Tarantini Italian Restaurant: Experience Authentic Italian Cuisine in Chapel Hill

Very welcoming. Delicious food. Great service provided by Margaret. Only one small negative thing, tables are a little close.

We had a wonderful time at Tarantini to celebrate my birthday! The food was amazing, the service excellent. We were greeted by the owner who is the wonderful woman, kind and warm. The inside of the restaurant is elegant and cozy.

This restaurant was phenomenal. The pasta had a delicious flavor to it that felt balanced and light on your stomach. Paired with the chicken that retained a magnificent amount of moisture, the pasta shined. Raising the chicken's flavor as a result. The chicken had light seasoning on it as well, allowing the pasta to carry the flavor to where it needed to be. The servers were great from the start. Initially they introduced themselves and proceeded to give us a list of meals that we might like. While also giving us options to select from. We didn't have any wine, this time. But when some of my family members asked for lemonade, he made them quickly for us even though it seemed like it wasn't on the menu. So, rather than saying no they don't make that, he managed to provide us with what we needed. A wonderful experience. Both servers, Dane and Luke, were very kind, helpful, and present. Dane talked with us occasionally throughout our meal in a pleasant and unobtrusive way. He was funny about the way he'd reply and, when we were all done with our meal, held a nice conversation with us. He was even nice enough to take a picture for us. My entire family had nothing but good things to say about the server and the chef. The atmosphere was also very elegant. There is a glass door that allows air inside while also still having the AC running indoors to keep a nice balance of cool air and an open feeling. It would have been a great view for a sunset gathering. The decor was also great. I'd definitely recommend this restaurant to others.

Margaret is amazing and so kind!! Ask for her if you can. Came here for the first time with my boyfriend for my birthday dinner and she was so accommodating even though we came an hour to closing and made sure we had a great experience. The calamari appetizer came out quick, delicious. We also got the chicken parm and the gnocchi special Margaret recommended and it was literally the best I’ve had. She even brought out a super cute and super thoughtful cannoli dessert to end our meal as a little birthday celebration. Everything was so good and had an overall amazing experience! Definitely going back again.

We had dinner at Tarantini Italian Restaurant recently and left with an overall positive impression, though there were a few hiccups. The service was excellent — attentive, friendly, and professional throughout the night. It really set the tone and made us feel welcome from the start. I ordered the chicken piccata, and it was the highlight of the evening. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the sauce had great flavor — easily the best part of the meal. I’d definitely order that again. My date’s pasta dish, however, didn’t quite live up to expectations. The pasta itself wasn’t great in texture or flavor and felt a bit underwhelming compared to the piccata. It wasn’t bad, just not on the same level. One small disappointment was that they were out of sparkling water, so we ended up drinking water from plastic bottles instead, which took away slightly from the dining experience. Overall, it’s a solid Italian spot with excellent service and a standout chicken piccata. With a few small improvements, it could easily be even better.

⭐ Tarantini Italian Restaurant – The Best Italian in the Chapel Hill / Pittsboro Area! ⭐ Tarantini is hands-down the best Italian restaurant around the Chapel Hill–Pittsboro area. Every visit is consistently exceptional — I have never had a bad dish or a bad experience. Jason is one of the best servers you’ll ever meet. He’s incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and always makes you feel taken care of. The entire staff delivers the same level of hospitality. The atmosphere is welcoming, elegant, and always spotless. Whether you’re planning a date night, a girls’ night out, or grabbing dinner with friends after work, Tarantini is the perfect spot. The bar area is fantastic too — great for enjoying a meal solo or with a friend, with the option to keep it casual or elevate the experience. If you want authentic, delicious Italian food paired with top-tier service and ambiance, Tarantini is the place to be.

I had the pleasure of dining at Tarantini’s restaurant recently as part of a small group of friends celebrating a big life event. It was fabulous in all aspects. To start with, our group of 10 was encouraged to mingle, standing in our reserved area while the staff took and brought drink orders - reception style. No pressure to be seated which allowed us to chat up the others before dinner. So a tip of the hat to the wait service for that. Dinner options were outstanding. Antipasti options included a popular and perfectly cooked calamari with a not overwhelming marinara sauce. I went with the insalata Greca which was its equal. Insider tip: the two appetizers would make a splendid meal. As for next plates, lots of great options, I can vouch for the saltimboca and the pesce Livornese which that day was halibut, cooked to precision on a not too indulgent bed of linguine in the delicious sauce. Good stuff was all over our tables. Hard to choose, harder to go wrong. Dessert was offered up as a special tiramisu and a tower of small cannoli. Make sure your table tries both. The restaurant has rather large dining spaces and many tables, with a few booths up front near the bar, so not as intimate a space as one might hope. But our group enjoyed it and many committed to going back soon.

Food was excellent. The front of house was aloof when we arrived before the other members of our party. Noone offered to take our coats. The wait staff were not unfriendly but they were not particularly warm towards their guests. I would go again. Because the food was so good. I had the halibut over roasted veggies in a lemon sauce.