915 Folly Road. James Island

(843) 795-8400

eatatmondos.com

With modern Italian restaurants popping up all over the city, you might forget the decades-old joint relied on for baked rigatoni and chicken parmesan. Well, it looks like City Paper readers still have an appreciation for an old school offering that always seems to hit the spot.

At Mondo’s, chef and owner Chris Orlando prides himself on house-made ingredients. Fresh pasta with gorgonzola sauce. Hearty hand-rolled meatballs. Eggplant parm. The list goes on and on. The mark of elite Italian cuisine is when diners consistently come in for the same exact dish they can’t live without, and the Mondo’s faithful are doing just that.

“Over the past 20 plus years, our menu has been focused around our customers’ favorites,” said Orlando. “Since we started in 1998, we always strive to provide our guests with high quality and skillfully cooked food along with service from a staff that is truly passionate about the experience.”

See that’s the thing with Italian joints like Mondo’s — the food shines on its own, but the service makes the restaurant feel like an extension of your home. Orlando is appreciative of every guest that walks into his. “We are always humbled by the praise we get from our customers and don’t take loyalty for granted.” —Parker Milner

Runner-up:
Kwei Fei


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