Tesoro

Tesoro is an extremely small 18 seat restaurant that specializes in mainly Italian cuisine with influences from other cultures. Clearly a Philadelphian in the kitchen do naturally specializing in pasta makes absolute sense. They have a nice selection of appetizers/ small plates and pasta dishes. There was a pork cutlet special the night we were in a well. The asparagus toast was an absolute delight. The special pasta with green garlic sausage with capers as a part on a puttanesca sauce was amazing as were the gnocchi with ramps pesto. Desserts were delicious with an absolute wonderful strawberry preserve on the tart. Great wine selections and we had a great Spanish rosado and hubby finished with a sauterne. There are 3 tables on the sidewalk in addition to indoor seating. With respect to parking, it's horrible so I would recommend the parking deck at the Hampton. Def recommend and we'll be back!

I have been to Tesoro three times now and each time it gets better. Tonight's pasta special absolutely blew me away - gnocchi with ramp pesto. It was divine - a meal I will dream about for months to come. Have also had their version of cacio pepe 3x now. Always a hit. The focaccia is not to be missed either! Their olives (with orange zest!) and the toast (it changes) are great choices as well. The staff are always warm and welcoming and the atmosphere is cozy. It's a small space, so reservations can be tight week-of, but call ahead and they might be able to squeeze you in (like they did for us tonight!)

A mixed experience. The vichyssoise was a delight and possibly set our expectations too high. The two pasta dishes that followed were meh - the linguine with anchovies had very little flavor and too much breadcrumbs (where’s the anchovy?); and the gnudi were a doughy thick mess. Gnudi is supposed to have a pillowy tender form - these were thick, flavorless doughballs. The meal ended with a delicious ice cream and strawberries dessert. I would gently suggest that execution of the main course dishes be revisited to up the game a little. You can see there is talent here, but there’s an inconsistent delivery. They do offer a well curated wine list as well. So it was a mixed bag really.

Such a warm and inviting restaurant! After hearing great things for years, we finally visited—and it did not disappoint. The pasta was flavorful, the salad fresh and perfectly dressed, and the service was excellent. We’ll definitely be back soon!

Quaint spot in Carborro, Chapel Hill — difficult to get a reservation. We had it for 8:30 and by the time we got there the special pasta had run out. Pasta was very nice! I got the Malfade and it was a good balance of flavours. The focaccia and olive oil whipped butter were too oily for me: I would not order again. I ordered a pear sparkling drink and it did not pair nicely with the food. I would not order again either. Service was nice, a little slow, but the atmosphere was lovely and candle lit!

Went for our anniversary dinner a few weeks ago and everything was amazing — favorites were the ricotta gnudi & pork ragu casarecce. My only wish is that they had the olive oil cake when we were there because we were dying to try it, hopefully it’s back on the menu when we go next time!

Loves this little thoughtful pasta place. Intimate, but bright and friendly setting. Absolutely everything we tried was excellent and flavorful with tastes of the season! Great service! Can't wait to return!

Tesoro is at the top of the list when it comes to Italian food! A serious slice of heaven in Carrboro. Great location for this cozy new hot spot! The food is all brought in local and pastas are hand made by the chef himself. The pasta dishes are absolutely fantastic. Al dente has never tasted so good. His staff works their butts off, great personalities all around, from the time you walk in the door to when you’re leaving. A M A Z I N G !!!

Tesoro served some of the best pasta we've had anywhere. This is one of the best Italian restaurants we've been to not only in the Triangle, but in North Carolina. Needless to say, I highly recommend this place. It's bucket-list-worthy. That's all you need to know. If you want details, keep reading. This place is popular. You should book reservations well in advance, especially on weekends. Book here: https://tesorocarrboro.com/reservations/ This is a small, intimate restaurant. You'll be sitting close to your neighbors. There's seating for about 20 inside, including six at the bar. Sitting at the bar is an experience because you get to watch and interact with chef-owner David Peretin. He cooks and finishes his housemade pastas in the front open kitchen. There are also a few two-tops outside on the sidewalk patio. As reported online, David worked his way up from dishwasher at The Fearrington House in Pittsboro. He was also sous chef at Pizzeria Mercato in Carrboro. For my wife and me, those are two of our favorite restaurants in the Triangle. Therefore, it was no surprise we found Tesoro to be outstanding as well. Tesoro means treasure in Italian (and Spanish). The restaurant opened on August 17, 2021: https://www.instagram.com/p/CSrfLwWHOfm/?hl=en It replaced Market Street Coffeehouse, which had closed by June 2020 due to the pandemic. David acquired the space in October 2020. He completely gutted and redesigned the interior: https://chapelhillmagazine.com/tesoro-slated-to-open-in-carrboro-this-spring/ The atmosphere is hip and homey; this is Carrboro, after all. If you're looking for a bigger and more traditional Italian restaurant experience, this isn't it. My wife and I loved this place, from the warm and friendly vibe we got from David and his staff to the incredible food. We got lucky and found a free parking spot on E Weaver St, by the Spotted Dog Restaurant & Bar, next door to Tesoro. Do *not* park across the street at Weaver Street Market and Carr Mill Mall. Carr Mill Mall is notorious for towing. Tesoro has a helpful free parking map here: https://tesorocarrboro.com/parking/ In addition to pasta, Tesoro serves "seasonal plates and classic sweets with Italian, French and Croatian influences." The restaurant is open Tuesday-Saturday for dinner only. During our visit, the food menu was straightforward with seven "plates" (appetizers, sides) priced at $6-16 each, seven pastas at $17-25 each, and seven sweets (desserts) at $5-15 each. The drink menu had about 40 wines, including 10 available by the glass. The wines were mostly Italian and French. There was also a small selection of beer with craft selections from Steel String Brewery in Carrboro and DSSOLVR in Asheville. Here's what we got: Drinks * Sanpellegrino Melograno & Arancia (pomegranate and orange) sparkling drink ($4) * Domaine Migot, Cotes de Toul "Vin Gris" 2022, France ($15) Plates * Arancini - risotto, salsa Calabrese ($16) * Local Lettuces - olive oil vinaigrette, shallot, Grana Padano ($13) * Special Bluefish Rillettes ($18) Pasta * Lumache with pork sausage, green garlic, Grana Padano ($25) * Linguine with garlic, anchovy, lemon, breadcrumbs ($17) * Ricotta Gnudi with spinach, brown butter, Parmigiano Reggiano ($17) Sweets * Ricotta Cake with Citrus ($15) * Caramel Bread Pudding ($15) Everything was phenomenal and presented beautifully. While the pastas stood out, we were impressed and happy with every dish. All of the dishes were quality. The Arancini were well made and hit the spot. One order came with two large balls. The accompanying salsa Calabrese was mildly spicy. The Local Lettuces salad was fresh and tasty. The leaves were crisp and satisfying, the Grana Padano was finely shaven, and the shallots were pickled. The Bluefish Rillettes were delicious. They came with grilled bread (sourdough, I think), Dijon mustard, and pickled onion. My mouth waters just thinking back to the rillettes, which was an off-menu special at the time. The pastas were fresh and absolutely fantastic. To me, the best thing about them was the texture. My wife thought all of the pastas were perfectly cooked. We loved everything about them, from their wonderful flavor to their uniqueness. For example, I don't think Lumache and Gnudi are common on restaurant menus in the US. Searching back through my thousands of Yelp reviews, I only found where we ate Lumache one other time and where I ate Gnudi two other times. Lumache are also known as shellbows. The pasta is shaped like snail shells, not exactly like the Kraft mini-shells or similar-type pasta you often see in mac and cheese. Gnudi is like gnocchi. They're both Italian dumplings, but Gnudi is bigger, softer, and made with ricotta cheese. Dessert-wise, we both preferred the Caramel Bread Pudding to the Ricotta Cake, but both were great. I suggest saving room for the Bread Pudding. You have to try it. Our slice had amazing consistency and taste. Olivia was our server and she was awesome.

I was so looking forward to coming to this Italian restaurant in Chapel Hill. The reviews online looked fabulous, I love a limited menu because it means they are really perfecting their craft, but I was let down to say the least. We started with the Focaccia which was great I just think it would have been 100x better if it was with whipped ricotta instead of butter. We also split the local lettuces (not pictured) which was good, nothing special. For entrees by boyfriend got the spaghetti which he enjoyed and I got the Ricotta Gnudi and I was so disappointed. I ate one and didn't eat the rest - the sauce was inedible. I'm Italian and cook my own sauces at home a lot and this chef did not know how to make a brown butter sauce it was practically lemon juice, water, and oil saturated on the pasta. It was not good. I would never recommend this dish. I was so let down. And the pasta took dishes took a long time to come out too. The staff were fine - they weren't the friendliest but surely didn't care about asking why the dishes weren't eaten. Another let down was they only serve beer and wine, so no cocktails if you're looking to have one. Restaurant needs some improvements in order for me to ever return.

This little Italian eatery is doing a lot of things right! Located in a very busy area of Carrboro across from Weaver Street Market, Tesoro offers up pastas made in-house in classic Italian styles along with a handful of appetizers (primi). And I can tell you that the focaccia here (served with olive oil and salted butter) may have been the best I've ever had. What makes Tesoro super interesting is its size, the space sits only 18 to 20 people so you'll likely need a reservation. And given the size, you're better off with a smaller group. Or just sit at the bar where there should be more availability. But overall I love what they are doing here. An old-school eatery with a small curated menu featuring top-quality ingredients and preparation. Make the effort to visit this busy restaurant!

I'd been waiting to try Tesoro out for months. They usually have reservations available, but there was a mixup on our end and we were able to sit outside as walkins on a Thursday which was nice. The outdoor tables are standard issue and nothing to write home about, but the street is relatively quiet. Despite there being a 12-top inside, our server was incredibly attentive and helpful for the entirety of our visit. She checked in at all the right times, and several other servers and hosts checked in with us. Service was 5/5. We ordered focaccia and olives to start with a green garlic/sausage rigatoni special and the linguine. Everything was 5/5 stars - the linguine wasn't anything to write home about, but there was a mixup with our ordering so an ingredient was missing. It was still 4/5 stars without that ingredient. The rigatoni special was incredible - my mom wasn't able to stop eating it even though she was so full. The focaccia is fried in olive oil before serving... enough said, but it was probably the best I've had since it wasn't served cold. We'll be back!

Tesoro is one of the few restaurants in the Triangle that my family and I really enjoyed! It did take us a month in advance to make a reservation, as there is limited seating inside the smaller location. The setting is classy and the table and wall decorations are a nice touch. Waiting time after ordering does take longer but it is absolutely worth the wait! The Focaccia with the whipped butter was delectable and the pasta was the thing of dreams (our favorite was the Linguine with lemon). We had an amazing time chatting and eating and the server was kind enough to explain all of the different choices and recommend wines that paired well with the dishes. One thing my family agreed to was that we wished there were more variety in the deserts and add a tiramisu or a chocolate cake option that would have completed our meal very nicely.

We finally had a chance to try Tesoro the other day, and it really lived up to its reputation, The food was excellent and service was good. I generally agree with most of the positive reviews, but a few tweaks are still needed (in my opinion). As others have noted, this is a small restaurant, and you do need reservations. I counted seating for 16 inside, and another 2 small tables on the sidewalk. Also a bit noisy, but not objectionable. We tried the arancini and focaccia as starters. The focaccia was near perfect - light crust on the outside and soft on the inside. The arancini was very good, and the sauce was excellent, but I do think smaller balls would make it even better. For mains we tried the ricotta gnudi and the tonarelli with pancetta. The gnudi is not something I have ever seen locally, and it was excellent - great flavor and texture. The tonarelli was also very good - perfectly al dente with an excellent sauce. My only complaint with the mains are that they are on the small side (the gnudi was 3 dumplings; 4 would have been perfect). As for service, the staff was attentive and helpful. One minor comment - you will have to ask for a spoon for past dishes (if you twirl). Highly recommended, and looking forward to going back soon.

The food was reasonably good but the pasta sauces repeated themselves and there was no hint of anchovies on the one dish that was supposed to feature them. The acoustics were prohibitive

where the free bread at? we love italian food so came to check this place out. surprised to find out that there is no complimentary bread to open the meal. we ordered the focaccia which was excellent - crispy on the outside, almost croissant like, and rich and soft on the inside - but extremely heavy. But I still missed the plain crusty bread that we usually get at other Italian restaurants. We also went for the Arancini which was honestly the best part of the meal. crispy hot and filled with this spicy marinara sauce. for the mains we went for the malfalde and linguine. pasta itself was excellent but the sauce was lacking - not particularly special or flavorful. the most surprising part of the pasta menu was the lack of seafood. overall, decent fare but a deviation from the italian experience we know and love.

What a treat! What are the chances you could find a reservation for Valentine's Day two days ahead? But when my husband called and asked, the really nice guy taking the call said, "if you get here right at 5:00, we have two spots at the bar for walk-ins". So glad we did! This tiny tesoro (Italian for 'treasure') offers an intimate atmosphere, amazing house-made pastas and focaccia, great wines and friendly staff. No wonder it's always full; David the owner knows the value of doing something with excellence and keeping it manageable for his staff and family. Bravo!

Absolutely delicious from apps to entrees. Wish they had amari cocktails but worth it nonetheless.

BLUF: Solid. Perfectly cook pasta. Delicious and every dish is well flavored. Ordered two specials and two regular menu dishes. It was very difficult to not order the entire menu. Needless to say, we'll definitely be back. Loved the countertop seats, gave us a direct view to the prep and cooking area. Always love watching the chefs in action and all the professional equipment.

Just good food. It's a tiny space with minimal outdoor seating. It's right on the sidewalk in a busier street with lots of foot traffic. Their beverages are only wine and beer. The food was delicious and very reasonably priced. I didn't enjoy the outdoor seating and felt that could be vastly improved but loved the food. The wine was excellent if smaller than average pours. The bread was incredibly flavorful and had excellent texture. The lettuce salad was a refreshing bite but lacked any substantial flavor. The arancini were relatively standard but were hot and fresh. The pork ragu was very filling and had tons of meat flavor. The linguine really packed a lemony punch and overall had nice balance. We enjoyed the meal but would do inside seating next time

The reason for a two star rating (instead of a single star) is because of the graciousness of our server. The food, from a very limited menu, is average compared to the excellent Italian restaurants in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro/Durham neighborhood. But what grates is the arrogance of the establishment. To make a reservation a Credit Card is required as there is a $25.00 per person charge if there is a cancellation in less than three hours of the reservation. On the day before the reservation a text message is sent as a reminder, with the requests that all members of the party arrive together, and do not stay for more than ninety minutes. To add insult to injury, when the three of us arrived (together and on time) we were kept waiting for almost an half hour! Obviously, in the case of Tesoro, what is good for the goose does not apply to the gander. As there was no place at the bar we were shunted off to a bench (which barely accommodates two persons - fortunately all three of us are of a small build), next to where the sidewalk was cordoned off to foot traffic, and within two feet of a table of five patrons. We were handed a wine menu and had to sip our prosecco facing in the same direction, for want of space. Yes, arrogance is the antithesis of service.

Tesoro was a treat in Carrboro. It only seats about 20, and there are a few outdoor tables as well. We shared the local lettuces which had a bright, flavorful dressing and cheese galore and the large, filling arancini. The pillowy supersized gnocchi with pork ragu was delightful. My only complaint is the lemon overpowered the Cacio E Pepe bucatini but otherwise a beautiful meal with wonderful service and still deserving of 5 stars. Definitely make a reservation because of the size!

My favorite restaurant in town and possibly in the world! The vibes are cozy and the food is always excellent. I almost always order the cacio e pepe; I've never been able to make it well at home and am often disappointed when I order it out. That is not the case here! It is creamy, peppery, and just delicious. I'm also a fan of the focaccia, the local lettuce salad, and the gelatos. Because this is a small restaurant, there are a few quirks: 1. The menu you see online doesn't always reflect what is available. This is fine by me; I see the chef twice a week at the farmers market, so I know that whatever he is cooking up is local and fresh. Despite my love for the cacio e pepe, I'll try the special apps and my husband will often get the pasta special to get a full appreciation of the chef's talent. 2. Limited seating: Tesoro is not the kind of place where you can waltz in with a table of 4 on a Friday. You need a reservation, and you should plan on being out in the door in 90 minutes once you sit (even ordering 3 courses). Again, fine by me: the restaurant is small, and people who hog tables while nursing a glass of wine should do so elsewhere. The waitstaff is polite and will check on you often, without hustling you out the door. My singular pet peeve with this place is that they don't offer decaffeinated espresso. Management, if you read this, please consider adding this as an option for those of us who can't have caffeine after 2 pm!!

Frankly I'm a bit shocked. Despite the great reviews, my linguine was under cooked (no not al dente, you could taste the raw flour) and under sauced (barely any). Anyway, anyone can have an off night, so I asked for some lemon to enhance the flavor. I was told "No, you cannot have lemon. You can only have red pepper flakes." I was told this was the chef's rules (apparently also the owner). Wow, I've heard of arrogant chefs for sure, but having eaten all over the world in expensive restaurants and street food, no chef has ever made me pay to support their ego. Every other chef (and I do mean every) has wanted to create a lovely or warm or delicious experience for the customer. Evidently, in Tesoro, the experience is "you will eat what you are served and you will enjoy it!" Lol, not what I expected from a sweet Carrboro storefront! Also, the $17 glass of wine was a chintzy pour. So disappointing. I gave them 2 stars because the atmosphere is cute. My partner's gnocchi was fine--plain fare but adequately cooked.

It's all about the pastaaaaa. Lovely little restaurant (and by little I mean like 10 tables) serving up fresh and delicious pasta dishes. They stick to the classics, but level them up. We started with the arancini which were huge, creamy, and crispy. Would have loved the marinara sauce to have been a little warm with it. For mains, we stuck to the classics: a pork ragu which was spicy and complex and just wonderful! We also split the olive oil and anchovy spaghetti and it really surprised us! All this washed down nicely with a bottle of wine. Plus, we were seated outside and got to people watch and enjoy the street life. Almost like a little slice of Italy. They advertise as Italian and Croatian influence, but I'm Croatian and did not get any Croatian influence at all. That's ok! Also had to wait a while even though we had a reservation, but it gave us a chance to have a pre-dinner glass of orange wine (yummmmm)! We were only visiting chapel hill, but if I'm ever passing through again, I'll be sure to reserve a spot here again.

These guys have replicated the European corner bistro/trattoria experience, down to the 45 min delay on our reservation. (Kidding! They covered the first round for our trouble.) We sat at the counter, which I think we've done once since Covid. The service was very attentive. All this was good: * 1/2 dozen oysters - a little spendy at $17 but they were big and meaty * radicchio salad - well dressed, well appointed * Meatball special * Ricotta gnudi - sort of like a big gnocchi? bright green and delicious * Olive oil cake for dessert Spendy wine list with stuff I wasn't familiar with, but I got a nice Barbera for $11

Solid pasta and a ton of vegetarian options! This 18-ish seater restaurant in Carrboro is home to some of the best fresh handmade pasta that you will get to try in the Triangle area. I am a lover of simple, straightforward flavors when it comes to pasta, and Tesoro nails it. My husband and I went for dinner a few weeks after they had opened, and we thoroughly enjoyed everything that we ordered. All the pastas that they offer are handmade and cooked to order. The best part is, if you end up being seated close to the kitchen, you can see the pasta being cooked in action. They have a small but rotational menu, and have a couple of menu items that may not be listed on the menu; so be sure to ask your server if they are serving any specials. Here's what we got: * Spaghetti aglio e olio * Rigatoni in a tomato sauce with eggplant * Buccatini cacio e pepe * Arancini * Local bibs lettuce salad * Fior di latte ice cream This is definitely a small but mighty addition to the triangle restaurant scene, and I cannot be back to try more of their seasonal offerings.

This is really awesome food, a small place, it's hard to get a table right now, but oh my goodness I've not had Italian food like this in North Carolina ever. I have gone to some Italian places this good in Chicago or NYC, and I've gone to a few restaurants this good in Chapel Hill, but they are killing it for Italian food in our town. Hats off to these chefs and servers, this is definitely the hottest reservation in town right now. It's a cosy little restaurant where you can see the kitchen cook, and it had a very cool atmosphere. This would be a good place to bring a really fantastic date, share a nice wine, eat everything. I would suggest share a few apps, the pastas aren't giant but they're enough for someone with either an app or dessert. They have a good wine list, our wine really complemented the food.

We've been to Tesoro three times. The first time, very impressive. Full flavored but simple pasta in a charming atmosphere. Went back with friends-even better! Tied more of the menu, split some things, very tasty olive oil cake. Third time, quite recently (December 2023). Disastrous. Really amateurish service - got orders wrong, brought out dishes, made others wait, os food got cold. And what happened to the flavor. It was quite mediocre - the cacio e pepe had been so good; the gnudiwere heavy and tough, the casarecce had a sauce with scarcely any pork in it. Very disappointing. It might be worth a shot to return to see if it was just a bad night- but literally everything we ate in December was underwhelming. So, take your chances if you like.

Great meal. Focaccia was so good, we got two orders. The pasta dishes were really well made. Not a traditional red sauce joint- but the house made pastas were complimented with a very well thought out sauces. Hard table to get, but with it.

Transported me back to Italy! Small/cute restaurant. Small menu so not great for groups. We loved everything we ordered - butternut squash crostini and smashed sweet potatoes for apps & spaghetti and cavatelli for entrees. The crostini was delicious, simple ingredients but flavors meshed so well together. The special for the night was a smashed sweet potato and it did not disappoint. The chef kept the skin on but caramelized it so the outside was crispy and the inside was soft and sweet. My favorite pasta dish was the spaghetti while my husband enjoyed the sausage cavatelli. Again, simple ingredients, just like how they do it in Italy. Absolutely delicious! We ended the night with the olive cake and it was just the right amount of subtle sweetness. Be sure to order this for dessert.

Well hello there Tesoro! Welcome to Chatham County! We've needed a place like you! Recently opened in Carborro, Tesoro is a small Italian restaurant specializing in freshly-made in house pastas and other goodies! My wife and I made reservations ahead and nabbed a place at the counter so we could observe the highly skillful chefs weave their culinary magic right in front of us! After a couple glasses of red wine, we started off with the Local Lettuce and Arancini appetizers both of us which were very well made and light on the stomach. But our reason for being there was for the pastas and they did not disappoint! We went a little nuts and got 3 of their pastas, namely the Cacio e Pepe, Aglio e Olio, and Rigatoni with eggplant. There may have been some fork fights between us as we fought to grab the best bits! All three were excellent and while the Rigatoni could have been a bit less al dente, the taste of all 3 was impeccable and the Cacio e Pepe was our favorite of the evening! Although we were stuffed, we managed to save room for a scoop of Fior Di Latte ice cream which was the perfect sweet ending! The reason we really loved Tesoro were the numerous vegetarian options inspite of having a limited menu, and that speaks volumes of the confidence of the management and the chefs, and us being vegetarians, we didn't mind one bit! Parking can be found on and around Weaver Street.

Add this to the top of the list of the few, legitimate Italian restaurants/pasta shops in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area! SO excited to see this restaurant open. The majority of pasta dishes (4 out of 5) do not have any meat so most main courses are available to you if you are vegetarian! It is relatively small, seats approximately 18-20 people, and has 1-2 outdoor tables with the remaining being inside. There is also some bar seating. You gotta make a reservation on Resy at least a few days ahead, and might want to go here with a small group only The food here was absolutely delicious! They have the essential appetizers including very good crostini and arancini. The arancini, by the way, are massive and they give you two - see picture! If it's just you and another person, you might not want to order more appetizers :) We didn't have the focaccia, but I was eyeing other people's the whole time :D The pasta was hand-made and delicious! The Gnudi was probably the most unique pasta on their menu, which they were out of by the time we had our late dinner reservation. They do a cacio e pepe (my favorite pasta to order anywhere) with grana padano cheese, and that was VERY good with just the right about of cheese and pepper. They have few pastas on their menu, but they range from different bases including tomato, cheese, and olive oil. We did not have room to try dessert, but definitely will next time! Service was very fast and friendly. Be sure to check out Tesoro!

Love everything -ambiance, service, food. The price is a bit higher but you get what you pay for. Everything was delish! I'll definitely be back.

Tesoro is a local gem. We've been here 3 times and their food is always amazing. Every dish is flavorful and delicious. They change their menu frequently with the seasons so there's always something new to try. Make sure you make a reservation!

I adore Tesoro and have great experiences each time I go. I've always dealt with great service and served well prepared meals. My favorite is the pork ragu pasta paired with the local lettuces. In general, I think Tesoro does a great job amplifying simple pasta dishes.

delicious...we were asked if we would like another bottle of wine (yes) and half way through my meal an inquiry about dessert ( would have enjoyed) except we were Informed the next customers were expecting our table in 5 minutes. REALLY?? In my world travels I've never heard of such rude behavior toward a customer who wanted to spend more $$$$!

Definitely the best restaurant in chapel hill and by far the best Italian in the triangle area - really special food. Staff and chefs are the real deal. They really care about the food and what they are doing. Really cool to have a restaurant of this caliber in town.

Dissapointing service. The food was just ok but doesn't make up for the people running it. Spend your money elsewhere

So many great places in the neighborhood, Tesoro's is definitely not worth the time or money.

Fabulous wine, foccacia bread, olive oil cake and ricotta ice cream. Good pasta too! Nice quiet vibe. Fun to sit at counter and watch the cooks.

Food generally tastes good, wine list is good. However, for a pasta place, it is important to know that by and large this is not fresh pasta. The sauces are fairly simple, some tasting good and others not so much. But, overpriced for what it is. So, you end up paying a lot for boiled box pasta and some straightforward cacio e pepe.

Everything was tasty. Having a last minute opening midweek, we got a two-seater at the bar in a matter of 15 minutes. Enjoyed the personable attention we got from Chef David and we loved the intimate setting. Having spent extended time in Sicily, it was nice to see a good Sicilian wine on the menu! One foodie comment: the aroncini could use a little marinara on the side and it would be awesome to have a vegetarian option! End your meal with an afogato!

We came to Tesoro off of a recommendation from a local. We loved that the menu was small. I wasn't expecting a pasta centric menu, but was pleasantly surprised! I ordered a glass of lambrusco that was a great compliment to my meal. Why 4 stars instead of 5? As my husband and I were discussing what to order we decided on the local lettuce starter and 2 rigatoni's (as the person next to us ordered it and it looked delicious!). The waiter let us know that they were out of the local lettuce tonight. Bummer. So we order the arancini instead. It was tasty! Lightly fried, but not greasy and somehow light and airy for being risotto. As we waited for our entrees, the waiter came back to tell us that they were out of rigatoni and we'd be getting spaghetti instead. I was pretty disappointed as I'm a home cook and understand the difference between pastas. I love a tube shaped pasta and the way a sauce coats that particular shape. The pasta came and it was delicious. Great garlic flavor, but not overpowering. We decided to look at the dessert menu ... which surprise surprise again, another ingredient was missing off of the olive oil cake. We skipped. I'm sure given the fact that it's 2022 and supply chain is crazy contributed to the lack of ingredients, but it would have been nice to know all missing ingredients prior to ordering at the beginning of the meal. Overall good, nice ambiance.

Really sweet little restaurant. We enjoyed seeing the chefs cooking behind the bar. Great wine choices and delicious dishes.

We had an amazing dinner for ten people at Tesoro last night Sam was our excellent server- she was so nice and perfectly attentive! For our larger party size we had a prix fixed menu with multiple appetizers, pastas, and desserts with a wine pairing for each course. The restaurant was so generous with the amount of food and wine and everyone had a wonderful time! I highly recommend Tesoro for this type of event and for smaller parties as well!

Really great Italian. Handmade pasta. Most of the menu is pasta, not meats and fish but if you want great pasta, this is it! Great prices as well! Really cute atmosphere as well!

One of the most over priced plates of pasta you will ever buy. Our waiter, Josh, was quite pleasant, but his management team and the mediocrity of the food was definitely not worth it. The management team did nothing to make tonight's celebration feel special, and the chicken fingers you can order from any fast food restaurant will be more special than the over priced., non special you will eat here. Tesoro's was a HUGE disappointment!

Great food, horrible people. The server was great, but the host kicked us out after ordering a fantastic meal 15 minutes within closing out. At the beginning of the meal, we asked if we could hang out and drink and our server said yes instead of telling us they had another reservation. Still had wine in our glasses when they told us we had to leave immediately and were prepared to tip a good amount. They proceeded to call us 'belligerently drunk' for asking for five more minutes (after two drinks) and telling them that they had been rude. Will not be returning.

Fabulous flavors and incredible food! Prices were very reasonable. Not much on atmosphere but I would rather have good food!

The gnocchi with brisket ragu was FIRE. Literally perfect. So was the simple salad. Focaccia was perhaps the best I've ever had. Cacio e Pepe was also great though I prefer it with a long pasta like tonarelli over rigatoni. Attentive and friendly service, chill ambiance, really looking forward to going back!

Small Italian restaurant with limited menu - great service and great food - nice experience- will go back

I eat a LOT of pasta and have had so many pasta dishes at so many different restaurants but nothing ever like this. The chef is a true expensive to watch and the food he makes is a even bigger experience to enjoy so huge shoutout to the chef. small, quaint, cozy atmosphere, amazing prices for the quality of the food, pasta is made in house which i loved also truly the best pasta i've ever had and an overall amazing experience.

It's pretty nice with a menu limited to pasta which was disappointing since this is cheap and easy to make and it's something I can make at home so it doesn't feel special. There are so many places in this small area that serve pasta so it's a hard market to stand out in but this at least tastes better than average so if pasta is your calling, I'd go here but just be aware that's all there is.

Mmmm. Tesoro. Had a great time celebrating a friends birthday here the other night. Great wine and even better food. The garlic pasta was to die for! Better than Roman pasta I kid you not. #gaga

Came here for date night with my beautiful fiance - we have been excited to pop over to Carrboro to check this spot out! We ordered several apps, two pastas, and two desserts. The bread appetizer was wonderful, the salad - a delight! The arancini were a bit dry but the sauce they came with made them pretty tasty. The pastas were a mixed bag -- the simple spaghetti with tomato and basil was screaming out for parmesan -- my fiance nearly dumped me because I wouldn't stop mentioning it LOL! She got the gnudi pasta which she liked but I wasn't as wild about. For dessert we got the olive oil cake and the fiore di late ice cream -- both incredible!! Service was speedy and attentive too. Definitely recommending this one to the neighbors back home!

Such a perfect spot! We've been a few times now and the food and service has always been wonderful. Haven't had an "OK" or even "pretty good" dish here. The food is always perfect. There are often specials and the regular menu rotates on a regular basis so there is always something new to try! The vibes, wine selection, etc. also get an A+! So glad this awesome new business has come to Carrboro.