Italian

Sunday, January 1, 1905

AVERAGE MEAL PRICES$: $10 and under$$: $10 to $15$$$: $15 and up

From pizza to pasta, Chattanooga's Italian restaurants offer a full range of fare and prices. Two foodie favorites are Alleia's on East Main Street and Tony's Pasta Shop in the Bluff View Art District.

Alleia

25 E. Main St.

305-6990

Selection of pasta and pizza dishes along with elegant main-course entrees. Open evenings. $$

Biba's

5918 Hixson Pike

843-0001

Featuring pasta, pizza and seafood specialties, with daily lunch specials and full bar. $$

Boccaccia

3077 Broad St.

266-2930

Restaurant in former Southern Saddlery building offers interesting and innovative twists on Italian fare. Free pasta and dessert on your birthday. Open evenings. $$$

Cafe Roma

220 N. Ocoee St., Cleveland, Tenn.

339-1488

Gourmet pasta dishes are prepared under the direction of co-owner/chef Shannon Ritzhaupt, who trained under Italian chef Tony Race of Naples. Open for lunch and dinner. Nice wine list. $$

Carrabba's Italian Grill

2040 Hamilton Place Blvd.

894-9970

Wow your taste buds with inventive culinary creations from recipes passed down through four generations. Dinner only during the week, lunch and dinner on weekends. $$

Chianti Ristorante Italian and Pizzeria

8968 Dayton Pike, Soddy-Daisy

332-4950

Made-from-scratch pasta forms the basis of generous-portion dishes. Homemade, topping-rich pizzas on cracker-like crusts are a house favorite. $

Crust

100 Signal Mountain Road, 710-3780; 3211 Broad St., 756-4040; and Sewanee, Tenn., 931-598-9880

Pizzas here are known for their super-thin crusts and imaginative names, such as Shazam and Gigantor. Pasta and big salads also on the menu. $

Fat Daddy's Pizza

5084 South Terrace

468-6800

New York-style pizzas are crafted with house-made dough and sauces, made to order or one of 18 specialties. Wings, subs and salads are other options. Gluten-free pizzas available. $$

Fazoli's

2332 Shallowford Village Drive, 499-5155; 2016 Battlefield Parkway, Fort Oglethorpe, 706-861-7989; and 4550 N. Lee Highway, Cleveland, 423-339-2822

This "fast, fresh, Italian" chain features a menu of pastas, pizzas, salads, subs and sampler platters. Families will like the award-winning kids menu and weekly kids night activities. $

Flavors of Italy

10330 Dayton Pike, Soddy-Daisy

451-7298

Chef Giuseppe Iannuzzi, born in Salerno, Italy, serves up authentic recipes in generous portions inside this cottage-style restaurant. Multiple menu options plus daily specials for lunch and dinner. $$

Gondolier Italian Restaurant and Pizza

200 Able Drive, Dayton, Tenn.

428-9200

Huge menu offers large portions of appetizers, salads, pastas, chicken dinners, seafood plate, sandwiches, burgers and customizable pizza, spaghetti and rigatoni. $

Hill City Pizza

12 Frazier Ave., 702-5451, and 808 Scenic Highway, Lookout Mountain, 423-710-2149

Pizzas and sandwiches are served for lunch and dinner, with delivery available. Pool tables, dart boards and TVs add to the entertainment options. North Shore location is open into the wee hours. $

Marco's Italian Bistro

417 Frazier Ave.

710-2568

Handmade Italian cuisine is served in various chef's specialties each evening. Martini Lounge is open late. $$

Mellow Mushroom

205 Broad St., 266-5564; 2318 Lifestyle Way, 468-3737

Eclectic collection of pizzas, calzones, hoagies, salads and other munchies, plus wide selection of beer, in atmosphere of arts and music. $

Nino's Pastaria

720 Mississippi Ave., Signal Mountain

886-1900

Chef Nino Piccolo, born and raised in Sicily, Italy, creates bold, flavorful pizza and pasta dishes that stay true to his cultural traditions. Open for lunch and dinner. $$

Olive Garden

2200 Hamilton Place Blvd., 899-7707; 5525 Highway 153 877-7704; 4499 Keith St. NW, Cleveland, 423-339-3330

Frequent new additions keep the Americanized Italian experience solid. And there's always the bottomless salad bowl and garlic breadsticks. $$

Pasta Italia

200 M.L. King Blvd.

710-3467

Seek out a wide range of Italian specialties in the lower level of the Tallan Building downtown. The menu features antipasti, paninis, meat, fish and all manner of pasta. $$

Portofino

6407 Ringgold Road, East Ridge

499-9696

Greek and Italian specialties, ranging from lamb chops and stuffed grape leaves to baked lasagna and manicotti. Pizza bar with pizza, soup and salad served for lunch seven days a week, weekday evenings and all day Sunday. Wine list includes Greek selections. $

Provino's Italian Restaurant

5084 South Terrace Plaza

899-2559

Complete menu of Italian favorites, served with signature garlic rolls and bottomless salad. Nice wine list. Free pasta dinner on your birthday with ID. $

Rafael's Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant

3877 Hixson Pike, Hixson, 508-8561; 9607 Dayton Pike, Soddy-Daisy, 332-4559; and 5032 Ooltewah-Ringgold Road, Ooltewah, 396-2333

Select two-for-one specialty pizzas in four sizes or build your own from 16 toppings. Or pick from dozens of sandwich and dinner selections. $

Romano's Macaroni Grill

2271 Gunbarrel Road

894-2221

Italian extravaganza, with herb bread, stuffed pastas, veal, chicken and seafood. Open for lunch and dinner. $$

Tony's Pasta Shop & Trattoria

212 High St.

265-5033

Italian eatery in Bluff View Art District features handmade pastas, made-from-scratch sauces and fresh breads. Wine list is exclusively Italian. Gluten-safe menu available. Open for lunch and dinner. $$