La Grassa Pastificio

Came up to North Carolina for a Girls Trip in March and this was the first restaurant we ate at when we arrived. It’s been months and the food is still on my mind! It was by far the best food we ate our entire 2 day trip. We were seated as soon as we walked in. Even though a large party was coming in after us they still made sure to accommodate us and we really appreciated that after such a long drive. The staff was so lovely, kind, and very attentive. The chef was very informative and had a great conversation with my mom, my friend, and I. The next time we are in North Carolina, we will definitely be back. It was truly an unforgettable experience and I recommend that everyone try this place out!! 🩵

Atmosphere: Cozy with just the right touch of sophistication. It felt comfortable and stylish without trying too hard. Great for a relaxed dinner or a special night out. Service: Really impressed. Our waiter let me try a wine first, actually listened to what I didn’t like, and then picked out something perfect. It felt personal and thoughtful, not just going through the motions. Food: What can I say? Absolutely delicious. Everything was light, flavorful, and just the right amount. I’ve been trying to find a place that captures the taste of real Italian food—and this is it. So, so good.

Found this place by accident. Spent a long day traveling and my husband and I were starving when we left the airport. Went to a bagel place first and they were out of bagels and so rude. So we looked to see what was close by and found this place. Since it was Mother’s Day, they were packed. But one of the gentleman servers very graciously sat us at the bar. This ended up being awesome because of the open kitchen concept so we got to watch the food being made. We started with the focaccia which was so incredibly fluffy and the most flavorful tapenade dipping sauce. I had the shrimp and scallop risotto and my husband had the seafood linguine. The food was not only phenomenal, but the staff was so kind and accommodating. They really love their food here. So happy to have stumbled upon this place and we will definitely be back

First time dining at La Grassa and will definitely be back. The food was delicious and Chef Bobby brought out the arancini himself. They were kind enough to split the pappardelle on two plates. Can’t wait to go back to try the fresh made bread and other dishes. A little delicious gem in Cary.

I absolutely loved this place! beautiful ambience and the food was amazing! the owner was very kind and we had a wonderful conversation. 10/10 experience and i highly recommend to others.

OPEN FOR LUNCH, too, from Wednesday to Saturday, 11am - 2pm indoor and outdoor seating. We shared an Arancini as a starter - excellent - , the day's fish was salmon with lemon, capers and asparagus (YUM), my dessert was dark cherry gelato (light, fruity, lovely) with a cappuccino as good as it is anywhere in Europe, served with a small piece of biscotti.

This place is truly a hidden gem! From appetizers to mains to dessert, every single dish is incredible — you can tell how much care goes into the food. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, and the owner is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, always coming by to say hello and to ensure you're happy. We have dined here 4x now and it has never disappointed us. We've brought family, friends and had simple date nights. Each time was fantastic. What makes it even better is how stress-free the experience feels compared to dining in downtown Cary or Fenton. No crowds, easy parking, and you can actually relax and enjoy yourself. Honestly, part of me doesn’t even want to share this secret so it doesn’t get too busy, but they deserve the love. Make sure to save room or get the tiramisu to go! Highly recommend!

loved the music/ambience and the food was amazing <3 the owner caught us when we were leaving (we thought it was too close to closing) and invited us in. I got the eggplant (delicious) - 10/10 experience!

Always a fabulous meal! Eggplant is so delicious as is the rigatoni.We love Bobby the owner is so welcoming and staff so gracious. The food is ALWAYS GREAT no matter what you order. Diane and Tom Chapel Hill

A fine, cozy Italian restaurant hidden in a strip mall, with really good, fresh food and a seasonal menu. There is no bread included with the meal, but they offer an excellent focaccia and olive tapenade... if you order it (Do!). The pappardelle was the hit of the evening, and had a bit of a kick to it. The pollo involtini was a delight. Portions were appropriately filling, but not over the top. An affogato and a tiramisu were shared for dessert, and were yummy. Service was not particularly attentive, but adequate. This is a pricy spot, at $140 for dinner for two, with a glass of wine apiece, and tip. Still worth a return visit.

We went to la grassa for my birthday dinner, sans kids. This wonderful restaurant is hidden in a strip mall. Do not let the exterior fool you! Inside was a quaint restaurant. I liked the simple decor. The service is adequate, but the food was amazing. We started with the arancini to share. I enjoyed it. Then our main meals came out. I ordered the pasta and the sauce was amazing, with a hint of heat. The pasta was perfection. My husband has the short rib served with pillowy gnocchi and shaved brussel sprouts. I loved the brussel sprouts with the short rib sauce. Sadly, I did not have room for dessert, but the tiramisu looked amazing. Next time I am going to start with the dessert! Seriously, give this place a shot. I know most people recommend Daniel's, but La Grassa transported me away to Europe.

Visited Raleigh and our friends told us this was a hole-in-the-wall but has good food so away we went! We made a reservation for 7:15PM on a Saturday. We got there a little early and had to wait until 7:15PM before we got seated. Once we did, we got to ordering! We got the fish of the day, rigatoni, eggplants and a few other dishes. They did take a while but it could've been due to the short staff as the owner was there, one server and the kitchen staff. We didn't mind the wait as the owner and our server was extremely friendly, always checking in on us to make sure we were doing ok. The food itself isn't too expensive. The rigatoni was the stand out to me as it had great flavor and a superb al dente texture. Would definitely come back to try other dishes next time I'm in!

Great experience! Loved the Lambrusco, burrata, and focaccia to start. Really impressed with the rigatoni bolognese, and the chicken was juicy and delicious. The gnocchi was airy and light and not too truffle-centric so would definitely order again. Good short rib too. Really friendly staff with indoor or outdoor dining!

Food is fresh & tasty. Best calamari I've ever had. Focaccia is spot on. Service is superb.

We really wanted Italian tonight. So I hopped on Yelp to find a new spot to try. We landed on La Grassa. The atmosphere is fine/casual if that makes sense. Plenty of people dressed really nice. Also people dressed casual. Loved everything about this little spot. The decor is cozy and inviting. Candle on every table. Food seemed to come out quickly. We found out They take reservations. Luckily they had a table or two open for walk ins. Our waitress Lauren L. was delightful! She told us the specials. She Was cheerful. Her service was just spectacular. For starters we got the focaccia bread and the Calamari. Omg the bread was soooooo good. The tapenade that came with it was flavorful and delicious. The calamari was so tender. Cooked in a sauce of tomatoes, green olives, parsley and a grilled lemon. Absolutely incredible. For you mains we had the rigatoni bolognese and the linguine Salmone. The rigatoni It was delicious. A super unique flavor for a bolognese that I can't put my finger on but it was eaten fast and left us wanting more. lol The Linguine Salmone was spectacular. Fresh made pasta. Lemon Crème sauce complimented the cubes cured Salmone perfectly. We savored this dish to the last bite. During our main we definitely ordered another focaccia to sop up all the delish sauce we knew we didn't want to go to waste on our plates . lol No room for dessert tonight but if the quality and taste of the rest of the food was any indication..... I bet it's to die for, We will definitely be back. Come check them out for a family dinner or a nice romantic date for two. You won't regret it. (It's a little pricey but sooooo worth it.) The chef and crew are incredible. Brava to La Grassa!

So the indoor seating is very very very close quarters in some spots. Like I could reach my hand out and touch the person at the next table. They have outdoor seating which would be great when the weather is nice. Cute set up for a strip mall area. The Eggplant Parmesan was made with cinnamon which I happen to enjoy but I know some people don't. The chocolate mousse was amazing. It was all really good.

Food and Wine very expensive Small portions No complimentary bread Server was polite Dining area was stylish Do not recommend

Umm... first of all I'm beyond disappointed in the presentation and the amount of sauce that I received. After mixing it there was some at the bottom but not much. Also the sauce was just butter... and had little to no flavor. I feel like I'm just eating butter. The one thing that is amazing is the noodles, they are definitely handmade and have an amazing texture. The way the restaurant was set up was nice. It was like a little fancy restaurant. But the service... it was good. The people were nice. Also I have to say is that I will never go back. An absolute waste of time and money. (I bought two Alfredo pastas and one tiramisu) (the tiramisu is lovely)

This is such a fantastic place. The food and service were top notch. Chef Bobby came to chat with us at our table. We were celebrating my husband's birthday and had the best experience. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Food was outstanding. Grilled calamari delicious. So was focaccia. Pasta with sausage wonderful. Short ribs with gnocchi was fantastic. Wine was great too. I do have several suggestions. The food is really pricey. They should include a salad with such high prices. Also menu is extremely limited. I'd add some traditional favorites such as veal parm and veal Marsala. Otherwise all good.

Food and service are excellent. First time dined in here and I loved the food. Comparable to the food in Italy. Highly recommend this restaurant.

Small restaurant in a strip mall with good authentic food. A little expensive but the quality is really good. We ordered the focaccia to start, it comes with an olive tapenade which mostly tasted like olive oil and herbs, super good! I typically don't like olives but it was delicious with the bread, no strong olive taste. The gnocchi and rigatoni pastas were both great. I look forward to coming again

Enjoyed my birthday dinner at this local find. Chef came out and visited with all the tables. Food and service was spectacular and the wine list was ample with great options.

This place is honestly SO GOOD. The server informed us that everything but one thing (sorry, forgot what) is made from scratch. Throughout dinner, she was attentive and informative. They have an open kitchen, so you can see what's going on inside. The restaurant allows a lot of natural sunlight to come in contrary to traditional Italian restaurants, but I don't mind! I love sunlight. Last but not least, the food. Oh, the food. From the perfectly roasted broccolini to the al dente pasta to the cannoli and the tiramisu, this is easily one of our favorite restaurants in the Triangle. The price is standard for an Italian restaurant. While the absence of complimentary bread and salad might catch some off guard, the quality of the dishes more than made up for it. The entree sizes leaned towards the smaller end, but the sheer deliciousness of the food left us wholly satisfied.

I dare say La Grassa is my favorite restaurant in the Triangle. It's just so delicious! I've only been twice, but each time I am beyond impressed. The waitstaff is thoughtful and friendly and I love that you can see chef at work. Don't skip the focaccia it's amazing and fresh baked that day. The stracciatella mozzarella is also delicious, on our first visit it was with beets and the most recent one heirloom tomatoes. For pasta you can't go wrong with the tagliatelle bolognese or the rigatoni salsiccia (although I think I prefer the bolognese just a bit). I'm always a fan of short rib, I order it whenever it's on the menu and their's does not disappoint. The sauce with it is just do damn good and you can cut the short rib with a spoon. Don't skip out on dessert. I'm not a huge tiramisu person, but their's looked pretty good. I gave it a go, and oh my god. It's amazing! It's the perfect balance of coffee flavor, while still appreciating the mascarpone and lady fingers. The cappuccinos are also spot on, I just wish they would offer decaf. Dinner is not inexpensive, but to me it's 100% well worth every penny!!

This is one of those stretch mall surprises. A hole in the wall but not a dive. This is the spot if you like calamari, it has been sautéed/grilled to perfection and not fried to unrecognizable crisp. It was yummy and I almost wanted to stop there so my experience would remain unscathed. It paired well with the servers recommendation of the Chianti on the menu. Try it you'll like it. After a great start to our meal, we chose the famous broccolini as a shared side to our tagliatelle bolognese. The broccolini was a treat, I could eat it every day for the rest of my life. The chef came around to check on us, because he truly cares about his guests experience and was receiving compliments from every table. It is no wonder this received Best Italian in the State of NC. Next year Best Italian in the world!!

Amazing food. Chef Bobby was amazing. Ben, our server was courteous and extremely sweet. He patiently answered all our questions ( I had many since I am vegetarian and allergic to shell fish) and If he was unsure he got answers from the chef directly. Place is also very cute and cozy! We will be back to try out other things on the menu! Truly a hidden gem in Cary!

Every single thing we ordered at La Grassa was phenomenal. The menu is small, but has something to satisfy everyone. The star of the meal was the short rib, it was the most tender beef I have ever had in my life. The focaccia is a must get, we wound up getting a second loaf for the table after finishing the first! The chef was very helpful with my wife's allergy, and crafted a special pasta dish just for her.

Four stars is just about perfect for this restaurant. We showed up right when it opened at 5:30 p.m. on a Saturday night. They were gracious enough to seat us, even though they let us know right away that they were not taking walk-ins for the evening. The inside is adorable, yet small. Highly recommend reservations. Great wine list, even though I do not drink wine. The menu was a little bit surprising because all of the photos online show a bit more of an extensive menu, but the one that we saw was limited. We ordered the focaccia to start, the pasta salsicchia, and the salmon limone pasta. The focaccia with the olive tapenade was one of the most amazing things I've ever eaten. Unfortunately, the flavor of the pasta is where the restaurant falls short. Both dishes were bland. The sausage pasta tasted more like the tomato broth that my family uses to make Polish rice and cabbage. And if you really, really like fresh salmon, and you really, really like lemon, then you should order the salmon limone. I like both of those things, but put together in the pasta was a bit much. Since this is in a shopping plaza, there is plenty of parking, and the staff is very nice. All in all, this place, for me, earned four stars because of the lack of flavor and the lack of options on the menu.

La Grassa Pastificio is a new restaurant featuring hand-crafted Italian cuisine served in the #Raleigh area in the suburb of Cary. It's a bit of a surprise since it's tucked away in a standard shopping center, but has a real homey feel right when you got in. Service was great and really liked how the staff was so attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. I really liked most of the food particularly the foccacia, the eggplant parmesan , and the tiramisu. And the short ribs + gnocchi. The sea bass was just ok for me, as the accompanying sauce was a bit salty for my liking. #italian #northcarolina

Oh, yeah...Fresh pasta, pleasant waitstaff and a very nice selection of wines. You gotta love it. The tagliatelle bolognese is awesome as is the eggplant parmigiana...and did I mention the wine list? All hits. My second time there and I'm sure not my last. This place is on my rotation every time I'm in the area. The place is small and unassuming, but it's a gem. Give it a try,

Our second time here. The food is always top notch! Great service as well, and family style ambiance makes it tough to leave.

If I was to say one thing about this place I would have to comment on the cozy feeling of it, it was an amazing dinner with my wife. I was even able to meet the Owner/Head chef! He was such a kind man and obviously a hard worker, he keeps a good staff here because the food was so amazing! God Bless you Bobby for giving us a wonderful anniversary.

Great date night spot. From their freshly prepared focaccia to their house made pasta and detailed service, you can't go wrong treating yourself with this spot. What a gem!

WOW what a great restaurant! Had lunch there today just to try it out and we were blown away. My husband is an excellent cook. His mother was Italian so his specialty is Italian, normally we stay away from Italian restaurants because we are usually disappointed but not today. Can't wait to go back for dinner!

2nd trip Brought my family this time. Again the food was superb. Felt like I was on one of the side alleys in Florence eating at an old family Italian restaurant with new generation take on the food. We had such great time and delicious food. Service was excellent. Great place for adult celebration or gathering. My wife and I celebrated our birthdays there tonight. We will be Backkkkkkkkkkkkk.

This was our first visit to La Grassa (our first real meal in NC). It was delicious and very fresh. Service was excellent. Nice decor and ambiance. We will definitely be back!

Without a doubt the worst service I've ever had at a restaurant--and I've been dining out for decades, probably over a thousand meals out. I wish I could tell you about the food, but I can't, because after being there for an hour we could see that the kitchen staff had disappeared in back without starting our entrees. Was it that the amazing disappearing waitress forgot to send our ticket to the kitchen? Who the hell knows, once we chased her down all we got was excuses. Someone should be fired. It's 10pm, I'm out $68 for a glass of wine per person and some bread, and cooking dinner at home.

Delicious pasta, friendly staff, and cozy atmosphere. Reservations are basically required (although I'm not positive they actually are) because this place is tiny. It's a worthwhile place to check out.

Food great so surprised the onwner so friendly It's small but good quality be back again

Bobby the chef and our waitress are delightful! Such sweet people. The restaurant is comfortable and beautiful. The foccacia was absolutely delicious. Warm and crispy on the outside, warm and buttery on the inside. Had rosemary that worked very well with the flavor. The salad was like a Caesars salad with the most delicious croutons that tasted made from scratch, fresh, crunchy and buttery lettuce. The eggplant parmesan (I forget the Italian name) was delicious, plenty of sauce and the tomatoes, cheese with lots of layers of flavor. The rigatoni was just perfectly cooked and delightful! The sausage was delicious, with peppers, plenty of sauce and some cheese on top, so delicious. We also had broccolini (very garlicky and delicious) and the Swiss chard (cooked down nicely with a vinegar kick). We will definitely be back, the food is high quality and delicious! Service was perfect as well, our water never ran out and very proactive service.

We had a 7:30 reservation and we walked into a full restaurant minus one table that needed to be cleaned. The owner asked us to wait at the bar while he cleaned off the table and that it would be where we sat. We waited 15 min, where two couple came in after us, both of which were seated before us and one at the table that was told was ours. He then asked us to eat at the bar, which wasn't an actual bar but a window overlooking the kitchen is sheer chaos. I was really looking forward to this place but how this was handled was poor and there was no attempt to make this right. Súper disappointed.

The best Italian cuisine in town. I love the bread and salad. The beef carpaccio is great. Will be there often!

The feels like you are in another country, like your eating at your Italian uncle's &aunt's restaurant. Where they put their love into every dish. The burrata paired with pears was amazing! I didn't know burrata could taste this good. The stuffed pappardelle was topped with amazing pesto (honestly if you see something on their menu with pesto-just order it.) my husband got the short rib with gnocchi the wine reduction packed a punch that is still making my mouth water a day later thinking about it. The server was so sweet and it's so obvious they all love where they're working and serving their patrons.

Exceptional service, customizable menu for Vegetarians, top quality food. Overall, fantastic experience!

My husband and I decided to go on a little getaway after his back surgery, so we went to Cary, just about an hour away. We didn't know where to eat so I checked on Yelp and happened upon this little gem. The restaurant is very small, maybe 10-15 tables, but it is clean and decorated nicely. We were warmly greeted by the hostess/waitress and seated immediately. It was a Wednesday night, so if you plan to go on a weekend, making a reservation is advised. The menu was simple but had a good selection to choose from. Everything on the menu is made fresh from scratch and let me tell you, everything was delicious!!! We got the focaccia bread that was served warm with an olive tapenade, and it was so good! We also ordered the calamari and we enjoyed that as well. It was served differently than most Italian restaurants, as it was not fried, but the flavor was amazing! For the entree, we shared rigatoni Pomodoro prepared with Italian sausage and fresh mozzarella. We thoroughly enjoyed every bite of our meal and will definitely make a point to go there again!

Incredible experience - even the kids loved the fresh homemade pasta!! Hidden gem! We think chef Bobbi can beat Bobbi Flay!

Absolutely pristine experience; I went with my party of five, we showed up about 40 minutes before close expecting rolled eyes but the head chef came greeted us and made us feel right at home. I mean seriously, I have NEVER been to any restaurant where I've had an actual interaction with the boss himself. This was a great experience all around, no complaints.

As I've said in reviews before, don't let the strip mall throw you off! We found this place by complete accident as it is near the place we are staying in town. Although we could walk in and get seated, I suggest you make reservations to ensure you get a spot. Their menu is eclectic and small, which I'd rather have than a menu the size of a phone book. They offer unusual meats, such as wild boar, veal cheek (uncommon to me), and a combo of beef, pork, and veal. These were a little too much for me, so I went with the safe bet of chicken thighs and potatoes, and it was AMAZING! My husband ordered the wild boar ragu and enjoyed it! The focaccia bread was a great side dish with dinner and it was a huge serving. They offer a dessert menu, and I am sure they are all delicious, but I was too full to partake. It's not an inexpensive dinner, so be prepared to spend a lot when you dine here. It is worth it, though, because the chef is clearly talented and puts love and care into each dish.

This new Italian spot in Cary is a hidden gem. I started off with a glass of Prosecco and the focaccia. Next it was the tagliatelle bolognese and a glass of red wine for me and the pappardelle for my husband. If you want dessert, the tiramisu is a must order. All of the food plus the service was fantastic. If you want to check this spot out a reservation is recommended since it is smaller and more intimate.

First of all, the service was attentive and friendly, but we were very disappointed in the food. Their seating is quite cramped and on wooden benches, which was very uncomfortable. Calamari, buratta and focaccia bread were ordered as appetizers. The bread was the only thing that was delicious. The calamari was cooked (almost like boiled) tough, chewy and rubbery. Salad was supposed to have pickled radish and Sherry dressing. It was nothing like that. Romaine lettuce with what tasted like bottled Caesar dressing sprinkled with canned Parmesan cheese. The Bolognese sauce had no flavor at all. It was like they dumped a can of tomato sauce over the noodles. No garlic, oregano, or any other Italian seasonings - just blah. Risotto was just "ok" - nothing better than you could make at home. Asparagus and broccolini was good but very small portions. As a sidenote, our group was celebrating a birthday, and it was noted on our reservation, which was required. It was also mentioned when we entered the restaurant. The birthday was never acknowledged by the staff at all. This was supposed to be a celebratory night and turned out to be an expensive disappointment. Not really sure what the attraction is to this place.

In town visiting and this place had great reviews so got a reservation and tried it first dinner. It was disappointing on all fronts. Server did not speak any English so when I asked about the fish special, he couldn't describe it. The chef came out of the kitchen to tell us what it was (halibut). We got the bread to start, rigatoni, another pasta, broccolini and the halibut. The broccolini turned out to be broccoli. The rigatoni was bland and unevenly cooked as though it had been microwaved. The halibut was actually very well prepared but overall, al the food was below average. The ambience was also a let down. Bright lighting, faux marble and battery candles. Just looked much nicer in the online pics.

I can't say enough about this place. It's that perfect balance of a nice atmosphere (but still semi casual) and food that will make you remember why you love Italian food. I will 100% be back again and again.

Decided to eat here based on Google reviews. Don't worry about the location in a strip mall, the food and service were excellent. We started with the calamari, not your local fried fern bar variety but grilled in a tomato herb broth. It was delectable. The focaccia with olive tapenade was superb. My entree was the orecchiette with sausage, which was delicious. My wife had the pappardelle and loved it. For dessert, the caramel peanut butter gelato and flourless chocolate torte with fresh berries was a great finish to a wonderful meal. I always appreciate when the chef comes out and greets patrons, and Chef Reynaud told us some interesting tales of his culinary travels. I look forward to returning soon!

Focaccia bread was delicious. Unfortunately that is all we should have ordered. Rigatoni bolognese was a joke-Michaelangelos frozen is significantly better. It had clearly been microwaved-had cold spots. There was no one to complain to-no one speaks English except the supposed boss who was in the back, visibly on her phone the entire 1 hour and 45 minutes we sat there. No water was offered until begged for when my wine glass was completely empty. A second member of our party ordered chicken which was dry and was supposed to come with couscous for $28. Instead just had veggies on the plate. When it was time to pay, we 3 couples were asked by the waiter what we had each eaten so he could split the bill. 15 minutes later he returned with a single check for 6 and demanded cash. I have never written a yelp review before. Hope this helps someone!

Dear lord. This place is GOOD. Like really good. I am a foodie and I don't really love Italian food as a genre, but this place makes me a believer. The rosemary foccacia is heavenly, I could easily devour the full loaf. My husband got the eggplant parm...and as someone who doesn't like eggplant, I would order it myself as a full entree next time. SO GOOD!!!! I had the seasonal ravioli, which was a butternut squash with crushed almond cookies and it was so brilliant and unique. The service was outstanding, the ambiance was so cozy and romantic. The chef/owner stopped by our table to say hello and ended up chatting for a few minutes on all things we had in common: Boston, music and Italian food. They even brought a complimentary birthday sweet for my husband after I told them we were celebrating his birthday. Will absolutely be back, and this place is top of the list to take guests too.

Really excellent neighborhood Italian restaurant. Food was delicious - eggplant parm, tagliatelle, soft mozzarella starter and broccolini side - all fantastic. It's a small restaurant and the staff was kept pretty busy but everything seemed to run pretty smoothly. I'd say it was a little bit spendy for a casual restaurant but worth it. We'll go back.