Il Palio

This culinary landmark is the best, most appealing, and most formal Italian restaurant in North Carolina. Set on the lobby level of the Siena Hotel, a 5-minute drive north of the center of Chapel Hill, it's a showcase for the cuisine of chef Jim Anile, one of the most celebrated culinary stars in the region. Expect a meal based on Tuscan priorities, but with a sophisticated use of ultrafresh local ingredients. Begin with a medley of marinated octopus and roasted peppers, or succulent smoked ahi tuna with endive, pear, and sweet mustard. Pasta might be garnished with cockles, rapini, and pancetta ham, or perhaps studded with lobster and laced with saffron sauce. The double-braised veal osso buco is absolutely splendid. About 95% of the wines offered here are Italian, reasonably priced, and presented with finesse by one of the best-educated and most articulate wine stewards in the state.

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