Quattro by Piazza

I dined here earlier this week as part of a large work party. We were seated in the wine cellar room which was quite lovely and private. The food was pretty good but not the best Italian food I’ve ever had. The real downside was the inefficient service that we received. Our waiter forgot to take ½ of the table’s dessert order and could only split out checks individually. He did this by ringing up one check at a time, so this added an extra 30 minutes to our experience that wasn’t necessary.

Wife and I came in on a Saturday night. Had reservations but were not needed. We sat outside (very nice area) and our server came out within a few minutes and asked what we wanted to drink. We both got a very weird vibe from him, almost like he was high or drunk, but we didn’t think he actually was. The other thing that rubbed us both the wrong way was when he cam to refill my unsweetened tea he said «when I first moved to NC and tried sweet tea for the first time I thought it would taste good with vodka and that’s how I got my first DUI.» TMI man. Not sure that’s something you should be proud of and telling your customers about.
However, the food was amazing! I had the ‘build your own pasta’ and it was some of the best I’ve ever had. All homemade ingredients including the meatballs (you could really see and taste this). Prices were pretty inexpensive for being all homemade. Definitely come back when in the area again.

Fresh Pasta on a Budget;
When we walked in on a weeknight, I was skeptical. The place was maybe ¼ full and that tends to worry me, especially when in a high traffic location such as Brightleaf Square. However, when I started seeing the food come out and actually got my dish myself all doubts were immediately washed away in a wave of gluten ecstasy.
Service was good but took a long time to get our first drinks for the restaurant being empty. However, once we got served drinks and bread the service picked up and attention was more to our liking. The pasta and dishes offered range from traditional Italian pairings to some more trendy options like squid ink pasta and their spin on Frutti di Mare. You even can build you own pasta (pick 3; pasta/​sauce/​meat-​seafood-​veggies) for no more than $ 16.
Their wine list is extensive and offered by the glass which is pretty unique for a place that has this sort of quality and heritage for the traditional Italian cuisine. The selection superb but more than reasonably priced, maxing out at $ 10/​glass for the most expensive.
Their desserts are traditional but also include some fun takes on apple tart and other trendy desserts. The apple tart with salted caramel ice cream was warm, had excellent texture and crunch with a cooling sweetness of the ice cream.
They also sell fresh pasta at $ 4.99÷5.00 per pound. The pasta is fresh and takes ~40 seconds in boiling water to make. I bought some to play around with during our visit and chose the squid ink pasta. It was fantastic and held the sauces just as it did in the restaurant.
The fact that you can get in and out for around $ 20 (excluding tip) for a fresh and superb plate of pasta is amazing to me. However, this place deserves a bit more recognition and more patrons who I constantly see are complaining on blogs and posts that there is no good pasta around. In fact, some of the best pasta is sitting right in your backyard if you live in Durham at a more than reasonable price. I highly recommend this place.

So four of us went out to celebrate a friend birthday. We ordered a pitcher of white sangria and it was delish! The bread with marinara was pretty good too. I ordered the eggplant parma and it was just ok. It didn’t have a whole lot of flavor-​it didn’t appear to be breaded and it came in the shape of a loaf-​which personally I found a bit weird. I substituted the spaghetti with rigatoni and the pasta was good! The sauce was good. I cleaned my plate! I was pretty disappointed that our sever didn’t do anything in recognition of my roomies birthday. As for the cost… I thought it was a bit on the pricey side for Italian food.

There was a Pasta and Risotto festival at Quattro by Piazza Italia, which offered 20 different types of pasta for a fixed dinner price of $ 15. Wine was $ 5 per glass, and $ 8 for a platter of 10 different gelato shots (no actual alcohol included, the gelato is merely presented in shot glasses). This event was barely advertised, no idea why. It’s confusing because this place is supposed to be called «Quattro,» but only «Piazza Italia» can be found on Unilocal,and «Quattro» does not appear to have their own website up yet.
Regardless, servers come around to tables with a giant bowl of pasta in their arm. Initially, it seems like they hardly give you anything to sample, but trust me, if you sample EVERY pasta offered, this is plenty enough! It’s an all you can eat pasta event, and you are more than welcome to request more of a certain pasta, if you have the stomach for it. While waiting for the pasta to be prepared, we were given a plate of focaccia with tomato sauce for dipping.
Yes, I sampled EVERY SINGLE ONE of these:
Risottos:
–Creamy Asparagus
–Wild Mushroom
–Sausage
–Shrimp with Pomodoro
–Chicken with Frontina Cream
–Lemon Chicken
–Lamb Saffron
–Beef with Garlic and Parsley
–Beef and Caramelized Onion with Parmesan Cheese
–Veggie Risotto
Pastas:
–Spaghetti Pomodoro
–Spaghetti Putanesca
–Linguini Carbonara
–Linguini Wild Mushroom Marsala
–Ravioli Alfredo with Basil and Fresh Tomatoes
–Fettucinni Alfredo
–Fettucinni Pesto Alfredo
–Rigatoni with Gorgonzola Cream
–Rigatoni Napolitano
–Squid Ink with Spicy Pomodoro
Favorites: Lamb Saffron Risotto, Shrimp with Pomodoro Risotto, Fettucinni Alfredo, and Rigatoni Napolitano. Paired my pasta with a glass of Dr. Loosen «Dr. L» — Riesling (Mosel, Germany, 2011). It was nice and sweet, consisting of apple, lemon, crushed rocks, honey, and bright acidity.
Spaghetti Putanesca and Lemon Chicken Risotto are very salty, Squid Ink with Spicy Pomodoro is quite spicy if you eat a mouthful all at once, Spaghetti Pomodoro is just your typical spaghetti without meatballs, Creamy Asparagus Risotto was more like regular rice instead of mushy (the texture risotto is supposed to be), and Wild Mushroom Risotto was okay. Everything else was mediocre or unappealing. Granted, my group was the first to arrive (right at opening), so perhaps this explains why the first few batches of risotto and pasta were unimpressive. Still, we left bloated and were barely able to move. We had no room for the platter of gelato shots (flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla, Cookies and Cream, Hazelnut, Coconut, Pineapple, Strawberry, Mango, Peach, and Bubble Gum).
They were in the process of promoting the place, so I was able to snap some shots of the specially-​plated dishes they were using for promoting the place (none of which were actually served to us).

My boyfriend and I went here for Valentine’s Day as we made more last-​minute reservations, this place was very close to where we where beforehand, and one of the few restaurants to still have a reservable spot. I made the reservations on Open Table and then started skimming reviews, only to see that it was rated fairly well EXCEPT for Valentine’s Day. There were complaints of the restaurant running out of food, being very unprepared for the rush that the holiday would bring, etc., but we decided to give it a shot anyway because the menu looked good and the atmosphere appealing for it being a special night.
We were seated and greeted right away and there were plenty of open tables, plus they had a special $ 30 per person Valentine’s Day menu offered. However, the waitress then came back to tell us that we were only allowed to order off the pre-​set, price-​fixed menu that night. That was definitely not made clear to us in advance of coming, and we likely would not have gone there had we known that would be the case. My boyfriend told her that was bad news, and she went to check with a manager, who said they would «make an exception» and allow us to order any singular item off the pre-​set menu and would charge us just for that item. Still disappointing, as the regular menu was more extensive and I had an item in mind to order that was not on the pre-​set menu, but we both found something we enjoyed.
He ordered the eggplant parm and I the chicken marsala, and subbed the pasta for veggies. She told me it would be squash and zucchini, but instead I got bell peppers and onions, though it was still tasty. His was too, and overall we both enjoyed the food. We also each ordered wine– the house Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio. Both delicious.
Only other downside: there was some kind of party going on at the very back of the restaurant, so there was really loud dance/​hip hop type music playing. We could hear it even being seated at the table along the front exterior of the restaurant, the farthest spot from the back area, so it really took away from the atmosphere and mood we should’ve had at a place like that and on a night like that.

Decided to give this place a try for Triangle Restaurant Week, and just in case, decided to reserve ahead of time. Good thing, because the place was packed!
As date night and during TRW, my boyfriend and I had high expectations for this place, but… it was O-​K.
There was a lot of servers, bus boys and hosts/​hostesses, and yet we still encountered issues with service: empty water glasses, a food tray left at our table (when they gave us our food), and we were barely given any attention. What if I needed a beer? What if I need more napkins? None.
However, the food was pretty good. Bruschetta for an appetizer, Parmesan-​crusted veal with alfredo pasta, and chocolate cake with vanilla gelato. The bruschetta and cake were probably the best things I ate there. The veal and alfredo were a strange pair. The veal was eh, and the alfredo was sauce-​less. SAUCE-​LESS. WHERE TF WAS MY SAUCE?! And I couldn’t ask the server for more for two reasons: 1) she was nowhere to be found, and 2) I didn’t want to get charged extra for an already $ 20 per person meal for TRW. And finally, the chocolate cake was the size of an average-​sized computer mouse. yeah. THAT small.
Overall, I would come back with friends to try something else, but definitely not for Triangle Restaurant Week. Meh.

I am not sure about the validity of the other reviews on this restaurant, but I went during restaurant week, where they had a four course meal for $ 20.Portion sizes were a lot bigger than I imagined, given that the meal came with 4 whole courses, but taste was just a little better than average.
I give this place 4 stars because they cooked my sole just right, fried to the right crisp, without leaving any evidence of residual oil or burnt tips. The piece of fish itself was huge and extremely generous, and so so tender and juicy!
The only problem I have with the food was the risotto itself. I ordered a sole with creamy risotto, and the risotto was slightly undercooked. Instead of risotto, it tasted more like barley slathered in a bit of cream. If it wasn’t for the phenomenal fish that lay on top of the risotto or the delicious three other courses, I would’ve given this place 5 stars.
For curiosity’s sake, the other courses I had were 4 cheese ravioli, mint salad, and a tiramisu desert… mind you, this was all for $ 20 and came with the most delicious complimentary (warm!!) italian bread. Come here during restaurant week!

They took out silverware. I don’t think we are getting food. Send help.
Edit: they brought the silverware back, but not one patron in the restaurant has a meal. It’s quite amazing.

We live in the area, but we’re not natives, and we know good Italian food when we taste it — one of us grew up just outside of New York City, and the other is from the Mediterranean! We wanted good Italian and wondered where to get it in Durham… not a family pizza place; we were looking for a nice dinner out.
Lots of bad reviews for this restaurant mixed with the good ones, but we like the location and the atmosphere, so we took a chance on going. Very glad we did… in fact, we’d say the poor reviews must be from another era, reviews of other chefs and servers. Our server Ashley was beyond friendly, helpful, and prompt. The food was fresh and homemade: the fruitti di mare, veal Parmesan, fettuccine Alfredo, and tiramisu are all foods in which we rarely indulge, but enjoyed for this special occasion, complemented by a nice Malbec and espresso at the end of the meal. The atmosphere is great for a date night or quiet dinner with your best friend. Not that we’ve been to all the Italian places in the Triangle, but among the half dozen or so we have visited, this is the most impressive.
Everyone has their own opinions and experience, and of course, some things on the menu are just better than others. But sometimes, a poor review isn’t fair or accurate. Or, it could be quite out of date. Just keep that in mind and give this place a chance if you’re in the mood for a casual but classy — and delicious! — Italian meal.

Overwhelmingly three stars.
The interior design is gorgeous: fountain in the middle, light ambiance, a bit more than your typical brick and mortar Durham restaurant setting.
However, the quality of the food was unimpressive. The chop salad italiano I ordered was average, and the daily special risotto relied too much on its cream sauce and had a dull taste. The salmon wasn’t too bad I suppose, but the fact that the server offered to put cheese on it was very strange. Also, the price of the risotto was as high as someplace like Nana’s, which is a bit ridiculous. I had the chance to sample some of the seafood pasta, of which I was not a fan. Dessert was slightly better: at least the lavender crème brûlée had an ordinary taste.
I would deem this a last resort restaurant in Brightleaf sort of place. Better to look further downtown.

Well it was a nice atmosphere. The food was quite like that of a chain restaurant. The chicken was somewhat bland and the pasta was drowned in butter. Tiramisu was ok/​good but no better than Italian restaurant at the mall.
Pricing was reasonable for the quantity but it was too high for the quality.
Service was pretty good, but not outstanding.
Probably won’t return here.

I attended a private party/​group event here last week and we had a separate room reserved for about 40 people with a set menu. For appetizers we had calamari and mozzarella-​filled ravioli/​dumplings. My husband did not venture to eat the octopus with its little tiny legs sticking out but I was not daunted. I don’t usually highlight restaurant bread but Piazza Italia’s house bread was soft and fluffy and garlicky! I know other reviews mentioned that the red dipping oil sauce is an odd color, which was definitely something I haven’t tried before, but I enjoyed it with the bread.
My husband ordered the rigatoni with sausage from the set menu – this was AMAZING. I’m still salivating just thinking about it. The sausage comes in large chunks and the rigatoni sauce is creamy/​cheesy/​tomato-​y. I ordered the breaded veal with fettucini alfredo. On our way out I saw their glass display of a noodles that look handmade, and my fettucini definitely tasted very fresh, but the sauce was too thick and the fettucini ended up very dry. With a thinner sauce perhaps I would have liked the fettucini more.
Dessert: The tiramisu was more creamy (in a good way!) than other types of tiramisu I’ve tried before. I ordered the strawberry gelato which comes in a small scoop and tastes fresh, but not as fluffy as I was hoping.

Popped in to have a glass of wine before dinner at a nearby restaurant and was greeted by higher level staff (either the manager or possibly one of the owners). The place was empty except two tables in a back corner but I was promptly asked if I had reservations. Huh?
I ordered wine (Chianti) and a complimentary basket of, what looked like it was suppose to be focaccia bread, was delivered to the table. Bleh and bleh! The wine was slightly soured, as if it’d been opened several days previously and not resealed correctly. In an attempt to get the taste out of my mouth I tried the «bread.» Bad idea. It was stale, dry to the point of crumbling, and absolutely tasteless. I’m not sure how that’s even possible.
No way I’d return for dinner after that experience.

Friendly service, elegant space, and delicious food were exactly what we needed after a long day at the hospital. The pasta and coconut gelato, both made in-​house earlier in the day, are to die for! Will definitely be back again. They also have great spaces for events!

I have always wanted to try this place since we frequent DT Durham. It was horrible. We went for lunch on a Saturday around 11:30. We were the only table in there (I thought it was because they opened only 30 minutes prior, but I do not think that was the case). The service was very slow. We ordered a prosciutto panini and a green salad and goat cheese crostini. The panini had very thickly sliced meat to which my husband thought it was a ham sandwich, not a prosciutto sandwich. The green salad was literally a handful of mixed greens and a balsamic dressing (the consistency of mayo) on the side (no cheese, no tomatoes, no onions, nothing). The crostini had no flavor. I got the herb goat cheese with prosciutto crostini and there were no herbs in the cheese and the meat was cut like the little diced ham pieces you see at salad bars. It was disgusting. They have cloth napkins that they need to replace – when we left, the black tights I was wearing were almost white with all the fuzz that came off the napkins. Also, our server never asked why over half our meal was left and we did not ask for a box. The only good part about this meal was the free bread they bring you before your meal like most Italian restaurants. Very disappointed and I will never be back.

My wife and I had dinner there and the food was mediocre at best. The dinner was expensive, as my wife had the lobster tails. They made her ill, and she spent the night with assorted abdominal problems. I do not recommend their seafood. My food was bland. If I could give a negative star rating I would.
I emailed the restaurant with this complaint and never got a response.

My husband and I have enjoyed going to Piazza in the past and we were excited to take visiting family there on their last night in town. It was the first time that we were there since they began sharing the space with Chamas. Unfortunately, I will not be going back anytime soon.
I had a bad feeling when the restaurant only had a few guests at prime dining time on a Saturday night and now I know why. Our server was terrible. He didn’t know the basics of taking care of his guests. He didn’t give knowledgeable responses when asked about the menu (like I mentioned earlier it was my family’s first time). He was slow to get drinks and then it took equally as long to get refills. My meal was supposed to include shrimp and scallops and when it arrived only contained the shrimp. Everyone else was done eating at my table by the time my food even came out. And lastly, they messed up the bill and while my husband waiting for them to try and fix their mistakes, he heard the waitstaff complaining about seating between themselves. I really enjoy going out to dinner, I enjoy good dining experiences and Piazza just didn’t cut it.

Came here for lunch. The pizza menu looked delicious so I got the Funghi (mushroom pizza). First, the pizza that came out looked nothing like the awesome looking pizza’s they show in the menus. Instead of covered in fresh wild mushrooms, it was sparsely covered and the mushrooms were a bit slimy.
My biggest gripe is the crust. It was not crispy nor particularly flavorful. If you ever ate those Red Baron microwavable pizzas as a kid then that is the kind of crust you can expect. Just bready, bland, and cheap tasting.
Service was mediocre. The hostess had to remind the waitress to get out water. But after that it was normal.

Environment: Classy, comfortable. Not too dressy, but you should probably shy away from a T-​shirt and sweatpants combo.
Food: You’re going to have to pay more to get a good dish. Tuna with creamy black and white linguine = $ 23. Smoked gouda stuffed chicken with spaghetti = $ 21. The black and white linguine was both aesthetically and gastronomically pleasing, and the (slightly cold) seared tuna steak helped to balance out the creamy richness of the pasta.
Service: Friendly, quick
Overall, pretty good experience. Not sure why the other reviews are pretty average to negative. Maybe our service and food was better because there weren’t very many other people in the restaurant (even though it was a Saturday night?).