Diners' Choice: Italian restaurants in Raleigh

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Italian cuisine in Raleigh? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Anthony's La Piazza Prime - Downtown Raleigh

4.9

4.9 (17)

$30 and under

Italian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Anthony's La Piazza is a family-owned and operated Italian restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina. The restaurant brand has been serving the community for over 20 years. Anthony's La Piazza is known for its delicious food, friendly service, and warm atmosphere. The restaurant offers a wide variety of Italian dishes, including pasta, pizza, seafood, and steaks. Anthony's La Piazza also has a full bar and a wine list. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Anthony's also has an elegant lounge open late nights Thursday through Saturday. We are located on the first floor of the AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown in the Glenwood South district.

Top review

Kim

Dined 7 days ago

...My party, and I really enjoyed our food and drinks. Everything was amazing. I gave them a 3 on the service because I was seated after a group that came in after me. Their reservation was 745, mine 730. They immediately were served water, bread, and drinks. After I finally was seated. I had to ask for water. Only my glass was filled, although it was 3 others in my group. I had to ask for bread. One of the drinks that we ordered was incorrect and never rectified. I ordered the ribeye, med rare, the first time it came out, it was almost well done. Then, my second ribeye was almost rare. Again, the food was amazing, but the service I saw others receive and what I experienced left me feeling some type of way. I would still recommend this place because the food was truly delicious. One of my very guests is a picky eater, and she didn't complain about her food or drink. Only that she asked for no capers on her order, and it was brought to the table with capers.

cafe tiramisu

4.8

4.8 (1595)

$30 and under

Italian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, Cafe Tiramisu offers a menu full of authentic Northern Italian cuisine. The family-owned and operated restaurant is decorated sparingly and the dining room is a cozy, relaxing environment. Cafe Tiramisu has a full bar but specializes in wine with an extensive wine selection both by the glass and by the bottle.

Try the ravioli or the shrimp dip to start out your meal at Cafe Tiramisu. Choose from Italian classics like the lasagna or the marsala. The menu includes plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options as well. Choose one of the restaurant's sides for your entree like the fried eggplant or the sauteed spinach.

Top review

SamuelVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Food is excellent with quite a few choices. The bread is fantastic.

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Popular dish

Beef Carpaccio

Amalia's Authentic Italian Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (808)

$50 and over

Italian

Wake Forest

About the restaurant

Amalia Fumelli is the inspiration behind Amalia’s Authentic Italian Restaurant. She was born in Italy in 1932, and grew up on a farm. As she grew up, she took an interest in cooking and learned everything about the Italian kitchen from her mother and grandmother. For countless hours each day, Amalia began making hand-made pasta with her rolling pin on an old, wooden table. After many years, she had mastered her pasta creations through her skilled handiwork, precise cutting skills, and the amount of love she put into her work.

Over time, Amalia has passed all of her secrets and knowledge about food along to her children and grandchildren. One grandchild in particular, Filippo Fanfani, gained a passion for the art of cooking through her guidance. As a child, he spent all his days at his grandmother’s house preparing meals for his family. The two have a strong bond, that began with their conjoining love of creating meals that are enjoyable for everyone.

Top review

Brian

Dined 1 day ago

Second time dining here and the food and service is top tier!

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Popular dish

Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

Bella Monica

4.8

4.8 (3624)

$30 and under

Italian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Benvenuto! Opened August 2000, chef/ owner Corbett Monica and his wife, Julie, created this trattoria as an extension of his Nanas dinner table. A place where the neighborhood gathers to dine and enjoy life. Guests become family at our tables, enjoying recipes handed down from our grandparents. Following tradition, we make our sauce with San Marzano tomatoes and use only the freshest ingredients available, just like Nana. Our gravy is so good that we eat it like soup! Neapolitan menu, thin-crust Flatbread pizzas, Pasta, NC Seafood, Chicken, Local Pork. Without a doubt, the best cannoli you will ever taste! Our wine list features all Italian, hard-to-find selections that are a perfect match for our Pasta and Flatbreads. Wine Spectator 2007-2024. Local art is on our walls and we play a great upbeat music mix. We welcome you to our business, our culture, our family. It is an honor and pleasure to cook for you. Please enjoy our food and the company you share at our table. Mangia bene!

Top review

Nancy

Dined 5 days ago

Whole wheat penne with chicken, chicken balsamico and eggplant rollatini were excellent. The desserts are outstanding! The best tiramisu I’ve ever had!! Service is friendly and attentive. Reservations are highly recommended.

Encore Ristorante

4.8

4.8 (92)

$31 to $50

Italian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Now Accepting Reservations For July 9th and beyond,
The crew from Northside Bistro are now going to provide some amazing Italian cuisine, Top notch Steaks, and delightful seafood. Expect to see some of the great cooks and friendly staff you expect at Northside along with some great new team members we are excited to introduce to the area.
Chef John and his team are excited to bring you some takes on classic Italian cuisine along with some expected twists and turns to keep things current and we will always hunt for the highest quality ingredients we can find. Service promises to be warm and inviting never taking our focus off the details that matter while still keeping it fun and light hearted.
The decor here at Encore is a polished but comfy, the environment will create great energy and a sense of community but still provide some romantic corners for a Romantic evening with loved ones.
Carol and John are so excited to bring their second offering to the North Raleigh area!

Top review

Karen

Dined 3 days ago

The food and service were amazing! I would highly Recommend!

Caffe Luna

4.7

4.7 (2536)

$30 and under

Italian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Situated in a beautiful historic building in downtown Raleigh, Caffé Luna has been bringing authentic Italian cuisine with a Tuscan flair to the Triangle for over two decades.

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AlanVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Excellent food and service and good value! We always enjoy dining at Caffe Luna when we are downtown for a concert or ballet.

Colletta - Cary, NC

4.7

4.7 (1557)

$30 and under

Italian

Cary

About the restaurant

Seasonal changes, outstanding ingredients and a made-from-scratch philosophy guide Chef 's menu of house-made focaccia and pasta, antipastis, made-to-order wood-fired pizzas, and piatti. The chef curated dinner and dessert menus, pair with the well balanced wine and beverage program. Located at Fenton in Cary, NC, this casual yet polished family-style Italian restaurant features 120 indoor dining seats, 60 seats outdoors on the semi-covered patio, and a 12-seat bar.

Top review

Alli

Dined 5 days ago

Great food, excellent service, and a great location in Fenton. They were very kind in helping me celebrate my birthday recently. We will definitely be back!

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Cucciolo Terrazza Raleigh

4.7

4.7 (739)

$31 to $50

Italian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Cucciolo Terrazza, named Best New Restaurant 2022 by Raleigh Magazine, serves simple and delicious Italian food using the highest quality ingredients in an upscale, yet friendly and casual environment. We will always strive to provide the best service possible through genuine care for our Guests.

Top review

Ashley

Dined on Dec 9, 2024

Great food and drinks! Large selection of wines! Tiramisu was delicious.

Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar

4.6

4.6 (3017)

$30 and under

Italian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar, a locally owned Italian restaurant that has been named one of Raleigh's best by Raleigh Magazine. Located in the heart of downtown Raleigh, minutes from the Raleigh Convention Center, Mulino offers an authentic dining experience that showcases the rich flavors and traditions of Italy. Guests can enjoy classic Italian dishes made with fresh ingredients, perfectly paired with wines from Italy & beyond.

Mulino’s inviting atmosphere includes cozy indoor seating & a beautiful outdoor patio, available on a first-come basis. Mulino can accommodate parties from 2 to 250 guests. For groups of 12 or more, a special large-party menu is available to enhance your dining experience.

Parking is available at 209 N. Dawson Street, 329 N McDowell Street, and streetwise along Lane Street.

We look forward to welcoming you to Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar, where every meal is crafted with passion and every guest is treated like family.

Top review

Byron

Dined 2 days ago

Mulino is a wonderful place for a meal! My son and I took my wife here to celebrate her birthday and we were not disappointed. The decor and ambiance in an old mill provided a great atmosphere. Our server JoElla was friendly and very knowledgeable of all the selections on the menu. My wife and son had the gnocci and I ate the Picci with scallops added. Everything was perfect! I would highly recommend Mulino to anyone.

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IL FALÒ WOOD FIRED KITCHEN

4.0

4 (200)

$31 to $50

Italian

Raleigh

About the restaurant

Il Falò celebrates the art of cooking with fire – with quality ingredients prepared skillfully and cooked to perfection over the open flame.

Our wood-fired oven and grill add a kiss of fire to artisan-quality meats, fresh seafood, vegetables sourced from our local partners, pizzas on house-made sourdough, and elements of our craft cocktails.

With an emphasis on the craft of cooking, ingredients are sourced thoughtfully, pastas and breads are made in-house, and a contemporary approach is applied to Italian tradition.

Enjoy our open dining room, stylish lounge and bar, and outdoor patio, centrally located in the Brier Creek area of Raleigh, North Carolina.

Top review

Shenny

Dined 3 days ago

Everything was as expected Service, food and ambiance simply perfect

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Popular dish

Margherita

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