We absolutely loved this place! We ordered the meatball appetizer, a small plate of the tortellini, scallops with risotto, red snapper with the potatoes, tiramisu and pumpkin spice bread pudding. Every bite was perfect. Our server was Bryon, and he was excellent. He didn't seem to mind my questions around the menu and helped direct our selections! It was my husbands birthday, and they treated us to the desert. Wonderful atmosphere as well. Our favorite place so far in Highlands!! read more

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We had reservations for 5 women from all parts of the country. 5:45 was the time our friend wrote down and when we arrived just before the time, we were told "we just gave your table away" as the hostess grinned at us!! Evidently the correct time was 5:15. The problem was how the restaurant person made NO effort to help us find a place for dinner And she continued to grin at our problem as she told us we'd be charged a cancellation fee! Be aware that the customer service at the front desk is lacking. read more

This is our second time to enjoy eating at this restaurant. My husband ordered the veal and it was okay. I ordered the scallops with risotto basil and zucchini as a side. It was so delicious! We had the fig appetizer- great choice! I enjoyed a very unique gin drink. Love speciality places! The waiter did a great job serving us as well. read more

If you are looking for a nice delicious, relaxing meal, this is NOT the place to dine. In all our dining experiences over the past 30 years, all over the world, I have NEVER been so rushed! This is a 7:30 dinner reservation! It started off nicely enough, until our waiter, Robbie, began rushing us to order. Then, practically demanded our order. As we progress through the meal, he then comes to us and announces that he's arranged it so we don't have to hurry up and finish our meal. Mind you, this is my 60th BIRTHDAY! My husband is floored! What????? This place gives you one hour & 45 minutes to have dinner!!!!! The manager confirms this. We will NEVER eat here again & the food is nothing special. We've had much better Italian food and service at an Amerigo's!!!! I'd give ZERO stars to this table-turning, greedy establishment!!!! read more

Fantastic meal, service all round a great experience. As we didn't have a reservation on the Friday of July 4 week, we arrived around 4:45 to get a seat at the bar. People were already lined up and not enough seats at the bar by the time we got in. Gave our name to the host in case someone no showed as they were booked solid. 15 minutes later he called and we were in luck- table was available. Our meal was amazing. Gnocchi, lasagne and best of all my GF pasta that was amazing. Great wine list. Also GF fried calamari. Save room for dessert - the semi fredo was absolutely the best. Looking for a great meal in Highlands ? This is it ! read more

Good grief this place is absolutely amazing!! I have been wanting to try this restaurant for so many years and we finally did. Everything we had was delicious, we sat at the bar and had a great time! We ordered lamb ravioli, tortellini, mussels, the snapper special and then the scallops and risotto. Unreal. Can't wait to go back! read more

My hubby and I visited highlands for the second time and for the first time we visited Paoletti this trip. So literally I woke up this morning thinking about how good last night's dinner was to the point that I asked my hubby if we could come again tonight. The first night we ordered eggplant parm as an appetizer, the asparagus, and the stuffed halibut special. It was so amazing that we ordered the exact same thing the second night! The bartender Warner was great and the owner Mama G was amazing! You won't be disappointed definitely come here! read more

Everyone's favorite celebration spot! The fish ( especially Halibut) is divine with lemon butter - best restaurant in Highlands

Highly recommend. Service was excellent. Food was delicious, made with quality ingredients and beautifully presented. Atmosphere is elegant and warm. Appetizers Caprese salad and wagyu beef meatball on cheese polenta were delicious. Mushroom ravioli special (can't remember the actual name) was amazing; rich in flavor and texture. Tiramisu and bread pudding were some of the best I have had. read more

All platforms publicize take out. I drove close to an hour only to be turned away.

This family -owned & professionally run fine dining restaurant is the very best of Highlands, NC! The service is truly as good or better than an NYC trattoria!!! The homemade Gnocci is delicious as well as the Elk steak which is a favorite. The Cioppino is excellent. My family & I come here whenever we are in Highlands... always 2 or e times!!! read more

A second visit to Paoletti's left me with an even greater appreciation for the charms of this cozy little Italian restaurant in Highlands, NC. From the impeccable service and amazing wine selection to the superb food, everything about our most recent experience was first-rate. We started off with a crisp and delicious dish of Calamari and an incredible bottle of Pinot, and I followed up with an amazing Cannelloni entrée recommended by our VERY attentive server. My wife ordered a delicious Eggplant Lasagna, and our friends raved about their dishes, as well. For dessert, we shared a sumptuous dish of Tira Misu and a Chocolate Torte, while finishing off another fabulous bottle of wine. For my money, Paoletti's isn't just the best Italian restaurant in Highlands -- it may be the best in all of North Carolina. An absolute gem that we plan on returning to time and again. read more

So I just spent $400+ for a dinner for 5 to celebrate my 70 th birthday. Don't go here if you want to enjoy a family celebration. After 1 hour 45 minutes we were told we were too loud. We were surrounded by plexiglass. Why did it take that long to decide we were too loud? The food was average. Our server, Robbie, was excellent. I won't go here again; I think we were treated very rudely. read more

Wonderful food, great bar, superb servers; but, goodness gracious it's difficult to get reservations! Plan way ahead if you want to eat here read more

Our favorite restaurant. Have been there many times Always steady. Whatever you choose, they are very good. Good service also. We will be back again soon. read more

Nice atmosphere and extensive menu and wine list. Need a few less expensive wine alternatives

Very cute atmosphere. Wonderful menu selection I had the escargot and the veal osso bucco. Christine our server was very informative and had a sparkling personality we felt like we had known her forever. It was our first visit to the highlands and this will always be one of our stops when we return read more

WOW!!! Amazing Italian restaurant in Highlands. If I hadn't known better, I would have guessed we were dining in New York. Excellent food and service for a very special dinner we were celebrating. I will start by saying that we ordered a few appetizers as we settled in for a nice evening. The carpaccio came and it was still a little too cold. I usually don't complain while in a restaurant but I felt it would be received in the right way. They apologized and brought a replacement within minutes and it was fantastic. The rest of the evening was perfect! All entrees were outstanding especially the mountain trout. If in Highlands, this is a great choice! read more

A nice fine dining experience. Upscale Italian menu; wine list was complete with great French and Italian choices. Service was attentive. Most of the patrons were appropriately dressed (but the guy in flip flops, a tee shirt and shorts?!?!...really???) The great challenge is getting a reservation during peak season. Definitely not inexpensive but worth the price for those who cherish finer dining. We will be back.....if we can get a reservation! read more

At first glance at the menu, which is extensive, I was surprised by the prices. Virtually all the entrees will in the high 20s to the 30s. We are talking close to NYC prices and this is a small town, albeit somewhat a tourist town, in NC. The food would have to be pretty darn good to live up to the high dollar charges. And for all intents and purposes it did..although still think the prices are too high. The bread and olive tampenade was a good start. The wine selection is extensive and pricey, but they had several "featured" wines which were fairly priced. We tried one of the featured super Tuscon and it did not disappoint. Very good value. We also shared the lobster fritters which were good, but could have used a sauce, even a simple marinara. 3 out of the 4 of us had the salmon special It was wild salmon and it was delicious. Very large portion of salmon in a lemon/butter sauce over a shrimp risotto and some of the best cooked kale I have ever had. The Kale was sauteed with garlic and lemon and still had some crunchiness but was almost a cooked spinach consistency. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the risotto was creamy and full of shrimp. Very nice. Our other guest had the stuffed chicken and he raved about it. Again, a very good portion. I would definitely come here again. It was truly a delightful dinner. However, although the food was very good, I still think the prices are high given the type of food and the area. read more

I'm not sure where to start so I think I'll start with the 7pm reservation on Friday that was pushed to 9pm on Friday and then 8:45pm on Saturday only for us to be seated at 9:15pm on Saturday after checking in at 8:20pm. I wouldn't expect to be seated early but at least on time would be nice after our reservation was pushed twice. We waited a while once we sat down only to eventually be greeted by the waiter, who informed us that they're not pouring water "due to COVID." I'm still trying to understand the logic here but it felt more like "we're not pouring water because we're busy and don't know how to properly staff a dining establishment." We tried to order the calamari only to be told we had to put the whole order in "because it is the weekend." Again, felt like an excuse because they can't run a restaurant properly but we happily obliged as we had spent the last hour reading the (outdated) menu outside the restaurant while we waited for our table. The food came out lightening fast. This is generally appreciated but we were under the impression we were here for a fine dining experience (we were sorely mistaken). The food came out so fast in fact, the appetizer (calamari) was brought after the meal. As the table was being cleared, the half eaten calamari that we were still picking at was removed so quickly, no one even had a moment to object. Since we had now only been seated for 30 minutes and rushed through our entire meal, we decided to try the tiramisu in hopes there would be something to write home about. It was definitely above average but still nothing to write home about. Given that the food was sub-par, my guess is that many of the folks who have dined here previously with wonderful reviews have never had real Italian food or maybe I just ordered the wrong dish (bolognese). Either way, I'm sure this is a lovely restaurant during non-COVID times but right now, as someone who has worked in the industry, I would recommend they implement better management oversight, stop overbooking and maybe staff up so they can properly service everyone dining. read more

The best. My new favorite restaurant. Lees time is an issue, but if you plan ahead, you won't be disappointed. Great food, beverages and desserts. Enjoyed the atmosphere as well. Takes 2 hrs of pure enjoyment read more

Really nice dining experience. Attentive staff and a well prepared meal in a clean and safe environment. We finished dinner with some of their gelato which was the perfect end to a nice family dinner. read more

Incredible food, service and atmosphere. We had a wonderful dinner and we were not disappointed by anything our table of 7 ordered - including appetizers, entrees and desserts. read more

I can honestly say I have been coming to this restaurant for over 30 years and it gets better and better. The ambience, food and staff have stayed consistent in the ways that matter (customer service, great experience) but have evolved and progressed to continue to make this a fabulous dining experience. I most recently brought my 5 year old son in for his first experience and it exceeded my expectations and warmed my heart. If you are in Highlands, Paoletti is a must!! read more

This restaurant is perfect for a wonderful night out. Elegant dining with delicious food. They have a Somalia to help pair your wine with your food perfectly. Service was some of the best I've ever had! Highly recommend! read more

Ristorante Paoletti - Clams with linguine was delicious! - Italian Near Me - Highlands, North Carolina

Wonderful authentic Italian dinner. Beautiful setting and excellent service. Would definitely recommend

My wife and I ate at Ristorante Paoletti in Highlands NC. We made reservations far in advance and told them it was our anniversary. We were first seated at a quite small table very near the entrance - and the cold, wet air blew in every time the door was opened. We asked to be moved away from the entrance and were moved two tables down to another quite small table. (All the tables are VERY near each other in this restaurant. No matter where you were seated you would feel like you were in the same party with those seated next to you.) From this point on we felt very rushed! My wife ordered the Porcini Gran Portelloni and I ordered the Cannelloni all'Emiliana. Neither dish was seasoned well and both were expensive and DISAPPOINTING! The bread was okay, but not anything special. The ONLY thing which tasted GOOD was the house specialty, apple bread pudding, and that's the ONLY thing we would recommend about this restaurant! Note: we ate here pre-COVID on a previous visit to Highlands and our experience was the same! read more

Amazing Italian Restaurant on Main Street in Downtown Highlands. My college friends from Atlanta went to a wine tasting in the morning. The wine selection they have was very interesting and rare. We went back for dinner and the food is amazing. I ordered a Chilean Seabass and had Maine Mussels and Calamari for the appetizer. The service and hospitality here is amazing. read more

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I honestly cannot say enough good things about this wonderful restaurant. My family has been coming here for as long as I can remember and it never disappoints. The decor is beautiful and the atmosphere is relaxed. The wine selection is phenomenal with plenty of range in taste and price. The escargo always wonderful. This restaurant is as classy as Highlands itself and you can't go to Highlands without dining here. read more

Incredible dining expierence! Our server, Potter, made our first time at Ristorante Paoletti a memorable one with her delicious recommendations, great service, and welcoming disposition. Loved the spaghetti with bolognese and mushroom and artichoke stuffed sea bass. Would recommend a reservation and jumping on their daily specials. read more

A nice place with good service but missed the mark for me. I always order the Bolenese pasta as a yard stick for a new place. It was good here but not "to die for" good like my wife likes to say. I'm not sure what was missing but I've had better. She on the other hand had pasta with shrimp and liked it very much. I still recommend this restaurant but would try something else next time. read more

It was so welcoming to finally be back in the restaurant. All the covid guidelines were followed, yet it felt very natural. We loved our server and the host, Julio. Our server was quick to get what we wanted and fulfilled all of our needs. ALL of the food was super delicious. The tortellini was hearty, the bolognese was a classic, and the elk was cooked perfectly and melted like butter in our mouths. It was the perfect dinner, and we loved everything! Also, don't be afraid of the snails, they were the best! read more

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