A fine, cozy Italian restaurant hidden in a strip mall, with really good, fresh food and a seasonal menu. There is no bread included with the meal, but they offer an excellent focaccia and olive tapenade... if you order it (Do!). The pappardelle was the hit of the evening, and had a bit of a kick to it. The pollo involtini was a delight. Portions were appropriately filling, but not over the top. An affogato and a tiramisu were shared for dessert, and were yummy. Service was not particularly attentive, but adequate. This is a pricy spot, at $140 for dinner for two, with a glass of wine apiece, and tip. Still worth a return visit. read more

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Food and service were great. Restaurant ambiance is that of shopping center pizza restaurant. Had the focaccia with olives. Very good paired with a red wine. Also had the rice balls very good. Broccolini was good , but not amazing. My wife had the gnocchi and I had the chicken Parmesan. Both were very good. This is a good local restaurant. The restaurant was not full which I suspect is a reflection of the economy. Support your local restaurants! read more

Visited Raleigh and our friends told us this was a hole-in-the-wall but has good food so away we went! We made a reservation for 7:15PM on a Saturday. We got there a little early and had to wait until 7:15PM before we got seated. Once we did, we got to ordering! We got the fish of the day, rigatoni, eggplants and a few other dishes. They did take a while but it could've been due to the short staff as the owner was there, one server and the kitchen staff. We didn't mind the wait as the owner and our server was extremely friendly, always checking in on us to make sure we were doing ok. The food itself isn't too expensive. The rigatoni was the stand out to me as it had great flavor and a superb al dente texture. Would definitely come back to try other dishes next time I'm in! read more

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Food was good but would not substitute a different sauce for the Gnocchi. Good service except forgot one side for one of our party members. Ambiance was nice. Small place though. read more

Food - 30$ for small portions, but tasty Service - The waiter went into the bathroom and didn't come out, cooks had to bang on the door and drag her out. falling asleep on a wall in the kitchen. Place - Lights do NOT work, but clean Extra - When we walked in on 6:30pm on a Friday ( an extremely busy time ) it was empty but places around it were packed. Extra - Menus given we're from 2021 and the seasonal menu, not the menu advertised. read more

I asked chat gpt who had the best risotto in Cary and it said La Grassa so we gave it a try and I'm so glad we did! The risotto was perfection and my husband said the chicken parm was the best he's ever had. The service, ambiance and food were 5 stars. This is our new favorite restaurant! read more

This is a really charming little bistro. The food was fantastic. The decor is beautiful. Will definitely go back. Loved everything about it.

The focaccia with olive tamponade is always the start of our meal. We chose the Branzino which was cooked to perfection and it was delicious. The clams and seafood broth added so much flavor. Because I am allergic to dairy, I am always looking for dishes such as this read more

Great experience! Loved the Lambrusco, burrata, and focaccia to start. Really impressed with the rigatoni bolognese, and the chicken was juicy and delicious. The gnocchi was airy and light and not too truffle-centric so would definitely order again. Good short rib too. Really friendly staff with indoor or outdoor dining! read more

We really wanted Italian tonight. So I hopped on Yelp to find a new spot to try. We landed on La Grassa. The atmosphere is fine/casual if that makes sense. Plenty of people dressed really nice. Also people dressed casual. Loved everything about this little spot. The decor is cozy and inviting. Candle on every table. Food seemed to come out quickly. We found out They take reservations. Luckily they had a table or two open for walk ins. Our waitress Lauren L. was delightful! She told us the specials. She Was cheerful. Her service was just spectacular. For starters we got the focaccia bread and the Calamari. Omg the bread was soooooo good. The tapenade that came with it was flavorful and delicious. The calamari was so tender. Cooked in a sauce of tomatoes, green olives, parsley and a grilled lemon. Absolutely incredible. For you mains we had the rigatoni bolognese and the linguine Salmone. The rigatoni It was delicious. A super unique flavor for a bolognese that I can't put my finger on but it was eaten fast and left us wanting more. lol The Linguine Salmone was spectacular. Fresh made pasta. Lemon Crème sauce complimented the cubes cured Salmone perfectly. We savored this dish to the last bite. During our main we definitely ordered another focaccia to sop up all the delish sauce we knew we didn't want to go to waste on our plates . lol No room for dessert tonight but if the quality and taste of the rest of the food was any indication..... I bet it's to die for, We will definitely be back. Come check them out for a family dinner or a nice romantic date for two. You won't regret it. (It's a little pricey but sooooo worth it.) The chef and crew are incredible. Brava to La Grassa! read more

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So the indoor seating is very very very close quarters in some spots. Like I could reach my hand out and touch the person at the next table. They have outdoor seating which would be great when the weather is nice. Cute set up for a strip mall area. The Eggplant Parmesan was made with cinnamon which I happen to enjoy but I know some people don't. The chocolate mousse was amazing. It was all really good. read more

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Started with the rice balls appetizer & focaccia w/ tapenade. I thought the rice balls were very good while my wife raved over the bread and tapenade. She got the chicken parmesan and said that the pasta that came with the chicken was some of the best she had ever tasted. I got the gnocchi which was incredibly rich and delicious. This place was a real find in Cary. read more

Large party with reservations but only 1 waitress. I was expecting an upscale experience based on reviews. Disappointed. Classic chicken parm was a pressed chicken patty Pasta and red sauce was good though. Menus were dirty and soiled. Water carafe was plastic. Just a let down ... read more

The website on Apple Maps says they close at 10. Tried to walk in at 8:35 and the one waitress said that she would not see us. Probably will not come back. read more

tried this place last night and I would NOT recommend this restaurant to anyone. The wine was terrible, we sent it back and tried another bottle - both terrible. We ordered the arancini and it was awful. So much cheese, hardly any rice. The meals came out and we actually left- the branzino was $45 and looked like broiled tilapia. The bolognese sauce was more like rigatoni with jarred ragu from the grocery store. We were completely in the dark, no lighting other than kitchen light with the loud fryer fan for atmosphere. The glasses were filthy, the server was alone and overwhelmed. The tables were left dirty the entire time we were there. Another table came in and left as well. DO NOT GO HERE. There must have been a change in ownership. When we left we smelled like fryer grease. This restaurant needs a lot of help. Very disappointing. read more

Food is fresh & tasty. Best calamari I've ever had. Focaccia is spot on. Service is superb.

Umm... first of all I'm beyond disappointed in the presentation and the amount of sauce that I received. After mixing it there was some at the bottom but not much. Also the sauce was just butter... and had little to no flavor. I feel like I'm just eating butter. The one thing that is amazing is the noodles, they are definitely handmade and have an amazing texture. The way the restaurant was set up was nice. It was like a little fancy restaurant. But the service... it was good. The people were nice. Also I have to say is that I will never go back. An absolute waste of time and money. (I bought two Alfredo pastas and one tiramisu) (the tiramisu is lovely) read more

La Grassa Pastificio - Fettucine Alfredo - Italian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

We went to la grassa for my birthday dinner, sans kids. This wonderful restaurant is hidden in a strip mall. Do not let the exterior fool you! Inside was a quaint restaurant. I liked the simple decor. The service is adequate, but the food was amazing. We started with the arancini to share. I enjoyed it. Then our main meals came out. I ordered the pasta and the sauce was amazing, with a hint of heat. The pasta was perfection. My husband has the short rib served with pillowy gnocchi and shaved brussel sprouts. I loved the brussel sprouts with the short rib sauce. Sadly, I did not have room for dessert, but the tiramisu looked amazing. Next time I am going to start with the dessert! Seriously, give this place a shot. I know most people recommend Daniel's, but La Grassa transported me away to Europe. read more

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I dare say La Grassa is my favorite restaurant in the Triangle. It's just so delicious! I've only been twice, but each time I am beyond impressed. The waitstaff is thoughtful and friendly and I love that you can see chef at work. Don't skip the focaccia it's amazing and fresh baked that day. The stracciatella mozzarella is also delicious, on our first visit it was with beets and the most recent one heirloom tomatoes. For pasta you can't go wrong with the tagliatelle bolognese or the rigatoni salsiccia (although I think I prefer the bolognese just a bit). I'm always a fan of short rib, I order it whenever it's on the menu and their's does not disappoint. The sauce with it is just do damn good and you can cut the short rib with a spoon. Don't skip out on dessert. I'm not a huge tiramisu person, but their's looked pretty good. I gave it a go, and oh my god. It's amazing! It's the perfect balance of coffee flavor, while still appreciating the mascarpone and lady fingers. The cappuccinos are also spot on, I just wish they would offer decaf. Dinner is not inexpensive, but to me it's 100% well worth every penny!! read more

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Food and Wine very expensive Small portions No complimentary bread Server was polite Dining area was stylish Do not recommend read more

This place is honestly SO GOOD. The server informed us that everything but one thing (sorry, forgot what) is made from scratch. Throughout dinner, she was attentive and informative. They have an open kitchen, so you can see what's going on inside. The restaurant allows a lot of natural sunlight to come in contrary to traditional Italian restaurants, but I don't mind! I love sunlight. Last but not least, the food. Oh, the food. From the perfectly roasted broccolini to the al dente pasta to the cannoli and the tiramisu, this is easily one of our favorite restaurants in the Triangle. The price is standard for an Italian restaurant. While the absence of complimentary bread and salad might catch some off guard, the quality of the dishes more than made up for it. The entree sizes leaned towards the smaller end, but the sheer deliciousness of the food left us wholly satisfied. read more

La Grassa Pastificio - Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Food was outstanding. Grilled calamari delicious. So was focaccia. Pasta with sausage wonderful. Short ribs with gnocchi was fantastic. Wine was great too. I do have several suggestions. The food is really pricey. They should include a salad with such high prices. Also menu is extremely limited. I'd add some traditional favorites such as veal parm and veal Marsala. Otherwise all good. read more

La Grassa Pastificio is a new restaurant featuring hand-crafted Italian cuisine served in the #Raleigh area in the suburb of Cary. It's a bit of a surprise since it's tucked away in a standard shopping center, but has a real homey feel right when you got in. Service was great and really liked how the staff was so attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. I really liked most of the food particularly the foccacia, the eggplant parmesan , and the tiramisu. And the short ribs + gnocchi. The sea bass was just ok for me, as the accompanying sauce was a bit salty for my liking. #italian #northcarolina read more

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We went 6:00 Saturday night. The menus were paper, obviously reused, crumpled, stained with who knows what. We were told several items were not available - the menu is small to begin with. WE ORDERED DRINKS - BEER - she said they only but they had Italian lager on taphad one Pieroni so we ordered that. When I tried to order a second they said it had to be Pieroni because the lager was out - WE WERE THE ONLY CUSTOMERS IN THE RESTAURANT. There was one fork for the whole meal. The portions we VERY small. The food was pretty good but for the price, the whole thing was almost laughable. The waitress was nice but again they were out of everything early oon a Saturday night. Would not go back for any reason. read more

This is such a fantastic place. The food and service were top notch. Chef Bobby came to chat with us at our table. We were celebrating my husband's birthday and had the best experience. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

La Grassa Pastificio - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Oh, yeah...Fresh pasta, pleasant waitstaff and a very nice selection of wines. You gotta love it. The tagliatelle bolognese is awesome as is the eggplant parmigiana...and did I mention the wine list? All hits. My second time there and I'm sure not my last. This place is on my rotation every time I'm in the area. The place is small and unassuming, but it's a gem. Give it a try, read more

Food and service are excellent. First time dined in here and I loved the food. Comparable to the food in Italy. Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

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2nd trip Brought my family this time. Again the food was superb. Felt like I was on one of the side alleys in Florence eating at an old family Italian restaurant with new generation take on the food. We had such great time and delicious food. Service was excellent. Great place for adult celebration or gathering. My wife and I celebrated our birthdays there tonight. We will be Backkkkkkkkkkkkk. read more

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Amazing food. Chef Bobby was amazing. Ben, our server was courteous and extremely sweet. He patiently answered all our questions ( I had many since I am vegetarian and allergic to shell fish) and If he was unsure he got answers from the chef directly. Place is also very cute and cozy! We will be back to try out other things on the menu! Truly a hidden gem in Cary! read more

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Small restaurant in a strip mall with good authentic food. A little expensive but the quality is really good. We ordered the focaccia to start, it comes with an olive tapenade which mostly tasted like olive oil and herbs, super good! I typically don't like olives but it was delicious with the bread, no strong olive taste. The gnocchi and rigatoni pastas were both great. I look forward to coming again read more

La Grassa Pastificio - Gnocchi and Rigatoni - Italian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Enjoyed my birthday dinner at this local find. Chef came out and visited with all the tables. Food and service was spectacular and the wine list was ample with great options. read more

The location and the ambiance are nice. The food was good, however the portion sizes did not match the price in my opinion. The experience was fine up until the end of our time, when the person paying our meal decided to not leave a tip due to 1) not having any cash which is their preferred method, and 2) as I stated earlier, they did not feel the portion sizes matched the price. It was strongly considered, but ultimately, they opted out of it. Instead accepting this, the server/manager decided to walk over to our table and ask if everything was ok? We answered, yes everything was fine. At this moment, this should have been left alone and ended the conversation, but instead, the server decided to continue on with the fact that a tip was not left, and if you didn't want to tip that's fine. This was mentioned 3 times, while a group was sitting beside our table. I found this to be highly unprofessional and disgusting. I finally took out my card, and just tip on my end since my friend that was paying for the meal was being accosted. I then called later that evening to speak to the owner, and was told by the manager, whom was also our server, that the owner would return later on that Tuesday, and would return my call then. It has not happened and it's been over 3 weeks. read more

Great date night spot. From their freshly prepared focaccia to their house made pasta and detailed service, you can't go wrong treating yourself with this spot. What a gem! read more

Our second time here. The food is always top notch! Great service as well, and family style ambiance makes it tough to leave. read more

La Grassa Pastificio - Saltimbocca - Italian Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Bobby the chef and our waitress are delightful! Such sweet people. The restaurant is comfortable and beautiful. The foccacia was absolutely delicious. Warm and crispy on the outside, warm and buttery on the inside. Had rosemary that worked very well with the flavor. The salad was like a Caesars salad with the most delicious croutons that tasted made from scratch, fresh, crunchy and buttery lettuce. The eggplant parmesan (I forget the Italian name) was delicious, plenty of sauce and the tomatoes, cheese with lots of layers of flavor. The rigatoni was just perfectly cooked and delightful! The sausage was delicious, with peppers, plenty of sauce and some cheese on top, so delicious. We also had broccolini (very garlicky and delicious) and the Swiss chard (cooked down nicely with a vinegar kick). We will definitely be back, the food is high quality and delicious! Service was perfect as well, our water never ran out and very proactive service. read more

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Without a doubt the worst service I've ever had at a restaurant--and I've been dining out for decades, probably over a thousand meals out. I wish I could tell you about the food, but I can't, because after being there for an hour we could see that the kitchen staff had disappeared in back without starting our entrees. Was it that the amazing disappearing waitress forgot to send our ticket to the kitchen? Who the hell knows, once we chased her down all we got was excuses. Someone should be fired. It's 10pm, I'm out $68 for a glass of wine per person and some bread, and cooking dinner at home. read more

Four stars is just about perfect for this restaurant. We showed up right when it opened at 5:30 p.m. on a Saturday night. They were gracious enough to seat us, even though they let us know right away that they were not taking walk-ins for the evening. The inside is adorable, yet small. Highly recommend reservations. Great wine list, even though I do not drink wine. The menu was a little bit surprising because all of the photos online show a bit more of an extensive menu, but the one that we saw was limited. We ordered the focaccia to start, the pasta salsicchia, and the salmon limone pasta. The focaccia with the olive tapenade was one of the most amazing things I've ever eaten. Unfortunately, the flavor of the pasta is where the restaurant falls short. Both dishes were bland. The sausage pasta tasted more like the tomato broth that my family uses to make Polish rice and cabbage. And if you really, really like fresh salmon, and you really, really like lemon, then you should order the salmon limone. I like both of those things, but put together in the pasta was a bit much. Since this is in a shopping plaza, there is plenty of parking, and the staff is very nice. All in all, this place, for me, earned four stars because of the lack of flavor and the lack of options on the menu. read more

Incredible experience - even the kids loved the fresh homemade pasta!! Hidden gem! We think chef Bobbi can beat Bobbi Flay! read more

My husband and I decided to go on a little getaway after his back surgery, so we went to Cary, just about an hour away. We didn't know where to eat so I checked on Yelp and happened upon this little gem. The restaurant is very small, maybe 10-15 tables, but it is clean and decorated nicely. We were warmly greeted by the hostess/waitress and seated immediately. It was a Wednesday night, so if you plan to go on a weekend, making a reservation is advised. The menu was simple but had a good selection to choose from. Everything on the menu is made fresh from scratch and let me tell you, everything was delicious!!! We got the focaccia bread that was served warm with an olive tapenade, and it was so good! We also ordered the calamari and we enjoyed that as well. It was served differently than most Italian restaurants, as it was not fried, but the flavor was amazing! For the entree, we shared rigatoni Pomodoro prepared with Italian sausage and fresh mozzarella. We thoroughly enjoyed every bite of our meal and will definitely make a point to go there again! read more

If I was to say one thing about this place I would have to comment on the cozy feeling of it, it was an amazing dinner with my wife. I was even able to meet the Owner/Head chef! He was such a kind man and obviously a hard worker, he keeps a good staff here because the food was so amazing! God Bless you Bobby for giving us a wonderful anniversary. read more