered the chicken parm and the seafood pasta both were spectacular! I think the service was better than the food though! We had “the coop” as our servers and I kept telling my husband, “the vibes here are immaculate” they were so fun and just all around great service! My only suggestion is for them to dim the lights for more of a romantic vibe. Looking forward to coming back!!
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