Taverna replaced the short-lived Thirteen Pies in the Shops and Buckhead Atlanta.

Disclosure: My meal at Taverna was complimentary.

When the weather is nice, you’ll certainly want to take advantage of patio dining, though the decor is vibrant too. They have plenty of Italian wines but most are by the bottle, so bring a group if you want to try some. However, cocktails like the Italian Old Fashioned are still a terrific way to start the evening.

Taverna is known for their pizzas and pastas but surprisingly, you could make it a tapas night and just fill up on the tasty and filling appetizers. For us, it was the Charred Octopus, which is served with potatoes, tomato confit and garlic chips. Oh and a Beef Carpaccio (pictured at the top), was devoured in no time flat. I wouldn’t hesitate to order either of these again.

Taverna’s menu has a section called “Risotteria”. If you google the word “Risotteria,” you’ll mostly find links to a closed NYC restaurant. I googled it because I thought I was gonna come across some Italian kind of novelty like a gelateria that sells Italian ice cream. But if you do enjoy risotto there are several kinds at Taverna incuding a paella-esque kind as well as a Burrata and Porcini.

However, we skipped risotto in favor of the house made pasta. There are nearly a dozen different kinds to choose from at Taverna. Traditionalists will enjoy Spaghetti Carbonara or the lasagna, but Cappelletti Romagnoli. This is ravioli stuffed with mortadella, ricotta, prosciutto, topped with bolognese sauce. What a treat!

I saw a star next to several items on the menu at Taverna. I incorrectly assumed these were specialties, but they denote items that are NOT available gluten free. So, there’s a predominant number of items on the menu that are GF.

Prices are quite reasonable for pizzas and pastas, with the prior around $15 and the latter around $20. One of each and you’ll have a filling meal. We honed in on the Buckhead pie at Taverna just as easily as we decided on our pasta choice. The simple meatball topped pizza also has ricotta and provolone on it as well. And at eight slices, it wasn’t lacking in toppings or flavor in the least.

I’d recommend reservations at Taverna on a weekend and it was packed on the Saturday evening, even at 6 pm when I visited.

280 Buckhead Ave., Parcel C
Atlanta, GA 30305