North Italia

Hao Yuan

4.0in the last week

𝘊𝘪𝘢𝘰 𝘉𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢! And what a beautiful space it was; more on that later. Just came back from an enjoyable dinner with my family at what apparently was their first day of being open to the general public. Thankfully we booked reservations earlier in the day as they were packed, and the check-in process was fairly smooth upon arrival. My wife and I really enjoyed the overall decor and vibrant environment, but I did find the two TVs at the bar to be a bit tacky. Being able to see into the large kitchen is a nice touch, and the large patio seating area seems to offer a lot of potential even during colder weather. Service started off a little rocky as we could tell our server had a lot going on due to how busy it was at the time. Everything found a nice rhythm soon after we got our drinks, and shout out to our server, Grace G., as she was both friendly and attentive throughout our meal. We did have another server run food that we didn’t order to our table on two separate occasions, so they’re clearly working out a few kinks which is to be expected. Their system of having everyone chip in constantly to clear plates and run food was impressive though. Food was mostly a highlight as we both really enjoyed our entrees. My squid ink tonnarelli (spaghetti) was cooked perfectly Al dente, was a decent portion, and I could taste all the flavor notes (mint, fennel, & pepperiness from the sauce) on each bite without anything being too overpowering. The tonnarelli was also not overly salty which in my experience can be hard to get just right when squid ink is involved. There was a good amount of squid and shrimp as well, and both were also cooked just right. My wife’s strozzapreti echoed the same themes as my dish: perfectly Al dente, good balance of flavors and was portioned well. I tend to avoid truffle dishes as that element tends to be too pronounced, but it wasn’t the case with her dish. We also enjoyed their soft and flaky Focaccia and calamari appetizers but would have

Mark Buehl

5.0in the last week

We were in Charlotte, NC in April and had a fantastic dinner at a North Italian before coming back to Wisconsin. In my review, I said I wish there was one in Wisconsin thinking it was a local restaurant. We found out later there are over 50 locations and one was coming to Madison! So we had to go today. Fantastic meal, fantastic service, and all around a fantastic time. Our server was from Arizona up to help setup and was helping train the staff. He loved Madison, but was going back to AZ. We started with cocktails, a Turino Old Fashioned for me and a Sangria for Ann. Both were great. Then we had grilled bread with good olive oil that was also great. For dinner, Ann had the Bolognese and I had the Spicy Rigatoni Vodka. Again, both were fantastic and just the right amount so we could finish our dinner and not feel stuffed. Of course we shared some Gelato for Dessert. If they hold the high standard from today, it will be hard to get a table in the future.

Jason Salus

5.0in the last week

The best bolognese I've had this year. John the server never let my glass go empty. 5 stars

Vanessa Kent

5.0in the last week

The white truffle garlic bread is seriously what dreams are made of. Can’t wait to go back for a girls night!

Emily Allen

5.0in the last week

We were fortunate to attend a staff training night before the official opening, and can’t wait to be back. We had a phenomenal team caring for us all night, who were all very helpful with menu questions and recommendations. North Italia has a fantastic mocktail menu. Our favorite drink was the Just Peachy. I also loved the fresh pasta, and how everything could be modified. The space is beautiful, and it’s clear that so much care and thought has gone into preparing for their opening. North Italia is going to be a wonderful addition to Hilldale.