Pierro's — Restaurant in Raleigh

A Raleigh Revelation: Where Flavor Wears Its Finest Suit or Sexiest black dress

There are restaurants that feed you, and then there are restaurants that romance you. This one? Let’s just say I left more smitten than a tourist at the Eiffel Tower with a glass of Bordeaux in hand.

The Opening Act: Leaves you craving more

The Meatballs & Ricotta arrived like a standing ovation in porcelain form. Tender, juicy spheres of flavor cloaked in marinara, the ricotta—airy, elegant, and just subtle enough to whisper instead of shout.

Next, the Ravioli Fritte. Imagine the rebellious cousin of the mozzarella stick, but dressed for a black-tie gala. A perfect, genteel crispness on the outside, a cheesy softness within, and a marinara dip so refined it should come with a silk cravat.

And then, a palate cleanser of sorts: the Kale Caesar Salad. Light, balanced, and confident enough not to drown in dressing. The arugula gave it just the right sass, while homemade croutons reminded me that sometimes, the simplest pleasures can still steal the show.

The Main Event: Where Entrées Take the Spotlight

The Prime Ribeye was bold yet poised—14 ounces of pure Angus charm, grilled to a smoky crescendo. Juicy, herb-kissed, and unforgettable. The broccolini swap for potatoes? A surprisingly perfect duet partner. Now I can not feel guilty about eating 3 garlic knots.

But then came the Braised Short Rib, and I’ll confess: it ruined me for all future short ribs. Slow-cooked six hours in a sauce so addictive it could probably get its own Netflix special. Each bite melted with the kind of ease that makes forks optional, while the risotto held its own as a creamy, dreamy stage mate.

The Chicken Leonardo was no wallflower either. A medley of bacon, spinach, ricotta, goat cheese, and sausage—all crowned with lemon butter—sounds like a chaotic cast. Yet, somehow, they harmonized like a gospel choir on Sunday morning. Balanced, flavorful, and so good I briefly considered drinking the sauce straight. Amen to that!

And then—cue the spotlight—the Pesto Gnocchi. Tender little pillows of potato gnocchi swirled in a pesto cream so luxurious it could have been bottled as perfume. The sweet Italian sausage, earthy mushrooms, garlic, spinach, and roasted red peppers turned it into a festival of flavors. Creamy, hearty, and comforting, yet still elegant—a dish that makes you forget you ever doubted carbs.

Curtain Call: Desserts That Deserve Roses

The Chocolate Mousse Cake walked that fine line between indulgence and restraint. Intense chocolate flavor, yes—but never too sweet, never too heavy. One of the best I’ve ever had, and trust me, I’ve had enough to qualify as a cocoa historian.

And the Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée? A sensory symphony. That first crack of the caramelized top was so satisfying, it might deserve its own soundtrack. Beneath, a silken cream infused with authentic vanilla bean—every spoonful a velvet whisper of perfection.

Final Verdict

If Raleigh has a culinary crown, this restaurant is polishing it as we speak. From start to finish, every plate was a promise fulfilled, every bite a reminder that dining can still be an art form.

Five stars? Please. This place doesn’t need stars—it is one.

An ABSOLUTE MUST try and repeat!!!

Forgive the pics and some crumbs on the plate, I was fighting forks off to try and get good ones but I wasn't quite fast...

My wife and I ate here this evening, I just believe they had an off evening. I believe their focus was on the twelve top and everyone else was unfortunately abandoned. My wife ordered the braised short rib and I ordered the seafood risotto. It took over an hour to receive our entrees because the focus was on the twelve top. I have been in the restaurant business and you would push out your smaller meals because it allows you then to focus on your party. Plus most parties understand that their food will take time to come out. During our wait we were offered garlic knots for the wait. They arrived warm and they were pretty average. I mean it’s bread, garlic, and marinara it can only be so memorable. By 9 pm our entrees arrive, first for 35+ dollar seafood I shouldn’t expect to have to remove the tails from my shrimp and remove my one little neckclam. The quantities made no sense it’s risotto I had five shrimp, one clam, and two scallops in essentially a rice dish. I understand going to a seafood restaurant and expecting to remove the tails or unshell my clamshell. If you are expecting customers to remove shells from their seafood you should provide extra napkins, finger bowl, or wet naps but I didn’t receive any. My risotto was chewy and undercooked it needed more stock. The shrimp was heavily overcooked it was so bad I didn’t even want to try anything else. My wife had ordered the braised short rib and her risotto had the same chew and needed more time to cook. The short rib was good and the taste were there it just needs better refinement. The service also was lacking, I had to ask for multiple refills of my drink, it should just be instinct to fill a quarter of an empty glass, there was lacking urgency or care. The server had two tables my table and the one beside me. Also it took forever for the waiter to even ask how our food was. My wife had completely finished eating before the serve even asked us how our entrees were. While they did offer the garlic knots it seemed like it was the major inconvenience to remove my entree that I would have considered inedible.

I am going to say that this is just a fluke based on reviews. The flavor was there but the errors need to be addressed. It’s literally like being served a good flavor dessert but for it to be burnt or melted. I understand that risotto takes a lot of skill to make it’s not something you wake up and cook. I just think the cooks needed more training. I do think the service could have been improved as well as that was...

Birthday Dinner at Pierro’s – A Mixed Bag with a Sweet Ending

I was looking forward to a great steak for my birthday on Tuesday, 9/9/25. After weeks of research, I had narrowed it down to a few spots. While out walking, I passed Pierro’s and looked up the reviews. Even though it’s not a steakhouse, they had a bone-in ribeye on the menu—and I love Italian food—so I decided to book the night there. I wish I hadn’t.

To be fair, the service was exceptional (Wish I could remember his name). Our server was attentive, professional, and made great recommendations for both wine and food. He handled the steak situation with grace and care, which I truly appreciated.

Here’s how the evening went:

Appetizers: The calamari and meatballs were amazing. Flavorful, tender, and well-seasoned. Garlic Knots: To die for. Soft, garlicky, and addictive. The Steak Incident: We ordered our ribeye's medium rare. Two major issues: The menu advertised it as bone-in, but it arrived boneless. Mine was barely ¼" thick. If you know steak, you know that cut can’t be cooked medium rare—it’ll always end up well done. Ironically, their menu even states they don’t guarantee steaks cooked medium well or well done and this one was WELL done.

Meanwhile, my partner’s steak was at least an inch thick and perfectly cooked to medium rare. He offered to switch seeing the disappointment on my face as I had not said a word to him, and just as he did, our server overheard as he was just so walking by and immediately took my plate back to request a new one.

It was a quiet Tuesday night—only 5 or 6 tables occupied—so I expected a quick turnaround. Unfortunately, it took 20 minutes, and by the time my new steak arrived, my partner had already finished his meal. The second steak was thick, beautifully cooked, and everything I’d hoped for the first time around.

To make up for the delay, the server comped my dessert—and wow, the ricotta-based New York cheesecake was absolutely divine. I’d go back just for a slice of that.

Final Thoughts: The first steak should never have left the kitchen. And with proper kitchen management, the replacement should’ve hit the table in 5–8 minutes, especially for a medium rare cook. I’ll give Piero’s another shot with an Italian entrée someday (maybe), but for steak? I’ll stick to...