Raleigh, I Love You: Pizzeria Toro

Ok, so technically Pizzeria Toro is in Durham, but it definitely should make your to do list if you're in the Triangle area and love pizza.  Because this pizza is going to definitely exceed expectations -- a decadent combination of rich cheeses and fresh ingredients all on the perfectly crispy on the outside and still soft on the inside wood fired crust.  I love Papa Johns just like the next girl; I even eat frozen pizzas from time to time.  But after the first bite of our spicy lamb meatball and kale pizza, I had the horrifying realization that I had been eating straight trash for most of my life and this is how pizza should truly taste.  Real cheese!  It's good.

Plan Ahead:  This restaurant is very small, so come early or there may be a wait.  The tables are very close to each other, so expect to get friendly even with your neighbors when you are trying to squeeze two pizzas and two beers on your small table.  Also, parking can be a bit of an issue.  The restaurant has a very small section of parking available on the street, but you may have to circle around for a bit or use a parking deck if you don't get lucky enough to grab a curbside spot.  There is a small parking lot behind the restaurant that is free to the public on weekends and after 5 on weekdays that might have a few spots left as well.

The service is very fast; we had both of our pizzas on our table and ready to eat within 20 minutes of sitting down.  And afterwards you may need to walk off some of your food baby with a nearby stroll to Durham's revitalized American Tobacco District or you can catch a Durham Bull's game or a show at DPAC (Book of Mormon is coming back this December by the way!).