Durham Restaurant Guide

What a quaint restaurant! This was the perfect spot to enjoy the outdoor patio with friends on my weekend vacation to NC. The prices were very reasonable. The house bread they bring you (and replenish generously) was delicious! I had Grandma's pizza - a thin crust delight! The servers were attentive with drink refills. Not only would this outdoor patio be romantic in the evenings, but it was a pleasant place during the daytime & conducive to the young kids in our party.

I would definitely dine here again...if only I lived closer!!!

This place is tucked away in the warehouse district and easily missed if you are not looking for it carefully. However once you find it you will be in for a treat to one of the best Italian restaurants in the RTP. The ambiance is nice both inside and outside while the servers are attentive and friendly.

I ordered the Linguini with White Clam Sauce and it was excellent. They cooked the noodles al dente perfectly and the clams were fresh. The sauce was not overdone and it elegantly blended with the noodles and clams. Although the portion was kind of small, they didn't overprice it at $11.95 for a lunch portion. My kids had the Pepperoni Pizza and it looked and smelled really good so I had to sneak a slice. It was delicious! The pepperoni used must was of higher quality than you run of the mill pizza joint. It did not run over with grease and a perfect balance of cheese.

Overall the restaurant is a very well run establishment that is much welcomed for this area. I'm looking forward to going back!

I came here with 15 people, of which 3 were kids (aged 2-8). We ate outdoors and it was a great location. I tried the gnocchi and that was great. It was a good place for family but I can imagine it being a great place for a date as well (and not too hard on the wallet). The other dishes people seemed to like was Grandma's pizza and the Penne Rustico.

I had the Penne Rustico at Cinelli's and the sauce was delicious! Great restaurant.

Cinelli's new Morgan St. location is a definite upgrade from the previous Broad St. location. The restaurant is very attractive, both inside and out. The inside of the restaurant has the flair of urban sophistication without being pretentious. There also is seating outside in an enclosed courtyard. The tables have large umbrellas over them to provide shade. Thirteen of us (including 2 toddlers) had lunch on this patio and enjoyed beautiful weather without being blown apart by wind or baked by the sun.

The service is what you would expect from a fine restaurant - no gum-cracking waitress with big hair here. The waiters are tastefully dressed in black, with aprons. They are courteous, attentive and quick. We found our waiters to be excellent at anticipating the needs of our party without being overly intrusive.

From the dinner rolls to the coffee it is evident that Cinelli's cares about what they put in front of you. The rolls are almost croissant-like with their crunchy exterior and soft, buttery interior. The sauces that accompany the food are authentic (as far as this Sicilian boy from New York can tell). The dish I use as the standard by which to compare Italian restaurants is linguini with clam sauce. Cinelli's fares well in this comparison. Their red sauce is tangy and not too sweet, they are very generous with the chopped clams, and they put several clams in the shell on top for good measure. I am thrilled to say that in my experience they have never over-cooked the pasta, which is the universal faux pas of Italian chain restaurants. The pizzas are of the crisp, thin crust variety like you would get at a real Italian pizzeria. There is great variety in the menu, so everyone should find something they will enjoy.

North Carolina may be the home of the world's best BBQ, but good Italian food is not easy to find. With Cinelli's you have an oasis of Italian authenticity served in pleasant surroundings by excellent wait staff. Ciao...