Wow, a friend and I came here for dinner tonight. It was my second time here, his first. We were both just blown away by the quality of the food and the excellent service. It gets crowded FAST. Either get there early and be prepared to wait, or make reservations. It seems, though, they don't take reservations for seatings before 8:30pm (I think that's right, don't quote me). My suggestion is to order several small appetizers, get a separate pasta/primo for each person, and then (if you're still hungry) split a main/secondo. Don't hesitate to sit at the bar. You won't feel like a second-class diner. Our service was wonderful (perhaps even better than table-side). Our favorite dishes were the 'nduja, the Brussels sprouts (beautiful!), and the broccoli. read more

What a cute random italian restaurant! (Cute on the inside that is since it is in this really weird looking strip mall when you first pull up, but don't let that fool you!) Not only do they have a separate bar area next door for you to wait until your table is ready, but this is some of the best pasta that I have had in the area by far! Yes, the service can be a little slow and it isn't the cheapest in the world, but I firmly believe that good food is worth paying more for. I got their pasta special of the day with black truffles and you can always tell when they make the pasta from scratch at italian restaurants. This pasta was SO good. It was light, the texture was perfect, and it was just the right amount of black truffle and olive oil, it was great! Our table also got the burrata special and that cheese was the best way to start my tastebuds off on the right path for the rest of the meal. The bread was lightly toasted with it, and I packed on piles of that cheese since it became extra addicting after that first bite. And then there is the tiramisu cannoli to end the meal! So again, don't judge a book by its stripmall cover--this place is pretty great! read more

We arrived 10 minutes or so in advance of our reservation only to discover a extremely disorganized dining room and kitchen. No one greeted us until a small bottleneck ,consisting of two other parties, formed at the door. A beleaguered sever finally came rushing over once people were spilling out into the parking lot. The server asked us for our name and confirmed that our reservation was on hand but asked us to wait because our table wasn't ready. The server then directed his attention to the couple immediately behind us, and told them that their res wouldn't be available for 15mins. To relieve congestion in the small dining room we opted to wait outside and told the server that he could find us there when our table was ready. Patiently, we waited outside for over 10 minutes and while doing so we noticed two other parties enter the restaurant, but nobody came back out. Eventually we became concerned about our reservation and when we went back inside to check on our table we discovered all the parties that were behind us had been seated. Naturally we were extremely frustrated and disappointed. We felt disrespected by the restaurant for not honoring our reservation and keeping track of our table. This was extremely bad service and indicates poor restaurant management. I cannot dinners enough from avoiding this dumpster fire of an Italian restaurant. Such a shame and embarrassment read more

Gocciolina has some of the most authentic Italian dishes I have ever eaten. We started with small plates filled with tender meatballs and shrimp bruschetta caught daily on the coast. The ingredients are fresh with flawless culinary presentation. I enjoyed a perfect portion of spaghetti with a side of roasted potatoes all topped with warm marinara. There are multiple dessert options but I opted for the cannolis and buttercream gelato. I will be a repeat customer and an advocate. If you love Italian cuisine you will love Gocciolina! read more

Gocciolina - Italian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Very good food and service. Nice atmosphere for a date. Smallest portions I've ever seen at an Italian restaurant. I left and had to have a snack when I got home. read more

Very good restaurant, love the food there. It is high in so it's not a place that you will go to often but when you do, the pasta melts in your mouth. They had good nice waiters and the food was really good. All in all 10/10 read more

I have a secret to tell you: For the longest time, I thought this place was the business front for the local Durham mafia, and that all of these reviews were products of bribery/intimidation. This is because every single time I or my fellow dining friend tried to call for a reservation, no one ever answered the phone. So, mafia front. But here's another secret: just go! Don't worry about a reservation, as Goccio keeps tables for walk-ins. Even if you do have to wait, it's the most pleasant wait ever, as they have recently taken over the space next door and turned it into a lovely lounge, where you can sit down, start on your bottle of wine (and it gets seamlessly added to your dinner bill), and snack on a few olives. We went on the eve of NYE, and the restaurant was bustling but not crazy. Service was fantastic, attentive, and warm, and in general the ambiance is just so nice and cozy. We ordered: - Appetizers: Meatballs (super fresh, but nothing to write home about), 'Nduja (wish it had come with more bread), and crispy fried eggplant (YUM, so light and great acid). - Whole roasted broccoli -- so simple, yet so delicious. - Spaghetti carbonara -- probably my favorite pasta dish, creamy, rich and satisfying - Goat cheese agnolotti -- the pasta pockets had good chewy texture, but I wanted more - That night's pasta special, flat noodles in a beef broth, very flavorful and tender - Cannoli -- flaky shells! Tiramisu was yum, less so for pistachio. - THE CHOCOLATE TORTE was amazing. GET THIS. Overall I would definitely come back. It was a lovely dining experience, perfect for intimate conversation with friends and family who like delicious, well-valued food. read more

Food was pretty good. Portions are on the smaller side but not worth it because the service is severely lacking. We came in on weekend and were told 45 minutes. The actual wait time was close to an hour and a half. People that came in later were sat before us. I had to ask for water refills several times. The bread was not served with olive oil and I asked and they didn't bring it. They forgot to bring me utensils. Dining room is so small and cramped it was hard to walk to get to the bathroom. read more

My only complaint was how hard it was to get a reservation - such is your fate when trying to get into the first good Italian place in the Triangle ever. We got the hostess to set 4 seats at the bar. All this was good * Trout crudo (so good we got a second one) * spaghetti carbonara ( ditto ) * Smoked tuna pyramid thing * Little plate of meats (Ribeye special was just ok...) They were doing a special Negroni for the special cocktail and it was good as hell. read more

I arrived on a Thursday night 9 pm, got out of the house fairly late. The dining room was almost full which is nice to see at 9 o'clock on a Thursday as that will mean this little gem will probably be staying around. Let's get right into the food. We ordered the antipasti meatballs spicy chickpeas and the spicy lettuce and pecorino salad as appetizers. The meatballs were top-notch all meat in a very flavorful sauce topped with Parmesan cheese. The chickpeas or spicy without being overwhelming and quite lovely on the bread provided. The salad was nicely dressed with lemon and oil which was a nice Counterpoint to the peppery arugula and pecorino. All in all an excellent start. For dinner we had the baked gnocchi with tomato pesto and stracchino cheese. The gnocchi were light and tender little pillows of potato that played really well with the cheese and tomato. I had the spicy seafood spaghetti with octopus shrimp calabrian chillies and a light butter sauce. Spicy and Briny from the seafood and lightly buttered all in all very flavorful and delicious . Both dishes were phenomenal. I came very close to ordering a second bowl of pasta just because it was so good, but I was looking forward to dessert as I'm a big cannoli fan. The outer shell of a cannoli was crunchy and crisp and the ricotta filling was slightly sweet and tasty. One end was smothered in pistachio nuts and the other in chocolate chips. If I was going to be very picky the Filling was a bit lemony for my taste. But that would be picking very small nits. As to the service our waiter was very helpful and willing to explain anything on the menu. I've seen a lot of complaints about the decor but I found the place to be fairly Charming especially since it's situated in a bit of a run-down area on Guess Road. I'm fairly sure this is going to be my go to Italian restaurant in Durham from now on read more

There is a lot of hype about this restaurant. I remember the pasta was good but don't remember anything else. For me it's all about atmosphere and I didn't feel it here. Plus it's a small place and the person taking reservations was very loud. Okay, you're a popular restaurant but that doesn't mean you imply to a customer they are not leaving soon enough. read more

Ersatz Italian, not worth the visit. Maybe the chef needs to BE Italian to do justice to the cuisine. They try, they really do, but ultimately it's a complete failure. Part of the reason is their ingredients - cheese made in NC and salumi from California just don't bring the dishes the authentic flavors they require. Their tomato sauce is an absolute disaster, much too sweet and lacking seasoning. The pasta was overcooked, about 5 minutes past al dente. Why braised collard greens even appears on an "Italian" menu is still a mystery to us, but much of their menu is faux Italian so maybe this shouldn't be a surprise. Most of their dishes have no relation to true Italian cuisine beyond throwing a traditional ingredient into the mix. The best part of the meal was the Sbrisolona, an almond cookie that would have been even better if the coffee wasn't so awful. The atmosphere was pleasant enough, service was friendly and efficient. read more

I can't wait to return here for another date night with my hubby after our baby is born so we can both indulge in a bottle of Vino. This place was fantastic! Tucked away in the most discrete location, you would never even know about it but for the buzz about a great Italian place around town. The waiter greeted me immediately, while my husband was still parking the car. He was great and was very receptive to the fact that I was pregnant and could not eat certain things. He also explained how all of the food was purchased from local farms, which I think is a great concept for a local restaurant! The food itself did not dissapoint. The fried eggplant with the melted gorgonzola cheese and fresh tomato was AMAZING. I also really enjoyed their take on spaghetti. As a finale, we ended with the almond torte. This is the best dessert in durham and is was an explosion of flavors in my mouth. I could have gone for a second, ya know, for the baby ;) read more

Gocciolina is hands down my favorite restaurant in Durham - I can't remember ever having a bad dish here. I love to start out my meal with one of the aperol spritzes, share some antipasti with friends, and then have the spaghetti carbonara all to myself. The side of brussels sprouts is killer with just a bit of heat, and their daily specials are always plentiful and can cater to any palate. This is a great place to take a date or your parents! read more

Hands down best authentic Italian food in the Triangle. Quaint atmosphere, attentive and knowledgeable waitstaff, and spectacular food. 2 of us split 3 antipasti, a garden salad and the lasagna special. All delicious, fresh and left us excited for more. Can't wait to go back and sample more of the menu. Make sure you make a reservation well in advance! This place fills up quickly, for good reason. read more

Gocciolina - Italian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

We were really looking forward to dining at Gocciolina. Arrived and seated promptly. Both had specials, which were awesome, and we split desserts. Dining experience was great; however, service was horrible. Waiter made us feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. Will never go there again! read more

This is a great little hidden gem in Durham. The spicy octopus-shrimp sausage spaghetti was very unique and delicious. My wife had the baked gnocchi - I'm not a fan of gnocchi but I tried it and, it was so good, would definitely order it myself. I was a little disappointed in the gelato (I tried the stracciatella) as I thought the texture could have been better, but it was still good. I will try another flavor next time I go. I highly recommend this place! read more

This may be an isolated incident, because the last time I was there in a group of 2, our waitress was completely fine, but this time our waiter's overall interaction with our group of 18 really put a damper on the BIRTHDAY night-- he even chastised the birthday girl for speaking while he was speaking (she was trying to get someone's attention because the waiter had quietly asked for everyone to listen to him). We made a reservation for 18 people to celebrate a birthday. I had been there before and enjoyed the food so I recommended the restaurant for the occasion. The food portions are small, but priced low so that you could potentially order 2 entrees if needed for dinner. The 3- star review isn't for food quality, which is fine; it's really for the pretty poor service. We all thought the waiter was trying to be funny or hip, but in the end he was simply rude, snappy, and inappropriate. At one point he even joked that he would refill our included starters "if we tipped him well," which is probably one of the things that as a waiter you think but don't say. And finally, they wouldn't split the bill (understandable) but we were given no warning prior. So we were trying to figure out how to divvy up payments between cash and card (pre-venmo era). In the end, we were told that we would have to finish this outside-- it was raining. I get that they have to close the restaurant, but if you are willing to book a group of 18 people for vacancies 30 minutes before your closing time, you can't honestly expect us to be out within 30 minutes of closing. Bottom line-- if you have a larger group of young professionals, this place may not be for your party. Probably better for small parties of 2-6. read more

The chickpeas and the eggplant appetizers were good. The eggplant came with a slice of nice heirloom tomato. The brussel sprouts were nice too. I enjoyed the seafood pasta a lot. I would have liked a little more seafood though. However, the spaghetti all'amatriciana tasted plain salt. I also wished there was some fresh house-made pasta offering. The steak was nicely cooked but it was stone cold and had more onions than steak. The plates arrived at random times and the staff was openly speaking about skimping on the bread. We also had to ask for the breadsticks. The decor was ugly and outdated. The lounge area is more like a waiting room. read more

The ONLY REAL Italian restaurant in the area. I am from Italy and I never go to those so called italian restaurants that have NOTHING to do with Italy, besides the name. Enough said! read more

Gocciolina - Closing time - Italian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Finally got in here! It was worth the wait. I had a salad, baked gnocchi, and panna cotta. My wife had fried eggplant and red snapper (a special.) my wife loved both of her dishes. My salad was no frills (lettuce, olive oil, and balsamic) but very tasty. The gnocchi was delicious and the panna cotta was amazing. The portion sizes are definitely small (I wasn't overly hungry so that was fine) so if you're super hungry you might want an appetizer. Our waitress was very nice and explained stuff very well. She explained that the salad that came with my wife's snapper was made out of basically a weed that grows in driveways (which may be true but it was delicious. I tried some of it. My wife may start eating weeds she pulls up now.) We'll definitely return! read more

I loved Gocciolina honestly for the prices. I went because I saw it was voted best restaurant of the year in the Triangle, which is a huge title. I went with two other friends on a Tuesday night, and it took over an hour to get us seated, which was a little ridiculous. I didn't make reservations because we decided to go the day of, and 40% of their seats are reserved for walk-ins. But, it took forever, and the hostess told us she gave seats away that should have been ours because she "called" our name and no one answered even though we were standing right next to her the whole time... But anyways, that was just a rocky start. After we were seated, the whole meal really took off. We decided to order the carafe of wine, asking if it served three, and they nicely filled it up to the tippy top in order to give a little bit more for the three of us! The wine was really good and only $12 so $4 each!! Incredible, considering we each got 2 glasses out of that. We also ordered the three appetizers for $9, the meatballs, salami, and fried eggplant. All were really great, and great portions. Again, $3 for each of us! For an entree, I ordered the pasta carbonara and we split a side of broccoli. Just like the Yelp reviews say, the broccoli is really great. It's crispy and yet soft, the perfect texture for broccoli. The least impressive part of my meal was the carbonara, but perhaps that's because I'm more accustomed to the very rich, creamy carbonaras whereas this was a lighter sauce, had few pieces of pork, and no peas. I did really enjoy the pasta as you can tell it's homemade. Gocciolina is a fantastic place for the price. Highly recommend it. Would have given it 5 stars if my pasta had been more flavorful! read more

We had a great dinner on a very crowded Tuesday night. We were a group of 4 that shared a family style meal of multiple starters and entrees. The table was small and there really wasn't enough room for this but everyone wanted to try everything. Starters included meatballs, artichokes, cheese, and others. The cheese was too ripe for me but the waiter did warn us. Meatballs were excellent. Entrees included the snapper special, gnocchi, tagliatelle with duck bolognese, ravioli and also a side of broccoli. I think everyone had a different favorite and the ravioli just wasn't as good as the rest. The gnocchi was the best in my opinion, and, of all things, everyone really, really liked the broccoli. Wines were well-priced. Our server was charming, but overall the service was lacking costing the restaurant a star. It was quite busy but waters were never refilled and more wine would have been ordered if the server had stopped to ask. The cost was excellent. $140 for the 4 of us for a very high quality meal. No wonder the place was packed. read more

My wife and I miss our favorite Italian restaurant (Rosie's bistro bronxville) and have been looking for anything close in the triangle. I heard great things about nocchiolina, and it didn't disappoint. Good seasonal menu with lots of options. Startlingly busy for a Tuesday night. Nice reasonable wine options We loved the field peas, charred broccolli, and pork chop with mushrooms. The pasta was above average, but not quite there for Rosie in Bronxville. read more

Unfortunately, I dined at your restaurant last night with my partner along with a married couple. Upon entering the restaurant, we weee seated promptly. However, there was a wait before we were greeted by a waiter. Drinks were ordered. The least expensive bottle of wine was $60.00 while a glass was $12.00. Again, there was a significant wait to receive our drinks. Not to mention, the restaurant was cold, so bring a sweater!! When ordering appetizers, once again, there was a significant wait. When receiving the appetizers, the portions were very small and expensive. When ordering the entree, the pork chop was large. But I noticed that the pork chop contained a large bone. For $40.00, it was not worth the value. The spicy seafood pasta with shrimp with various other types of fish was quite disappointing. The "fish" was ground so it gave the appearance of about 1/2 cup of ground meat. The pasta had minimal sauce and was dry; not to mention, the portion was small. The salad was Boston Bibb with Balsamic Vinegar that was not only inedible but overwhelming in flavor. Bread consisted of 4 small slices and needed to remind the waiter to not forget the bread. Typically, when dining at any restaurant, the server would check with their guests to ensure the quality of food maintained high standards. This, was not achieved. It was very obvious that wait staff and cook was unable to deliver drinks and food within a timely manner. For the price, portion size, cold restaurant, we will not be patronizing this establishment. Upon our return to home, we had to eat dinner again. In short, save your money continue your search for a restaurant that when dining, you plan to return ! Very disappointing. read more

The food was phenomenal. We started with meatballs, fresh mozzarella with sundried tomato pesto, and Swiss chard rolls stuffed with sausage and dates. The mozzarella was underwhelming, but the Swiss chard rolls were solid. The meatballs were so good that I almost ordered another plate, though in retrospect I'm glad I saved the stomach space. My partner ordered the roasted acorn squash pasta purse things (sorry, my Italian is rusty) and I had the spaghetti carbonara. Both were incredible -- and I'm not even a huge pasta person. Great layers of flavor, and "small" but filling portions. We finished with vanilla panna cotta with stewed cherries. The subtle cinnamon heat of the cherries, mixed with the cool creamy custard... Just, wow. Get that. So, food was great. Service was a little rough -- our server seemed a little overwhelmed at the full restaurant, even though there aren't very many tables. Hopefully they'll work out the kinks in the coming months. Despite the drive, we'll be back. read more

Attractive venue; seated quickly; nice menu & friendly service. The trout was the most pleasant surprise of the month (so far); the spaghetti was tasty but not the best I've had; wines were good. Prices very reasonable. Only negatives were the house salad, the Brussels sprouts and the battle between the A/C and the summer heat (btw, the A/C lost the battle). The place was really jumping on a Wednesday night. Good place to try, just for the interesting menu selections & attention to preparation. read more

This may be the best Italian food I've had in the triangle. The meatballs were amazingly tender and flavorful. Brussel sprouts were fantastic and not only were my wife and I blown away by the pasta, but our extremely picky five year old also really enjoyed her spaghetti and meatballs. Would definitely recommend and will be back soon. read more

This place is fantastic! The only downside is the capacity, however, they either expanded or are expanding so, that takes care of that. The atmosphere is romantic. Leave the little ones at home please. The menu is superb and from what I can tell, seasonally fluid. They've got a well stocked bar to whet your whistle and the desserts are alluring and gluttonous at the same time. I can't wait to go back again. read more

I have been jonesing for some good Italian food in Durham for a while. I read a write-up in CarpeDurham and heard from a few of my service peeps about this new spot, with a new that continue to not be able to pronounce, so I added it to my mental list of places to try. And really, how could you go wrong with Aaron Benjamin in the kitchen? I have to say that the atmosphere was intimate and the food was outstanding! On our table was Chickpea Salad, Fried Eggplant (which you should order a few of if you want to share), Marinated Mozzarella, Green Salad to start and share. Everything was wonderful. I will tell you that the Eggplant melted in your mouth. It was presented like a bruschetta - a perfect balance of crunchy and juicy succulent eggplant and cheese. And whatever he did to the Chickpeas, "Please sir, I want some more." The entrees were Spicy Shrimp Pasta and Herb and Cheese Ravioli. Man the ravioli was amazing. It was perfect balance of sauce and pasta. My friend who had the shrimp was almost completely silent while eating his entree...and of knew him you would know that this is a good sign because he rarely shuts up (love ya Mark). All fresh ingredients and the staff was great and attentive. I highly recommend this place and that you make reservations because it was packed (several of my friends were there having dinner). Please go out and support the newest jewel in Durham's Culinary Food Crown! read more

I came with a friend to try this place. I have read almost all the reviews, I have looked at the menu and picture posted for at least 1 year and decided to finally try this place out. The service was amazing. The appetizer are tiny, the meatballs were good. We both had the truffle pasta (handmade) and was very good and tasty. We also ordered Brussels sprouts as side dish and it was sooo good!! Overall a great experience. read more

I stumbled upon this restaurant after an afternoon of pre-college shopping with daughter. I had heard of a small Italian restaurant on Guess Rd, googled and found it. Arrived at 6:45pm on a Friday night without a reservation and was told the wait would be 15 minutes, which it was. The restaurant space is small and there is no area to wait, except at the bar (which is 10 steps inside the space) or outside. I grabbed some wine and we waited outside, not too warm to do so. However, on a hot night, this would be a problem. Once seated, asked our server for some suggestions and ordered 2 small plates for appetizers: trout crudo and crispy fried eggplant. Both were better than expected. My daughter is not an eggplant or gorgonzola fan and she ate most of it. Just to clarify: a small plate is a SMALL portion on a small plate. It reminded me of the 5 course meals I had in Italy; each was a small portion so you could make your way through the meal and not died of gluttony at the end. Main courses were: spaghetti all'amatriciana (without the chili flakes) and fresh pan seared red snapper with fresh tomatoes. Veggie side: sautéed kale with garlic. My snapper was delicate and flavorful and accented by fresh tomatoes (which really made the dish), but my daughter's spaghetti was divine. So simple, yet delicious. I haven't had fresh, homemade pasta in a LONG time. Perfect. Che buono! My daughter and I plan on returning. I hope the air-conditioning works a bit better by then. And this is my only complaint. read more

This was a solid B/B+ Italian restaurant, nothing special. Not really sure what the hype is about. If you are expecting it to be on par with top-rated Boston/New York Italian restaurants...spoiler: it's not. A lot of people on here complain about the portion sizes and service -- neither of which were an issue for me. However, simply put, the food just was just not what I was expecting from a place that wins best food in the triangle. It was definitely not "wow" worthy. That being said, some of the dishes were good/very good. The spicy chickpeas, grilled steak, and Spaghetti All'Amatriciana were by far the best. Again, nothing special or excellent, but good. I'm not a fan of lamb, but the rest of my family enjoyed it. The Spaghetti Carbonara was actually really disappointing. I love this dish usually, but the noodles were gummy, it was dry (the egg was already mixed in supposedly), and the house cured pork belly was too hard (and there were probably like 4 pieces of it). Overall, not impressed, but pretty decent compared to other Italian options in the area, especially if you're looking for something a little more authentic. read more

How can this place not get 5 stars? Excellent food, tapas serving are annotated on a large blackboard. Fried eggplant with beets on top was awesome. Prices are moderate, some of the items are spicy, but they let you know. House wine served in carafe, very European and quite good. Small dining area. Helpful staff. Highly recommend. read more

Best Italian restaurant in Durham. So good.. Great service. Is pricey but worth it. Highly recommend.

Just fantastic! Amazing food! Great wine. Perfect Negronis. Wonderful service. Reasonable prices. If you want a humungous pile of pasta with whatever sauce go somewhere else. If you want fabulous flavor in portions where you can try lots of things this is your place. read more

In a word....AMAZING. The dining experience felt authentically European; a small restaurant with smaller portions and a leisurely pace. I had read someone complaining about how small the portions are. But I thought they were perfect. How often do you go to a restaurant and get a portion that is so large you either end up overeating or taking half of it home with you? But at Gocciolina the portions are just enough to satisfy. And if you want more food, you can order an appetizer or vegetable side and a dessert. Everything I tried was delicious. The baked gnocchi was superb, the spicy chickpeas were perfectly cooked and seasoned, the desserts were rich and flavorful. In truth, it's probably the best Italian restaurant I've been to in ages. What a gem! Definitely give this restaurant a try. I'm certainly going back. read more

Loved the music and quaint atmosphere but $32 for a small fried sea bass with nothing to even make it look appealing was very disappointing. Would it kill them to throw a few greens or beans/potatoes on the plate. I think between the very limited menu, sad presentation, and high price....not returning soon! Oh and a disappointing health rating, too read more

Let me start by saying I love food. And my husband loves Italian food. Tonight was his pick but it's been on my list since it opened so win / win! I loved the atmosphere - tables were close but not on top of each other, bar was big enough to eat without feeling cramped. We started with cocktails (I had a spritzer that was fantastic but took 10 minutes to get but worth the wait) and antipasta: salami, Parmesan with aged balsamic, meatballs and fried eggplant (all 1-2 bites for 3 people). The eggplant was crunchy but tender inside and the meatballs were melt in your mouth perfection. Next was a green salad: literally olive oil, aged balsamic, lemon and butter lettuce - so simple and so fresh. For main courses we tried the spicy shrimp carbonara and the squash agnolotti with sage butter. The carbonara was perfectly al dente and you couldn't taste the seafood in the shrimp (they were chopped), but you knew it was there due to the richness of flavors. The agnolotti was equally on point. The portions are not huge, but here's the thing: I simply think people need to quit stuffing themselves and not expect to walk out with leftovers. This is not The Olive Garden people!! We dined at the bar and I watched countless cappuccinos served so I had to have one... again, perfection. This bartender takes her job seriously and it showed! We finished with 2 styles of cannoli (which the pasty chef stuffs right before serving for maximum crunch) and chocolate almond torte with bruleed meringue. We walked out talking about what we'd try next time.., pretty sure we will be back! read more

Delicious! It reminded me of my time in Italy. My advice to any newbies, order a pasta along with a meat or a veggie dish. The portions are traditional- meaning you should order multiple dishes and not depend on one massive dish. We will be back! Also, make a reservation. We randomly decided to go and arrived 10 minutes before they opened at 5:30. We were met with a crowd and stood about 4th in line with maybe 15 people behind us. The hostess said we got the last table. Again we arrived for dinner at 5:20 and got the last available table without a reservation. It's just good folks, a great, quality, Durham restaurant. read more