Satisfy your comfort-food cravings this fall with pasta dishes from three Best of Chatham award-winning spots
By Renee Ambroso | Photo by John Michael Simpson
VEG OUT
Amy Coughlin and Andy Pignatora were on a weeklong cycling trip in Oregon when the concept for a community-focused cafe serving quality food, coffee, beer and wine took shape in their minds. That spark led the couple to open Breakaway Cafe in fall 2016 at Chapelton Court near their Briar Chapel neighborhood.
A second location, Breakaway Carrboro, opened in 2022 and serves a menu that differs from the Briar Chapel cafe but keeps the same roots: “American [fare] elevated with high-quality ingredients,” Amy says. “Everything is made from scratch, inhouse.” Breakaway’s dishes often feature “more vegetables and more color,” she says, than run-of-the-mill cafe food, earning it recognition as one of Chatham County’s best spots for vegetarians
The restaurant serves well-rounded breakfast and brunch offerings all year – earning its place among the best breakfast and brunch spots as well as top coffee shops – alongside weekly specials and a rotating monthly pancake flavor. Dinner menus shift seasonally to highlight ingredients at their peak.
Stop by the Briar Chapel location this fall to tuck in to a vegetarian Bolognese linguini – a hearty yet healthy option mimicking the traditional sauce but substituting meat with mushrooms and other vegetables.
“[This dish] takes something people know and twists it a little,” Amy says.
Breakaway further distinguishes itself from cafes that treat pastries or casual fare as an afterthought to the beverage lineup by thoughtfully crafting recipes that incorporate quality, fresh produce prepared with care.
“We spend a lot of time procuring ingredients we feel good about,” Amy says. “We prioritize bringing in proteins from vendors who support and practice ethical farming, and we support local as much as possible.”
SHAKEN, STIRRED AND SAUCED
Tucked between a hair salon and a dance studio on Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro’s liveliest cocktail bar plays everything from mid-century jazz to ’90s hip-hop. The Beagle serves up “fetching” no-fuss classics like the house martini, plus playful seasonal sips like “The Retriever,” a whiskey punch with a kick from the addition of baking spices and citrus – in fact, our readers rank their libations among the best in Chatham.
If you fancy something to soak up your drink of choice, The Beagle’s food menu focuses on seasonal small plates and shareables, plus rotating specials Tuesday through Thursday.
About two years ago, owners Brendan Cox and Leslie Cox introduced Red Sauce Wednesdays – inspired by the northern Italian cuisine that takes center stage at their Carrboro restaurant, Oakleaf – as an opportunity to further explore a classic comfort dish: pasta.
“We love the retro feel of that checkered-tablecloth Italian food,” Brendan says. “The Red Sauce night is fun for us because it diverges from our regular menu by a good bit. … We like to highlight classics like lasagna, chicken and eggplant Parm, shrimp scampi and the like, but will go a little bit further afield with dishes like our potato gnocchi with sweet corn and spicy Calabrian sausage.”
The best way to keep up with weekly specials is to check The Beagle’s Instagram page, but Brendan says diners who visit this fall can look forward to tasting mezze rigatoni paired with a traditional Sunday Sauce made from braised pork shoulder, pancetta, sausage, San Marzano tomatoes, Montepulciano wine, pecorino and rosemary.
“Generally, we like to [serve this dish] as a baked pasta, so it will have a healthy dose of mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano on top,” Brendan says. “Eat this with a glass of Italian red, a classic Negroni or ‘The Ferrari GT,’ which has Fernet Branca, Campari and Sazerac rye.”
PASTA LA VISTA
Just north of The Beagle at 160 Hillsboro St., Elizabeth’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant offers hearty portions of pasta, pizza, salads and sandwiches in a cozy, family-friendly atmosphere.
Grab a booth, open a menu, and ask your server for their recommendations. (Pro tip: You can’t go wrong with the garlic knots, or anything that comes with a side of the housemade ranch.)
The best thing about Elizabeth’s menu is its flexibility – gluten-free pizza crust, whole-wheat pasta and plenty of vegetarian options (we’re especially fond of the eggplant Parmesan, served over classic spaghetti) make it a spot worth trying for even the pickiest of palates and earning it a place among Chatham’s top pizza joints and Italian restaurants.
Each pasta dish comes with a choice of spaghetti, penne, fettucini or linguini, or, try a baked specialty like the Italian Tour to sample lasagna, manicotti and stuffed shells all on one plate. The restaurant also offers daily specials at both lunch and dinner (they are closed Tuesdays), on-site parking and a cannoli worth saving room for.
