Best Italian in Chattanooga
If you're looking for delicious Italian food, Chattanooga does not disappoint! Check out our insider's guide to Italian eating in the Scenic City.
Most Authentic
Boccaccia
3077 South Broad Street
Chattanooga, TN 37408
This Chattanooga hidden gem is located just between downtown and St. Elmo in the old Southern Saddlery Building. Although it’s barely visible from the road, this tucked away restaurant offers the most authentic Italian dining experience in the city. With a brick interior and a quiet ambiance, Boccaccia is the perfect place for a romantic date night out. We recommend the Orecchiette con Salsiccia alla Piemontese, an orecchietta pasta with braised Italian sausage, roasted peppers and fresh goat cheese—yum!
Menu: www.boccacciarestaurant.com/menu
Good To Know: Come in on the day of your birthday and get a a free pasta and dessert with purchase of an entree of greater or equal value.
Best Pasta
Il Primo
1100 Hixson Pike
Chattanooga, TN 37405
Even though it’s the newest of Chattanooga’s Italian eateries, this spot is already packed with guests on any given night of the week. Il Primo, which just opened in the beautifully renovated old Greenlife building last year, is led by Chattanooga restauranteur Nathan Lindley. If you’re looking for a New York style Italian dining experience and incredible pasta dishes, this Riverview restaurant is the perfect choice. Start with the baked feta and spicy marinara with garlic crostini and for your main course, we recommend either the orecchiette and bolognese or the rigatoni all'arrabbiata and sausage. And don’t miss the house-made limoncello for an after dinner treat!
Menu: www.primochattanooga.com/menu
Good to Know: Wednesday night at Il Primo is Wine Night, with a selection of half-off bottles at the $10, $20 and $30 price range.
Most Family Friendly
Tony’s Pasta Shop & Trattoria
212 High St
Chattanooga, TN 37403
The most casual of Chattanooga’s Italian options, Tony’s Pasta Shop is a great stop for those with younger children. Each table receives complimentary dipping oil and bread which is handmade at the Bluff View Bakery. The menu is delicious but affordable, with an expansive array of options from seafood to pasta to pizza. There is also a gluten free menu available upon request. We recommend the "Create Your Own Pasta" option to get exactly the dish you want.
Menu: www.bluffviewartdistrict.com/menu
Good To Know: Click here for a 10% off coupon for food purchases at Rembrandt's Coffee House, Back Inn Cafe or Tony's Pasta Shop & Trattoria.
Best For Foodies
Alleia
25 E Main St
Chattanooga, TN 37408
Under the direction of James Beard award-winner for Best Chef, Daniel Lindley, Alleia is a foodie paradise. Just past the giant wooden doors, you’re greeted with the smell of wood-fired pizzas and the undeniably cool ambiance of this upscale Main Street restaurant. There isn’t a bad item on the menu, but we recommend starting with the taleggio black truffle flatbread and one of the restaurant’s seasonal cocktails. For your meal, don’t miss the wood-fired pork shoulder or braised short ribs, which are to die for.
Menu: www.alleiarestaurant.com/menu
Good to know: Alleia hosts a monthly cena di famiglia, a family-style four-course dinner which always sells out within hours. Sign up for their newsletter to score one of the 80 or so tickets available each month to test out an incredible array of delicious food.
