50 Best Italian Restaurants near Durham

“So on my way home and I’m starving but I’m in Durham and it’s almost 9:00 pm so I pull into Carmines and the guys r outside. I walk up and they say r u picking up and I’m like no I wanted one of the frozen pies in the case. Sorry register is all closed. Ok thanks anyway I said and one of the chefs hands me one of his pies and says enjoy. Love you guys at Carmines.“

“I celebrated my graduation dinner and everything was great. The service was outstanding, food was delicious and the manager was very attentive to make sure my guests and I very having a good time. I definitely will be back. I highly recommend!!!! Thank you!“

“Sfogliatelle! They offer it frozen! Get it, pop it in your air fryer until golden brown and enjoy feeling like you are in heaven. It’s filled fully with great quality cheese and orange peel. It’s frozen so you can keep it on hand and feel free to lie to your friends that you made it. Best enjoyed alone with a cup of coffee on a quiet morning.“

“When on a recommendation from a friend. Food and service were fantastic. Portions over the top. We will be back.“

“Hands down best lunch I've ever had !! I celebrated my 60th birthday with my bff today ! I can't wait to go back... service: impeccable food: Outstanding cocktails: super fun and delicious ! This restaurant is not just a 10... is above and beyond !! Thank you Sabrina for a wonderful afternoon in your beautifully decorated restaurant. You and your husband have a winner in my book ❤️“

“We did some shopping then we're going to check out the Duham Fair. but we were late and didn't want to take the bus ride for 30 minutes left of the Fair. so we looked for somewhere to eat. what luck! We had a fabulous experience! A couple great drinks. Some delicious garlic bread. Then dinner came. my eggplant rolatini was amazing! my wife dish was as well. we had the pistachio Gelato for dessert. and I had a delicious espresso. The service? it was a delight! Made our day. loved everything about this accidental dinner! well be back for sure! thank you all!“

“Planned a buffet for thirty people. Owner was great to work with. Food was delicious. Dining room was set up nicely. Perfect family affair.“

“great food great people great atmosphere.. thank you Jo and George“

“food was amazing and big portions. waitress was nice and did not interupt every five mins...i have been going to the one i middletown over 20 yrs. do yourself a favor and try this place out. going back for lunch today“

“This is a takeout review. All food is eaten promptly in the vehicle. I ordered a side of meatballs and a large Pepperoni Pizza. The meatballs were excellent, moist, tender, with great flavor. The pizza was also very good. Great crust with some nice crisp and a tasty sauce. The portions were nicely balanced. The only down side was the pizza was larger than the box so three slices were bent over. On a scale from 0-10, i would rate this 9.1.“

“I can believe we didn’t try this amazing restaurant until tonight. I can’t say enough about the excellent service and attention paid to our party. Top notch recommendations made for the best tasting meal I have had in a long time. We will enjoy this fantastic place many times in the future as our staple for high quality and superb food. Thank you for the exceptional evening and we look forward to joining you again in the very near future!“

“Delicious garlic knots, food and wonderful service. reasonable prices. wonderful atmosphere.“

“This was our 2nd time going to Favio’s Trattoria for dinner. The food, atmosphere and service is great. The new owner David is very attentive and is an amazing chef.. Food was prepared to perfection.“

“Delicious seafood and steaks! Excellent martini's!!“

“The Mahi Mahi, and Pork Chops specials were so delicious that we literally wiped the plates clean! Fratelli’s has the best bread, great service, absolutely delicious food and a wonderful family atmosphere. What are you waiting for? The best food in town is at Fratelli’s! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟“

“The waitstaff was so friendly and accommodating! They made everything seamless. The food was fine, maybe a little bland--the appetizers were all very good though. The ambience was very nice: large windows to the golf course, high ceilings and neutral colors.“

“Always delicious and the staff is so nice! A ++“

“Great food perfect place for a family reunion“

“We ordered catering for my daughter’s graduation from the S Main St location. The food was exceptional. We ordered chicken parm, chicken marsala & eggplant parm. Everything was amazing and the eggplant was by far the best I’ve ever had! Thank you!!!“

“My favorite restaurant of all time“

“Great place, friendly staff and food was great“

“I. just herd from friend of mine that Nardellis reopened in middletown so we take a ride to see what they got I was very impress by how much verity they have in there deli case stuff where very friendly I got stake and cheese grinder and potato salad wow stake was amazing bread was very fresh potato salad was delicious it taste so fresh I will differently go back again“

“Excellent Excellent!!!! My 1st time yesterday,, crust not thin just right,,, friendly people, atmosphere, had my 2 dirty martinis. Also good selection,,,, I will be back!!!!! & my husband ate it,, he like meat but he didn't complain,, servers are wonderdul,, I like Lunas,, I walked in there first, I enjoy Lunas to,,, but they both have 35 address,, enjoy!!“

“A wonderful find with a real Italian waitress. Appetizers of cold antipasto and friend mozzarella were excellent. Our group had: eggplant paremigiana, veal Francaise (which my companion said was the best she's had), and I had Calamari over linguini with a wonderful red sauce. Gelato for dessert, which was totally old-world. Excellent and friendly service. Good wine list. This is a winner.“

“La Foresta is truly our go-to restaurant and holds a very special place in my heart. It’s where I got engaged and celebrated my bridal shower, and I couldn’t imagine better memories anywhere else! The staff is always professional, kind, and genuinely caring — they make every visit feel special. The food is consistently delicious, and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. Whether it’s a big celebration or just dinner out, La Foresta never disappoints.“

“Had the Shrimp and NY Strip and it was excellent!“

“Server was great and accommodating. Food was great! Will definitely visit again!“

“Dinner with friends last night. My first visit, their second. Adequate parking, attractive dining room, attentive and friendly server. My friends both had the Italian chopped salad with chicken and liked it very much. I had the eggplant rollatini with ricotta and spinach, and pasta with vodka sauce, and my husband had the chicken parmesan. Both of those entrees were OK, but nothing to rave about. The bread served with the meal was also just OK. If I were picking an Italian restaurant in Middletown just based on the food, I much prefer Fiore on Main Street with its fabulous garlic rolls- and salads that come with the meals. But Red Fox Amore did have the advantage of easy access to continuing on to New Haven, where we were heading later in the evening.“

“yes, highly recommend. pizza is really great, we ordered ahead to go for my mom's 81st. enjoyed by everyone!“

“My experience was awesome one. The food was awesome. The new management is great. The staff is awesome“

“First time trying today. wonderful crust and the sauce is very good. Also has great staff. Highly recommend!“

“love this place. excellent food. ordered gnocci with sauteed zucchini and onions in red sauce, and side of sausage. it is out of this world good.“

“My son and I went today for lunch. I have been wanting a pistachio martini since I saw it made from the happy bartender with the huge smile. I didn’t get her name but see her on the Christos fb videos. Did not disappoint was delicious. She is a great bartender and a wonderful waitress l. We sat in the bar area and it was enjoyable as it wasn’t loud and the table gave us plenty of room for our meal. Brussels Sprouts were delicious as always I had a Cajun wrap and my son had a huge salad loaded with chicken and avocado 🥑 I remember Christos when it was in the plaza and the food never disappoints. I also enjoy the daily family specials text to me. If you haven’t signed up to get the daily specials text to you do it. So many great meals to pick up and bring home. There’s two different specials. Every day lunch and dinner. Give Christos a try if you haven’t been you won’t be disappointed. I live in West Haven but my son is lucky enough to live in North Haven and pick up from Christos on his way home from Westport.“

“The chicken Cobb salad is the best at Illiano’s. It is my favorite and I make certain I order it several times a month. It is a huge salad, all ingredients are fresh and loaded with everything. No other restaurant can compare. Thank you for offering a great salad.“

“Cannot thank the staff, especially Debbie, Cheryl, and Christine for their amazing efforts in coordinating a dinner at Gaetano's following a funeral for our treasured family member. We could not have been more pleased with the accommodations, the food, and especially the service. We received many positive compliments from our family and friends. We could not have picked a better spot to gather. We are so grateful for the comfortable, supportive and positive experience we had during such a difficult time we were all going through.“

“Great service and a staple for great pizza. They know what they're doing in that place. My wife and I order from Gino's once a week for date night. The wings are the truth! Best in Ct!“

“We held our wedding rehearsal brunch at Esca Wine Bar, and it was wonderful. The staff were so accommodating when we realized we hadn’t counted ourselves (the bride and groom) in the guest count and needed 2 more seats, quickly making the adjustments to the tables and to the food. They were able to accommodate a variety of dietary restrictions, as well as providing both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to everyone. Our host even took a group photo for us at the end of the event. We absolutely recommend having an event here at Esca!“

“This place never disappoints awesome people great, Pizza for any occasion no I was not paid to say that lol try it guys I promise is good“

“My husband and I have been there 2 times now and they keep getting better. The first time, they had a friendly waitress with great food. Second time, they somehow improved. Anytime our work sends us to Rhode Island, this place is a great spot for lunch on the way where we know we can get great service at a reasonable price. Once we find a place that treats us right with great food, we don't like to try new places so I'm very glad to recommend this place and can't wait for our next trip to stop again.“

“We ordered catering for my daughter’s graduation from the S Main St location. The food was exceptional. We ordered chicken parm, chicken marsala & eggplant parm. Everything was amazing and the eggplant was by far the best I’ve ever had! Thank you!!!“

“I Came here for the first time because I could smell the pizza cooking from the parking lot. It smelled as good as it tasted! I ordered a large cheese pizza and salad with chicken. Staff was pleasant! Food was delivered quickly and tasted great! Will be back again !

Updated 5/9/2026

Still have awesome food and service here! We came here for Mother’s Day with a party of 7 and they got us right in! Staff was great ! We enjoyed our food too :)“

“The best service and food hands down. Andrea is truly the best 💜“

“Ravioli was very good. Homemade Tasty sauce but I do like a little more pepper in my sauce“

“My husband and I ordered a pizza to go from Carini’s for the first time under their new management. We ordered the Smog pizza. It had sausage, mushrooms, peppers and onions as toppings. The pizza was absolutely delicious! It had just the right amount of mozzarella. The sausage was so tasty and the mushrooms, onions, and peppers were fresh and cooked perfectly. Having grown up in New Haven, I loved that the crust was on the thinner side. I highly recommend Carini’s! We look forward to ordering more pizza or stopping in for dinner some night!“

“Vero's never dissapoints! Best broccoli rabe pizza, amazing local farmed sausage, delicious dinners & oh my god the bread! Fabulous!“

“I can’t decide what’s better.. the food or the customer service.“

“I stopped by the Cromwell location on my travels for business between CT and MA. I had never been, nor had I ever heard of Nardelli's even though I grew up in CT (I live in MA now). Great menu, great food (buff chick wrap), and friendly staff. The inside is a little too much of a fast food feel, but that's pretty minor.“

“We always have a great meal & the staff is exceptional. It’s our first choice when eating out.“

“Amazing food, everything I've tried from here has been delicious. I absolutely recommend the clam chowder!“

“I returned today 2 months after leaving a negative review. I took a chance by purchasing a small cheese pie. I was very happy with the pizza today. I will come back again to my favorite pizzeria.“