Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Raleigh by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Raleigh by diners
Italian food is the most popular cuisine in the world, according to a 2023 study by The Picky Eater that tallied up Instagram tags. It's no wonder why so many people love it. Just thinking about dishes like chicken parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs is enough to get your mouth watering—even though many of these world-famous dishes are actually Italian American creations more so than true Italian fare. Traditional Italian food embraces an assortment of sumptuous recipes that aren't dependent on fried breadcrumbs and red sauce—think frittatas and focaccia, or carpaccio and panna cotta.
Italian immigrants have been weaving their cuisine into the fabric of the American food landscape for generations since they arrived in the United States nearly 150 years ago. And the cuisine, like the culture it hails from, tends to give off warm and fuzzy "family" feels. For many people, the quintessential local Italian American restaurant—complete with its red-and-white checkered tablecloths, pour bottles of olive oil, parmesan cheese shakers, cute little jars of red pepper flakes, and wicker baskets of oven-fresh bread—brings back memories of special life moments, like first dates and milestone birthdays.
Luckily, today you don't need to be in a major metropolis like New York or Los Angeles or an area with a large Italian or Italian American community to score top-notch buon cibo. You can find excellent Italian offerings in almost every city from coast to coast. To celebrate all things mozzarella and marinara, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Italian restaurants in Raleigh based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of January 2024.
Read on to see if your favorite is among the top-rated or to find a new spot in your neighborhood.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.
#29. Bella Italia
- Rating: 4.0/5 (140 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10630 Durant Road Ste 101 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Vic's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (243 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4035 Lake Boone Trl Ste 109 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Vic's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (288 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 331 Blake St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar
- Rating: 4.0/5 (385 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 309 North Dawson St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Bars, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Gravy
- Rating: 4.0/5 (754 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 135 South Wilmington St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Stella Mare Ristorante & Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (9 reviews)
- Address: 7713 Lead Mine Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Caffe Luna
- Rating: 4.0/5 (356 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 136 East Hargett St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Venues & Event Spaces, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Casa Carbone Ristorante Italiano
- Rating: 4.0/5 (181 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6019 Glenwood Ave. Oak Park Shopping Center Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Bella Monica
- Rating: 4.0/5 (609 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3121-103 Edwards Mill Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Assaggio's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (257 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3501 West Millbrook Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Dantes Italiano
- Rating: 4.0/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 13200 New Falls Of Neuse Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Five Bros Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 6300 Creedmoor Road Ste 182 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#17. PrimoHoagies
- Rating: 4.0/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 141 Park At North Hills St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Sandwiches, Italian, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Il Falò
- Rating: 4.0/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 3931 Macaw St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Vivace
- Rating: 4.0/5 (381 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4209 Lassiter Mill Road Ste 115 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Cucciolo Terrazza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4200 Six Forks Road Ste 100 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Brooklyn Original Slices
- Rating: 4.0/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 4005 Wake Forest Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Milton's Pizza and Pasta - Raleigh
- Rating: 4.0/5 (233 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8853 Six Forks Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Marco's Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (11 reviews)
- Address: 5621 Atlanic Ave. Ste 101 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Oak City Meatball Shoppe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (409 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 180 East Davie St. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Milton's Pizza and Pasta - Wakefield
- Rating: 4.5/5 (184 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 14520 Falls Of The Neuse Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Cafe Tiramisu
- Rating: 4.5/5 (121 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6008 Falls Of Neuse Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Cristo's NY Style Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (192 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1302 East Millbrook Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Pasta Shops
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Mike's Pizza Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3919 New Bern Ave. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Valentino's Food Truck
- Rating: 4.5/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Vivo Ristorante Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (398 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7400 Six Forks Road Ste 2 Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Frank's Pizza & Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (162 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2030 New Bern Ave. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Peri Brothers Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (306 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7321 Six Forks Road Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Pasta Shops
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Karavan by 3 Olives
- Rating: 4.5/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1493 Garner Station Blvd. Raleigh, North Carolina
- Categories: Uzbek, Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jennifer Huizen, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 312 metros.
