I must say, those poles out on the terrace look like smokestacks in this picture.
Confession - started typing that I didn’t remember there being smokestacks there. Glad I looked again.
Vidrio seems to resemble this remark. Beautiful space, but…
1 Like
I thought Vidrio was pretty great when they opened but it’s gone way downhill over the last few years. Mulino (and Babylon before it) isn’t amazing but I don’t have a problem with their food. I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt that when opening a new restaurant in a premier spot, they’ll do a better job, and have a solid place. No reason to be 
yet.
9 Likes
Millennial or younger focused restaurants for the instagram pic who have never had good Italian food.
Once I went to Italy and experienced the real thing I have become an Italian food snob. Except Venice, (Italian Disney World) I had some subpar meals.
2 Likes
Feel like the best Italian food in town is not downtown (and honestly, best around is over in Durm…) 
1 Like
Daniel’s in Apex is my all time favorite. Tho I maybe slightly biased as I grew up on it. But I think it’s the premiere Italian spot in the Triangle.
I also love Vic’s
We’re not all that stupid…
4 Likes
Mostly referring to the Glenwood South restaurant scene and what I have observed to be their primary patrons. Now, my young 23 year old nephew has surprised me with his love of bone marrow at the Stanbury, so all is not lost I suppose.
If folks are dissing on Mulino and Vidrio, please, let us know what is better in Raleigh. Let’s hear it. 
6 Likes
Have had good meals at The Oak steakhouse, Sullivan’s, Humble Pie, Rosewater. Like Northern Italian food rather than Sicilian so really have not found an Italian spot yet.
Need to try new Italian places at North Hills and Fenton for sure, especially cuzzzzzz free parking .
2 Likes
In downtown Raleigh, Caffe Luna is definitely the best Italian spot. Besides that, most of the good spots are outside of downtown - really like Dante’s and Vivo’s in North Raleigh and Garibaldi in Fuquay.
Cucciolo and Mother & Son are amazing in Durham - haven’t gotten a chance to try Cucciolo’s new location at North Hills yet.
1 Like
Cortez, Stanbury, Crawford & Sons, and then Pooles because it’s a Raleigh staple. The Rockford was also really good, but that’s when Kevin Ruiz was the Head chef, haven’t been since he left. He now owns Bendito which is also good.
Big fan of Neomonde as well but it’s outside of downtown.
3 Likes
I’ll keep the context of “good restaurant” to Italian otherwise this gets out of hand quick. I’m not a foodie so I’m not out trying to find “the best” but I do like Tuscan Blu in the depot which I think gets forgotten about often. I hope the owner survives if the Depot is mostly demolished and moves his restaurant somewhere else downtown.
2 Likes
I’ll add Plates and Rosewater. We’ll see how the 2 new Giorgios Bakatsias restaurants in NH turn out - last time I peeked through the windows, they didn’t look close to finished but the menu is available online for Giorgio Pizza Bar. I don’t really spend my food dollars on pizza (zzzzz) so I’ll leave it to others to judge that one when it opens.
2 Likes
Not to mention Strong Arm Baking co, which has some of the best baked goods in our region imo. We prefer their croissants over everything in the Triangle.
EDIT: oops, just realized you’re talking about Mississippi. Well if anyone needs a reason to head to Oxford, NC, see above… 
3 Likes
While there is definitely a lot of middling pizza around, I’ve never regretted spending my hard earned cash on Oakwood Pizza Box.
8 Likes
Agreed, Cucciolo and Mother & Sons are among the best in the Triangle imo, but Gocciolina takes the cake for me. I think all the best Italian is in Durham.
1 Like
My “millennial” interpretation:
- Mulino is not even close to “dreadful”. They make their own pasta, including their lasagna noodles. Personally, I’m choosing Latin or Asian cuisine over European or American 9/10 times, but Mulino has been good the couple of times I’ve been there. Better than the average Italian restaurant in the area. Hey, at least they will have great wine selection on that rooftop.
- Some underrated spots in DTRaleigh recently: MOFU Shoppe, Centro, Bul Box in Transfer, Tuscan Blu (had a really cool, authentic experience there with the owner - basically a free wine tasting), 5 Star (not sure if 5 Star is underrated, but I’ve never had a wait there… ever. And those Bao buns are perfect)
13 Likes
Also, I’m in the camp re: la terrazza for the record.
The Triangle food scene overall has felt kind of stagnant for a few years now to me. Yes, we’re getting new places, but little innovation on the level that got us named foodie capitals of the south a decade ago. It feels like the first wave of culinary energy that coincided with our downtowns’ revitalizations plateaued a while back, and I hope it comes back! Maybe all this new development will help.
4 Likes
Agreed with just about all of this, especially Five Star’s food being a hidden gem.
I don’t know a ton about Italian cuisine, but my sense is that it’s never been one of Raleigh’s strong suits, whereas we can flex in other categories. Certainly haven’t had any dishes here that compete with places where you’ll traditionally find a larger Italian-American population.
Hat tip to Enrigo in Cary, though, that place is pretty great.
2 Likes