Belly Of The Whale Deli - Raleigh

Friendly local staff who greet you with a warm smile.

The food is decent and I had no issues after eating it. This restaurant seems to thrive mainly because there aren’t many alternatives nearby.

As a European, I've had my fair share of authentic and delicious pizzas. I also have experience with Hunt Brothers Pizza, which I've encountered frequently at military bases overseas for over a decade. Now, regarding this restaurant: the staff was incredibly friendly, even though they were quite busy. The wing bites were tasty, just as they should be, but the pizza... I was genuinely surprised. It tasted distinctively better than any Hunt Brothers pizza I've ever tried. Each bite reminded me of a traditional Ristorante Pizzeria. Two thumbs up! This is the only pizza in the USA that has made me feel that way.

The food is quite good, but I've noticed that the portions have shrunk. We ordered a 20-piece boneless Buffalo bites, and they served us 10 pieces cut in half instead. We also ordered a 4-piece cheese stick, but they only gave us 2 and claimed it was 4. The Philly cheese steak fries used to have a decent portion, but now they're small and unappealing, and there wasn't any cheese on them. The employees seemed uninformed and definitely need more training. Additionally, I attempted to pay with two different cards, and they charged both cards the full amount after telling me the first one didn’t go through.

The food here is excellent, and the atmosphere is charming. The staff is incredibly polite and attentive to all guests. I highly recommend trying this restaurant!