Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Lugano Ristorante

    3.8 (479 reviews)
    ModerateItalian
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Lugano Ristorante Photos

    LUGANO RISTORANTE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Lugano Ristorante

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Annie J.

    I've been to Lugano several times and have always enjoyed it but this visit was especially great. I ordered the chicken and asparagus special and the chicken was cooked perfectly and their mashed potatoes are really good. I've also had their lasagna in the past and absolutely loved it. Highly recommend Lugano to anyone looking for good Italian food.

    10/10 chicken parm
    Shanel B.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Delicious 10/10 food, service and ambience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The perfect place for a a girls dinner or a date night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Lovely inside, we had a personal window table, perfect for date night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service was amazing, everyone was kind and professional. Defiantly recommend, I plan to return!

    Margherita Pizza
    A R.

    The wifey wanted some Italian while we were out celebrating. So I went ahead and booked us a table here while we were in Cary. The food was ok, we've been to a few different Italian spots up & down the east coast. So we have a certain things. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Atmosphere was great, service was good as well[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], but my food personally wasn't what I thought it would be flavor wise. The wife enjoyed her Garlic Shrimp Oreganta. My kid enjoyed eating the Margherita Pizza. So that's all that mattered all good.

    Bruschetta
    Ryan D.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Excellent spot for a date night![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very nice ambiance and the food is excellent![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They usually have some great specials as well. The bruschetta is a must-have. Service is decent. I've been many times and will be back again!

    Messina salad
    Jessica C.

    Revisiting Lugano and it was yummy. I went for a leisurely weekend lunch with my Mother-in-law. I appreciate the half & half menu option when I don't want a whole plate of pasta, but I get some nice veggies also. Everything was fresh.

    Lobster fettuccine
    Gina D.

    We came into town to visit our son at NC State and take him to dinner. We are not familiar with restaurants in the area so we used YELP to look around. We found Lugano Ristorante and decided to give it a try. We were seated quickly. Our server was very attentive and friendly. Our son got a salad with chicken and said it was delicious after eating cafeteria food for a couple months now. Our daughter got the lobster fettuccine and it was also delicious. My husband got a meaty pizza that he enjoyed and I got chicken marsala. The chicken marsala was very tasty with mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach that had a little kick to it! The focaccia bread was a nice addition to have while we waited for our meals. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was nice but a tad loud but it didn't bother us.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We will definitely return because there were so many things on the menu we wanted to try!

    Caesar salad
    Justin P.

    I'm no expert in Italian food, but I'm fairly certain that there can be diversity when it comes to making sauces. I think this is Lugano's pitfall when it comes to their food and experience. When I walked in for the first time, Lugano had a warm and inviting feel to it. The dining room was buzzing, I was definitely impressed. Lugano's appetizers continued to get my hopes up. First off, their focaccia and olive oil may have been some of the best I've ever had. The bread was warm and airy and the herbs lifted it. We also got some calamari and a Caesar salad for the table. Both were done fairly well with the portions being exceptionally generous. My only complaint was that the batter on the calamari didn't stick so well, but the squid tasted fresh and the sauces complimented everything. The main entrees were when the tides of the meal shifted a bit. While glancing through the menu, there was a theme that I noticed regarding the pastas - they all had cream sauce. Tortelloni - pesto cream sauce. Lasagna Bolognese - three cheese alfredo. Rigatoni - touch of cream. Ziti - lobster cream sauce. Most of all the specialty pastas was a cream sauce, which I found to be rather disappointing. Don't get me wrong, I like alfredo as much as the next person, but my stomach on the other hand has more issues with it. For our table, all of the cream pastas meant that we were in for a heavy meal, with some potential consequences thereafter. I got the Ziti al Forno. Flavor wise - it was pretty good. I really liked all the meats in it, but I really could only eat half. I also got to the try the capellini alla Melanzana (has fried eggplant) and the Penne Sardi. Again, I was a bit put off by all the cream in the dishes, but I would say the Penne Sardi was the best. The eggplant was a bit disappointing, it was super thin and didn't have much substance to it. My mother ordered the grilled pork chops and she wasn't a fan of that dish. The crust on the pork wasn't super appetizing and the demi-glace overpowered all other flavors. Overall, I think Lugano is a great restaurant for a nicer meal out with the family or a special occasion. If I'm looking for some really good Italian food, I might look elsewhere. I will say, I came back with a friend and had some decent chicken parmesan for lunch. Want to know the kicker to that? It also had cream in it. What happened to a good old fashioned tomato and basil sauce??

    Cindy G.

    Came here on a Saturday night with reservations and we were seated within a couple of minutes. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Restaurant was very busy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Staff was attentive in restaurant was very clean and spacious.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The Merlot was very smooth and the cappellini was full of flavor. Bread came out warm and fresh

    Ziti
    Zay M.

    I arrived here at 7:33pm on a Tuesday night. I made a 7:30pm reservation to celebrate a birthday. After entered, there were 3 people at the host stand and we sat promptly. It was a little busy but not crowded and there were several open tables. The first thing I noticed when were sat was that it was somewhat noisy. Maeve, our waitress, came over at 7:36pm to introduce herself and bring the cocktail menu. We got waters to started and ordered calamari appetizer at 7:38pm. At 7:42pm, Maeve brought compliments bread, which was warm and tasty. The calamari appetizer arrived at 7:46pm. It came with a warm traditional marinara sauce, and a homemade Italian salsa that was cool. The marinara paired with the calamari. The Italian salsa tasted OK, but for me, it didn't pair well with the calamari. Personally, I think it would have been better if it was warm, considering that the calamari was. We both got a glass of wine. They ordered theirs at least 10 minutes before I did. Both of our drinks came at 8:01pm. It took a little while to receive them, but our waitress did let us know that ahead of time. However, it didn't seem so busy with that would be the case. I ordered the Ziti Al Forno and other person ordered the fettuccine with lobster. When our food came, it was HOT, through and through. My pasta was amazing and honestly one of the best pasta I've had. The lobster cream sauce was amazing and flavorful. With the appetizer and bread, we didn't finish our food and got it boxed to go. We did receive and look at the dessert menu. Originally we were going to get the Lemon Panna Cotta but a waiter hyped up the Bombolini, which we ordered at 8:44pm. We received it at 8:53pm. From the description, we were expecting donut shaped dessert but it was more so shaped like a potato wedge. We enjoyed it! The ice cream, however, seemed a little flavorless, which I wasn't fond of. Overall, pretty great experience and i definitely plan to return as I want to try the a shrimp and salmon dish they have. Attentiveness of our waitress was inconsistent with moments where it was great and other moments where there was an extended period before returning. I will note teamwork seems to be highlighted as several people came to the table throughout our visit. The restaurant was clean, including the bathrooms. They have a full bar and ample dining and waiting space. When I made the reservation, I added a note that we were celebrating a birthday. It was unfortunate that it wasn't recognized. I know some restaurants may not give a "birthday treat" but a simple acknowledgment would've been nice.

    Focaccia bread
    Iris R.

    I was impressed with my first visit to Lugano's. A friend of mine highly recommended this restaurant, so we decided to have dinner here. The restaurant has multiple table and booth seating options. The hostess was very understanding when we asked to be seated at a table instead of a booth. Our waiter, Greg, was absolutely awesome. He was attentive and offered details about some of his favorite menu options. I chose to order the Lobster and Shrimp Scampi. When I say delicious, I mean what I say. I could eat this dish once a week. The seafood was just right and the sauce was flavorful. To wrap up my first visit to Lugano's, I orders the cannolis. The ricotta filling was tasty and the cannoli shells were crisp. It's a great item to have as part of the dessert menu. I can't wait to go back to try another menu item.

    Britt B.

    We went to Lugano a few months back with my parents, in-laws, and baby girl and had a great experience! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Lugano is fairly upscale, but still laid back.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We went around 4pm, so it was not busy yet.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I wish I recalled our server's name; I do not but he was great! Knowledgeable and very friendly! They have a fairly extensive drink menu and I opted for my usual: Cabernet! They bring you out warm, fresh bread with olive oil. Yum! The menu is very extensive, and delicious! We ordered a plethora of yummy dishes: Iceberg Wedge Salad, Spinach Salad, Roasted Beet Salad, Sicilian Meatballs, Stuffed Mushrooms, Pepperoni Pizza, Chicken Parmesan, Eggplant Parmesan, Lugano with Chicken, Fresh Catch Special, and Rigatoni ala Bolognese. The wedge salad was fresh, and enough to share. The Stuffed Mushrooms were some of the best, if not the best we have ever had! So delicious! The meatballs were amazing, our little girl absolutely loved them. I ordered the Chicken Parmesan and it was also amazing, perfectly cooked and flavored, not too breaded. My husband ordered the fresh catch special and was able to get it dairy-free, which was great! Everyone else loved their dishes as well! The only thing we didn't love was the pizza, although flavorful, a bit too salty. Additionally, for our toddler's kid's meal it was a small portion of spaghetti, however, it comes with a drink and ice-cream. I would possibly try a different kid's meal next time. We enjoyed our visit at Lugano and would definitely go back!

    Apple crostata
    Lynn R.

    Enjoyed a wonderful meal here with friends. Our server Greg, was amazing and took great care of us and made sure we were happy. I ordered the eggplant parm served over creamy, delicious pasta. The dish was cooked just perfectly and the eggplant was sliced nice and thin with a golden crust. My friends enjoyed their meals as well. Luganos makes amazing bread with just the right hint of rosemary. This was served warm with butter and a dish of olive oil for dipping. If you haven't dined here don't delay. It's comfortable and inviting. For desert we tried the apple crostata. This was wonderful too.

    Shrimp and lobster scampi

    See all

    Review Insights

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    18 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    5 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of A R.
    0
    43
    65

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Ryan D.
    0
    25
    31

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Cindy G.
    250
    1266
    8994

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Zay M.
    521
    817
    17887

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Adam B.
    750
    1240
    502

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Monica M.
    90
    17
    53

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Scott V.
    9
    93
    464

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    The small caesar salad was large and of good quality. The bread was pretty stale and the lasagna bolonese fair at best. I am disapponted.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Chris K.
    124
    1126
    2394

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 12

    Ask the Community - Lugano Ristorante

    Is the pasta handmade?

    Most definitely! It's the reason we go.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Italian 9,119 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Colletta

    Colletta

    4.0
    (342 reviews)
    3.5 mi

    Really lovely experience! Came here for our anniversary and had a reservation for Friday night - I…read moreactually got a message from Colletta asking what our hobbies/interests are, so I told them that we love the beach and pickleball. Once we arrived, they gave us a gift of pickleballs and a really nice coconut beachy candle! We had never had that kind of customer service and generosity before, it was such a special way to start our dinner! Onto the food/drinks, we got a few drinks that were delicious! For our food, we started with the Focaccia and Polpette appetizers. They were so incredible and for my meal, I ordered the Creste di Gallo. Everything was 10/10, no notes or critiques! Our server was so friendly, helpful, and prompt! We had a wonderful time at our dinner - thank you so much Colletta team!!

    We recently had lunch at Colletta in Fenton Town Center. My husband ordered the rigatoni, and it…read morewas absolutely delicious. I chose the lunch special with the Cotoletta di Pollo and house salad. Unfortunately, the bread on my sandwich was burnt when it arrived, but the staff quickly replaced it without any issue. The second sandwich was better, though just average overall. The real standout was the Berry Blossom cocktail, which was absolutely AWESOME! It was refreshing, flavorful, and easily my favorite part of the meal. The fries were also excellent, and the pasta dishes were definitely the stars of our lunch. Our bartender was serving us and did a fine job taking care of everything we needed, but the service felt a little less warm and personable than we typically enjoy. That said, the issue with my sandwich was handled promptly and professionally. Overall, the rigatoni, delicious pasta, amazing Berry Blossom cocktail, and great fries made for an enjoyable lunch. We'd definitely return and look forward to trying more items on the menu.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Arancini
    Arancini
    Shrimp Bucatini

    See all

    Shrimp Bucatini
    Daniel's Restaurant

    Daniel's Restaurant

    4.0
    (713 reviews)
    4.7 mi
    $$

    Lemme tell you... if you already don't know. Daniel's has the best Italian food in Apex. Maybe even…read morethe triangle. We loved the old timey feel and ambiance. From the hostess to our servers. Everyone was incredible. We started our meal with the focaccia bread with marinara. When I tell you We're still thinking about it a week later it's no exaggeration. lol I had the pear, grape and blue cheese salad which was so light and fresh! A way bigger portion than I was expecting. For our mains my wife had The penne ala casa and she thought it was incredible. So flavorful and delicious. the perfect sauce to pasta ratio. I had the lamb cannelloni. What a show stopper. The flavors, the textures all combined into a symphony on my palate. We had to run, so we ordered the tres leche cake to go. Another grand slam. It was amazing. Definitely a must get it you go!

    I've been going to Daniels for many years and have generally had good experiences and really…read moreenjoyed the food. However, my last two visits were sorely lacking. On one, my son ordered the chicken Marsala, which we have enjoyed before but it's been a long time. This time it was just perfectly awful. Salty and very little flavor. I kept thinking "where is the Marsala"? Then we went this past Monday night. There was some confusion over the pizza special, which would have been ok except Seth the owner came over and handled the discussion so poorly that even the couple sitting behind us stopped by on their way out to say they were sorry for the exchange we experienced and would not be back. We probably won't be back either, which is a real shame because we are very loyal customers of many years. But there are other good Italian restaurants in the area without rude owners and who will appreciate the business. I'm sure this review will not impact Daniels business or cause Seth to change his demeanor, but just be forewarned that if you have an issue, the owner will not be helpful in resolving.

    Photos
    Decor
    Decor
    Side Caesar Salad
    Side Caesar Salad
    Cosmopolitan with Tito's

    See all

    Cosmopolitan with Tito's
    SPAZIO

    SPAZIO

    4.4
    (59 reviews)
    10.2 mi

    Used to go here a couple of years ago when it was Ashley Harvest Moon for breakfast, been wanting…read moreto try Spazio for ages. I knew it was a local fine dining restaurant, but just making reservations was an interesting experience. (Call and leave a message, there's no open table. There's a form to fill out. What?" As soon a we arrived we realized a reservation wasn't necessary as we were the only guests there for 30 minutes or so. My wife and I ordered: Glass of Wine, Ravioli, a Roman Pizza, a side of green beans, and a desert of tiramisu. The food was quick as we were the only ones there for a while as other guests came in. But as other recent reviews indicate, the menu options are pretty small, but the pricing and ambiance doesn't meld. I expected more redesign of the dining area that was used by the former restaurant; but that wasn't the case. It was a bit small dining room. I'll go back for an appetizer or glass of wine due a gift, but the pricing is too high for the food and the portion size that you get.

    My wife and I have been here twice now and both times the experience was great. The food was…read moredelicious (OK, the Alici pizza with the anchovies on it was pretty salty but removing the anchovies fixed that. Guess it was to be expected since anchovies are always salty), there's always a very nice ambiance, and the service is top notch! This place is on our "must go back to" list!

    Photos
    So relaxing.....
    So relaxing.....
    Berries and cream dessert. Affagato in the background, but I already ate some of it before picture.
    Berries and cream dessert. Affagato in the background, but I already ate some of it before picture.
    Cocktails at 4:30? Why not.

    See all

    Cocktails at 4:30? Why not.
    Rigo’s Pizzeria

    Rigo’s Pizzeria

    4.5
    (161 reviews)
    1.0 mi

    I have been getting their amazing dinner deals for a year now and it's honestly the best deal…read morearound, rigid is a relaxed pizza place that can feed 4 for at least 2 days on a 20$ meal deal (1 giant pizza and garlic knots) I highly recommend this place to anyone who's tired of overpriced pizza or that frozen taste some places have everything here is amazing and I can't recommend it enough. The service is next to perfect they make every guest feel like family and they even make their own ranch here.

    Three of us came here to celebrate a birthday and as always Rigos staff made it very special…read more The tables were all clean and nice music was in the background but not overwhelming. The birthday girl turned 94 and it was her first time at Rigos. She loved it and is looking forward to returning. She chose the lasagna that came with bread and salad. I got the bolognese pasta that also comes with bread and salad. The salads were fresh and a good size for a side salad. There's a wide choice of dressings and a Caesar salad as well. The salads and hot bread came out first then a short time later the entrees. Both entrees were delivered quickly and hot. Both were delicious.. The drinks are self serve and the choices are sodas and tea. When they found out it was her birthday they insisted she chose a dessert . She chose the cheesecake and shared with me and it was wonderful. Thanks to the staff for making this special birthday a great treat for our family.

    Photos
    Rigo’s Pizzeria
    Grandmas
    Grandmas
    Rigo’s Pizzeria

    See all

    Lugano Ristorante - italian - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...