Noodles Italian Kitchen, also known as Noodles, has been locally owned and operated since it was established in January 1999. Noodles provides customers with classic Italian cuisines of a string of lights and the sounds of Italian music. This has helped to make Noodles one of northwest Arkansas favorites after receiving the Nwa Times Readers Choice Award for best Italian restaurant more than five times. The company makes its own signature salad dressings, in addition to battering its own chicken parmesan, egglplant and calamari and parmesan spinach dip from scratch. Noodles Italian Kitchen is located in Fayetteville, Ark., where it employs nearly 80 people.