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    Ristorante Paoletti

    4.2 (218 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:30 PM

    Ristorante Paoletti Photos

    Business Info

    RISTORANTE PAOLETTI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Upscale
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Ristorante Paoletti

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    Stuffed Lobster
    George R.

    Another great experience at Paoletti's, our fourth or fifth visit. We shared the Oysters Rockefeller, a special app and a small Caesar salad both excellent. I had the Cioppino Paoletti, which was served over linguine, and my wife had seafood in a cream sauce served over pasta, both were perfectly cooked and tasty. Also a couple of cocktails each. Service was as usual superb, with our waitress Sandra and Mama G. taking care of us. We always save this restaurant for our last night in town as it is always the highlight of our visit to Highlands.

    Clopping Paoletti

    We came in with high expectations given the pricing and the way this restaurant is positioned, but unfortunately the food did not live up to it. I ordered the Coppola Paoletti ($60), which was surprisingly completely tasteless. For a dish at that price point, I expected depth, seasoning, and balance--but it fell flat in every way. My wife had the Cacio e Pepe, which was also very disappointing. It lacked flavor entirely, and the pasta itself was overcooked and sticking together, definitely not al dente. For such a classic and simple dish, execution really matters, and this missed the mark. The Wagyu beef ricotta meatball with polenta was the one highlight of the night. That dish was done well and deserves credit--3.5/5 for the appetizer. As for the atmosphere: it's marketed as a relaxed, Italian-style dining experience, but in reality, everyone is packed in very tightly, almost like sardines. I understand the intention, but it didn't feel comfortable--and it certainly didn't feel authentically Italian. I'm not expecting Italy, but please don't sell it as such when the experience doesn't match. I also have to question some of the glowing reviews. Either our experience was a major outlier, or some people have simply never had properly cooked, well-seasoned pasta and don't know what it should taste like - as long there are sheep, there will be wool I guess. Overall, for the very high prices, the quality and execution just weren't there. One solid appetizer can't make up for bland mains and poorly cooked pasta.

    Brady B.

    I am in the highlands area and decided to take a stop at one the "top 20 Italian restaurants" in the U.S. I ordered the Gnocchi alla Sorrentina with a housemade ricotta gnocchi in a light tomato sauce with fresh basil and three Italian cheeses. It's soft, pillowy gnocchi a great dish for pasta lovers. Overall great experience would definitely recommend.

    Me and hubby(Paul), my sister and brother-n-law.  We had a lovely evening
    Diana P.

    We had reservations for 4 and was seated promptly. Lovely Ambiance and food was excellent. 3 out of 4 of us had the elk chop cooked medium rare while my sister had the fish special which she also enjoyed. We also had Cesar salads topped with anchovies (we asked;) We had a red wine recommended by our waiter and me and sis a glass of rose champagne to start. The food, ambiance and service all great as would be expected for a top quality northern Italian restaurant in Highlands. We will definitely be back.

    Spiced Cervena Elk Rib Chop
    M H.

    Elk chop pictured here. This is from the same visit I reviewed earlier, just adding a picture from our experience for more emphasis. Chop was good, and cooked perfectly. Service was super slow, and hostess was a rude nightmare. Ambiance was dark and not elegant. White tablecloths, at least.

    Scampi della Casa$36.00Gulf Shrimp, Sauteéd with White wine, Garlic-Herb Butter & Bread Crumbs; Served with Linguine

    Another great experience. Forgot to get photo, but never skip the bread pudding either.

    Emily T.

    This was our first time to the highlands and after researching where to go for my husband and I's 10th anniversary and my birthday we decided to just walk in on a Friday night We knew we would probably not get a table but we were fine with that. We put our name down for the bar and got a call maybe 45 mins after. Nicole was the bartender and our server and she was excellent! Cocktails were fabulous and the food was fantastic we ended up going back the 2nd night! They change specials daily and the entrees come out pipping HOT, which I dearly appreciate, because no one likes a warm pasta, needs to be HOT and the pasta was al dente, perfect doneness. Ingredients, wines, and ideas for menu come from Italy, and the cakes we had (pumpkin & blueberry) were to die for. Probably some of the best desserts I have had and we lived in Manhattan for 8 years, so that says something! Will absolutely come back and recommend, Mama G and little G were lovely people, customer service goes far in my book and they nailed it.

    Special ravioli of the day
    Deryl C.

    Outstanding service and incredibly delicious food! We will definitely come back again.

    Meatball over polenta. Fantastic!

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    8 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Paolettis is a must do in Highlands. The food and service were amazing. Heather was our server and very kind and attentive!

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    6 months ago

    Great restaurant in Highlands. Menu specializes in Italian dishes, great meat choices too. Good wine list too.

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    8 months ago

    Food and service were absolutely 5 star. Fresh and delicious! Highly recommend if you enjoy true Italian cuisine!!

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    7 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Very expensive for the quality and portion size. I would not go back. There are better restaurants in the area.

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    9 months ago

    very good food and service. great ambiance. upscale restaurant - feels like you are in a bustling metropolitan restaurant

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    Ask the Community - Ristorante Paoletti

    How do you make a reservation? We've called probably 5 times and no one answers.

    Leave a voicemail for your desired time! Many times they are slammed after 6 so I highly recommend calling between 4-5:30 and then following up the next day if you don't hear back. It's a great spot but very busy for that reason!… Read more

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    Wine Garden - Trout Dip

    Wine Garden

    4.2(43 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    Highlands, NC is truly a little slice of heaven! If you're ever there, you must have lunch or…read moredinner at the wine garden attached to Old Edwards Inn & Spa! It's such a beautiful and peaceful space to dine, especially with the amazing Spring and Fall temps they get there. We were with a party of 6 (plus a baby), and walked up without a reservation a bit late in the evening. We figured we'd try it and see if we could get in if it wasn't too late, and luckily enough, the hostess was kind enough to make it happen for us! The menu actually has a lot of variety for a wine garden - drinks and food wise. I started with the French onion soup and it was delicious. The Caesar salad was also quite yummy, but the meatloaf was the showstopper of the night! I am still dreaming of it now, and wish I could replicate it myself because it was that good and memorable! For dessert, I ordered the affogato which is their house made vanilla bean ice cream with an espresso shot and it was the perfect ending to the night! Our server was so attentive and kind, and constantly checked in on us and cleared our plates since the tables are a bit on the smaller side. I had an excellent experience all around!

    Had an fantastic afternoon visiting this place for lunch and drinks. The food was delicious, and…read moresitting out under the trees next to a little waterfall and stream as well as the nearby architecture really feels like you've traveled somewhere special. Our waiter was also very nice! Highly recommend!

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    Wine Garden - Charcuterie board

    Charcuterie board

    Wine Garden

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    Oak Steakhouse - Egg Frittata with salad

    Oak Steakhouse

    4.5(91 reviews)
    1.9 mi

    We live in Charleston so we are very familiar with the Oak Steakhouse that's located here but the…read moreone at the Skyline Lodge, really delivered!! Everything about the restaurant was so special, amazing location for a sunset dinner, perched high above the Blue Ridge Mountains - amazing views. The best thing is if you stay at the Skyline Lodge, it's just steps away from your room and that comes in super handy when it's brunch time! We were fortunate enough to enjoy these two meals; dinner & brunch with our kids (who are foodies too) and they are now huge fans of Oak Steakhouse. They said it was the best steak they ever had, you can't go wrong with the Filet! The menu is not huge but really has all of the dishes you would want for an amazing dinner. Plenty of options, even if you don't eat steak. Amazing sides to accompany each dish and you must start with the bread, which is made in-house. I went with a dish I have not tried before and it did not disappoint, Venison Wellington while my wife tried the trout. I will let the photos do the talking. They also pour an amazing espresso martini by the way and to finish you have to try the chocolate cake, trust me! We also want to give a shot out to all of the staff and servers; their attention to detail and overall service was outstanding! Seems to be the case at all Indigo Road establishments, they really know hospitality. We cannot recommend Oak Steakhouse enough, even if you're not staying there but in the Highlands of NC make sure you give them a visit.

    My wife and I had an excellent meal in our first visit to Oak this holiday season. It's a modern…read morerestaurant with a subtle mid-century vibe that nods to the Skyline Lodge that it is incorporated into. Our server was very friendly and (unprompted) comped our bread service after a lengthy delay. Once received, the bread was amazing and went nicely with my lettuce wedge salad. The entrees were excellent as well, with my wife loving her risotto and my steak frites being top notch with fork-tender beef and amazing truffle fries. The portions are generous so to-go bags are a common sight. Oak is not inexpensive, but clearly the value is there if you are looking for a proper steakhouse experience near Highlands.

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    Oak Steakhouse - Very fresh filling, double eggs

    Very fresh filling, double eggs

    Oak Steakhouse - Espresso Martini

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    Espresso Martini

    Ristorante Paoletti - italian - Updated May 2026

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