If you’ve spent any time in Raleigh, you may be familiar with Mulino Italian Kitchen and owner Samad Hachby. As a longtime Raleigh businessman, he has been responsible for some of the more iconic and unique clubs, lounges, and restaurants downtown going back to the old Mosaic Wine Lounge. And his latest concept, La Terrazza at the Dillon, raises that already high bar with a unique presence and offering for the Oak City!
The 9th floor observation deck at the Dillon was accessible right when the building first opened in 2018 and often hosted one-off events like yoga and community gatherings. La Terrazza was conceived in the midst of the pandemic back in 2021, when this 9th floor terrace space became available after another restaurant group pulled out. And over the course of several years, Samad has worked diligently to bring the space to life, including visits to Italy to import furniture and supplies to outfit this new restaurant. And finally, after much work, patience, and sweat, Raleighites are able to finally enjoy this fantastic dining concept. Here’s what to expect when you visit!
La Terrazza, Raleigh – Location, Interior Decor
Enter the Dillon by the Barcelona Wine Bar and you’ll find a bank of elevators that will whisk you up to the 9th floor where La Terrazza sits. Street parking in this area can be difficult due to Raleigh’s ongoing construction activity but there is plenty of space available right in the Dillon itself and its parking structure. The entrance to La Terrazza is big and bold with ornate Mediterranean-style tile lining the walls around the entrance. Check in at the hostess kiosk and you’ll be ready to dine!
Inside La Terrazza, you’ll immediately come across the modern bar with sleek orange highlights and modern bar stools placed in front. Decorative wood slats line the ceiling and I imagine they may help with managing the ambient noise and conversations in this space. To the left, you’ll also find a bottle and liquor cabinet showcasing rare finds but your eyes are immediately drawn to the modern bubble tiles that lie underneath. These tiles are seen throughout the La Terrazza dining areas from the floors to the walls and give the space a bit of a 70s feel.
Immerse your eyes around the spacious interior, you’ll find it to be wide-open with plenty of sunshine pouring in given the near floor to ceiling windows around this corner of the building. Fantastic views of downtown Raleigh along with cloud and blue skies sooth the eye as views from the two main dining rooms ahead. To the right, you’ll also find a pair of doors that lead out to La Terrazza’s covered patio where you can enjoy that same great view along with some fresh air. It’s an amazing location with equally stunning scenery, I can’t imagine much better in Raleigh right now!
La Terrazza, Raleigh – Menu, Food, Prices
The menu at La Terrazza falls into the upscale Italian category, you’ll find a variety of small plates (mid $10s), pizzas, handmade pastas (mid $20s), and secondi (entrees, $30+) listed along with some sweets. For starters, the scallops crudo features thin slices of luscious scallop in a slightly astringent marinade and topped with citrus segments, a nice palate cleanser to get your meal going. The fried calamari is pretty traditional, featuring tender rings in a light coating and served up with their marinara sauce and a wedge of lemon.
The duck confit (which is typically featured on French menus) offers a substantial and crispy duck leg over greens frisee. The tender and succulent duck meat is excellent and paired with some poached strawberries. Loved the dish even though it may be a bit nontraditional for an Italian-focused menu!
For the mains, you can’t go wrong with La Terrazza’s margherita pizza cooked which is baked up pinsa style (wheat, rice flour) and is light and airy to the tongue. And given all of La Terrazza’s pastas are house-made, I loved the leek ravioli. Cooked nicely al dente with some bite and savory sauce, it’s a hearty dish and I’d like to try more of what they are rolling out at La Terrazza in the pasta category.
My first visit was partially comped but I’ll be back to try more off their menu, I imagine it will evolve quite a bit during their opening months.
La Terrazza, Raleigh – Service, Conclusion
Service at La Terrazza was great and we’ll see how it holds up for future visits but I’d be patient as they work out the service kinks. La Terrazza is still in its opening phase so I’ll be back to add to this review but overall I’m really impressed with what they are doing right at the start. For the view, decor, and menu, the prices are quite reasonable
