The food was typically wonderful and the service as well. Always a treat to dine there.

Everything: excellent food, wonderful service and great atmosphere; just perfect. We've been going to Tarantini's for 17 years and have never had a bad experience. My wife and I highly recommend this fabulous restaurant. read more

Very nice ambience, quiet and the food is just delicious! We love going to this place and surprised that not more people know about it. They have nailed the Italian cuisine with an impressive list of wines as well. read more

Tarantini Italian Restaurant - Eggplant Parmesan on a bed of marinara soaked linguini. - Italian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

We came here for our 44th & 45th Anniversary dinner. The service was impeccable, top shelf. We did make reservations as Tarantini's is a very popular restaurant near The Governors Club Community. The restaurant gives you a casual elegant feeling . As I wore a dress long sleeve shirt with dress pants, others were dressed in suits, t- shirt, jeans. No dress code but you do have to wear shoes and shirt. Pants optional?? you know !!! The food was excellent, The Grilled Blackened Salmon( wild caught ) was amazingly good . My wife's dish Chicken Parm was delicious also. We have been here two times and the food and are constantly great. Our server Jason in both visits did an excellent job in attending to us. The price was very reasonable as I have had twice as expensive bill other places with a lack luster feeling. Tarantini's will not let you down with their dining experience there. They provide excellent service coupled with great food . I do have to say , the parking could be a problem, but if you don't mind walking you can park in the grocery store lot . Overall, Tarantini's is a great place. I know we will be back. If you are reading this and looking for a great restaurant, this is the place. "Bon Appetite" read more

Tarantini Italian Restaurant - Blackened Salmon with Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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The food was very good The cocktails were weak. The service started out great. As time went on the restaurant filled up it was evident that they were understaffed. We had to constantly work to get the waiters attention. For example he brought coffee and no cream and sugar. No refills on water and sodas. We had to ask several times for dessert menus. We were expected to use butter knives to cut our meat. These are things that fine restaurants don't do. If you want to charge $30+ for entrees you need to improve service. Start with busboys so the waiters can pay attention to customers. read more

Very impressed. Had an early evening appt at UNC & decided to stay for dinner in the area before our trip home. This little restaurant is tucked in a nice neighborhood. It's a local favorite (judging by the servers knowing several groups by name as they came in). And we can see why. The surroundings are elevated, elegant but not fancy, and the food, menu, and service was outstanding. This will be our go-to when in the area again! read more

Food service and ambiance can't be beat... been going here for 10 plus years and never had a bad meal yet!!

Everything was excellent. Food and service along with a wonderful setting. Wonderful staff that really made the evening

A very nice place, courteous staff, nice rooms, nice lighting, white tablecloths and napkins and unobtrusive music. Very nice focaccia served to each table. The saltimocca was far too salty when I went in 2023, and it still is.. The recipe includes prosciutto, but this looked more like too-thick slices of ham, and the result was not surprising: oversalted. read more

Excellent Italian, substantial portions, great wine selection, attentive staff, delightful ambience, upscale pricing

The owner is always so kind and welcoming. Drinks and food are consistent and authentic!

Tarantini is a gem. It is a well run restaurant with a hands-on proprietor who attends to every detail. When we arrived we were greeted warmly and shown to our table. Our server introduced himself and his team. He let us settle in and look at the menu. We ordered our cocktails and looked over the offerings. My martini was crafted perfectly and my wife's wine was a generous pour. We placed our order and enjoyed our beverages. Even though it was a Wednesday night, the dining room and bar were filled. Our calamari appetizer arrived piping hot. They were lightly breaded and tender. The marinara sauce had just the right amount of "heat" to make it interesting. After finishing our appetizer, our plates were cleared Elainea, the owner checked in on us to make sure all was in order. We received our entrees. My wife's shrimp and pea risotto was well done. The risotto was creamy but not starchy. My pasta dish of broccoli rabe, white beans, sausage and rigatoni was excellent. We never felt rushed. The servers made sure our water glasses were filled and we were satisfied with our meal. I highly recommend Tarantini as for fine dining specializing in Italian Cuisine. read more

Have been trying to like it close to where we live but last three visits not good mostly noise and service May try again but will check to be sure they don't have a large party read more

After the UNC basketball game we joined friends at Tarantini's for dinner. We were so fortunate to be served by Luke who made our dining experience extra special on a busy Valentine's Day. Our group of six had a variety of delicious meals from the menu and from the list of specials. The drinks were well-prepared and served quickly. Dessert was scrumptious , rich and perfect for sharing. Thank you, Luke, for making our dining experience so enjoyable! Tarantini's is always an elegant place to eat. read more

One of the best Restaurants in the Chapel Hill NC area. Fabulous food as well as great owners & staff. I have never had a bad meal and when I lived there it was one of my go to. When I now visit I still stop in for a meal. Try it you will not be disappointed! read more

Food was delicious, our server was absolutely fantastic, and the bread they bring you at the beginning of the meal is to die for. I suggest starting with the crostini. Definitely make a reservation. We will be back soon! read more

Ordered take out! Pickup was easy and the inside seemed nice. Got the chicken parm which was pretty good and had a huge portion size, however pasta was overdone. Would come back to try other things and have heard good things about their pizzas! read more

Good ambiance and decor. The service was decent but slow, not sure if this was because we were sat in what looked like a side add-on room and not the main dining area. The food was mediocre and overpriced. We were a party of six and everyone ordered a pasta platter. Everyone had the same reactions to the food, it's edible but nothing more. The tomato sauce was extremely acidic and the pesto fairly bland. No parm cheese was offered for anyone in our table - maybe that's not a thing at this restaurant? The best part of the meal was the bread. Overall not impressed. There are a lot better Italian options in Chapel Hill for the price. read more

Wonderful service, comfortable chairs, plenty of space at the table in the area that we sat and we had a wonderful server. I enjoyed and appreciated the entire meal from start to finish. We had several appetizers that were delicious. The fried ravioli was crisp and flavorful, the bruschetta was overflowing with cheese and tomatoes, and the calamari was light and cooked nicely and all solid cut pieces. I tried one of the specials, eggplant rolatini served over spinach , this was delicious and flavorful filled with spinach and ricotta and topped with a nice serving of mozzarella that was toasted. Dinner was very filling and everyone in my party enjoyed their meal tonight. read more

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Amazing ! Went there to celebrate my birthday and we had an awesome time. We ordered Pasta Rustica, Chicken Parm, Mushroom Ravioli, everything was so delicious! The desserts service was great, we were greeter by the owner who is so kind and warm. Big thank you to her and the restaurant is elegant and cozy. read more

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I absolutely love coming here. My daughter attends UNC and when she originally came down as a freshman, we found Tarantini's and I told myself we would be back. Every time we come I love it. The food is phenomenal, the service was perfect and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. Everyone we spoke with was pleasant and kind. I'm glad we stopped by last night to enjoy a meal. read more

First class food and service. There is an attention to making sure that the food is first rate and the service matches that.

Great food and service ! The entrees were superb especially their veal dishes. We will return for another wonderful dinner soon again.

Good red-sauce Italian restaurant. Service can be a bit spotty but food is consistent.

First time in North Carolina and started off with a banger of a dinner place and Italian of all places too! Great place in a shopping center with great service from the waiter and servers etc The bread is awesome! I mean my friends were so like you must have this bread and then I heard someone walk in and say can't wait for the bread and then our waiter says oh you need to try the bread and guess what?? No pic as we devoured it instantly lol But really the food is delicious and the ambience is nice and relaxed read more

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Our favorite restaurant in the Area. Ambiance, Service, Food (very high quality) the servers are exceptional. Every dish we've had is outstanding. We recommend them all. You can't go wrong. read more

Always a lovely environment and delicious food! Started with the bruschetta to split which was great. I enjoyed the capellini alla bolognese for my meal, while my date really loved the pollo parmigiana. Service was excellent and I'm excited to return soon! read more

Tarantini Italian Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Service, food, ambiance, attentiveness - all first rate! Tarantini's has become our favorite local restaurant.

I love Tarantini Italian Restaurant, but I ordered an apple pie to go and when I got home I opened the bag and saw that it is not a pie but a tart. A $20 dollar tart, not cool! read more

Tarantini Italian Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

We made reservations here for valentine's day. We were able to be seated a few minutes earlier than our reservation. The server was quick and very kind and helpful on this busy night. This was a very nice calm atmosphere, not too loud, dim lighting, very enjoyable for our date. To start, the calamari was amazing, the fried ravioli was also good. We loved the pollo rollatini. Everything was great. Good date night place! read more

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Tarantini for Christmas Eve. Service was spot on, attentive but not pushy. My wife is always a fan of the lasagne and I had the nightly special shrimp pasta dish. Both were excellent and supported by a bottle of Carmenere. Cheesecake for dessert and we went home quite satisfied (with food for another celebration). read more

When we think of restaurants, of course we think of their food, and the atmosphere and the service, and there are so many fine dishes here, which can be seen in the reviews, and the service is close to excellent. But when I think of Tarantini I think of the Sisters who own it and feed us all with so much love, for many years now. They are always adding new things in the decor and always offering so many new and creative specials. I have fond memories of going there with my Mom (RIP) and my wife, and then the kids, and spent the biggest holidays of the Catholic faith there, and so they feel like family. I have celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, confirmations, etc. there. I went tonight and it was beautiful. Their portions seem so much larger (not that they were ever small), and flavorful. The wine pours are generous by the glass and they have great prices on Brunello di Montalcino! Tonight we had calamari, chicken Picatta, Eggplant and the espresso with the famous NY Cheesecake. Thank you Tarantini for being there and being always so loving and caring and consistent. read more

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We chose Tarantini for our wedding anniversary. The food was delicious, particularly the pasta rustica. The ambiance is cozy, albeit tables quite close together. Our waiter, Jason, was outstanding, attentive, and knowledgeable. Excellent choice and worth the 40 minute drive. read more

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Excellent food, Service and Ambience! We loved it! We cannot wait to go back again very soon!

We always enjoy Tarantino. Hi quality and great friendly service. They are thoughtful and careful to keep high standards.

Although I live near Washington, DC, I make sure that every time I visit the Chapel Hill area, I dine at Tarantini. I first came to the restaurant in 2015 when I was house-sitting here. I now visit the area several times each year and one of the first things I do upon my arrival is choose the time we will be going to Tarantini. Everyone on the staff is stellar at making us feel comfortable and well-fed. The food is superb, the atmosphere is delightful and the management team and owners keep everything running smoothly. I look forward to continuing my tradition of dinners at Tarantini for at least another 10 years. Happy 2026, Tarantini! read more

The food is excellent with generous portions. We had the braised short ribs and the eggplant parmigiana. The restaurant is cozy with an upscale ambiance. The wait staff is courteous and friendly. We loved our dining experience. Thank you! read more

My wife and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary at Tarantini. It was a wonderful celebration. My wife has a gluten allergy and Italian food is her favorite. I was fortunate enough to dine at the sister restaurant, Flair, with my daughter last year and was told about the gluten free pasta at Tarantini. So, since this was a new location for us, we gave it a shot. As we entered this cozy, well appointed restaurant I ran into the owner of Flair helping out a Tarantini and she remembered me. She selected us a nice booth where we could take in the evening sharing great conversation and marveling at the dishes passing by from the kitchen. Our server Margaret was outstanding and she happened to be the bartender as well. So, I started the celebration with one of my favorites - a dirty martini. Oh yeah, buddy!!! It was made to perfection smooth, crisp and savory all properly balanced. My wife's eyes lit up as she browsed through the menu trying to decide from the many choices. Finally, she went with the Shrimp Risotto and I opted for the Halibut Piccata. Piccata is one of my favorite go to dishes. My wife definitely enjoyed it because her plate was almost empty when Margaret came back to check on us. It was a nice portion well presented. As for my Piccata - Incredible!!! Again, the flavors were well balanced with just enough tart and savory flavor to compliment the nice portion of smooth Halibut. It set on top of a bed of fettuccine that mopped up that great piccata gravy. To end the celebration on a sweet note, my bride and I shared a nice Lemon Mousse topped with berries. The sauce from the berries was delicious and if I would have had a ziplock bag, I would have pocketed some. Lord have mercy that was amazing! My friends, go to Chapel Hill and check out Tarantini for sure. Then come back and visit Flair the next day! SERIOUSLY!!!! read more

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Environment was lovely, food was great. I ordered bread before appetizers but they did not want to deliver it to the table until after we ordered. They claimed they wanted to kept their leather bound menus clean.. so odd Who doesn't expect bread at an italian restaurant? read more

Food, service, ambience all terrific. Favorites are Caesar and bolognese!! So good! Nice people--the owners!