50 Best Italian Restaurants in Raleigh

“We recently went to Brodeto to discover what all of the hype was about. From the minute we walked into the restaurant until the moment we walked out, I have nothing but great things to say about this restaurant. i honestly believe it was one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. The food is awesome and the staff was spot on in every aspect. I can only hope that everyone has the same experience that I was able to witness.“

“We had a wedding rehearsal dinner there this past weekend. Delicious food, good sized portions, excellent service! Thank you so much for making it a wonderful occasion.“

“We drove all the way from Swansboro, Nc to eat their pizza and mozzarella cheese sticks! No joke! We take a mini trip just to eat their delicious foods! Highly recommend! Everyone is so kind! My son even loves playing the piano as we exit the building! We are already looking forward to be returning in the near future! The cheese pull on the mozz sticks is crazy! Thank you again!!!“

“I really love this restaurant and the Italian food is outstanding. Very nice management and staff too with outstanding service.“

“The bread was dense and very fresh. We had Baked Ziti w/meat sauce, Creamy Pesto Fetuncini w/chicken, and Fried Fresh Mozzarella. All of it was delicious! Portion sizes were as expected. Pricing was as expected. $49 w/tax 2 people, 1 water, 1 coke..before tip.“

“We came here for the first time tonight and were so impressed! The food, ambiance, service, and cleanliness were all amazing. I fot the gnocchi and beef tips and it was amazing. The calamari appetizer was perfectly seasoned. The chicken parm and eggplant rollatini were excellent. The apple strudel dessert with the homemade whipped cream and cinnamon gelato was next level delicious. We were all so.impressed from start to finish, and our server, Mya, was excellent. Can't wait to come back again, so glad to have found this place.“

“Great New York style pizza. Sandwiches and desserts are great too.“

“My partner and I decided to try Piada on Valentines Day while craving some pasta. When I tell you it DID NOT DISAPPOINT!

From the greeting, to the helpful tips from Precious and Tiffany, and the quality and consistency of the food. We even tried a Spinach Artichoke Piada Pocket with marinara sauce. 10/10 and will definitely be trying again.

This will now be our a favorite spot for quick but tasty meals. They have great recipes but can also create your own. Try it for yourself :)“

“An unforgettable evening at Anthony’s LaPiazza Prime. From the moment we sat down, the ambiance felt rich, intimate, and effortlessly refined.

The espresso martini was smooth — perfectly balanced with just the right depth. The mozzarella caprese was vibrant and luxuriously fresh, letting every ingredient shine. The veal chop was exquisite — tender, flavorful, and cooked to absolute perfection. And the steak? Impeccable. Juicy, beautifully seasoned, and presented with elegance.

Every dish felt intentional and indulgent — truly a 100 out of 10.

What elevated the entire experience even more was the service. Attentive, polished, and genuinely warm without ever being intrusive. It’s rare to find a place that executes both cuisine and hospitality at this level.

Anthony’s LaPiazza Prime is sophistication, romance, and exceptional Italian dining all in one. A place you don’t just visit — you savor.“

“our server kylie was OUTSTANDING, great recommendations, lovely personality and overall attentiveness!! i can confidently say that all staff was on top of it, and went out of their way to make my birthday dinner feel special. food was pretty great as well, but would definitely come back just for the atmosphere and the stellar staff!“

“Just had one of the best Philly cheese steak subs ever! Definitely would recommend.“

“Great local italian restaurant.
Pizza oven was not working night we visited.
Pasta was good.
Parking was easy
Staff was helpful and comfortable offering options that worked for most in our party.
Make reservations, fills up fast.“

“As always, it was excellent. We found this place during covid, now we drive 90 miles for Dr. appts. at Durham and make sure we get to eat here before we leave. Excellent! Excellant! Excellant!“

“Great authentic Italian cuisine! Great friendly staff!!“

“Nothing beats the comfort and quality of Bella Monica food! I first dined here in college when I was looking for some eggplant parmesan - since that day 20 years later it’s still my favorite Italian restaurant in Raleigh! Btw their eggplant parmesan uses in house ROASTED eggplant not fried and I cannot explain how delicious it is. I’ve likely tried everything on the menu by this point and not once have I been disappointed.“

“Amazing ambience and food great location loved it“

“Such a great place. So yummy and friendly :)“

“Our entire family celebrated my daughter’s birthday on a busy Friday night, but we felt like we were the only ones in the restaurant! Personal service, great wine, and the food makes you want to go back every day for something new!!! Thanks to the Longp family for a spectacular and fun celebration! Will be back soon!!!!“

“I found a recommendation for Farina on a Reddit post about Italian restaurants in Raleigh and I am so glad I decided to try it! The food was beyond wonderful with amazing portions and our server, Rachel I. was just as splendid. I can’t say enough about how much we enjoyed our experience and I will definitely recommend Farina to everyone!“

“it was ,by far, one of the best restaurants for authentic Italian food that I for one grew up eating in New York. we came for dinner on 8/29/2024 to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. it looks like the restaurant has changed hands, as all of the staff with the exception of one of server has been replaced. and, the quality of the food has gone down quite a lot. there's no where near the consistency and portions, yet they have new menus with higher prices. we sure won't be going back. this is a shame, as we've been going there for quite a long time.“

“We discovered this restaurant during restaurant week and we are so glad that we did! We went in about an hour before closing and sometimes that can be a hit or miss, but not for this restaurant! Our food came out hot and perfectly prepared! Everything was delicious and I definitely did not expect these type of dishes at this restaurant! I’m so excited to come back in a try an array of different entrees. The ambience was also great in the restaurant and it definitely can accommodate any type of gathering or small birthday party as well.“

“My family was starving and cold then we entered this splendid area it was warm and safe the lady at the front greeted us with open arms and the guy cooking was blessed by God himself to whip up divine dishes he made a pizza that could rival the gods cooking we ate it all up and the lady was always asking if we needed anything and if we needed refills this place is beautiful and could feed a 100 men with smiles on their faces PLEASE GO HERE THEY SLEPT ON FR“

“Love the service and food! 10/10 recommend!!“

“Came in around 8p and ordered a small pepperoni (hand-tossed) with spinach (spinach recommended by cashier) and he told me 10 minutes. I sat in my car for 8 as I was walking in I was met at the door with a steaming hot pizza & may I add it was quite delicious. Don’t think I’ll be getting my pizza elsewhere!!“

“Ate dinner here last night! Food was great and our waitress, Hannah, was the best!“

“Great place to eat, very friendly staff.“

“Went here last night and the service was great and the food was as well. Shannon is a great fit“

“Some of THE best pizza I've ever had! We drive an hour just to come eat this pizza. The cheese is my absolute favorite but the chicken bacon ranch is awesome too!! Can't go wrong with any choice!“

“Excellent pizza and food, great service with pleasant staff.“

“We just discovered a hidden gem here. It's got a very casual feel but the food is no joke. I had lobster ravioli and it was fantastic and the breadsticks that they serve with every meal are hot and tasty. They obviously have great pizza pies, although I haven't had one yet but they have a real variety of all kinds of Italian foods. My wife had a Stromboli and she loved it. She liked the fact that it wasn't real heavy on bread and it was nice and crispy with a great marinara sauce for dipping. Of course, the most important thing is the service and Marta did not disappoint. She knows the foods and is one of the nicest waitresses ever. She will take good care of you, I promise.
Thank you so much Marta!“

“La Piazza catered my daughter's wedding this past Saturday and OMG, it was the best EXPERIENCE ever!!!! The food was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS, the amount of food was incredible. Guests were coming up to me all night and the next day asking who catered the wedding, because the food was so delicious. I HIGHLY recommend Anthony for all your catering needs. If you are looking for delicious authentic Italian food then he is your guy to go to. He was absolutely the best to work with. He stayed in constant communication with us the entire time. We also had him make 20 pizzas for the rehearsal dinner and EVERYONE loved the pizza's. He helped make our daughter's dream wedding come true. His staff was AMAZING. Anthony, WE APPRECIATE YOU!!!!THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!!!!“

“This place is a gem. Food was delicious. Service excellent. Atmosphere, warm and friendly. Can't wait to return“

“Love coming back to this place for our corporate parties. Delicious food, great service, beautiful design and warm atmosphere.“

“This place blew away my expectations! The food was delicious at a great value. The staff and manager (Joyella) are the best!“

“I had a great meal tonight consisting of veal parm and pasta, bread and salad. The veal and pasta were very flavorful. The rolls were very tasty.“

“Specifically reviewing our visit here over the snow day last Saturday. Arrived a bit after 5pm and only 2 other tables were seated. The snow had just started to consistently fall and they weren’t really sure how long they’d stay open.

Food was typical Olive Garden, no surprises there but our server, Alfredo was great. He was the only server when we arrived and as time went on, more people showed up and soon the entire middle section was full and he was busy.

Five stars and a huge shout out to Alfredo who walked to work that day and did a fantastic job not only for us but for the rest of the middle section!“

“My family enjoys our local 3 Olives ( New Hope) regularly. Prices are reasonable, food is always excellent and customer service is ??. They’ve earned this review - six plus months and we have enjoyed each dish. Please know we appreciate you!“

“Excellent food, service and atmosphere.“

“My waitress Alexis was the best! I ordered the Salmon entree and it was so delicious! The bread and oil were the best I’ve ever tasted! This was my first visit and I’ll go back!“

“If you are looking for amazing authentic Italian food (especially the pasta) look no further. I also love the whole atmosphere - it was wonderful to sit outside in a place that doesn’t feel like it is in the city and genuinely has a beautiful view.“

“Excellent pizza! We ordered 2 pies and a gluten free. All were excellent and piping hot. We will definitely be back.“

“Great experience Food was GREAT. Leona and Hampton are the best.“

“Excellent food and service in a cool and chic setting. Calamari is especially tasty with lemon aoli and hot honey sauce. Focaccia bread is amazing too. save room for dessert“

“Phenomenal food at a family owned business. So glad my wife & I found this hidden gem today. We were very pleased with our tasty food, large portions, & great atmosphere. We will be back.“

“So delicious!!! Ravioli and chicken cacciatore.Yum!“

“The few times I've been here the food and service were excellent and Ive left with a ton of leftovers after eating and endless bowl of pasta. A couple next to me had something wrong with their order, and the manager went out of their way to hook them up.“

“The atmosphere was romantic and the food was absolutely amazing! My husband had one of the best filets that he has ever had and the homemade pasta was as close as I’ve found to true Italian pasta. Highly recommend for a romantic date night ❤️“

“Great experience Food was GREAT. Leona and Hampton are the best.“

“The Chicago pizza is AWESOME!!! Stopped in on a trip too get it to go. The manager (assuming he was) and/or at least bartender made great LIT’s and was a cool guy to talk to while waiting! I’ll be making the hour drive there often!“

“We have been going to Dominic's for years! The pizza is delicious. Everything else is just as good. The staff rocks and the location is beautiful around the pond. Live music on weekends and always a smile and great service inside of Dominics. Give it a try! You'll LOVE it!“