Italian Restaurants

Southerners have developed a great love for ethnic cuisine, which explains the large number of Italian restaurants in Wilmington and the entire Cape Fear coast.

Terrazzo Trattoria has been a local favorite for many years. Located in Landfall Center on Eastwood Road, this Italian restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and the extensive menu has something for of everyone. The restaurant has a very attractive Euro bar and lounge, an indoor dining room and a pleasant patio outdoors in season.

Appetizer choices are plentiful with fried calamari, mozzarella sticks, mussels marinara and toasted ravioli among the popular items. Any of the parmigiana subs are tasty and eggplant, veal, sausage, chicken, pepper steak or meatballs subs are available.

There are a large number of cold subs too, and a veggie sub is offered for those who don’t want meat. There is an extensive list of salads and a large number of pizza options, with pizzas available in 10, 14 and 18 inch sizes. Numerous veggie combinations are available too, which sun dried tomato, mushroom and broccoli, or tomato, fresh garlic and basil two delicious choices. Terrazzo is happy to prepare pizzas for take out too.

Among the excellent pasta dishes at Terrazzo are penne positano comprised of mussels, shrimp, sun dried tomatoes in a creamy pesto sauce and tortellini a la carbonara with prosciutto and bacon in a black pepper cream sauce or linguine with white or red clam sauce. Marsala glazed salmon, served over wilted spinach, fresh mushrooms, broccoli and zucchini, is outstanding.

Terrazzo has all ABC permits and offers more than 75 wines as well as a good selection of craft beer.

A popular place for Italian cuisine is Fat Tony’s Italian Pub, with two locations in Wilmington, one downtown on Front Street and another on Racine Drive near UNCW. The huge menu offers everything you would expect and more: pizza by the slice or whole pies with the choice of a host of toppings, appetizers, salads, sandwiches, numerous pasta dishes, and calzones, among many others. What you might not expect is that Fat Tony’s offers the largest selection of draft beers in Wilmington. At last count, there were 25 beers on tap, available by the pint or pitcher. Numerous wines are offered too. Both locations are open daily from 11 to 2 a.m.; on Sunday they closed at midnight.

A popular Italian restaurant in located in Brunswick county at the front of the Waterford residential community. Eddie Romanelli’s, opens daily at 11 a.m. for lunch where soups, salads and such classic Italian comfort food as baked ziti are featured. In the evening, prime rib is on the menu every day. Chicken marsala or parmesan and Mama Romanelli’s lasagna are offered among many other choices. The restaurant has a full bar and large wine list.