Tucked in Tremont Shopping Center, Moretti’s of Arlington, a lively spot with a wide array of Italian fare made uniquely in one family’s style. The doors don’t open until the late afternoon, but the prep work starts far in advance.
Jake Ruffer
Meatballs with Ricotta
Owner Tim Moretti gets in the kitchen at 5 a.m. every day to prepare He hand-crafts pastas, sauces, bread and more, pulling from family recipes. Moretti has operated the restaurant since 2000, but the recipes have been around much longer. He comes from a line of restaurateurs who set up shop around Columbus, and he and his wife, Jami, followed suit.
“It sounds like the Moretti family has been cooking pasta in Columbus since 1947,” says Moretti's bartender of 13 years, Jack Keys.
Famiglia
Jake Ruffer
Wedding Soup with Redding Road Sipper
“We have so many regulars here,” says Shannon Evans, restaurant manager. “I know 40 percent of our people coming in. We know them by name, they come all the time. It’s like one big family,” she says.
For decades the same food has kept people coming back for more. How? By being original and plentiful.
“Everything's fresh and homemade,” Evans says. “And Tim still loves his big portions.”
The food
A typical meal at Moretti’s of Arlington might start with the Italian wedding soup, richly green and earthy, with some signature meatballs hiding in the broth, accompanied by bread smothered in butter that patrons can (and do) buy by the tub.
Jake Ruffer
Round two often includes more meatballs, the way Moretti makes them — big. The dollop of creamy lemon ricotta on top marries the salty flavor with light sweetness.
The fan favorite, veal Moretti, is a golden-breaded cut of meat atop mushrooms, a creamy sauce and handmade pasta.
Most folks don’t have room for dessert, but if they do, an assortment including chocolate chip cannolis and tiramisu are on the menu.
Jake Ruffer is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
