City: Hilton Head, SC

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (843) 785-7006

Address: 15 Pope Ave.

Description: This “little star” of an Italian restaurant shines forth from a wooded nook off Pope Avenue. Owner Joe Pesce and his partners have created the comfortable look of the Little Italy section of New York City at Stellini. Especially inviting is the 40-seat Carolina Room, a porch with views of the surrounding forest. The restaurant also has a main dining room for 50. The menu provides an extensive selection of northern Italian fare, including chicken pancetta, a chicken breast sautéed in a light cream sauce with pancetta bacon and broccoli over angel-hair pasta; veal Sorrento, medallions of veal sautéed in white wine topped with eggplant and melted mozzarella cheese in marinara sauce over angel hair; and zuppa di pesce, clams, shrimp, scallops, mussels, calamari, and grouper in marinara over linguine. One item you won’t find on the menu is a special that’s offered often: the veal chop stuffed with prosciutto and mozzarella. Pesce suggests making reservations to dine at Stellini, which opened in 1988. The restaurant is open Mon through Sat for dinner starting at 5:30 p.m.; closed on Sun. Call during the winter months as they close briefly.