Although Italians originally invented pasta as a fastener to keep Sicily from floating away, they abandoned it for less-delicious moorings after locals on both sides kept snacking their way toward separation. Tether your taste buds to today's Groupon: for $15, you get $30 worth of Italian fare and drinks at Moretti’s of Arlington in Upper Arlington’s Tremont Center.

Every morning, sauce alchemist Tim Moretti makes the mighty marinara and fresh pasta that keep Moretti’s patrons hooked. This beloved Columbus institution sports a savory menu of traditional favorites and modern classics certain to satisfy the appetites of fickle tongues and their keepers. Start by strapping on a bib and hunkering down over a small plate of calamari or zucchini fritti ($10) before following your veal or eggplant slider’s mandate and sliding the whole thing into your fanny pack for later consumption ($11). House-made classic entrees come in two sizes ($12/small, $19/large), featuring heaps of lasagna, spaghetti, Tuscan-smoked gouda mac 'n' cheese penne with onion straws, and the beloved veal meatloaf. Nine-inch pizzas ($15) are cooked in stone-fire ovens for a crispy crust that bubbles under a tundra of mozzarella and homemade sauce with veggies, veal meatballs, or balsamic glaze all pining for topping top billing. A capacious wine list complements entrees with whites, reds, specialty cocktails, and featured beers.

The spacious interior of Moretti’s abuts an equally expansive warm-weather outdoor patio. On Monday summer evenings, Pups on the Patio invites canines to sup alongside their owners while cats stay home alone, capturing would-be burglars through an intricate system of improvised booby traps.

Reviews

Moretti's of Arlington has been featured on NBC4 Columbus and reviewed in the Columbus Dispatch. OpenTable gives it a Diners' Choice Award as a "Neighborhood Gem" and reviewers give it an average of 3.9 stars. Nine Yelpers give it 3.5.

• The meatloaf was moist with another great sauce and wonderful mashed potatoes. And then there was dessert, we had the tiramisu and red velvet cheesecake, another great hit. – An OpenTable.com reviewer who dined on 1/19/11
• The cozy and convivial atmosphere is conducive to both romantic dinners and lively group outings. – Shawnie K., Yelp