Outstanding Service, Outstanding customer service and Outstanding food and Malcolm is outstanding. Thank you David Owens Operations Manager! read more

Service: 6/5 bartender was excellent. Food: 5/5 - had Cole's favorite (tomato and oregano), and the summer squash pizza, as well as roasted okra. Very good. Ambiance: 5/5. read more

"Artisanal pizzas in downtown Durham" I've been coming here for a few years and was surprised that I hadn't written a review yet. Most recently, I came on a Thursday evening at just after 6pm. The main entrance room has a few regular square tables but also some long communal tables. The room was packed and LOUD-- literally almost to the point of a light headache. My girlfriend and I opted to go eat at the bar, which also allows access to the full menu and was notably quieter. The pizzas here are FANCY -- toppings like clam or fried eggplant, not your usual pizza toppings. A lot of the pizzas don't even have cheese, or "much" cheese. I ordered the "nc tomato", with tomato, garlic, olive tapenade, and vegan ricotta. My girlfriend got the "cole's favorite", which just had tomato sauce and oregano. Service was friendly, and our pizzas came in around 15 minutes. The pizzas are large yet still personal sized-- we both easily ate our own, and it was a "good" amount of food overall so we felt pretty full. Mine was good-- it felt a little funny that the toppings were put almost in little clumps on the pizza rather than "spread", but it was easy enough to spread myself. The crust edges were a LITTLE burnt but not bad. I really liked the olive tapenade on mine especially. Still, taste-wise, I actually liked my girlfriend's oregano pizza better, maybe since I'm just a fan of tomato sauce more generally. The pizzas were a little messy to eat by hand but still doable. I will say that it was annoying that the restrooms didn't have paper towels when they are feeding us such a messy food as their main product-- the lame little blower doesn't help after I wash the oil off my face. Though brownie points for gender-neutral individual restrooms. The price was reasonable-- I think it was just above $60 including tax and tip for dinner, and we both got drinks, too (I had a spicy non-alcoholic ginger beer, and my girlfriend had something else). Overall, a good dinner. You have to expect artisanal pizzas here, not just regular pizza. If you're craving a standard cheesy pizza, this is NOT the place to come. Still, good for a change of pace or an upscale, "hipster", different experience. read more

Pizzeria Toro is 5 stars and I'm insane for having rated it 4 stars before. The pizza is seriously so good. The crust is perfect, has a great char, and the toppings are drool worthy. Whenever I think of good pizza, my mind goes right here. We've come back multiple times since that first visit and while we've sampled some other pizzas, our top two are the Spicy Lamb Meatballs and the Soft Egg. Drizzle some of their fantastic chili oil on it as well and you are all set! read more

Pizzeria Toro - Spicy Lamb Meatball pizza (top) & Soft Egg pizza (bottom) - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I ate here recently for the first time with my hubby, son, and brother. We all loved it! We arrived without a reservation on a Friday night, and had about a 25 minute wait. We were sat right in front of the kitchen, at the end of a shared table. We loved seeing all the different pizzas being made and how efficient the team worked. To start we had the ricotta dumplings and the kale salad. Both tasted fresh, unique, and delicious. We then shared the soft egg pizza, the brussels sprout pizza, and the pizza americana (cheese) for the little guy. We enjoyed all of them, especially the brussels sprout. An added bonus to sitting where we did is that the gentleman preparing the pizzas made an extra and offered it to us. We were stuffed so we declined, and he gave it to the kitchen staff, but it was nice of him to offer! read more

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This is such a cute date or family night stop. The staff are so nice and attentive! We ordered pizzas and salads. It was amazing and filled with flavor. The chili oil is a nice touch. They do have seasonable menu but the standard pizzas are always available. There are enough parking spots around and in front of this place. If you are in Durham, do check that out. read more

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What I recommend: The potato pizza when it's in season Pizza Toro is one of the most creative pizza spots in Durham. They're not afraid to experiment, and that's what makes this place stand out. The menu changes with the seasons, and you'll often find unique options like the potato pizza with anchovies, which is my personal favorite when it's available. They also do great takes on classics like the old school and new school pepperoni. The service is quick, the staff is friendly, and the vibe is always solid. Some of the seasonal pizzas can be hit or miss, and a few run a little salty even for my taste, but when they get it right, it's some of the best pizza you'll find in the area. Pizza Toro is a spot worth visiting if you want something different, creative, and consistently interesting. read more

Pizzeria Toro - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Best Pizza Ever. Love and miss this pizza place because honestly it's been awhile (less than a year). Fun, tasty, trendy, and hip.

This is the BEST vegan pizza I have ever had. Unlike many other pizza places which say they offer "vegan pizza" (which is really just a pizza with no cheese), Pizzaria Toro puts care and love into creating truly exceptional, unique, and delicious vegan pizzas. They only have one vegan pizza offered at a time (though of course you can create your own), but they change it every few months, which gives us a good incentive to return. And I am always blown away by the creativity (and the deliciousness) of what they put together. This is NOT just some limp mushrooms & green onions! No. They had an eggplant one with some kind of incredible, savory sauce on it (wow, still think about that one), they had another one with squash on it (and also, another delicious sauce). One time they did a pizza which had some unusual green on it (which was kind of bitter. that one wasn't my favorite). Regardless, it is ALWAYS worth your time and your money! You will get something unique and delicious! The service is pretty fast, in my opinion, and the inside is cute. But the main problem with Pizza Toro is that they are so so busy that it can be hard to get seating. And when you are seated, they will sit you on one long table with multiple parties (which isn't awful, but definitely unusual). Finally, when it gets super busy (which is most nights, and especially weekends), it can be pretty loud in there, in the point where it was hard to hear what my partner was saying. Thankfully, there's an easy solution to this. My partner and I have gotten into the habit of ordering our pizza to go (ahead of time), and then picking it up and sitting outside in the public patio area to eat. Just across the street from Toro there is a small paved patio area which has multiple tables and chairs. If those are full, you can walk down to the left about a block and you'll come to another outside seating area (near where that ice cream stop is). Very convenient! Overall, highly, highly recommend. I check their online menu regularly to see when it changes so I can plan when to go next :) read more

Pizzeria Toro - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Came here after a work event. We came around 8pm on a Monday and this place was busy! Thankfully, it was just two of us so we were sat quickly. They have some individual tables but mostly communal tables where you could be sat with other groups. We started off with a Bellini each. Blood orange and champagne. It was cool and delicious. Perfect contrast to the extreme heat we've been having. We loved it so much we had two. The Bellinis are $13 each. Now, to the most important part - the pizza. I ordered the mushroom pizza and my friend ordered the vegan pizza. We were in no rush, which worked out because it took a bit for our pizza to come out. No problem - that's where their delicious drinks come in handy. This is definitely a place to sit and enjoy with friends. I can definitely say the pizza was well worth the wait. Hands down the best pizza I have ever had. The perfect amount of oil to make the pizza soft but not greasy. If you love mushrooms, you know you can't go wrong. The pizza is large if you're thinking about it as one pizza per person, which I would definitely encourage getting your own. $21 for the pizza, which I believe it is absolutely worth it. In short, come in and relax. Expect to slow down so make it into an enjoyable visit with some extra drinks and apps. Revel in the delicious pizza you'll get to devour. read more

Pizzeria Toro - Bellini - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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There's so much to say about Toro but it would be a book. This place is an essential for anyone living nearby and any and all visitors to Durham, heck to North Carolina even. Their pizza is always fresh, wood fired right in front of you in a ginormous oven, and it's guaranteed to tickle your taste buds. I always rotate when coming here but are always intrigued about their special. I also always always get their kale salad. It has pine nuts, Parmesan, and calebrean peppers in it. So so so so so good. I could eat that everyday if I could. A waiter once wrote down the recipe on a Toro postcard for us, which was so very kind. The service overall is always on point, though it does get a bit crowded and a bit hard to hear, since it's a relatively small space - but that's what makes Toro so special. Enjoy! read more

Pizzeria Toro - Salad of dreams, kale salad! - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Best pizza we have had since returning from Rome. We had the seasonal special, white pizza with asparagus and prosciutto and it was fantastic. Don't miss the kale salad, the flavors were wonderful. Not a huge fan of the ricotta dumplings but they were ok, but the rhubarb crostini was delicious! Great cocktails too. Can't wait to go back! read more

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Excellent pizza! I stopped in for dinner on a cold dark wintry night in Durham. Inside was warmth and light and happiness! I sat next to the smoking hot pizza oven. The pizza chef used his long handled pole to arrange the pizzas on the smoking hot oven with orange glowing wood in the back. I had a phenomenal sweet sausage pizza with peppers and fennel. The thin crispy crust was delicious! Service was very good. The place was crowded and loud and fun! read more

Pizzeria Toro - Pizza oven - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Came here on a Monday night and it was surprisingly busy. We were a party of two and we still had to wait like 20-25 mins. They also seat you at a table with other parties. You're not necessarily cramped but you do sit quite close to others which may or may not be somewhat awkward but whatever. We got the burrata to share. I felt like the bread it came with was much too salty but my friend really enjoyed the saltiness so I guess that is a variable opinion. The sauce that it came with was kind of...unexpected. It was like spinach-y but thin, maybe with oil of some sort? I kind of have mixed opinons on how I feel about it. Probably would not order again but it was alright. The cheese itself was good. I got the pizza with the fennel sausage which I felt was decently yummy. My friend got the one with the lamb meatballs and I'm not sure what sort of cheese was on it but it had a very strong cheesy, almost smoky flavor. I think overall, the meal was decent but also not particularly impressive. I guess there is only so much you can do with pizza. If you are a big fan of pizza, I'm sure this will be quite a good experience but as for me, I felt like it was good pizza but not anything to rave about in particular. read more

Pizzeria Toro - Fennel sausage - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Very good pizza, but, way too popular (good thing for the restaurant), but, not good for a hangry patron like myself. Me and a friend went on a weekday, but, that didn't matter, all of Durham also decided to go. We waited for 45 minutes to be seated. Of course we walked around to find another restaurant who could seat us sooner, but, we really wanted to eat here because the pizza is really good. The ambiance is electric, full of conversation and energy. We probably had the worst seats in the house. We were seated at the end of a long community table with multiple people we didn't know (not a problem), except my seat was next to the waiter's station picking up food. I was bumped or nearly bumped by waiters multiple times. That's fine, the restaurant is not very big and every seat was taken. The food was great, so I won't complain about the cramped seating and long wait, that's what happens when you eat at a super popular restaurant that everyone knows about. I highly recommend ordering takeout pizza from this place if you don't want to wait a long time to be seated. read more

Tipping on Takeout?? Maybe they were mad that I didn't tip on a take out order where I'd already spent $79 on three of their moderately sized pizzas, so they planted a hair out of revenge!!!! Who knows?? Maybe someone was stressed and the hair just fell gently on the pie during the three second window between when the sauce was poured and the cheese was spread as a wisp of cold air blew threw the front door as someone else picked up a take out order?? Who knows?? I have to preface this review by saying that I'm not a fan of pizzeria toro. I don't think you get bang for your buck on any of their pizzas, but hey, my wife really likes them so I bite the bullet sometimes. To each their own. My favorite things about pizzeria toro are the chili oil, which is not included in a standard order and also that you don't feel bloated after you eat their pizza, kudos. If you do pay for chili oil you get a minuscule portion that covers one slice. Again not worth whatever you pay for it. IMO, they should add a little more salt, msg, or oregano to the sauce to add depth. Cook is inconsistent on bake. It is what it is... Back to the disappointment. We found a 6 inch hair in our buffalo mozzarella pizza. Thankfully it wasn't one of those nasty finds where you choke as the hair clings to the back of your throat, or the hair slides as you bite the tip of the pizza and the hair stretches between the piece in your mouth and your hand... No, we weren't that fortunate, the cheese skid off the slice when we pulled it and the hair was on the dough staring at us. See the picture below. You can see the hair between the slice and lettering on the box. Anyway, we called and asked for a refund on the buffalo mozzarella pizza. The M.O.D offered to refund or recook the pizza for us to pick up. We weren't trying to go back out in the cold and opted for the refund. He stated we would get a text confirming the refund on the pizza, it never came. No biggie. We know pizzeria toro doesn't need our business, they're a staple in Durham and have their cult following. They could at least honor their word, for what it's worth. Our dinner was ruined and everyone checked the other two pizzas diligently to make sure each slice was clear. We scrapped the buffalo mozzarella pizza. So it goes. The best thing about this is that I won't have to eat here for a while since my wife got the ick. Thanks pizzeria toro!!! Haha read more

Pizzeria Toro - Copy of receipt. - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Solid wood-fired pizza, I appreciated the char on the crust, and the ability to create your own pizza. One of the pizzas was soggy (maybe from the ingredients we picked), but the other pizza was crunchy and tasted pretty good. Ordered the pizza to-go, but the inside of the restaurant is pretty cool-looking (eat in if you're able to). read more

This spot was 10/10!! The sausage pizza was delicious and the crust was perfectly fluffy and crispy. The tomato sauce was fresh and robust. Ambiance was great and you could see the beautiful pizza ovens in the back! Service was great as the staff was very attentive and knowledgeable. read more

Pizzeria Toro - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

This was my second time coming here and I was pleased with the place the second time around. It was a Sunday night and surprisingly busy but we didn't have to wait long for a table of 4. To start, we got the ricotta dumplings which had mushrooms and squash and it was very good, but I do wish they included more dumplings in there because there was only a few and a lot more of the squash and mushrooms. For pizza, I got the cremini mushroom white pizza which I got the first time I came and it was good but I remembered it having more garlic on it so I was a bit disappointed about that but otherwise it was still so amazing and perfectly baked. Our waiter was very nice and helpful throughout the whole dinner and we were pleased with our experience here. Just wish some ratio of ingredients were more proportionate. read more

Pizzeria Toro - Cremini Mushrooms White Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Really good pizza right by Duke. My friend and I split the mushroom pizza and it was the perfect size for us to split. The spicy chili oil made it so good. Came for lunch and service was great. read more

Pizzeria Toro - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Food was excellent and prompt. Service was fast . Great place for superb pizza, salad , and desserts. read more

While the pizza and the service were great, I was underwhelmed by the location in Durham. It can be a challenge to find parking. Too many smokers in the parking lot behind the restaurant. Durham, in general, feels gritty. I heard that they're coming to Cary, and I much prefer spending my time in Cary. They can't come soon enough to Cary. read more

Food was fine, and service was also fine. What I don't appreciate is a 20% "service fee" (forced gratuity) automatically added to my bill, and then asking for a tip on top of that. Won't be returning for this reason alone. Pay your workers a fair wage up front, don't steal it through my bill. read more

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Very average very expensive . I was wondering why the server seemed miserable no smile no recommendations . Built in gratuity = no motivation! They have a beautiful Oven but they don't no how to use it?! First they put in the sauced dough Cook it take it out add topping put it back to lightly finish. What you get is soggy! read more

Good pizza spot overall. Lucked out and got a window seat so view was mice looking over the street/block; otherwise there are long table seatings where it may be tough to sit together depending on how many people you are with. Pizza was good. Anything wood fired is typically good and our pizzas were cooked close to perfect. The flavors were solid, but nothing that screams out it is the best pizza I've had. The Soft Egg pizza I wish had more flavor, specially on the egg itself and would have liked way less arugula that was on it. I appreciate the delicious oil that they give us to use. Would dine again. read more

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Upon walking into Pizzeria Toro, one is greeted by a warm and intimate ambiance, with dimmed but appropriate lighting, and a long table where multiple groups are seated; I went here on a date, and while it was interesting to abut our neighbors, I probably would have appreciated a little more separation. That being said, service otherwise was fast, kind, and approachable. I ordered the Morel crostini and the lamb meatball pizza. In concept, these sounded great, but in practice fell short in a few key ways. The crostini with nettle pesto missed out on more robust flavors (say, perhaps, traditional basil?), and the morel mushrooms themselves were a bit slimy, without a crisp I might expect from properly seared mushrooms. The lamb pizza was great, but unfortunately was just very strongly salted, too much for my taste, which detracted from the overall experience. Overall, Pizzeria Toro earned enough points through a warm vibe and pretty decent food, namely their pizzas. However, on key points falls short of a 5 star experience. read more

I was here a few months ago and thought the pizza was one of the best in the triangle. The staff is very friendly and attentive. My glass of water was never empty. Now if you don't care for communal seating, noisy spaces, and well done pizza then this is not for you. In fact if you're looking for date night place that's quiet and romantic than this is definitely not the place. But if you're like me and you put more emphasis on the food above all other things that don't matter, then this is the spot you want to go to. Excellent pies for the second time around. Worth the drive and wait. read more

This place is absolutely amazing! Not only was the pizza delicious, but the atmosphere was so fun and inviting for a big group like we had or a date night. I also want to give a special shoutout to our waitress, Rebekah. I have a severe tree nut allergy, and she went above and beyond to make sure I felt safe and comfortable. Without me even asking, she marked every pizza that came out for my allergy and double-checked that I could have it, just in case I wanted to try something beyond my own order. I cannot wait to go back!!! read more

Pizzeria Toro - 2 Old School Pepperoni Pizza 1 New School Pepperoni Pizza 1 Summer Squash Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Just landed at 9pm in North Carolina from La. We were hungry. We decided on this spot after 3 other choices, and we were very happy to have chosen this place! We trod the spicy lamb, the soft egg, and the new style pepperoni white sauce. All very different and satisfied all three of our pallets. Crust is slightly chewy and crunchy and charred to perfection. Staff was very accommodating. If you're in a situation like us, deciding where to go, go here!!! Ambiance is lovely too! read more

Pizzeria Toro - Wood fire pizza oven - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Another great meal at Pizzeria Toro! Since discovering this gem we've made multiple attempts to recreate their kale salad at home. Haven't perfected it yet so we had to go back for another taste of the real thing. We also got the Spring Onion pizza and a PNW mushroom antipasti dish. The mushrooms were on baguette slices, think a hippie version of bruschetta. Not my favorite but something different and fun to try. I loved the pizza, the spring onions had a great pop of flavor and all the fun ingredients balanced perfectly- especially with a drizzle of chili oil. Highly recommend this Durham staple. read more

Pizzeria Toro - Spring onion pizza and kale salad - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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We absolutely love Pizzeria Toro. Whether it's for takeout or dine in. This pizza won't disappoint. Always fantastic and friendly service. Great interior with awesome views of the pizza oven. We love going there. Don't miss this excellent spot. read more

I love the pizza here. It's hands down the best in town. I literally can eat an entire pie shame free.

Great place. Had their special. Very filling. Wife & I shared a pie. Left very full. Nothing too crazy. Checking off a restaurant from the list. read more

Pizzeria Toro - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

my son and daughter-in-law took us here last weekend and i couldn't stop thinking about the food we had here. i do believe it's the best pizza we have eaten anywhere in the US and Europe. The mushroom pizza was delicious and the sardines was even good and i don't like sardines. The salads were also amazing. we sat at a perfect table behind the bar where my beautiful grandbaby could walk around and everyone was so nice including our very congenial server. I can't wait to come back when i visit NC again. read more

I would choose pizza before any other food. I love it. And this is the best pizza I've ever had. My favorite is the sweet fennel sausage pizza and my family loved the new age pepperoni. We also enjoyed the buffalo mozzarella pizza. All were crispy and so flavorful. We also tried the pigs ear appetizer. Unusual. Nice sauce but not special without it. But an interesting first course. Small dining room but tables turn quickly. Can't wait to go back. read more

I decided to try Pizzeria Toro in my search for a new pizza place after my favorite pizza place closed in November. I'd give them 2.5 stars after my recent visit. Parking is on the street or in a nearby garage or lot so there are plenty of parking options. I was warmly welcomed when I entered and seated at the front window so I could watch the firefighters take care of the incident across the street. I did like my seat. My waiter took my drink order and gave me time to look over the menu. I was debating between the margherita and the white pizza with mushrooms. I went with the white pizza as I don't get that too often. The pizza had a good amount of mushrooms and was cooked well. I didn't taste any of the garlic. The pizza was good but not what I was hoping for. I want to like it so much I will make a special trip for it. I will return at some point and try the margherita pizza. Service was lacking as I was not provided a refill on my iced tea and my check was brought out before I was finished eating. I wasn't even offered dessert. So they lost out on my dessert order. I wanted to try the zeppole. I didn't understand the rushing me out as it wasn't busy. Be careful with your check as the 20% service fee is already added in so that might be why the service wasn't very good as they are tipped regardless of quality. read more

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Food: Neapolitan style pizza cooked extremely well. Excellent flavor. Dough with great texture. Additional seasoning on crust adds a nice flavor. There is a chili oil that they provide at the table that has a nice kick with great flavor. I Drinks: Tried one of their gin based cocktails and it was on the stronger side. Flavor was not great and sent back. Reordered gin and tonic which was better but not exceptional. Service: Waitress was kind and efficient. Food comes out relatively quickly. When drink was unsatisfactory waitress routinely checked in offering to adjust the gin:tonic ratio. Impressed with service. Ambiance: Smaller establishment with 12-14 tables. Aesthetic is nice with wood fire oven almost serving as the center piece. Environment is quite loud with music in the background but still comfortable and easy to hear your guest. Overall: This place is very good. Their pizzas are excellent and so is their service. I would absolutely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a nice pizza spot in Durham. ~$21 for single pepperoni pizza. 20% tip automatically included at the time of writing review. read more

Pizzeria Toro - Pepperoni Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

My favorite pizza in Durham. Fresh, inventive flavors, friendly, efficient staff, and their Tuscan kale salad is simple scrumptious. A+!

Sooo good! Really fresh tasting pizza. The Brussel sprouts were ok, very wet with either oil or balsamic. I would totally come back and try more pizzas though, and the kale salad looks bomb! read more

Pizzeria Toro - Soft Egg White Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Italian style pizza. I had the sausage and kale pizza. carrots for the appetizer. All delicious and came out quickly. Service was quick and friendly. The ambiance makes you feel like you are in the action! Ingredients strategically placed as decor and the fiery pizza oven to watch your pizza cooking to perfection! read more

Pizzeria Toro - Pizza Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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