Mothers & Sons

4.6 (194)

$31 to $50

Italian

107 W Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701

Make a reservation

2 people

May 8, 2025

May 2025

10:00 PM

Booked 25 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Charming
Neighborhood gem

Our lunch and dinner menus differ greatly. Please see the menu link below to see an example of our offerings.

Partners Matt Kelly and Josh “Skinny” DeCarolis are proud to offer Mothers & Sons, a trattoria in downtown Durham featuring regional Italian food with seasonal sensibility. DeCarolis introduces the first restaurant in the South to focus on fatta a mano —handmade pasta.
Mothers and Sons offers antipasti dishes such seasonal bruschettas or smoked octopus. Choose from primi dishes like the bucatini al amatriciana, squid ink tonnarelli or rigatoni alla norma and secondi dishes like the bistecca alla floretina and eggplant parmigiana. Dishes are made with seasonal ingredients so menus may change depending on when you visit. An extensive Italian wine list, dozens of amari as well as an imaginative cocktail list with an italian flair assures there will be a drink that will complement your meal perfectly.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Italian, Sicilian, Contemporary Italian
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat 9:00 am–2:30 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(919) 294-8247
Website
http://www.mothersandsonsnc.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Josh DeCarolis
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Location
107 W Chapel Hill St, Durham, NC 27701
Neighborhood
Durham
Parking details
Public Lot
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Gift card

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Experiences

Graduation Weekend & Mother's Day!
$80.00 per person
May 9, 2025 - May 11, 2025
Celebrate Graduation and Mother's Day with Mother's & Son's! We will be offering a specially curated three-course fixed menu, created by Chef Josh Decarolis. Enhance your meal with our optional wine pairings, expertly selected to complement each course. Please note that our usual a la carte menu will not be available during this weekend. The menu will be released by mid April, and we will be able to accommodate a wide variety of dietary needs.
Eda Rhyne Aperitivo Hour and Tasting
$80.00 per person
Prepaid
May 21, 2025 only
6:30 PM
Kick off the summer with our first Aperitivo Hour—an evening of flavor, conversation, and discovery. Join us for a special amaro tasting in collaboration with Eda Rhyne Distillery from Asheville, NC. Savor a thoughtfully curated four-course menu featuring light fare and a handmade pasta course, all designed to complement the complex, botanical flavors of Eda Rhyne’s amari and liqueurs. Throughout the evening, enjoy a guided tasting experience led by a distillery representative, who will be on hand to share insights and answer your questions. Come raise a glass with us!

Private dining

What 194 people are saying

Mothers & Sons reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.5Food
4.6Service
4.5Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Durham
Great for fine wines

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Mothers & Sons delights with its "authentic Italian trattoria experience." Guests rave about the "phenomenal" food, including standout handmade pasta and exquisite desserts like tiramisu. The "outstanding" service and cozy atmosphere enhance the dining experience, making it a favorite spot for celebrations. Seasonal specials and a notable wine list add to its allure.

194 Reviews

Y
YJ
County Durham2 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Really great place for a date night, for a dinner with friends! Truly enjoyed our time and the food there!
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K
Ken VIP
Raleigh120 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was our first visit to Mother & Sons. We were seated right away and drink orders taken. Note, soft drinks are served from a bottle, so no free refills. Warm chiabatta bread was brought out with olive oil, if was very good. Then we ordered the Bruschetta that came with a big mound of tomato-pasty pesto, with a heavy heat of chilies ending, as well as an equally large mound of "cows milk ricotta," that when put together on their grilled bread was hard to stop eating (we did stop, thankfully, so we have some for home!) My wife chose their special of the evening, aldente Cassarece Pasta, with a thick garlic pesto sauce. The serving size was not huge, but very filling and she really enjoyed I had the roasted chicken, over sautéed spinach/greens. The 1/2 chicken was moist and delicious. As always, we were too full for dessert. All in all, this was a nice meal, plenty of food, great service and it didn't break the bank. Give it a try.
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G
Gitana
Orange County2 reviews
1.0
Dined on May 1, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
This restaurant is overrated. No ambience, the food is not tasty. I had porcheta and it was overcooked and dry. Pasta I can make better at home. Would not go there again.
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M
Mark
Raleigh1 review
4.0
Dined on April 30, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great meeting place. Service was impeccable. Food was authentic .
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R
Robert
Richmond4 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 30, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
One of the best food and service experiences I’ve ever had, in Durham or elsewhere.
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J
Jessica and Scott
San Francisco6 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 29, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Loved everything! The bruschetta and eggplant parm was really satisfying.
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I
Ingrid
Unspecified1 review
5.0
Dined on April 27, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
It was a lovely dinging. The staff were so nice and made our anniversary dinner very special. The food was also amazing!
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M
Meghan VIP
Raleigh7 reviews
1.0
Dined on April 25, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 2
Had my first experience a week ago. Found hair in food and pasta was undercooked. Decided to give it try one more time bring friends visiting Durham for the first time. Received the most horrific service - our server Silvin was incredibly rude - asked her about what would be great to share. She replied "Well, if you would just be quiet and listen, I could get you that." She only came back once, didn't refresh drinks, didn't acknowledge us nor say "thank you" when our bill was paid. Our dinner orders were all mixed up, subpar, undercooked pasta and overseasoned. Two poor dining experiences with subpar food (one with hair) and the most rude server - Mother & Sons is overrated. Will not be dining there again. Lots of other great places to eat in Durham with incredible service.
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A
Amanda
New York City3 reviews
3.0
Dined on April 23, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
They charged for refills of their fountain sodas, we thought that was ridiculous. Manager just stood in the back, didn’t greet or check any customers and there were only 3 other couples dining. Food was mediocre. The potatoes that came with my husbands meal were cold. Tomato sauce in the appetizer was biter. We will not be returning.
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Z
Zachary
Raleigh2 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing as always. Intelligent and detail-oriented staff that really know the menu, excellent support staff, amazing wine selection. Its a must-visit in Durham. Don’t ignore the vermouth options at dessert.
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FAQs

Mothers & Sons offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (919) 294-8247.

Mothers & Sons is rated 4.6 stars by 194 OpenTable diners.

Mothers & Sons does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.