Everything I've ever eaten at Gocciolina has been amazing. The meatballs, the parmigiano-reggiano with balsamic vinegar, every single pasta dish, the steak (when it's on the menu)...yes please! I could eat here every single day. read more

I'm having a hard time with this one. I've been clicking on and off three stars, and I settled with 4, but I'm still not sure that's what I really mean to assign this establishment. The ambiance isn't exactly palatable. It is crowded, hot, and loud; the acoustics are terrible; and the art on the wall is weird- bordering, ugly. Customers walk in and leave the front door wide open, which makes it even hotter. From where I was sitting, the bright bright sun would shine directly into my face and I became blinded anytime someone would exit or enter. A large party had arrived mid-way through our dinner and I had to really reach to hear the person right next to me. Next is the lackluster service. The indifferent waitstaff doesn't seem to acknowledge customer needs. We ordered a spreadable spicy salami appetizer. It was delivered to us sans bread. And we had a hard time getting the attention of our waiter. The pastas came without a utensil to serve it onto our plates. On the matter of plates, they were really tiny for large amounts of pasta, and they were not replaced between any of our many courses. The main waiter seemed to really only talk to the one guy in our party of three, not really giving any attention or making eye contact with the two ladies at the table. Service: unimpressive at best. Egregious at worst. Now that the bad is out of the way, let's talk about what I liked: The food!!!! It was really pretty tasty. The blanched broccoli with the crispy ends had a great flavor. The pig head terrine was tasty. So tasty that we ordered two more of those (they were small- two per order). We had three pastas. They brought us the wrong gnocchi- we had chosen a different one (the special that was hand-written), as opposed to the one on the menu. My favorite dishes were the hand-cut noodles with pork ragu and parmigiano reggiano, as well as the homemade meatball appetizer. We shared the amaretti gelato and the grapefruit sorbetto. After the heavy lifting we did for dinner, we opted for something light for dessert. The gelato was a little too sweet. The sorbetto was perfect. The value was great, as well. For a big hearty shared dinner I spent way less than I expected to spend. Between the three of us, with our dinner, dessert, and one drink each, we only spent just over $30 bucks and that includes the 20% tip we each added. read more

Gocciolina is a tiny Italian restaurant located in an odd neighborhood in North Durham (it also has a small parking lot, so be prepared). It's a long term local establishment and seems to bring in an older crowd, so be prepared to make a reservation, even on a weekday. My very first impression at Gocciolina was standing at the hostess stand for over five minutes while servers and the host walked by without greeting myself and my guest. Not a great first impression for any restaurant but one that could've been rectified. The menu is relatively small and seems cheap, but once you receive your portion, you'll realize why, they're small. We tired a variety of dishes with our party of four (note: they don't split checks, so bring cash or be ready to whip out Paypal, this can be rather an inconvenience these days!) Brussels sprout appetizer to start with the ravioli for an entree and who can say no to some cannoli for dessert?! While the meal was good and the atmosphere enjoyable and service was reasonable, there when the bill needed to be paid or orders needed taking, I can't say I'd return. As a home chef that has prepared both homemade pasta and grilled brussels sprouts, I feel that prices mixed with portion didn't add up and the flavor was truly lacking. They do a great job with authenticity but where's the salt?! And even the dessert was a little lackluster: pistachio cannoli that tasted strongly of lemon than pistachio and tiramisu cannoli, which was the best item I enjoyed. read more

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8/19/2021 After trying for what seemed forever to secure a reservation, we finally had our first meal here. Huge disappointment! Poor service, average food and BAD background music... thought we were in a rundown bar most of the evening. Waited 25 minutes for a bottle of wine.... While all the while continuing to wait for the rest of our meal. We love our spinach, but $7.00 for a side the size of a small plate???? Couldn't wait to leave. read more

The service was quick and the wait staff knowledgable. The flavors of all the dishes me and my girl friend order were spot on. I'm dinging a couple stars because we left hungry. We ordered 2 appetizers and 2 entree plates and all courses were very small. A cheese plate app that costs $4 is literally 5 small slices of parm cheese on a plate. I ordered the spinach ravioli and well it tasted good it was a plate of only 4 raviolis. Even my girlfriend commented that my dish was tiny. Maybe I'm spoiled coming from a northeastern NY town were if you went to an Italian restaurant it meant you were being served a heaping portion and not leaving hungry. Anyway, spending over $50 and leaving hungry was not the best. We probably won't return. read more

Traveling overnight in town and elected to find a place over room service. This is a great little restaurant. Food was great and fairly priced. The staff was friendly and attentive. read more

Believe the hype, but call for a reservation. We went to Gocciolina on a busy Saturday night. I'd actually thought to call the previous day for a reservation but they were already booked. This isn't necessarily a problem as they keep "40%" of their seating available for walk-ins. I appreciate the effort, and it certainly makes for a more neighborhood-friendly spot, but there are some complications you'll want to be aware of. We arrived to a busy restaurant at about 7pm, and were told that it would be about 30min for a table. No problem- this was expected since a reservation wasn't available. We asked if it was okay to get a cocktail and wait in the bar and received the go-ahead, but we were warned not to sit down- the seats at the bar were assigned for dinner seatings. This led to an interesting conundrum as the bar itself is a crowded space, is in front of the pass, has the antipasti station at one end, and has servers going into the back at the other. It was a little hard to not feel like you were constantly in someone's way. Our cocktails were excellent though and the bartender was friendly- more on her in a bit. When the host arrived to seat us after about 40min he didn't have to take us far- we were seated at the bar. I didn't honestly mind and there were certain advantages to this location, but I wish it had been made clear when we'd requested a table that a bar seating might be the only option. All the same, we moved over about 4 feet and sat down to our meal. Our bartender cum server brought us some water and crispy bread sticks and asked us if we were ready to order. It didn't feel like a traditional "server-customer" interaction, but she really was very pleasant and easy to converse with. The specials were very clearly marked on the walls, but not having a true "server" we didn't really get an explanation of any of the dishes, and it turned out later we completely missed out on the trout crudo that wasn't listed on the board. However- in addition to making drinks for the entire restaurant, she had three seatings of her own at the bar, but somehow managed to keep us fed and a smile on her face. The menu is definitively a la carte style, and we found it to be well-designed for sharing. The antipasti was (for the most part) prepared by the chef at the end of the bar. It gave a sort-of open kitchen feel to the experience and gave you a chance for a little interaction. We tried the hog's head terrine and the meat balls, both of which were perfectly delicious. We also enjoyed a special for the evening- a smoked ham and oyster soup with fried parsnips that was honestly one of the most flavorful things I've ever tasted- really deep, unctuous flavors that lasted pleasantly. I found it very satisfying. For our pasta course we ordered the gnocchi and agnolotti. The gnocchi were very light and fluffy- not the best I've ever had, but top 5 for sure. They were served in a tomato sauce with a heavy basil flavor- and I mean that in a good way. My only criticism was the melted mozzarella on top- I felt like it detracted from the lightness of the gnocchi and didn't add enough to the dish to be warranted. The agnolotti were perfect. Amazing. Wonderful. The flavor of the pasta itself was brilliant, but you kept getting little bursts of flavor as you worked your way through- mushroom, green onion, salty parmigiano. We ordered a roasted turnip special with this course, finished in a pesto. I felt like it needed a bit more salt. Typically I would blame this on my palate since I like a heavy hand with the salt, but since everything else was well-seasoned, I feel like this might've just been a miss. For our meat course we split the steak. It was a relatively small portion, but satisfying given the volume of what we'd already eaten to this point. The cut wasn't listed, but I think it was a flat-iron based on the flavor and the grain. It was flavorful, if cooked just a touch past the medium-rare we'd requested. It did fall a little flat when compared to the other dishes, and looking around the dining room I wish that we'd tried the pork chop or lamb offerings instead. However, the roasted Brussel sprouts that we enjoyed with this course were excellent- bright hits of lemon juice and just enough chile flake to excite. For dessert, I enjoyed a chocolate ganache and almond crust torte with toasted meringue while my wife ordered the homemade cannoli. My torte was incredible, and the fact that they do their own pastry work only made things more impressive. It always adds a little panache when the chef pulls out his brûlée torch to toast your meringue on the bar in front of you. My wife's cannoli were good, but nothing spectacular. Overall, I left Gocciolina more than impressed. The execution and attention to detail was excellent, and if I'm smart enough to call far enough in advance for a reservation next time I'm certain the experience will be even better. read more

Gocciolina - Gocciolina bar area. - Italian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Incredible service with some of the most authentic Italian experience I've had in the US. Alexis was a fantastic server but ALL of the staff was so so nice & helpful. This restaurant has such an intimate & comfortable atmosphere. I felt great coming here & the social distancing & cleanliness made it easy to relax which I highly appreciate. I will definitely be returning to such a cool find in the Triangle. Thank you so much ! read more

Hands down Gocciolina is my TOP place to dine in all of the Triangle. I came across them thanks to Carmella, owner of Melina's Fresh Pasta. I figured if the local pasta lady is dining here, it must be for a reason! It is. My praises are well deserved and hard earned. I rarely give 5 stars and/or walk away with such little critiquing of my dining experience. Overall: You will not regret the experience. Meats, pastas, and veggies are all winners here! The menu is respectable in the offerings, the specials board is always brimming with delicious options, service from start to finish is impeccable and you will be hard pressed to find a better experience in the Raleigh-Durham area! Currently my travel time to reach Gocciolina is about an hour...and worth every damn minute! The building is not in a posh area, which I actually appreciate. You will find a mix of people dining here, including some of the leading local chefs. If you are in the Raleigh-Durham food scene, then this needs to be a regular spot in your dining rotation! The location choice allows for plenty of parking, equaling less frustration for the customer. The restaurant layout is in two and a half parts: the dining room, the bar in the dining room (the half part), and the cocktail lounge. Before I dive deeper into this review I would like to note that this restaurant is accessible. Not only in location and parking, but also in price point. If you forgo alcohol/dessert and stick with ordering a few pasta and vegetable offerings this is a dining experience that can be obtained by a range of socioeconomic brackets. You do not have to make six figures to be able to eat here. The quality of food and experience you are getting far exceeds some of the pricier restaurants in the area. Expensive rarely equals good, while affordable does not equal subpar. Gocciolina is a prime example of how a restaurant can support local farms while providing a quality product and experience. I not only respect the dining experience and food provided here, but also respect the attention to detail and sourcing of quality ingredients. The service from start to finish is IMPECCABLE...even on the busiest of nights. It may be gangbusters busy, but you will feel like you are the only customer. The experience starts with the hostess (hi Bridget!), who is on point. She works the FOH like the professional she is and deserves lots of love! If you are going on a busy night, then after you check in you will be shown to the cocktail lounge where the personalized, intimate experience continues. They have a well curated stand alone bar tended by an endearing host (hi John!) and some seating options for while you wait. This is the best "waiting" experience I have ever encountered! More establishments need to follow suit. Once your table is ready in the dining room you are smoothly moved over and the main experience begins! The servers are all well trained, friendly, and overall on point (hi Wes!). These are true restaurant professionals that have a deep love and appreciation of service and food. On our first trip here we were brought two complimentary vegetable dishes, which did not disappoint! Wes was serious when he said they do veggies well: the butter beans are FANTASTIC. I will not be able to tell you all of the ways Gocciolina is hitting it out of the park in the limited space Yelp provides. Atmosphere: Cozy and intimate without feeling crowded. Beverages: They offer a well curated selection of drinks, including some local stars. If there isn't a choice on the menu you enjoy, then request a custom drink. Personally, I like their Prosecco options. Food: ALL THE FOOD. One of the reasons I was drawn to eating here was the housemade pastas and recognizable locally sourced products. Products from MAE Farm, Green Button Farm, and Vera Luce Farm are some of the show stoppers! All of these farms produce excellent products to start with, however, Chef Aaron Benjamin heightens the base ingredients with a skill level that I have rarely encountered in my dining adventures within the Raleigh-Durham area. The main menu offers staple items, while the specials board is bursting with fresh, seasonal offerings! Some of my personal recommendations: Thin sliced speck ham Framani tuscan style salami Lightly dressed fresh greens Butter beans Meatballs Spaghetti carbonara Sautéed brussels sprouts Any of the housemade pasta specials What I didn't enjoy: Baked gnocchi - I felt that the gnocchi was overcooked due to the residual heat from being baked in the dish. I also think the sauce lacks developed flavors. Grilled radicchio - Prepared well and served well, just not my thing. The bitterness was too much and the anchovy dressing/sauce really just doesn't float my boat. Cannoli & Tiramisu Cannoli - I found both of these to be on the bland side. In fairness, I am going to work my way through the desserts to see if I can find a personal winner. read more

One of our favorite local spots!!! Don't like when we are sat in the casual dinning room next door bc it's cold and the service is not as good but definitely love the main dinning room!! Great food! read more

Charming little place that looks like it used to be a Sherman Williams or something like that. Friendly service. Good food.

This place was good, but I'm very disappointed in their portion sizes. I expected to get a decent sized dinner, but got FOUR pieces of ravioli for $12. My plate seemed more like a snack than an actual meal. Honestly, I think I would have been better off going to Olive Garden and paid a little less to get an actual meal. I can't really say that the food was amazing either :/ read more

Gocciolina - Italian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

We did takeout from here and ordered the lamb, chard, spiced garbanzos, lump crab pasta, asparagus bisque, and meatballs. EVERYTHING was delicious. I never knew meatballs could be so delicate and tender. The pickup process was smooth. So happy to support this local treasure. read more

This has long been my favorite Durham restaurant. If your taste in Italian has been limited to spaghetti and meatballs, try this. It is Italian at a whole different level. The staff and service are great. The dining area is just the right size for a meal with friends. read more

Just had the most fantastic dinner at Gocciolina. Phillip was our most excellent waiter ( there has to be another name for waiter, because Phillip was a sommelier, diplomat, enchanter, and just excellent !!) I ordered the lamb special, my husband ordered the pasta carbonara -- of course we traded bites -- I have to say they were both excellent. And dessert -- oh my my ! The walnut gelato was heavenly - as was the dessert my husband ordered ( chocolate panache? -- I was too busy eating my gelato ! A wonderful, well priced meal. Our daughter and son-in-law made reservations for us to eat there. We do not live in Durham but will definitely be back. I felt like I was back in Italy, --- did I mention our wine ? Make a reservation --- but if you don't, it is well worth waiting ! Thank you to the owners and Chefs of Gocciolina ! read more

Gocciolina - The last bites of our wonderful desserts - - Italian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Went here after daughter's graduation from nursing school. The waiter was nice. The food was okay but my spaghetti All Amacatriana was very salty. The portions were preposterously small and way overpriced. $78 to halfway feed four adults is crazy. read more

Gocciolina - $14 "steak" - Italian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

To give a 5 star to a restaurant is not easy. But if you come to this place, you will understand how easy was for me. The food is absolutely great and the service outstanding. We have to wait for a table, and Alison at the waiting room, makes that feel like just minutes. Wesley was our server. I will give 6 stars to him if that was possible. We definitely will be back. read more

Amazing. Better than Hell's Kitchen in Vegas. Romantic, outstanding food, outstanding service. This is the place to go!

Gocciolina offers some truly delicious, yet simple pasta dishes for reasonable prices. My fiancee and I went there for a belated anniversary. Parking was pretty reasonable and there is a small lot with a bizarre traffic flow in front of the restaurant. We had made reservations ahead of time and were seated promptly. I had the spicy seafood spaghetti ($14) and my fiancee had the spaghetti carbonara ($10). Both were delicious and the spaghetti was cooked to a perfect al dente. I had never had octopus-shrimp sausage before, but it kindof reminded me of a spicy har gow and paired well with the light marinara sauce in the spicy seafood spaghetti. We shared a chocolate almond torte ($7) for dessert which included a rich chocolate ganache covered with a bruleed meringue (tasted kinda like a toasted marshmallow). When visiting gocciolina, I would highly recommend making a reservation in advance and (if you're like me and usually share a pasta dish with your S.O.) ordering individually as dishes are reasonably priced but are probably too small to share. read more

Gocciolina - Spicy seafood spaghetti - Italian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Absolutely wonderful Italian food! One of our favorites pre-pandemic, and we've enjoyed take-out (especially the take and bake!) since 2020. read more

Easily one of the best meals ever!! Order tons of food! Be prepared to order lots of plates. It's not cheap but you get what you pay for! The food is amazing. The eggplant, beet and Gorgonzola will be in my dreams tonight! Super fresh food Kind waitress Great atmosphere Can't wait to go back read more

Gocciolina - Eggplant with beets and Gorgonzola - Italian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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This place is really cute and has great food as well! We made a reservation for 12 people for a group business dinner here and arrived a little bit before our reservation. We stopped in their little bar area next door for a drink, where the bardenter was enthusiastically suggesting drinks and wine per our preference. Right off the bat, everyone here was really friendly and I got a great vibe from the place. We were seated at our reservation time and the service was attentive. Our server was extremely knowlegeable about the menu items and didn't cringe or give me a dark stare of doom when I asked if there was anything on the menu that could be modified for a vegan (I know, that dirty V word again ;) ). He was quick to suggest a few things that could be made vegan or already were. I ended up with the green salad (which was HUGE) and some kind of bean dish that doesn't seem to be on the menu anymore but was a mix between a bean stew and a pasta dish. We also got the chickpeas and olives, as well as a lot of other dishes that I wasn't paying attention to because I was so wrapped up in eating my own spectacular dishes. All 12 of us were extremely satisfied with both the service and the food and I would most definitely come here again! read more

Hands down my favorite restaurant in Durham. Would eat here every day if I could. The servers are exceedingly kind, remember you if you've been in before, and the whole experience is just exactly what I love about eating in Durham. read more

Gocciolina was fantastic! Awesome place for a date night or a small party. Quaint, intimate, yet extremely lively. Atmosphere was great, service was outstanding, & food was phenomenal! I highly recommend making a reservation if you plan on checking it out. If you experience a wait time, don't you worry! They have a lounge next door where you can enjoy some antipasti and a beverage :-) read more

Gocciolina - Italian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Our daughter suggested dining here, and we could not have been more pleased. Our waitress explained the entire menu and the daily specials, making excellent recommendations from antipasti to drinks and desserts. We shared a few dishes for each course, and thoroughly appreciated everything about the evening. For superior Italian food, this is the place to go. The restaurant was populated by diners from all across the demographic spectrum, which made for an especially pleasant evening. read more

Gocciolina - Italian Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Bravisisimo!! How Aaron Benjamin, the chef and owner, manages to transport us to Italy with every single meal, no clue, but it isn't hyperbole to say that his cooking carries across the sea.... Grazie also to Michael for his excellent service tonight, and to the nine Italian men at the adjacent table. The music of their language paired well with the off-the-charts homemade ravioli and gnocchi! Grazie mille e bravissimo ancora! read more

This meal was a culinary experience. The shareable plates were so delicious we ate every last bite. Favorites were fried eggplant, pork chop, bolognese. We will definitely will back with family & friends! read more

Oh man, I love this place! Gave my wife choice of ANY restaurant in the Triangle for her birthday dinner (a "milestone" birthday no less), and she chose Gocciolina. Started with a delightful bottle of Italian wine from their modest-sized, but well-selected listing, and ordered up three antipasti; fried eggplant, Cetara anchovy on sesame crisps, and meatballs. Each different and delicious in their own way. For the entrees, she had the broiled salmon with artichoke puttanesca and I had the lamb and beef lasagne. Portions were good sized, with imaginative and sensuous flavors. You catch yourself eating slower than usual, because you simply want your meal to last forever! Finished with a few gelatos, the "Damn Fine Affogato" (which lived up to its name) and cappuccinos. A perfect ending to a perfect night! Tips: we went on a Saturday night, and I'd expect reservations were probably mandatory. I heard it's possible to go non-res during the week. It's also a fairly intimate place, with perhaps 15-20 tables plus a bar, so the noise level can be a bit high...but certainly not objectionably so. We easily carried on our conversations, though I suspect someone that struggles with hearing could have some difficulty. Finally, the prices are very reasonable for such high quality food. With everything we had (inc. the wine) we got out at a shade over $100. I can't say enough about how wonderful this place is! read more

Hands down my favorite restaurant in Durham. Food is always fresh (menu changes daily), staff are super friendly. V chill atmosphere for the quality of the food and experience!! read more

Have always loved dining in here, so happy they are offering to-go. Low contact pick up from the lounge felt safe. Good variety on the take out menu with ready-to-eat and reheat options. Tonight we had a vegetarian lasagna with zucchini and local mushrooms; meatballs; and a beet salad. All scrumptious and comparable in quality to every meal we have enjoyed in their dining room in years past. Looking forward to sorbet later! read more

I really wanted to give Gocciolina more stars. It had a lot of good qualities. But it had a couple of tragic flaws that placed it in the "good once, don't bother returning" category. My nephew made reservations for us. Admittedly it was a tough weekend, what with graduations going on for Duke, UNC, and NC State, but they didn't seem to have our reservation when we arrived. No big deal, though, because they have a charming overflow lounge next door in which we could wait while they prepared a table for us. We ordered a nice bottle of Sangiovese which was priced at New York levels, but we were in a festive mood, celebrating my son's completion of his first year at NC State and a nice reunion with my Nephew and his wife near their first anniversary. It was here, though, that they broke the news that the menu would be a fixed price ($55/person) menu, which was not terrible news but did come as a surprise to us all. Anyway, we were soon seated in the restaurant and were happily hearing the rules of the menu form our server, a self-assured and experienced server who had street cred, so we were anxious to believe her every word regarding recommendations. There were five of us, and the deal included two small-plate appetizers per person. Since there were eleven on the menu, we ordered ten of them and shared. Each was very good, though being small-plates really only amounted to two forkfuls per person. Still, the crispy fried eggplant and the spicy chickpeas were standouts; these were very memorable among a population of tasty but forgettable small-plates. The waitress raved about the cobia fish so much that 40%, and almost 60% of us ordered it. Wow - it was disappointing. They cooked it like a nice piece of tuna, basically searing it on either side and having it rare in the middle. Either the fish was not fresh or this is a bad way to prepare it, because both people who ordered it had the same reaction, that it was raw and "fishy" and appeared to be on the list of things to "move". One of us ordered a steak which had a nice sauce on it, though the cut of meat was just ok. Two of us ordered ravioli, which were the highlight of the meal but the portion was only four 2 1/2" ravioli. Enough to make you want more, enough to make you feel deprived. Desserts included cannoli (my favorite, but it was a mediocre execution of one), sorbets (they were apparently very good), a s'mores-like dessert (my son loved), and gelatos. We capped it off with cappucinos. There were way to many dollar signs next to the bill to give this 4 or 5 stars. While some of the plates were very good, it did not warrant the final bill. Try it on a night that you can choose from the menu. read more

Came here on a whim one weekend night and I do not think I will be back. We placed a reservation upon arriving and although it was crowded, there were quite a few table empty but they wouldn't seat us at them. After being seated 30 minutes later we were approached by our waiter in a reasonable amount of time to place our drink order. After that we waited 30-45 minutes until we had to flag down a different waiter to ask where our waiter went to place our food order becasue we couldn't find them. We were then told our waiter had a family emergency (extremely understandable of this), but it seemed as though no one was going to inform us of this or step in to take our order because we had to flag someone down... Upon getting our food we were disappointed to not taste the freshness as we expected of homemade pasta. For the price we paid and service we got, it was not worth it to us to come back again. read more

The best Italian food in Durham! I highly recommend this for everything from a group dinner to date night. The spot is very popular so it is critical to make a reservation. The portions are small so I recommend trying several things. The menu changes as they have lots of a specials but I recommend the gnocchi and carbonara. Everything is fairly priced as well. 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

Interesting and eclectic restaurant with a diverse menu and warm atmosphere. My favorites included laquercia 'nduja, meatballs, spicy chickpeas, whole grilled branzino, spaghetti all'amatriciana, baked gnocchi, roasted potatoes, sautéed brussels sprouts, sautéed greens, and several bottles from their excellent wine list that were recommended by our professional and friendly server! All items were shared by 4 of us and we left pleasantly satisfied with our experience! We'll definitely be back to enjoy again. read more

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

We don't go out to Italian restaurants very often because my husband doesn't eat carbs (unless we're on vacation or it's a special occasion) so I was very happy that he wanted to celebrate his birthday by indulging at Gocciolina. I've seen the reviews and I was prepared to be blown away ... but our meal never quite rose to that. We arrived just a few minutes before our reservation and enjoyed a cocktail in the lounge next door. The bartender took very good care of us until our table was ready. The dining room is a lovely space, small, intimate, with nice lighting and artwork. It's also a bit loud because it's a popular spot and every table was filled, but we knew to expect that and it didn't bother us. We each ordered two antipasti, a pasta dish, and a meat course with a side to share. My husband ordered the anchovy wrapped stuffed olives, the eggplant, spaghetti carbonara, and the special that night - the pork porterhouse. I ordered the spicy chickpea, the meatballs, spinach and cheese ravioli, and the grilled grass-fed steak. We shared each dish, as well as the side of sautéed brussels sprouts. I wasn't impressed with the spicy chickpea. It was room temperature and very ordinary ... *shrug* ... but the meatballs were out-of-this-world delicious! There were three of them so I just had one and a half. My husband is lucky I didn't grab his off his plate after I'd had my first bite. The server brought us a selection of olives because they were out of the anchovy-wrapped ones. It would have been nice if someone had told us they were out before bringing them because we may have chosen something else, but, whatever. The eggplant was OK. I enjoyed my ravioli. There was a bright, lemon-ish note in there somewhere that made this a dish I'd happily order again. I wasn't as impressed with the spaghetti carbonara. It was thick and gooey. The husband was similarly unimpressed. My steak arrived perfectly medium rare and rested. It was juicy and delicious. The onions that came with it barely saw any heat so they didn't add much interest to the meal. Neither of us were impressed with the brussels sprouts for the same reason. After this parade of small dishes, it was kind of a shock to see the server deliver this Flintstones-sized slab of pig to the table. The pork porterhouse was YUUUUUUGE! Of course, most of it was bone with a big chunk of fat, but still! It was E-Normous! Too bad it was kind of dry. So, that's what we got for $130 (including the tip). There's a lot to like (the atmosphere, the cocktails, the service, the lovely smiling hostess) but the meal itself wasn't what it should have been. Perhaps we'll give them another try at some point ... and I'd be tempted to make it all about the meatballs and that ravioli. Yum! read more

Tiny portions of great food. A pal and I stopped in for a weekday meal based on what she heard about Gocciolina, and we're glad we did. It was moderately crowded and we sat at the bar instead of waiting for a table. (The dining room is quite small.) The bartender was friendly without being smothering, and we found a good cocktail and beer list. (We weren't drinking wine so didn't notice the offerings.) I had a "Brooklyn" which is a variation of a Manhattan and it was tasty and not too sweet. We had starters of olives and fried eggplant which were excellent. I had the ravioli which was al dente and made with fresh spinach and nice tomato-ey red sauce. We shared some greens and they were loaded with garlic, just as I love, and not overcooked. The service from the bartender and food runners continued to be efficient and friendly. The only downside is that the portions are really tiny for the price, especially for Durham. Entrees are about $12-$15 each, and are the size of what you would get at a Spanish tapas restaurant. If you bring some hungry teenagers, get out your wallet. In short, we loved the food, and we'll be back. read more

Four of us decided to try Gocciolina for dinner. We were all virgins and couldn't have had a better first experience. First, the portions are small just like in Italy. Compared to other restaurants of this caliber, prices are cheap. For appetizers we tried sardines on crackers, meatballs, prosciutto, and chick peas. All of them were flavorful and not your typical Italian choices. For entrees we tried baked gnocchi (divine), pasta carbonara (delish), grass fed steak (delish), pork chop (juicy), and whole baked fish with the most INCREDIBLE sauce that we finished off with extra bread. Had to have desserts. Tiramisu cannoli, affogato, almond cookie, and pistachio + cappuccino gelato . . . we finished them all! It was a wonderful experience. We were seated at 7:45pm and left at around 10:45pm. Our waitress was just wonderful. She has light blue'ish/lavender short hair. Great disposition and wealth of knowledge. We'll be back many more times!! read more

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