Amalia's Authentic Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Wake Forest

Located in a historic home in the Wake Forest area, the second into the restaurant, every corner exudes this old-world charm with the wooden doors, the Italian-themed décor, and the multiple rooms providing an intimate dining experience setting the tone for the evening.

SERVICE Logan provided an exceptional dining experience, embodying professionalism, warmth, and depth of information about the entire menu to help us make the best choices for our tastes. He was extremely attentive throughout the entire night, providing a consistent and elevated level of service that one would expect in a fine-dining restaurant.

FOOD Antipasti: Variazione di Parmigiano - Parmigiano Reggiano cheese variation. 24 months aged Flan, 30 months aged Fondue, 18 months aged crisp. The trifecta of Parmigiano was a journey of silky smooth, velvety, creamy, and crispy textures, coupled with the flavors that include sweetness, tangy, and savory flavors coming together as an outstanding homage to the different ages of the cheese. Unfortunately, visually, the dish was very simple and somewhat plain, providing a very disappointing first impression. There did seem to be something missing. It was difficult to break the crispy Parmigiano, leaving it difficult to get the three elements together. I believe having toasted baguette slices would have added a compliment to the dish, allowing the consumer to spread the soft parmigiano cheeses on another crispy element.

Primi (Pastas): We had two pasta dishes 1 - Bucatini all'Amatriciana - Imported Bucatini pasta served with classic guanciale, tomato and pecorino romano sauce. Having traveled to Italy 13 times, this dish was truly an exceptional display of the heart of Italian cuisine. Bucatini pasta, one of my favorite pastas, was cooked al dente with a rich, savory, tangy, and sweet tomato sauce coupled with guanciale which provides a salty richness.

2 - Orecchiette Pugliesi Imported fresh Orecchiette pasta with homemade italian sausage, sautéed broccoli rabe. Both these dishes were nothing short of perfection. The ear-like pasta was cooked al dente mixed with the sauce, sausage herbs and spices, and broccoli rabe providing a complex depth of flavors, making the dish well-rounded and resulting in an expertly executed dish with both tastes and textures.

Entrees: 1 - Branzino arrosto oven-roasted with olive oil, garlic, lemon and fresh herbs, toasted Fregola. The simple word to describe this dish is horrible. I have eaten Branzino all over the world at some of the top restaurants around the globe, and this dish was by far the worst rendition of Branzino I have ever seen. The fish was in no way a traditional branzino. It was the size of a tilapia, dry as could be, and the breading they were using on the outside was a reminiscence of a fried fish you would get a local fish fry. If the Chef knew what was good for them, they would 86 this dish and try again.

2 - Agnello Scottadito - Domestic lamb chops marinated with anchovy fillets, mustard, lemon zest, garlic, and sage; served with almond gremolata. The lamb chops were tender and succulent and cooked to perfection with a slight char on the outside that enhanced the richness and flavors of the marinade. The anchovy fillets are subtle and not at all noticeable. The blend of flavors of the mustard, garlic, and sage really created the right aroma and taste to compliment the chops. The almond gremolata layered under the tent of the lamb chop and the lemon zest bring together crunchy texture and citrus to compliment the main.

Dessert: Lavender-infused Crème Brulee with Blueberries. This was a delightful portrayal of a classic dessert; the floral and fruity flavors truly elevate this dish and truly differentiate the dish from any classic crème brulee. This dessert really brings in an element of surprise to cap off an...

I'm rewriting my review after a second visit to Amalia's. The first time, I rated them 3 stars based on prices we felt were too high. The second time, we felt what we ordered, and the experience we had, were better aligned with the prices. Plus they explained they source everything from Italy or from local farms, and they're working on ways to bring down their costs without sacrificing quality or authenticity. Based on that, I changed my rating to 4 stars.

We were greeted warmly when we walked in the front door by a very charming hostess and manager. Amanda was our server on both visits, and she was excellent. She was helpful and informative, and we never wanted for anything throughout the meal. The first time, the bus staff were a little overly eager about clearing plates before we were done. The second time, that didn't happen once. They're a new restaurant, so I'm sure training is a work in progress, but it was nice to see that had already improved.

The food at Amalia's is exceptional! It's a great representation of authentic Italian cuisine - simple (i.e. few ingredients) recipes that allow the quality of the ingredients to shine.

They start you off with warm focaccia that is to die for.

Crostini Neri - the pate was delicious, and it was plenty for two people. Unfortunately, there weren't enough crostini. They asked if we'd like more, which was nice, but instead of bringing more toast, they brought more focaccia. Still good, but at that point not exactly crostini any more.

Salumi e Formaggi - excellent selection of Italian cheeses and meats. There was easily enough for 3, if not 4, people to share.

Pasta Carbonara - I thought it was delicious, but my wife didn't think it was served hot enough, and it was a little too egg-y for her. The portion size was appropriate for a primo, but the price ($17) seemed a little high.

Pasta Bolognese - this was amazing! We both loved it, and the portion size was ample. I was full when I finished it (having eaten more than my share of Salumi e Formaggi first), and my wife took at least half of hers home. There are still other dishes I'm really anxious to try, but it's going to be hard to pass this up the next time!

Polpette - the meatballs were truly excellent - great flavor, and we both loved them. The drawback for us was that the pricing seemed out of line. Three meatballs that were bigger than golf balls, but not THAT much bigger than golf balls, on a shmear of potato puree, for $18?!? Pretty steep, in our opinion.

Carote al Burro - dayum!! These carrots were the bomb! Really, really delicious.

Limoncello Cheesecake - it was good enough as cheesecake goes, but neither of us felt we could really taste the limoncello. And $11 for the sliver of cheesecake again seemed to us like it was too much. Especially considering it was accompanied by a $4 (!) cup of coffee that wasn't even hot. The server was apologetic, and it sounded like they were having an issue with the coffee maker, but then how about taking it off the bill? I understand there are some glitches during the first week a place is open, but to charge $4 for something that honestly wasn't drinkable was not cool.

If I were rating solely on the food and service, this would be a 4.5 - 5 star review from me. I've really enjoyed everything I tried (well, except for the coffee). I also love that they're trying to provide an authentic 4-course Italian dining experience, but unfortunately, the prices make partaking in all 4 courses prohibitively expensive for us. We will definitely return, but unless and until prices come down a little, this will have to be a special occasion...

Amalia’s. Where to start. Nestled close to downtown Wake Forest, this restaurant has the best service, atmosphere, and food I’ve had in the Triangle in the almost 20 years I’ve lived here. It’s a cozy shop with a small bar, and the space makes you feel so comfortable and at home. My wife and I went to celebrate her birthday, and from walking in the door, we knew this was THE spot to celebrate. The dining room we were sat in was cozy, but we never felt packed in. It was effortless to just exist and enjoy. Our server, Natalie, was just fantastic. She had excellent recommendations and was very attentive. She took the time to talk with us as it was our first time, we didn’t feel rushed at all. Then the food started showing up. We were served an amouse bouche of whipped ricotta on crostini with black truffle, it was incredible. Seasoned perfectly, which is a theme I found throughout the service. The house-made focaccia was delicious. Warm, pillowy, with flaky salt, olive oil drizzled right on top, and rosemary baked in. It was so so good, and presented in a way that was exactly right. For a starter we got the caprese. My wife and I were blown away. I know, you’re probably thinking “really? At a caprese?” But somehow, some way, yes. We were blown away at a caprese. The local tomatoes were so sweet and ripe, the cheese was just to die for. Micro greens on top, and the balsamic drizzle was perfect. All seasoned just right. We ordered the N’duja pasta and the mushroom risotto off the primi menu, and splurged for the fresh truffle on the risotto, which was shaved tableside. Everything was so fresh and delicious. Like y’all, I do NOT like risotto usually. But chef made me a believer. The n’duja pasta is now a top dish of my entire life. Super savory, slightly spicy, yet somehow not as heavy as I’d imagined it would be. And the veg in it was perfect. I’d give it 6 stars out of 5. For secondi, we split the brasato because when there’s braised beef on the menu, you order it. In my experience, it tells you a lot about a restaurant. And of course, it was executed perfectly. It came with a side of roasted carrots, which doesn’t sound super exciting at first, but they were absolutely delicious. The red wine sauce was wonderful, the beef was so unctuous and seasoned perfectly, and we got a side of fennel gratin. I don’t usually like fennel, and I don’t like anything gratin, but somehow it worked and was perfect. Dessert was a salted caramel affair, I’ll be honest I forget the name of it. However, I will never forget how incredible it was. It was so decadent and perfectly sweet, yet somehow delicate and light. It was brought to the table with a birthday candle, and we were both so delighted. Chef made me a believer, I would go back there 1000 times. Again, Natalie was a world-class server, and Amalia’s made my wife’s birthday celebration amazing. So grateful for everyone at Amalia’s for this night.

TL;DR - please, I urge you to try Amalia’s. If you have the means, please patronize this establishment. The staff are wonderful, the kitchen staff and chef are masterful, and it just makes you feel at home and relaxed in a way I haven’t found in a...