Whether you’re craving a big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs or something a little more refined, there's no shortage of great Italian restaurants across the US. You can choose from family-run delis with a few tables attached, old-school pizza spots cooking to the same recipe for generations, and fine dining restaurants that serve everything from hyper-regional cuisine to Italian American favorites. To help narrow things down a little, we've picked the best places in every single state. Buon appetito!

Scroll or click through our gallery to find the best Italian restaurant near you, wherever you are in the US.

Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.

For unpretentious northern Italian comfort food, head to family-run Gianmarco's in Birmingham. Giovanni Respintoave and his sons have been serving up authentic dishes since 2003, and the spot is a firm local favorite. The menu includes indulgent options such as mushroom ravioli with black truffle and spinach, risotto with clams, mussels, shrimp, and calamari, and the cheese-loaded eggplant parmesan.

Sorrento's has been serving loyal customers in Anchorage for more than 50 years. The family-owned restaurant dishes up old-school Italian American classics like fettuccine alfredo and four-cheese penne al forno. Other notable menu highlights include the stuffed mushrooms and the delicious tiramisù.

Reminiscent of restaurants in New York’s Little Italy, RigaTony’s is a spacious old-school spot with bags of personality and vintage style. Located in Tempe, the restaurant has cozy booths and low lighting. Customers love the fully loaded, Italian-style hoagies (pictured) and baked rigatoni, known as the Baked RigaTony, which comes with a rich mozzarella sauce, garlic marinara, and Italian sausage. 

Located in a beautiful Victorian-style building in Eureka Springs, Ermilio's has built up a loyal clientele of regulars over its many years of business. Customers love the attentive service and dishes such as pan-roasted pork chop with porcini mushroom sauce, and shrimp in a creamy white wine sauce over linguine. But it's the meatballs in red sauce with linguine that customers continue to come back for. 

San Diego is actually home to the largest Little Italy in the US, covering 48 entire blocks. What was once a humble fishing community has grown into one of California's most interesting attractions, with the diverse restaurants and lively patios meaning diners are spoilt for choice. One of the area’s most iconic spots is the original location of popular California chain Filippi's Pizza Grotto. This joint has been slinging quintessential Italian American classics since 1950, and is always buzzing. It doubles as a deli, where you can pick up fresh cannolis, cured meats, and cheeses.

You know the food is authentic when it’s the first choice for Italians living in the area. People flock to Terún for its wood-fired pizzas, small vegetable plates, and freshly made pasta. Expect an array of classic pizzas, including Margherita and Napoletana with anchovies, and the crowd-pleasing Mediterranean seabass with cherry tomatoes, black olives, and grana padano cheese. It also has a huge patio for dining al fresco.

If you find yourself in Colorado Springs and fancy a big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs, Paravicini's is the place to go. This buzzy spot is also loved for its white clam linguine, salmon in mustard and dill sauce topped with shrimp, and its juicy, perfectly cooked steaks. The restaurant is owned by an Italian chef, Franco Pisani, who grew up watching his mother cook in the family bakery. After years of training as a chef, he opened up shop in 2003 and the place has been going strong ever since. 

This busy Italian in Downtown Hartford is a local staple, unbeatable in terms of atmosphere and customer service. It opened in 2010, with contemporary interiors and a patio overlooking Bushnell Park. What to order? Loyal customers are fans of the sweet potato ravioli, rose pasta (sausage, mushroom, and spinach in a tomato and cream sauce with four-cheese tortellini), and cheese bread. The restaurant has a set takeout menu that serves four, perfect for cheating at dinner parties.

Ristorante Attilio opened its doors in the heart of Wilmington in 1985, and is a must for reasonably priced, handmade pasta. Popular menu choices include the cheese ravioli, which is said to melt in your mouth, while the lasagna and spaghetti with clam sauce also come highly recommended. The wood paneling and vintage interiors add to the restaurant's retro charm.

Guests of family-owned Fresco Cucina Italiana are consistently impressed by the food and service, regularly praising it as the best Italian around. On the menu you'll find wood-fired pizzas and pasta dishes – the orecchiette pasta, with broccolini, spicy sausage, garlic, and white wine sauce, is a customer favorite. Dessert has to be the cannoli or tiramisù. 

For high-end Italian in Florida’s Polk County, there’s no better place than Scarpa’s, a family-owned eatery known for its sumptuous seafood dishes and house-made pastas. The vibe here is laid back but sophisticated, and the gorgeous decor makes it a really special spot for a celebration meal. Highly rated dishes include giant gulf shrimp wrapped in prosciutto, lobster ravioli in a creamy vodka sauce, and pillowy gnocchi with fresh basil pesto.

This white-tablecloth Italian was named the fifth best restaurant in the US, as part of Yelp’s 2024 Top 100 Places to Eat list, so you know it’s going to be pretty incredible. Diners praise the warmth and charm of owner Beto DiCarlo, a third-generation restaurateur, and the beautiful ambience of the place, saying it's 'reminiscent of a cozy trattoria.' The menu showcases Beto’s family recipes, such as his father’s melt-in-the-mouth ossobuco alla Milanese (pictured), as well as fresh pastas made in house, and sensational seafood dishes.

This cozy Italian, famous for its creative pasta dishes, was housed in a quaint yellow renovated bungalow, but has recently moved to a majestic, early 20th century house in midtown Atlanta with much more capacity. Happily, the food is as good as ever. The tortelli di mele – ravioli filled with apple, sausage, and Parmesan in a sage and brown butter sauce – gets rave reviews. Other delicious dishes include mushroom ravioli, buckwheat tagliatelle, and pan-seared red snapper.

Taormina Sicilian Cuisine serves up Sicilian-inspired pasta dishes with a Hawaiian twist. Chef Hiroyuki Mimura makes use of Hawaii’s incredible seafood offerings, combining these with his indulgent fresh pasta dishes. The bestseller is uni (sea urchin) pasta, but he also serves up the classics, like carbonara with a generous dusting of truffle shavings (pictured), and Sicilian lamb chops.

Luciano’s was voted Best Italian Restaurant by Boise Weekly in 2018, and remains hugely popular thanks to its Tuscan-inspired dishes and generous portions. Opt for the freshly made pasta, such as the manicotti (large pasta tubes) stuffed with ricotta and herbs, or the chicken scaloppini with sautéed chicken, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and prosciutto tossed with angel hair pasta in a lemon butter caper sauce.

The upscale yet welcoming Sapori Trattoria is often named among the best Italian restaurants in Chicago. Start your meal with the calamari fritti with fresh marinara or try the burrata platter served with roasted tomato relish, prosciutto, and pickled peppers. Other menu favorites include spaghetti in red sauce with veal meatballs and Italian sausage, and pasta stuffed with lobster in a creamy sauce. 

This college town is renowned for its diverse dining scene, and Trattoria Demi is the go-to spot for homey and delicious Italian cooking. This cozy neighborhood trattoria has been going since 1993, earning a loyal local following for its affordable prices and simple yet perfectly executed food. Diners rave about the hearty beef meatballs in the joint’s signature marinara sauce, as well as the shrimp risotto. It also has a charming terrace out front, great for enjoying antipasti in the warmer months.

Mama Carolla’s is a stucco house that has been transformed into a glamorous 1920s-style Mediterranean villa. For a magical dining experience, try to get a table on the outdoor patio, where you can dine surrounded by fairy lights, fountains, and Roman statues. The food is just as spectacular; expect dishes such as rosemary chicken lasagna, and cheese and spinach-stuffed ravioli.

Joints don't get more old-school than Tumea & Sons, a family-run Italian parlor located in Des Moines. Choose your favorite pasta variety and add meat, sausage, white or diablo sauce, and top with a meatball or sausage link, depending on what you fancy. Other much-loved dishes on the menu include lemon chicken, veal marsala, and shrimp primavera.

A feast for the eyes, as well as the stomach, Cinzzetti’s is a one-of-a kind buffet experience where it's impossible to leave hungry. Diners enter a Tuscan-style 'village,' centered around a cobblestone piazza, and are welcomed with a sprawling buffet with 14 open-view cooking stations. There's an amazing variety of dishes on offer, from bruschetta and pepperoni pizza to made-to-order crêpes and gelato. There's also a second location in Northglenn, Colorado.

Silvio's Italian Restaurant is one of Kentucky’s most popular Italian diners, dedicated to serving classic Italian American family favorites. It’s owned by Bill Silvio Melillo, who’s no stranger to the industry – he ran popular Melillo’s, in downtown Louisville, until it closed in 2008. The marinara sauce is the star of the show and features on a number of entrées such as the chicken parm (pictured).

Vincent’s has been named Louisiana's best Italian joint in numerous local publications, based on local votes. It was opened in 1989 by a New Orleanian named Vincent Catalanotto, who grew up in a Sicilian family. The menu is quite meaty, with dishes such as lamb chops with marinated vegetables, osso buco, and a signature lasagna that fans rave about.

Elegant, refined Italian food is what you'll find at Solo Italiano Restaurant. Many of the dishes are inspired by the northern Italian city of Genoa, which is where chef Paolo Laboa is from, and there's a real focus on showcasing the freshest local produce. In fact, customers say that dining here feels like eating at a restaurant in Italy, and rave about the freshly made pasta, especially the bucatini with green crab. 

This Frederick favorite is owned by Italian chef Marco Pontecorvo, his wife Naomi, and daughter Lucia. Originally from Naples, the family cook up an array of authentic dishes; expect sauces like Bolognese and puttanesca, served with your choice of pasta shape, or opt for the delicious baked ziti with ricotta, mozzarella, and house-made tomato sauce. The pizzas, featuring perfectly blistered crusts and fresh toppings, are a crowd favorite too.

Claiming to be Boston's first original trattoria, this low-key restaurant serves up freshly made pasta and sumptuous seafood. The calamari, zucchini flowers, and slow-cooked lamb, beef, veal, and pork ragù all come highly recommended. For the authentic Amalfi Coast experience (when the weather allows), grab a table outside overlooking Boston's historic, and very Italian, North End. 

This legendary restaurant in Detroit's Eastern Market is loved for its gargantuan pepperoni pies and white (no sauce) pizzas, such as the spinach, feta, white onion, and Kalamata olive option. Partnering up with local producers, Supino Pizzeria champions organic ingredients. Be sure to follow your pizza with a house-made cannoli, stuffed with chocolate sauce and pistachios.

An old-school Italian through and through, Yarusso Bros is one of the oldest family-owned restaurants in St. Paul, in operation under its current name since 1947. It's a mom-and-pop joint serving pure comfort food, with the likes of pasta, garlic cheese toast, and pizza options all on the menu. But customers are really there for the huge meatballs and red sauce with spaghetti.

A local favorite, Cerami’s was established in 1977, but closed for 14 years, only to reopen in 2006. Much to the delight of locals, it picked straight back up from where it left off, with old classics such as the lasagna tasting as delicious as ever. It also surprised with new additions, including the perfectly cooked, grilled rib-eye. There's live music several nights a week, too.

A St. Louis institution, Charlie Gitto’s on the Hill has been serving traditional Italian dishes since 1981. Complete with wood paneled walls and cozy booth seating, it's become a go-to date night destination for locals. The toasted, meat-filled ravioli with tomato sauce, thinly sliced veal, and ricotta-stuffed manicotti all come highly recommended. There's another location in Maryland Heights, too.

Ciao Mambo is one of the best restaurants in Montana thanks to the excellent service, fresh pasta, and bountiful dessert selection. Start with the Antipasti Freddi – featuring the likes of provolone, prosciutto, salami, marinated mushrooms, and smoked mozzarella – before diving into the spicy Italian sausage arrabbiata with linguine. Save room for dessert: the restaurant’s signature cannoli dipped in chocolate ganache and drizzled with huckleberry sauce is rightly raved about. Customers also rate the friendly staff and fun atmosphere.

Bursting with beautiful interiors, Avoli Osteria has been charming locals since 2013. The team has crafted a small but mighty menu, featuring dishes such as grilled octopus with chorizo and potato, sweet corn risotto with Italian sausage and summer truffle, and classic carbonara with a generous helping of cracked black pepper.

Piero's Italian Cuisine has been a wildly popular spot since it opened in 1982. Old-school charm and traditional dishes make dining here a real occasion. Customers love the atmosphere, with dishes such as jumbo shrimp scampi and rigatoni Bolognese coming highly recommended. Justin Timberlake, Carrie Underwood, and Bill Clinton have enjoyed meals here, while a scene from 1995 movie Casino, starring Robert DeNiro, was filmed in the restaurant.

Complete with colorful interiors, wooden finishes, and bold artwork, this chic bistro has garnered quite a reputation. This farm-to-table restaurant serves only house-made pasta, with the dough made fresh daily. Expect a bountiful menu featuring the likes of sun-dried tomato pesto arancini, classic carbonara, and juicy meatballs with pomodoro.

This restaurant is named after owner Mark Pascal’s grandmother, who came to the US from Naples. Honoring her, the menu is based on Lombardi's recipes, and customers love the cozy atmosphere almost as much as the comforting dishes. Among the top-rated menu items are the garlic bread, goats' cheese and spinach ravioli, and fried calamari with sweet and spicy marinara.

A real family affair, M'tucci's Italian was opened by Jeff Spiegel and Katie Gardner in 2013, and they’ve since gone on to open multiple locations. This original joint is truly special, featuring colorful decor, counter-side seating, and beautiful dishes. Menu highlights include potato leek bisque, and the beef, pork, and veal meatballs, which come with spaghetti and marinara sauce. Don't even think about skipping the tiramisù either. 

Patsy's Italian Restaurant in NYC has been serving up Italian classics since 1944. Frank Sinatra, who often sang at the restaurant, was a regular and now has a private dining room named after him. Patsy's prides itself on serving simple, unpretentious comfort food, such as spaghetti and meatballs, linguine with clam sauce, and calamari stuffed with shrimp, crab, and lobster in a rich garlic tomato sauce.

A Hudson Valley favorite, Cosimo's Brick Oven has four locations in Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, Woodbury, and Middletown, and has a reputation for serving up exquisite plates of Old World cuisine with a modern twist. As you might guess from the name, a brick oven plays a central role in the kitchen, with wood-fired pizzas, loaded flatbreads, and baked pasta dishes all getting the live fire treatment. Highlights from the menu include the 8-Hour Pork Cacciatore – melt-in-the-mouth pork braised in Chianti, caramelized onions, portobello mushrooms, and tomatoes – and the fried calamari.

Gravy celebrates traditional Italian American cooking and prides itself on creating nostalgic pasta sauces 'just like grandmother used to make.' Regardless of whether their grandmas had such top-notch culinary skills, customers praise the four cheese risotto balls, the Caesar salad, and the mouth-watering lasagna.

Though not strictly authentic, Nardello’s Pizza in Bismarck gets rave reviews for its incredible steak sandwiches and hoagies, made using thinly sliced rib-eye on Italian bread. It also serves huge slices of pizza with toppings such as spicy barbecue chicken, Hawaiian, and pepperoni. This is Italian American food at its finest. 

This lively Columbus restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere with a vintage-inspired interior, complete with high tables and bar stools, and dark wooden finishes. There's a menu of comforting Italian dishes such as baked rigatoni, braised beef tortellini, and chef's daily risotto. The cherry crostata – a cherry-filled pastry with almond crumble and honey vanilla gelato – is a firm favorite, too.

Proud owner Lori Burson came up with the idea for Stella Modern Italian Cuisine while studying in Rome. Located in Oklahoma City, the restaurant has a seasonal focus and a hip atmosphere. On the menu you’ll find popular dishes such as charcuterie, braised short-rib rigatoni, and grilled peach and prosciutto pizza. The joint also serves brunch at the weekends, with hearty sandwiches and amazing egg dishes.

For an unforgettable Italian dining experience in Portland, head to a Cena, a chic yet unpretentious restaurant with some of the best reviews in the state. It’s not difficult to see why, with dishes such as grilled octopus, butter-poached lobster with stuffed raviolini (pictured), and pan-seared halibut with pistachio and cherry tomatoes on the menu.

Chef-owner Pietro Carcioppolo and his wife Antonella opened Gabriella Italian Ristorante in 1997, and it's been providing a great dining experience ever since. As well as the classics, it serves specials such as lobster ravioli in a pink creamy sauce, and portobello mushrooms in a garlic sauce. Visitors all agree it has a great atmosphere.

What could be more quintessentially Philly than a restaurant that featured in a Rocky film? Victor Café is a classic red and white checkered tablecloth affair that’s been going since 1918, and featured as ‘Adrian's restaurant' in the 2015 Rocky Balboa franchise film Creed. It's famous for its singing servers – who serenade diners with Italian opera every 20 minutes – walls lined with memorabilia, and hearty Italian American food cooked with love. Fans rave about the baked clams casino with minced bacon and herby breadcrumbs. 

This old-school Italian restaurant has been serving its loyal customers, who praise the great food and service, since 1988. Head there for perfectly fried calamari (pictured), crispy arancini, and huge pasta dishes. Expect low lighting and a soundtrack featuring the Rat Pack, too.

For authentic Italian dishes in elegant Roman-inspired surroundings, Villa Romana Italian Restaurant is the place to go. It opened in 1985 and continues to serve family recipes such as Veal Absolut (veal cutlets sautéed in a mushroom, vodka, and cream sauce), as well as great seafood. The Shrimps San Marzano (jumbo shrimp with zucchini, provolone, prosciutto, tomatoes, and wine) comes highly recommended.

One of the most top-rated Italian restaurants for pasta in South Dakota, Roma Ristorante Italiano is loved by locals and visitors alike. Try the baked ziti, angel hair pasta with meatballs, or spinach ravioli. If you can't decide, opt for the pasta sampler which comes with lasagna, cheese ravioli, and manicotti. Customers praise the vegetarian and gluten-free options, too. 

This modern restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee specializes in elevating rustic Italian food into contemporary, refined dishes. On the menu you'll find the likes of hot honey, sausage and calabrese pizza, and black spaghetti with lobster ragù, shrimp, and chili. The appetizers are said to be just perfect, as is the cannoli cheesecake finished with a cinnamon sugar crumble.

The team that runs this farm-to-table bistro takes its ingredients very seriously, sourcing a huge amount of produce from the restaurant’s own backyard vegetable garden. The menu is described as ‘Italian cuisine with a Gulf Coast perspective, dictated by Houston's growing seasons,’ so it’s filled with fresh-tasting delights like the ricotta cavatelli (handmade pasta shells) served with morel mushrooms, and veg-packed sauce. The pizzas are also innovative and incredible – try the one topped with lamb, feta, eggplant, peppers, and onion.

Executive chef Fiore Tedesco and his team at L’Oca d’Oro create high quality, contemporary Italian dishes for the restaurant's seasonal menu, which uses only the freshest ingredients. Expect to find classics like pappardelle with smoked beef shoulder ragù alongside innovative dishes such as caponata glazed pork ribs with miso carrot purée and kimchi. 

Valter's Osteria serves delicious Tuscan food, such as the pasta sampler, which includes the daily house-made gnocchi and ravioli. The four cheese ravioli, fresh lasagna, and bright, airy ambience are other highlights that make this restaurant a must-visit. The joint was founded by the charismatic Valter Nassi, who passed away in late 2022, and his spirit lives on in the menu.

One of Burlington’s most historic venues, Trattoria Delia is located in Vermont House, a former hotel built around 1900. Established in 1993, the restaurant celebrates seasonal ingredients and local produce. Favorite dishes include the grilled octopus with roasted potatoes and lemon, rigatoni with a rich sun-dried tomato and pepper romesco sauce, and rabbit risotto with charred onions and mushrooms. The same team runs Pizzeria Verita next door – said to have the best Neapolitan pizza outside of Italy, according to regulars.

This quirky, lively restaurant has been built to look like an old Italian train station. At Trattoria Villagio, visitors can choose between the classic dining room or opt for drinks, cheese, and salumi at the marble-topped bar. The grilled octopus appetizer and the freshly made pasta – in particular the seafood pasta with mussels, scallops, and shrimp – come highly recommended.

Cinque Terre celebrates the cuisine of the Italian Riviera in contemporary surrounds. Opened by the owners of already popular spots Barolo and Mamma Melina, the restaurant is a firm local favorite in its own right. The seafood dishes, such as soup with lobster, shrimp, octopus, and calamari, and the pizzas, are menu highlights.

Figaretti’s Restaurant's legacy dates back to the early 1940s, when Italian immigrants Anna and Joe Figaretti began making and selling spaghetti sauce to local grocery stores. It was such a hit that the family opened Figaretti's Restaurant. It’s still owned by the same family today and menu mainstays include the meaty lasagna with sausage, ham, and mozzarella, the wild mushroom ravioli, and the cannoli.

Family-owned Tenuta's Italian Restaurant was founded by Cesare and Antonia Tenuta, who came to America from southern Italy in 1961. The traditional recipes they brought with them can still be found on the menu, including their original sauces and seafood and pasta dishes. Customers rate the thin crust pizza, lamb meatballs with goats' cheese, and tiramisù.

Established in 1966, Calico claims to be one of the oldest restaurants in Jackson Hole. The wood-fired pizza, family-friendly setting, and extensive drinks list make this restaurant a firm favorite. There's a lovely deck area for alfresco dining, and a menu of classic dishes. We recommend trying the Tom's Bomber pizza, with sausage, grilled hamburger, pepperoni, scallions, and black olives.

Now take a look at the most historic restaurant in every state

Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.