Carmine's Pizza & Italian Take Out

Carmine’s is a small, family-owned takeout restaurant in Durham that draws praise for its thin, New Haven–style crust and a tomato sauce that reviewers call balanced and savory.

The kitchen turns out quick, thoughtfully made pizzas alongside panini, grinders and baked Italian staples, and the owner Heath is noted for his hands-on presence and friendly service.

The storefront is casual and efficient: mostly carryout with a narrow counter, a handful of stools and outdoor picnic tables where locals and beachgoers pause for a fast, satisfying meal.

Catering and frozen pies sold in stores extend the kitchen’s reach beyond the counter.

Reviewers repeatedly highlight the pizza: a super-thin crust with a light char, crisp edges and a chewy interior, plus a sauce described as not sweet with a strong tomato flavor.

Popular orders include classic cheese pizzas, tomato-garlic-basil pies, and house combinations like sausage and mushrooms with added cherry peppers.

Beyond pizza, customers praise grinders and panini — chicken parm, steak, eggplant parm and meatball grinders appear often — and note fried mozzarella, salads and successful catering trays.

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Carmine’s Pizza & Italian Take Out in Durham has become a quiet favorite for people chasing a reliably thin, charred pie and classic Italian takeout.

The family-run counter is compact and mostly geared to carryout service, but its pies have drawn comparisons to regional benchmarks and regulars who will drive for a slice.

Customers praise a sauce that leans tomato-forward without sweetness and a crust that develops a pleasing char and crunch.

As Frank Zocco put it, “Sauce was perfect.

Not sweet, nice tomato flavor and the crust was cooked to perfection.

Nice char and crunch!”

Beyond slices, the shop turns out solid grinders and panini, from steak to chicken cutlet, and runs a catering arm for gatherings.

One reviewer said, “This is definitely so, far the best pizza within the Middlesex county,” underscoring how the place competes with bigger names in the state.

Owner Heath’s visible presence and willingness to chat with customers frequently gets a mention, and frozen Carmine’s pies now appear in grocery stores, letting fans bring that thin-crust flavor home.

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