PI
Pulcinella's Italian Restaurant
Authentic Italian flavors served with heart in Durham—where every meal feels like home.
3(5 reviews)
$$
restaurant
italian
Freshly made pasta including fettuccine carbonara, angel hair peperonata, and chicken alfredo, served with generous sides.
Hand-tossed pizzas and stuffed calzones with a variety of toppings, perfect for sharing or takeout.
Features like meatballs, calamari, and salads, often paired with our signature tomato dipping sauce.
Select pasta and entree dishes available in gluten-free versions to accommodate dietary needs.
Affordable lunch specials and extensive dinner offerings, including family-sized portions for leftovers.
Convenient takeout services and catering options for events, ideal for last-minute meals or gatherings.
Authentic Italian flavors served with heart in Durham—where every meal feels like home.
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Pulcinella's Italian Restaurant in Durham offers a cozy, family-friendly dining experience with a focus on classic Italian cuisine. Known for generous portions, freshly made pasta, and standout dishes like meatball subs and fettuccine carbonara, we pride ourselves on attentive service and a welcoming atmosphere. While our decor is modest, our commitment to flavorful meals—including signature tomato dipping sauce and perfectly cooked calamari—keeps locals coming back. Whether for a quick lunch or a hearty dinner, we aim to deliver satisfying Italian fare that feels like a taste of Italy in North Carolina.
Standard Italian fare in strip mall building.V very good service from the waitress. Plenty of nice meals, all served with side of pasta. Most potions were very big and plenty of to go boxes filled with leftovers. I tried the meatballs as an appetizer. The marina says was a little tangy and needed longer cooking to tame it. Had a dinner salad with skipjack tuna that was just ok. Will come again to try a pasta dish. Until then, just 3 stars.
A great little place! The only thing we didn't realize was that we were limited to the lunch menu. Our fault for assuming! Wonderful food in a quiet atmosphere!
Let me start by saying I'm a foodie and very picky about my food, AND I love Italian food. So, when I say my whole meal was delicious, trust that it's worth your time to stop in and give it a try! While the restaurant itself is ok with reasonable decor, the restrooms need some TLC. That being said, the food made me forget all about the ambiance. First, there was some deliciously soft bread served with one of the most flavorful tomato dipping sauces I've ever tasted. When I first saw it, the bread didn't look very appetizing and the sauce looked questionable, but one taste and I was sold! In fact, they should bottle and sell the stuff - I would buy it by the jar!!! The calamari was cooked perfectly! It was super tender and not overly breaded. The rings were nice and thick and tasty. The marinara that came with it was pretty good, but I dipped it in the tomato bread sauce and thought I would pass out-- delicious!!! Hint, hint to management, try serving the calamari with this sauce. It's an incredible combination. I ordered the fettuccine carbonara with shrimp for my entree and it was fabulous. The freshly made pasta made all the difference. Well done! My only complaint is that the tiramisu was really small, about half the size I would expect. Despite this, prices were pretty reasonable. Overall, the food was great and I will definitely put Pulcinella's on my go-to list!
I frequent this restaurant for a last minute meatball sub or pasta on the way home. My previous dining experiences have been okay; however, this past Sunday was just unforgivable. The waitress suggested this item: Cappellini Peperonata Angel hair pasta, Kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, pine nuts & raisins in marinara sauce Sounds interesting so I tried it. I added grilled chicken. When I got the meal it was so unappealing. Giant squares of red bell peppers with angel hair pasta and chunks of chicken. I though maybe the pine nuts and raisins would give it pizzazz. . . THERE WERE NONE! So I mentioned to my waitress what was missing and she said she'd have the kitchen fix it . What i got was a cup of raw untoasted pine nuts and dried raisins that she said the kitchen said just throw it on top. For me, thats just being a lazy chef. Cooking 101 you ought to know toasting brings out the oils releasing the flavor. Adding the raisins in with the marinara would allow them to regain some moisture and extract some of the sweetness which would've been a lovely balance to the acid in the tomatoes. The fact that they would not remake the dish to include each ingredient as described is unsatisfactory. Not all recipes will be a hit. But if you can't even execute properly what you put on a menu, dont serve it. WORST THING IVE EVER TASTED.
I ordered the chicken alfredo with broccoli both the regular and gluten-free versions and unfortunately the food fell short. The sauce lacked all flavor and reminded me more of something from a hospital cafeteria than a restaurant. The broccoli also didn’t taste fresh, it was definitely frozen. That said, the staff was amazing very friendly and attentive. I think the service was wonderful, but the food itself could really use an upgrade especially for being $45+ for two entrees.
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