Archestratus, the first food critic, praised Italian cuisine's "top-quality and seasonal" ingredients and "fair to middling" ability to tranquilize out-of-control mayors. Today's Groupon similarly stuns, and rightfully so. For $22, you get $50 worth of Northern Italian cuisine and wine at Café Tiramisu. This elegant establishment is conveniently located in the North Ridge Shopping Center, just north of downtown Raleigh.
As you enjoy the subdued elegance of Tiramisu's white-linen tablecloths and softly glowing wall sconces, let your eyes dance over the well-curated wine list and menu. Pair a glass with the perfect fresh antipasti, like the thinly sliced beef carpaccio layered in shaved parmesan, extra-virgin olive oil, capers, and cracked pepper ($10), or allow your server to military press your appetite with mussels sautéed in a creamy garlic, white-wine sauce ($11).
With your palette prepped, wrap a fork around a plate of vegetable-rich linguini dressed with sautéed shrimp, fresh scallops, artichokes, spinach, and portobellos ($17), or try the gnocchi paired with braised veal, chopped carrots, and tomatoes ($17).
For the last fifteen years, Café Tiramisu has been branching out through the family tree to provide diners with an authentic slice of Northern Italy. Pull up a chair to the granite-top bar, or grab an intimate table under the glow of paper lanterns, illuminating a wood-patterned interior. The atmosphere carries a signature vibe, allowing gentlemen to relax and wear their finely groomed facial hair down.
Reviews
Over 30 Citysearchers give Café Tiramisu 4.5 stars. A few warn that occasionally the famous tiramisu desert is so popular that supplies run out.
- The pear salad was wonderful, and the veal marsala, and chicken saltimbocca simple and absolutely delicious. The tiramisu and lime tart were worth saving room for. – aoife_nc
- I had the sea bass special which was recommended and enjoyed every last bite of it. My husband had the veal satlimbocca and there wasn't a drop left on his plate. The freshly baked bread was so good we asked for another loaf. – diannei
- I've eaten in a lot of places around the country and no place makes me feel at home like Tiramisu. – Plane Driver
Café Tiramisu
Café Tiramisu continues the culinary legacy of the DeMartino family, who ran the revered eatery Piccolo Mondo for nearly 20 years. As his sons handle Café Tiramisu’s business end, patriarch Paul DeMartino focuses on the grill, preparing a menu of antipasto, homemade pastas, and sumptuous entrees inspired by the cookery of Northern Italy. Steaming dishes make their way into the dining room, where wall-mounted lamps cast a soft light upon white-clothed tables and the bar's impressive selection of red and white wines, served by the bottle, glass, or the cupped hands of an overeager dinner companion.
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