Food & Drink

We’re down to the Top 5: Vote for the best Italian restaurant in the Triangle

Vote for your favorite place to get Italian food near Raleigh, North Carolina.
Vote for your favorite place to get Italian food near Raleigh, North Carolina. jlmarshall@star-telegram.com
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways

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  • The News & Observer asked readers and staff to share the best local Italian restaurants.
  • We started with 66 nominees, and we’re down to the Top 5 restaurants in the Triangle.
  • Vote for your favorite place to eat Italian food until 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 22.

There are plenty of crave-worthy Italian restaurants in the Triangle, but which is the best of the best?

To help crown a winner, The News & Observer asked readers to share the top local places for pasta, tiramisu and other beloved dishes. We reviewed the nominations and asked our staff’s foodies to help fill in the list of essential restaurants.

We ended up with 66 nominees, and we’re down to the Top 5. Below, you can vote for your favorite place to eat Italian food in the Raleigh area.

If you truly love a restaurant, you’re welcome to refresh this webpage and vote more than once. Here’s what to expect in the final rounds of this contest:

  • The fourth round will determine the Top 2. It will be live until 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 22.
  • The fifth round will determine the winner. It will be live from about 11 a.m. April 22 until 10 a.m. Friday, April 24.

Here are the restaurants that performed the best in Round 3, in order of how many times they were picked:

  1. Anthony’s La Piazza
  2. Pomodoro Italian Kitchen
  3. Cucciolo Terrazza
  4. Mamma Mia Italian Bistro
  5. Cristo’s Ristorante & Pizzeria

This contest is meant to be fun, rather than a scientific poll. To be in the running, nominees had to have fewer than 20 locations across the United States and have a presence in or near Raleigh, Durham or Chapel Hill.

Here’s the original field of 66 Italian restaurant nominees, in alphabetical order:

  • 411 West Italian Cafe
  • Alimentari at Left Bank
  • Amalia’s Authentic Italian Restaurant
  • Amedeo’s Italian Restaurant
  • Anna’s Pizzeria
  • Anthony’s La Piazza
  • Antonia’s Restaurant
  • Assaggio’s Italian Restaurant
  • Babymoon Cafe
  • Bella Italia
  • Bella Italia Pizzeria
  • Bella Monica Cucina & Vino
  • Bellini Italian Cuisine
  • Cafe Tiramisu
  • Caffe Luna
  • Capp’s Pizzeria & Trattoria
  • Casa Carbone
  • Colletta
  • Convivio Restaurant
  • Cristo’s Ristorante & Pizzeria
  • Cucciolo Famiglia
  • Cucciolo Osteria
  • Cucciolo Terrazza
  • Daniel’s Restaurant & Catering
  • Dante’s Italiano
  • Dino’s Pizza
  • Elizabeth’s Pizza - Pittsboro
  • Enrigo Italian Bistro
  • Farina Neighborhood Italian
  • Figulina
  • Fiori Italian Restaurant & Bar
  • Flour and Barrel
  • Frank’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant
  • Fresco Veloce
  • Garibaldi of Garner
  • Georgina’s Restaurant & Pizzeria
  • Gocciolina
  • Gravy
  • La Grassa Pastificio
  • La Terrazza
  • Lugano Ristorante
  • Magone Italian Grill & Pizza
  • Mamma Mia Italian Bistro
  • Milazzo’s Ristorante
  • Milton’s Pizza & Pasta
  • Mothers & Sons Trattoria
  • Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar
  • Osteria G
  • Osteria Georgi
  • Paolo’s on 54
  • Piccola Italia
  • Pomodoro Italian Kitchen
  • Pulcinella’s Italian Restaurant
  • Ristorante Nina’s
  • Sabatino’s Italian Ristorante
  • Salvio’s Pizzeria
  • Serratore’s Pasta & Pizza
  • Tarantini Italian Restaurant
  • Tesoro
  • Tuscan Blu
  • Veloce Italian Market
  • Vic’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria
  • Vici Ristobar
  • Vivace
  • Vivo Ristorante
  • V Pizza

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Simone Jasper
The News & Observer
Simone Jasper is a service journalism reporter at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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