What a beautiful space! I met some friends out on a Friday night, thankfully we had a reservation because Vivace was bumping! As it is winter the outdoor seating was closed but I definitely would love to sit outside for a night out in the spring/summer. It was restaurant week so there was a special menu with a fixed price that included the most delicious choices. I had the salad, pasta, and wrapped it up with Tiramisu. Everything was lovely in presentation and taste. There is an extensive wine and bubbly menu as well. The service was excellent and I enjoyed every bit of my time at Vivace. It was such a treat and I will definitely be back! read more

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From start to finish the staff and service were extremely friendly and professional. On a busy Friday night, the restaurant was packed and quite loud but not to the point of being overwhelming. Our server (can't remember his name) provided excellent recommendations on wine and entrees and always made sure to check on us to ensure we had everything we needed all while tending to multiple parties of various sizes. We ordered salads to start, mine being a Caesar, wife's a house, and our 8yr old ordered a kids Caesar. His salad was the exact same size as mine for $4...the only thing it didn't have was the white anchovy which he wouldn't have touched anyway. It was an excellent value. The salads were fresh and delicious. For entrees I went with the pappardelle, my wife had the four cheese ravioli and added grilled chicken, while my son had the kids cheese pizza. We all loved our entrees and the portions were more than ample. All in all it was a great "elevated" dining experience at a very reasonable price. Will definitely return when in Raleigh. read more

Vivace - Kid's cheese pizza - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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It was sooooooo good! I loved the gluten free homemade pasta which I was able to have substituted in with any dish. I added flat ironed steak and it was cooked to perfection. My mojito was on point. The service was impeccable. I loved everything about my dining experience. read more

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I will preface by saying this was a very busy weekend for restaurants and this was the only Italian place I could get reservations at. So by no means was it my first or even fourth choice. So it came out to being just that. A place that worked out but never one I will say I am going to unless others are booked up. Issues primarily came down to dry and flavorless Brussel sprouts, rather mediocre and blah tasting veal, pasta/sauce that came with the meatballs that tasted like it belonged in Olive Garden, overcooked and oversalted salmon and tableside bean paste/spread that should've been replaced with simple olive oil/butter. On the bright side, the lamb was delicious, the mussels were perfectly cooked and in a wonderfully prepared broth (used tableside bread instead of absolutely charred/hard bread slices that came with meal). Speaking of which tableside bread was absolutely delicious and warm. Outdoor seating was great, with only downsides being several cars in the parking lot overrevving loud exhausts (could happen anywhere). Service was nothing to complain or praise, it did feel like as soon as it was understood that we weren't doing alcohol that the enthusiasm diminished (but I cannot say that with certainty). Overall ok experience, not going back unless once again there is no other place to go to and we need to take family/friends in town to an Italian dinner out. read more

Went for dinner and was awesome! Got the buffala negra cocktail to start and was great. For appetizers we got the prosciutto and peach pizza and Brussels sprouts. Pizza had a great crust, crispy and flavors were awesome. Brussels sprouts had nice big pieces of pancetta and a nice combo of savory and sweet. The pappardelle was one of the best I had. Could tell the pasta was fresh and the sauce was perfect. Service was great, didn't feel rushed at all and let us finish our appetizers before jumping into our entree orders. Will def be back! read more

Delicious food, service was a bit slow but friendly staff. I would definitely recommend read more

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We had a private dinner at Vivace and the room was perfect for 12 people. It was a long table and we pre-selected a variety of appetizers. We had the Brussels sprouts, charcuterie tray, calamari and olives and almonds. We also did a wine tasting hosted by the manager Jed and he talked us through selected wines from Veneto and Sicily. The team did a fantastic job of taking care of our group and were very attentive. I really enjoyed the flat noodles with bolognese - it was hearty and tasty. The restaurant was full inside and out and people are dining despite COVID-19. You are asked to wear a mask when not at your table and the staff are all masked. They offer gluten free pasta as well and helped accommodate dietary restrictions. read more

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Was able to make a last minute Saturday night reservation for 8:15pm and could not have been more pleased. I adore the ambiance. Although we were a few minutes behind, we were sat immediately. We forewent appetizers but the bread was delicious. The wine was buttery. We ordered the caprese salad, meatballs, cheese ravioli and alfredo. All of the fare was fresh and light. We truly enjoyed our time and hope to return in the future. read more

Vivace is my favorite restaurant in North Hills. The calamari, ravioli, pappardelle, and espresso martinis are amazing. The staff is so kind and attentive, shout out Brian. read more

Delicious food, and great outdoor patio area! The only downside is you can't make reservations for the patio. read more

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Completely unaware this restaurant even existed in North Hills, we were very pleased that we stumbled upon it. Located in a strip mall, one would think the ambiance to be mediocre or noisy at best, this was truly not the case and the outdoor seating next to the extremely large water feature had a strong familiarity of dining outdoors in Italy, but a bit more open. This establishment is taking all necessary infection control precautions, seating is arranged to allow for social distancing and plenty of hand sanitizer on hand. I highly recommend the FORMAGGIO &CARNE to start, paired with one of the exceptional red wines they have to offer, of course! The freshly baked bread and olive oil provided to the table offset this starter very well. They are offering a limited menu currently, which does not include their Gnocchi unfortunately. The Gnocchi was the main reason we decided to venture out to this establishment. The staff are all quite welcoming, although I did feel our waiter was a bit stand-offish for some odd reason! In light of the transition to the limited menu, I felt the need to stick with the classics and order the spaghetti and meatballs, EXCELLENT choice! Between the food and relaxed feel of the outdoor seating we spent more time here than we typically do at any restaurant. Cheers! read more

Vivace - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Used Vivace's private room today to host my sister's baby shower and they were phenomenal!!! My waiter Robert was excellent. All of the staff were super helpful in setting and breaking down for the event. Customer service here is A++!! Now, the food is also phenomenal! My guests got a variety of dishes and everyone loved their food! I personally got the carne pizza and it was a hit! Honestly couldn't sing Vivace's praises enough. If I ever need to host another event, this is the place. read more

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Really great food and service! It's always a favorite for us. For sure get the brussels sprouts!

We made a reservation the day of and was seated outside as the weather was lovely. We ordered a pizza and pasta, and they were both fantastic! I can't remember the last time I enjoyed an Italian restaurant: service, ambiance, and food all 5/5. And a beautiful cherry on top was the espresso martini. I normally don't drink, but my gf usually gets one cocktail and when I tried it, it was so good I had to order my own (very rare for me) read more

Vivace - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Love this staple. The atmosphere is so relaxing. Great Gluten Free options. Scallops, Salmon and Duck. Plus GF pasta and pizza.

Vivacious never disappoints!! This is one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the North Hills area. Service is always great even when they are extremely busy. Some of my favorite appetizers are the calamari and the meatballs. The bolganese pasta and ravioli are especially good options for entrees. read more

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The Brussels sprouts were really delicious. I think it's now one of our favs. Service was great & the ambiance was really nice and chill. The food portion was a little smaller than expected but the taste was great. read more

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This is one of our favorite Italian restaurants in Raleigh and we don't get here enough! The impact of covid is apparent in the reduced amount of tables and the abbreviated menu. It makes sense that you can't have such a robust menu with 50% or more reduced capacity Even so, they do the classics well! We started with the 4 meatball appetizer and their bread served with olive oil . Amazing We then enjoyed the side salad and the caprese salad. Here they Blanche the tomatoes first then re-chill them so you get the explosion of tomatoe without any tartness We both landed on the bolognese which was a generous portion I really like this restaurant and hope you will come out and support it too read more

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Came in from out of town for dinner recently with a party of five. Upfront, the food is excellent! Four of us had Veal Saltimbocca and one had the Osso Bucco. Everyone raved about their entree. The standout was the Crispy Brussels Sprout appetizer, which were the best I've ever had! The Panna Cotta dessert was also outstanding. So why the two stars? First of all, I truly despise restaurants that present the bill on the hand held POS device where you are asked to enter in your credit card and tip payment while the waiter stands there. I find it extremely rude and intrusive. Nonetheless, I provided a 20% tip for good service, ambience and food. The killer for me was when I got home I looked over the printed receipt I asked for and to my astonishment, there was a 3% "Service Charge" added, without detailed explanation for what its for, and the 20% tip I gave was calculated on BOTH the food bill total AND sales tax!!!! I don't know if this is standard protocol for restaurants in this area, but I will not return based on this practice alone, which in my opinion, is highly deceptive! read more

Vivace Raleigh is fire!!! Everything hit the mark for awesome! This little corner of North Hills is now one of my favorites! Drinks at the indoor/outdoor bar while waiting and the host sat us outside since it was lovely. I had the Orange Fresco and it's the perfect drink for the season. Bread service was fresh and so yum! I got the Short Rib and Ricotta Agnolotti. It was amazing! The mini desserts, whoa! Chocolate pot de creme, dark chocolate mousse, seasonal cheesecake, and key lime pie were devoured. Service and ambiance were perfection. I'm still happy thinking about it! If you know the chef, please give him/her a hug for me! read more

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First time going to this place a week ago and the Food was amazing. We had the Brussel sprouts and pizza. The drinks were good and everything was a good price. We sat outside and the atmosphere was awesome. From the hostesses to the bartenders and to the service was outstanding service. read more

Although this restaurant was very busy, we were able to get a table for three as soon as we came in at 7. The lighting was great and the atmosphere wasn't too noisy. Our waiter was very attentive and we never had an empty glass of water or had to wait to order. The spread for the bread we were served was delicious. I ordered the Cocoa Agnolotti because the ingredients seemed interesting and it was something I've never tried. It was so delicious and authentic---so authentic that I couldn't find a picture of it before ordering to know exactly what it was, but it was delicious. I ordered a Vecchio Piazza to drink and it was great, as well. One of the people in our party ordered the Fresco and it was very refreshing. Both of the others in my party ordered the Papperdelle, which they allowed me to try---the goat cheese on top made it a great treat. I definitely want to come back to try some other things on the menu--the squid ink risotto, in particular, looks appetizing. After watching some desserts go by our table, I wish I had left room for dessert. Extensive wine menu and, surprisingly, beer options, too. Will be back soon! read more

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Great spot, friendly servers! Solid menu. Love the place, been a while since moved a bit away but happy to come back!

very good! the pizza was yummy and the pasta was seasonal which i loved. the bread is simply amazing read more

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Amazing food and service !! Had a great time with my family ! Place is stunning. Definitely recommend it:) read more

Delicious food. Even asked the chef about seasoning to make the caprese at home - so simple but so good. Service was great, too. Only downside were the wine glasses! They had old dishwasher/dusty scents so I held my breath every time I drank... haha will be back just won't drink from the glasses!! read more

A seriously great Ceasar salad. Like probably the best. In fact, my wife and I went there intending to order meals, but ended up ordering calamari and 3 Ceasar salads!!! A few of the pasta dishes looked interesting but for me, the amount of options was little on the light side. Good service, nice chill atmosphere, fun place to eat, but BEST Italian food, don't know that I'd go that far. read more

Vivace - Caesar Salad - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Takeout is always a hit! However in house service is sometimes hit or miss, depending on the section you end up in. Miss the complimentary bread service but understand the basis of the change. read more

Came here for a work dinner. It was amazing!! Had the scallops with risotto and it was delicious. We didn't get the chance to eat dessert but I am sure it would have been delicious as well. The hosted was so attentive and patient with us. Highly recommend! read more

Love this place. I only been 3 times but every time I go it's been fantastic. Service is always on point & friendly. Beautiful ambiance & delicious food. read more

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Really great Italian place in N. Hills. Wife and I split our meals just so we had more to taste. I started with the 4 cheese ravioli and we added 2 meatballs (veal and beef) - gave my wife a bite and she almost immediately asked to switch plates with me. Also shared the pappardelle - the noodles were amazing but overall not as WOW as the ravioli. Sat outside - great atmosphere and service was fast and friendly. read more

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We came here during Covid-19 and ate outside. The decor and ambiance was perfect, with the evening sunset and ample lighting after dark. We started off with a delicious calamari for appetizer, salted and just crispy enough to make it flavorful. I sampled my wife's pappardelle, and the noodle texture and meat sauce was perfectly done. My spaghetti and meatballs were decent, probably a notch down from the pappardelle but overall the place deserves five stars all the way. read more

Vivace - Calamari Fritti - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This place was sinfully divine!! We went there on a weekday evening for a date night and called earlier in the day for an evening reservation. We started with the mussels to start and it was sooo yummy, the mussels came in a broth and a huge crusty toast that I could keep dipping in that broth indefinitely! My boyfriend had the rib eye medium rare with a side of mushrooms and it came on a bed of potatoes purée. His steak was cooked perfectly and seasoned well. I ordered the veal saltimbocca per the servers suggestion and I was very happy with the dish. It was beautifully prepared and came with yummy stuffed ravioli. Would highly recommend for anyone looking for an elegant dinner with friends or date night! read more

Vivace - These mussels were DELICIOUS! Couldn't stop dipping the bread in the broth or just eating it with a spoon. - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I must say, this is one of my favorite spots to eat in Raleigh and by far my favorite Italian restaurant! The meatball app is amazing and my favorite thing on the menu is there Pappardelle!! read more

I haven't eaten here since before covid, but I found these pictures on my phone and my tastebuds yearned for Vivace. The food here is spectacular. My mother and I visited once after getting our hair cut next door and were surprised by how delicious the food was. We were expecting a quick bite, but this place delivered fantastic food and a great ambience. Our server was really great and helped us narrow down our options and select a wine. The flavors of everything were fantastic. I can't recall what the main dish was, but it had pork cheeks in it and I could taste the quality of the meat. I highly recommend going here, I know I need to come back here soon! read more

I came here a long time ago and then just again for a friend's birthday shortly after Phase II started. They are doing a great job with social distancing and with the whole staff wearing masks front and back of the house. One really smart thing they did was leave the back "private" room open so when it started POURING outside they had a place to safely seat all the people who were out there. We ordered a lovely bottle of wine that our waitress helped us choose since we didn't recognize a lot of the wines on the menu. We ordered the meat and cheese board (of course), and it was plenty for 4 ladies. I was really torn for what to get for an entree, but I finally landed on the bolognese. The noodles were perfectly cooked and it was just the right amount of sauce. I had a good amount to take home with me, and it was just as good the next day. Also highly recommend the espresso martini for dessert - it was perfection! I can't wait to come back. read more

Vivace - Homemade noodles and sauce - cannot go wrong with the bolognese - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Gave it another try and met with my friend. She had scallops and I had salmon. It was very good and atmosphere is so inviting. You just don't want to leave. I'll definitely be back to explore more and I see this place as "a perfect date night". Surely, you want to dress up and look your very best! read more

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I had a pretty good dinner at Vivace last week, but that's all I can say it was - pretty good. I think I had heard a lot of good things about this place, and because it is in North Hills I guess I expected something more unique. Ultimately I felt that the food was not worth the price. Our server was incredibly nice and attentive, so I'll give them that. We also were seated right away on a Friday night which is impressive. Again though, I felt that the food just wasn't worth the price. My boyfriend ordered the swordfish entree ($26) and I had a shrimp pasta dish ($21). Both were decent but I felt presentation on the pasta was lackluster. They serve bread before your meal but it's with butter not olive oil. The best thing we ate was the meatballs appetizer ($8), and I would order that again. Wish Vivace had impressed me more. PS The menu on their website has some slightly different offerings than the actual dinner menu. It may be out of date. read more

Vivace - Shrimp Fusilli - apologies for the dark photo! They keep it dim in there for dinner time. - Italian Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I originally went in to Vivace after trying them out at a Yelper Party, dinner was tasty but not really a spot that was top of mind. After trying their bolognese at the Charlotte Yelper Party I knew I had to add Vivace into my dining rotation again. We went in on a Sunday afternoon and their menu was limited because it was in between lunch and dinner, but the options were solid. Seriously dinner was so freaking delicious! Like I'm still dreaming about it today, everything was seasoned perfectly! The calamari was the hit of the table, the seasoning was spot on, salty and delicious. The peppers with it and the dipping sauce were super flavorful as well. My favorite dish of the night was that pappardelle with a Bolognese sauce, seriously delicious. I'm a sucker for homemade pasta and theirs did not disappoint. The meatballs were also perfect! Literally I could go on and on, the classic Italian dishes are the ones to go for here. I wish we had room for dessert, but we were just so stuffed. Our waiter was awesome as well. He was super on top of everyone's drink and glasses were never left empty. I'm looking forward to heading back in soon! read more

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First time here, we decided to celebrate our 21st anniversary. We made reservations and glad we did. It's not huge inside and filled up pretty quickly. We were pleasantly surprised that they brought out 3 very small complimentary micro green salad bites. I honestly didn't expect much, but it was delicious with tiny bits of apple in it. Not sure if it was comped because of our anniversary or if it is normal, but a nice surprise. Our server asked if we liked some bubbly as that was also comped. And she even brought out a glass of oj for our 4 yo granddaughter so she could cheers with us. It's these kinds of touches that is 5 star worthy. I believe our servers name was Brandy and she was excellent. Waters filled without asking, came to check on us often without being intrusive. I opted for the ravioli which is freshly made and comes with wilted spinach. Whoever wrote that this dish is bland, don't believe it for a second. It was quite flavorful and very satisfying. I tasted the pizza and it was ok, but not my favorite. I'm a New Yorker and very picky though. We shared a Zeppoli for dessert and I highly recommend it. Perfect for sharing. It comes with 2 sauces, chocolate and raspberry. Great way to end our meal. They have pescatarian and vegetarian menu with lots of choices. Very nice ambience. Even though it's small, they space the tables nicely. They do have an outdoor patio as well but no brave souls on this winter night. read more

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