Pulcinella's Italian Restaurant in Durham, North Carolina, provides Southern Italian food and New York-style pizza for dine in, takeout, or catering. Our family restaurant uses the freshest ingredients to make our authentic Italian entrees such as cl
Customers praised the deliciousness of many dishes, particularly the lasagna, ravioli, and various pasta options, but there were also complaints about inconsistency and blandness in some meals.
Service
The service received mixed reviews; while many customers appreciated the friendly and attentive staff, others reported poor service experiences, including long waits and mistakes with orders.
Atmosphere
The restaurant is described as cozy and quaint, but some reviews noted cleanliness issues and a need for maintenance.
Value
Many customers found the prices reasonable for the portion sizes, although some felt that certain dishes did not justify their cost.
Inconsistency
Several reviews highlighted a decline in food quality and service consistency, particularly after ownership changes, leading to disappointment among long-time patrons.
KS
Keith Savino
Nov 8, 2025
5.0
Delicious food, great price, and very nice service.
IM
It’s Me
Oct 29, 2025
5.0
Absolutely fabulous food. Great service a laid-back atmosphere. Reminds me of the places the way they used to be. The seating was comfortable. The food was out of this world. I just wish I was going to be in town longer to enjoy it more often. The eggplant parmesan was well done just the way I like it. The pasta was cooked to perfection without me even having to ask for it Al dente. The lunch specials are so reasonable and the portions are so big, I don't know how they do it. The sauce has that old world flavor that I love so much. I can't wait to try some of their other dishes. And the salad was so fresh and good it's like the lettuce was just picked out of the field. So good! I highly recommend this restaurant.
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Michael Hill
Oct 29, 2025
5.0
Quaint. Small but they give enough space. Service was best we have had since Brooks left before COVID. Food is always great. Pollo Picatta is always a hit. The House dressing is amazing.
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Tabitha Cropsey
Oct 23, 2025
1.0
First time back in six months. As a family we order the same dishes. You all come on… all fried food was undercooked. Didn’t receive a salad that came with our entree. Received two fat free salad dressing for one salad when two should ah e been provided.
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TanYa Gwathmey
Oct 8, 2025
4.0
Let me start by saying I'm a foodie and very picky about my food, AND I love Italian food. So, when I say my whole meal was delicious, trust that it's worth your time to stop in and give it a try!
While the restaurant itself is ok with reasonable decor, the restrooms need some TLC. That being said, the food made me forget all about the ambiance. First, there was some deliciously soft bread served with one of the most flavorful tomato dipping sauces I've ever tasted. When I first saw it, the bread didn't look very appetizing and the sauce looked questionable, but one taste and I was sold! In fact, they should bottle and sell the stuff - I would buy it by the jar!!!
The calamari was cooked perfectly! It was super tender and not overly breaded. The rings were nice and thick and tasty. The marinara that came with it was pretty good, but I dipped it in the tomato bread sauce and thought I would pass out-- delicious!!! Hint, hint to management, try serving the calamari with this sauce. It's an incredible combination.
I ordered the fettuccine carbonara with shrimp for my entree and it was fabulous. The freshly made pasta made all the difference. Well done!
My only complaint is that the tiramisu was really small, about half the size I would expect. Despite this, prices were pretty reasonable.
Overall, the food was great and I will definitely put Pulcinella's on my go-to list!