Northshore’s Il Primo: The Best In Italian
Fine-Dining
By Emma Smith
Il Primo in Northshore is a local staple of Italian fine-dining. Located at 1100 Hixson Pike, it fits perfectly within its immediate surroundings; walk a few blocks in any direction from the restaurant and you’ll be met with a charming array of boutiques, bars, other restaurants, and this writer’s favorite locally owned bookstore.
Chattanooga is home to quite a few high-quality Italian restaurants, but Il Primo’s Northshore location is a standout. The restaurant’s commitment to exemplary service, its warm atmosphere, and its consistently delicious dinner and drink menus make it more than worth your while.
Upon entering, patrons are met with a cozy reception area. The entire restaurant is quite small, but with its abundance of natural light and its smart layout, its size works in its favor. The space is intimate: low lighting, sophisticatedly minimal decor, and a comfortably low noise level. Large parties are sat at family-style tables with bench seating, smaller parties are sat either in booths or at regular tables, and the bar also has some seating.
The service at Il Primo is enough to warrant a visit. It’s important to make a reservation at least a day in advance, since the restaurant is very popular and has limited seating. As you’d expect at a fine-dining establishment, the wait staff are always knowledgeable about the menu. In my experience, though, they go far beyond rote memorization of menu items to ensure that each meal they serve is a special experience. Furthermore, the servers are always charming. It seems that the restaurant’s hiring manager does a fantastic job of vetting applicants on that front – everyone you’ll meet throughout the course of your meal is extremely personable.
I typically enjoy ordering the specials at Il Primo, but during my most recent visit, I stuck with my on-menu favorites. That said, I started by ordering an espresso martini – it isn’t on the menu, but they make the best one in town. It’s the perfect version of the drink, made with espresso brewed in-house.
I dined with a few friends, so we ordered two appetizers: the Burrata with Blistered Tomatoes and Garlic Crostini, and the Baked Feta and Spicy Marinara with the same Garlic Crostini. Both were phenomenal. The burrata dish is, in my opinion, an improvement on a typical caprese; the cheese and tomatoes both soften under the heat of the oven to the point of being spreadable, and the garlic in the crostini adds a fresh kick. Baked feta is a fairly trendy appetizer as of late, and that’s fair enough – it’s delicious. Il Primo’s take on the dish with spicy marinara is a welcomed elevation. If you’re looking for something lighter, I recommend asking your server for their antipasta/meat and cheese recommendations, or going with the chef’s selection.
After the appetizers, we ordered a bottle of wine for the table – a Tuscan Chanti that our waiter recommended. I’m not a wine expert, so I always appreciate when a server can make a solid recommendation, and that’s always the case at Il Primo.
If we’d taken the traditional Italian route, we would’ve ordered some pasta as our second course and followed it with a meat dish. I’d recommend doing so for the restaurant’s full experience, but we instead each chose one main course – the pastas and meat dishes are large portions, so if you’re ordering something from each section of the menu, you’ll want to plan on sharing. I chose the Rigatoni al’Arrabbiata with Sausage, which is my favorite pasta dish in all of Chattanooga. The large, perfectly al dente rigatoni serves as a vessel to soak up the lightly spicy arrabbiata, and the Italian sausage in the dish adds a savory, umami quality that makes me want to keep eating well after I’m full. For those looking to order a meat course, the Chicken Marsala is my favorite on-menu option. The specials are constantly changing, though, and I’ve always had a pleasant experience ordering one.
We finished off our meal with a round of espressos and cappuccinos to help digest, since we felt we’d had enough to drink. Il Primo does have a selection of digestifs, though, if you’re looking for the authentic Italian experience. Their limoncello is the best I’ve had outside of Italy.
When looking at price for value, Il Primo hits the nail on the head. It isn’t a casual restaurant, and I wouldn’t dream of going on a random weeknight, but for a special occasion or if you’re wanting a nice dinner, you won’t be let down. The ambiance is elevated yet comfortable, the servers are friendly and knowledgeable, the prices are reasonable in relation to the restaurant’s favorable local status, and the overall dining experience is always immaculate.
To try out Il Primo for yourself, make a reservation at the Northshore location by
calling 423- 602-5555.