Tartini Pizzeria & Spaghetteria — Restaurant in Pine Castle

It's been a while since I've been back to Tartini's, but I always remember how good the food was here. Since I wanted to support local during the Bite30 event (ending this weekend), I stopped in around 8:30pm Friday night. I decided to sit at the bar, and I was served by Stephen. As we were introducing ourselves, I told him it's been a while since I've been here, and he told me it was his first night. For a first night, he did a bang-up job and added to my enjoyment of the evening. Mason also assisted him on his first night and he was also very diligent in making sure everything was to my liking. Together, they worked like a finely tuned machine. In fact, even the gentlemen who brought the food out throughout the night were engaging and always smiling. Very cool establishment.

Now for the food and drinks. I ordered the inhouse white Sangria and it was very tasty. Plenty of fruit and quite strong. (Tartini does not have a full bar, but they have wine-based cocktails, such as margaritas, pina coladas and mojitos as well as beer and wine.) My choices from the Bite 30 menu included the Italian Bruschetta (crispy bread, tomatoes, basil and olive oil) as a starter. The presentation was amazing. It was very good, but a little messy. The crispy bread cracked when you took a bite, and the cubed tomatoes spilled over back onto the plate and the bar after my first bite. Just a word to the wise. For the main course, I chose the Gnocchi Al Forno Bolognese (fresh gnocchi, ground beef in red wine, tomatoes and fresh herbs). Again, the presentation was impressive, it was served with the steam rising from the dish, and the taste sensational! Bolognese is my favorite Italian dish, and this place knows how to make it just right! Absolutely perfect! I ended the meal with the heaven-sent Delicate Lemon Cake (highly recommend-served with mascarpone cream and limoncello curd!). Again, presentation perfecto and it was light as air. Stephen described it perfectly when he asked me what I thought of it. He said it is his favorite as it refreshes and cleanses your palate after a delicious Italian meal.

The only other issue I had was with parking as the lot is quite small. I had to drive around and come back, and I was lucky to find a family leaving the second time around. So, note this, especially if you are here on a weekend night. Getting out was a challenge also. Three young adults decided to park their Tesla Cybertruck at the front entrance, blocking the exit to Hansel Avenue. Although two of the individuals saw me waiting to get out, they just kept walking and made no effort to park in any of the open spaces at 10pm. I had to back up and go out the side street. Overall, I really like this Italian restaurant in my Edgewood neighborhood and happy to see it has a great clientele base. The food definitely deserves all the...

Tartini Pizzeria & Spaghetteria offers a commendable dining experience that bridges the gap between casual Italian fare and more refined cuisine. Situated in an unassuming location, the restaurant's interior strikes a balance between rustic charm and modern comfort, setting the stage for a meal that is both satisfying and intriguing.

The menu's strength lies in its dual focus on pizza and pasta, both executed with notable skill. The pizzas emerge from a wood-fired oven with a crust that achieves the ideal combination of crispness and chew. The margherita, a benchmark of any pizzeria, showcases a harmonious blend of San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil, each element distinct yet cohesive.

On the pasta front, Tartini demonstrates a deft hand. The spaghetti alla carbonara, often over-simplified in lesser establishments, here receives proper treatment. The sauce clings to each strand with a silky consistency, the flavors of pecorino romano and black pepper prominent without overwhelming. It's a dish that respects tradition while appealing to modern palates.

The wine list, while not extensive, is thoughtfully curated with selections that complement the menu well. The staff demonstrates a commendable knowledge of both food and wine pairings, enhancing the overall dining experience.

Desserts, often an afterthought in similar establishments, receive due attention at Tartini. The tiramisu, in particular, stands out with its balanced layers of coffee-soaked savoiardi and mascarpone cream, neither too sweet nor too boozy.

Service is efficient and knowledgeable, striking a fine balance between attentiveness and allowing diners their space. The pacing of courses is well-managed, contributing to a relaxed yet never sluggish dining experience.

While Tartini may not be breaking new ground in Italian cuisine, it excels in its chosen specialties. It offers a reliable and enjoyable dining option for those seeking quality Italian fare in a comfortable setting. For locals, it's likely to become a regular haunt, while visitors to the area would do well to seek it out for a taste of well-executed Italian...

This was my second time visiting, and my first experience was amazing. Service was great, and food was top notch. Second time around was not great service by far and ruined the entire experience. Let me preface, that we came specifcally for the Zeppolis, and drove 45 mins to get there. I could not enjoy my meal and I cannot say if i would ever go back. We arrived on a Friday night well expecting it to be busy and we were prepared to wait. What we were no prepared for was for CLAUDIA. Not only did it take her forever to get to the table to greet us (30 mins), but in the middle of her greeting us, she walked away to go take pictures of another table without warning. She literally went to take our order and walked away mid sentence and then took another 20 mins to return. At this point we wanted to leave, but we had already committed over an hour between waiting for the table and waiting for Claudia to find her way back to our table. She took our order which did arrive in a timely fashion, but Claudia was missing for the entire meal until the very end of the night when she arrived to hand us the check without asking if we wanted anything else. We told her we wanted to order Zeppolis to which she told us the kitchen closed 10 mins ago..... We told her from the start we were there for the Zeppolis and why she would not have come back to tell us the kitchen would be closing if we wanted to order the Zeppolis before they closed. We once again reiterated our reason for coming and our dissatisfaction with the events to which she said there was nothing she could do. I myself have been in the service industry and have worked as a server myself and I understand that weekends are hectic, but this is unacceptable in my opinion and it was the first time I ever tipped less than 20%. The service was so bad I almost complained to the manager on the spot, but at that point I just wanted to get out of there. Claudia, please get it together or find a new job because this is not...