32 Best Italian Restaurants in Cleveland

“Started with my favorite Italian wine, salad and duck, finished with tiramisu and cannoli delivered by Chef Rafael. Enjoyed attention of our waiter, swift but not obtrusive, and relaxed atmosphere of dining room. Every part of meal delicious and generous portions. Added plus was chat with Chef Rafael. You can tell he loves to feed and please his customers.“

“Fantastic dinner! We had one of the best caesar salads ever! The rosemary bread is so dense and moist and delish. The fettuccine with eggplant, garlic snd tomatoes was excellent! The calamari was cooked perfectly - so tender. Portions are very generous and we were full so we didn't get dessert. Service was excellent. Nice ambiance. Definitely eat here!! I will be back!!“

“Had Joe De’s Brick Oven Pizza for the first time tonight and it is awesome! The crust is real crust and awesome pizza sauce, lots of toppings! I love the char on the crust from the oven! Thank you Catie McReynolds for introducing us to Joe De’s!!!“

“Johnny's on Fulton is one of our favorite places to eat. We just love the food and customer service they offer. This restaurant should be on your list of places to eat and have fun. And don't forget to ask to sit outside this summer, beautiful outdoor area. They also have great party rooms. We had a Christmas party there last December, food was superb and our wait staff was the best.“

“The seafood risotto was delightful. Finally, a quiet restaurant where I didn't have to shout or constantly ask for my company to repeat what they said ( I am ~45 and have not lost my hearing yet). My companion ordered the pork dish and was happy with the fact that the gorgonzola was not overpowering. Good replacement for Luca ( used to be my favorite) as I have not been happy with them lately. Will go back. Hopefully, it is just as good next time.“

“Difficult wheelchair accessibility; coming with a friend or calling the restaurant will be necessary.Excellent little mom & pop, family oriented Italian neighborhood meals. Prices that are extremely reasonable for the high quality of food, generous portions, a focused menu that still has a good selection, and good drinks selection. The veal is prepared very well!Wheelchair accessibility: A single step is required to get in the entrance. A ramp will be provided if a wheelchair is present, but the ramp is extremely short and nowhere close to ADA standards; a manual chair can make it work with assistance, but I recommend not coming in a power chair at all.“

“My Favorite Italian Restaurant in town! Best food, wine, service and great atmosphere! Omg and did I mention desert ?! The most delicious! Valerio & Stella go above and beyond for their customers which they treat as a family! Highly recommend A +“

“Since the first time I had Tripi, shortly after they opened, it has become an absolute staple in my Near West restaurant rotation. Everything on the menu is solid. If you’re a fan of Italian subs, the Papa Tony is quite possibly the best one I’ve ever had. The combo of the meat quality, muffuletta and the fresh giardiniera (which is insane) is pallet-changing. Eat here.“

“Recently discovered this little gem. My sister and I originally wanted to find some good wings around as the past few times we’ve ordered them from elsewhere we were not happy with the wings after delivery. We came across pizza fan on DoorDash and ordered the garlic parm and bbq wings. Omg they were PERFECT. So today we had to go back for more we couldn’t stop talking about these wings all day ? we decided to also try a chicken Philly to split. Again pizza fan did NOT disappoint. ? ? very very highly recommend. Service was great the store was clean the gentleman behind the counter were lovely. This is definitely a new favorite of ours. We will definitely be back again and again“

“I like their pizza, garlic bread with cheese , Chix wings & meatballs. I just looked at their menu. I have never had anything from here I didn't like. Tenders - yum - poppers - yum - onion rings/mushrooms -yum . My one & only gripe is the size of the sausage on the pizza. Wish it was bigger pieces. The pizza here is that 70's style pies I grew up on. There are 6 pizza places 1.25 miles near/from my house. Athens wins out. I have not tried the pizza place in the old Uppercrust Pizza spot. You cannot go wrong at Athens Pizza for satisfying food.“

“Cafe Roma reminds me of an authentic restaurant in Italy. It is a family owned and run business that serves reasonably priced Italian dishes. The Cavalli and meatballs are excellent. The lasagna is enough for two people. They even have Italian cookies and Cannoli. This is one of Westpark hidden secrets!“

“Hands down best pizza I had ever had! Got the large speck pie there and small diavolo to go. Blown away! Great service by the staff and truly was worth the wait! Not one bad thing heard from people telling me about this place. Best advice I can give, there will be a wait but wait for it anyway. Got there around 45 mins after they opened and it was about an hour wait for 2. The wait is all worthwhile!“

“Etna truly is the most intimate, cozy place in Little Italy. You walk in the door, immediately feel the charm, welcome and warmth of the staff and the smells of the kitchen. The food is amazing, the wine perfection. I have traveled to Italy many times….Etna takes you there as soon as you walk through the door. ❤️“

“Good food, though the specials are pricey. Everything was served hot and nicely prepared. Very crowded, as they try to fit as many tables and customers in the space as they can. Server was attentive and professional. Best to avoid peak hours if you want a less noisy atmosphere, but in total a nice experience.“

“Fantastic place. Was there Thurs afternoon, ran into 3 people I knew, & I hadn't seen each one of them in > 30 years!! Great looking menu, great service, clean, & just an all-around enjoyable place to go. One of the best nights I've had in years. I hope they stay open for a LONG time. Happy Holidays to all the Borgata Bar crew, & to their customers!!!“

“Had a party of 12 and they were able to serve us reasonably quickly. We had the calamari which was pretty good and crispy. I had the bolognese which was okay tasted a bit bland compared to the other dishes. The chicken Marsala was also okay, the sauce tasted a bit too sweet instead of having a more savory flavor. The gnocchi with shrimp was probably the best dish as well as the mussels, clams, and lobster ravioli. Eggplant Parmesan also looked great and was well liked by the crowd. Overall the whole group enjoyed the food and had a fantastic time at the restaurant. Also the parking is free and is “valet” but we ended up parking the car ourselves, finding parking in the little Italy is impossible so this made life easy.“

“Dante isn’t looking for laughs, it’s looking for gasps!Expect a creative, one-of-a-kind dining experience. Bank features on the interior are tasteful and help build a classy, sophisticated and vibrant atmosphere. Service is prompt and professional.Food is the money maker. Flavor pairings across the menu are magnificent. The crab cake/pork belly appetizer was the big hit across our group. For pasta, I enjoyed the carnaroli risotto, which was a light and fresh take on a traditionally rich dish. The classic bolognese (pictured) was terrific for those eyeing a more traditional dish.“

“What a fabulous dinner! From start to finish, everything was incredible. The food was so rich and flavorful. Our server was a delight. The only things that weren't great were the people dining next to us who were a little obnoxious and their cellphones kept dinging. I could also do with the light levels being dimmed a little. But seriously, the food was top notch. Next time I go back I'll sit in the moody bar area. The prices are reasonable and I left with boxes of leftovers for the next day. As far as Little Italy goes, this just jumped to the top of the list.“

“Old school This is a great old-school Italian restaurant reminds me of my days in Hoboken. We were coming here when we had an office downtown. It was always great. Est. 1999. It's cash only. The old ways. Today I had the lasagna. It was great meat sauce nice portion. I think it was 14 bucks really really good. The salad that comes with and the house dressing as good as it gets. I think it has walnuts on it with cheese and olives. The free bread and dipping oil is also great. You can park right there in the lot on 185 Great Italian place thanks Scotty. 5 stars not a lot like this one around.“

“The food was phenomenal. Get the sautéed calamari appetizer. There is SO much calamari for such a great price. Our server Yassine was amazing as well. Super friendly and knowledgeable about everything. Will come again if we have the chance!“

“This was our first time eating here. We were staying at an AirBnB down the road. My wife and I were immediately greeted by the new owner. He was very friendly and was kind enough to share some history of the place with us. We love what this pizza place is about and stands for. We only wished we lived closer so we could frequent it more often.“

“We celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary at Luca. I selected ‘anniversary' when placing the reservation; however, this was not acknowledged when we were greeted by the hostess, which was odd, but she seemed a bit stressed. As we ate our delicious food and enjoyed our bottle of wine, it was exciting to see several surrounding tables enjoy complimentary special occasion tiramisu and a souvenir picture to take home, then quickly disappointing to be brought a dessert menu. Embarrassingly, we had to let our server know that it was our anniversary, but we felt as though she did not believe us, which made for an even more awkward end to our experience. The service was not welcoming. Luckily, the food was outstanding. Highly recommend the appetizer that had pasta with truffle creme sauce and balsamic, and the special that had pasta with scallops.“

“Pizza was ok nothing that made me say oooh delicious sauce was flavorless (took a bite with no pepperoni), pepperoni over powering that couldn't even taste the sausage and greasy. The mozzarella too expensive and cold, I live 2min away if that so it wasn't the drive time.“

“Hands down one of the most delicious meals I have had in years! I got the chicken Alfredo and the chicken by itself was amazing. Tender and juicy with a chargrilled flavor. Also got an order of steam clams and whatever the sauce is that comes with it is delicious! I soaked my bread in it just to make sure I got every last drop! My date got lobster ravioli with cognac cream sauce, and I swear I thought he was about to lick the plate clean the sauce was so good! Ended the meal with a lemon cream and limoncello flute which was light and refreshing. The staff was attentive and the place was extremely clean, especially the restrooms. I cannot say enough good things about this place and I will definitely be back!“

“I had the pleasure of meeting the team from Italian Creations last night at a wedding at Lake Effect Studios. As a professional DJ, I have had lots of wedding food. I have to say, everything was excellent. From the salad bowl with a tasty balsamic dressing to the spaghetti vodka. If you are looking for authentic home cooked Italian food, look no further. You will not be disappointed. 10/10“

“I can’t say enough about Angelo’s Nido Italia. They have been taking care of our group from Lorrain for 28 years and we look forward to going back there again and again highly recommended for a romantic dinner out and highly recommended for a group they make you feel like you’re at their daughters wedding, the food is fabulous. The service is amazing. The friendliness is above and beyond. I want to thank Angelo and his wife for taking care of us for so many years.“

“Thanks to my husband discovering this gem of a pizza joint I can’t help but want their delicious food about once a week. I love their BBQ chicken pizza and garlic Parmesan wings, but everything else we’ve tried has been just as delicious! Double edged sword bc I found the best place around, but I’m wanting to eat it all the time. Must try!!“

“We ordered for the first time tonight. Unfortunately, we're a little too far for them to deliver so we got carry out. We got an 8 piece fried chicken dinner and a small pizza, everything was VERY good. We look forward to trying more items from the menu.“

“Have dined here since it opened, and the food is excellent, whether you dine in or order carryout. If you haven't gone there, or if you haven't been there recently, stop in. Mama's sauce and pasta, Buffalo chicken pizza, salads, chicken parmesan...all are great. Service is personal; portions are generous.“

“The parking lot is a bit treacherous, all old brick but we keep coming back because it is cozy. We have never had a bad experience. Old school italian/ I always have the eggplant and my husband loves the Salvatore shrimp and all vodka rigatoni. Try it/ it's lovely and qaint/ a step back in time/ great friendly staff.Kid-friendliness: Family friendly pizzas and kids mealsWheelchair accessibility: Not accessible 100+ year old building“

“This parlor, was a nice little spot being in a very accessible area yet not in the thick of it. Food and everything was great and service was dope but being a pizza snob and being well versed in what quality ones pizza would fall under, I honestly had just one comment and/or complaint. With the quality bracket that your pie fell in, in my opinion based on my past experiences, unfortunately ya'll need to chop that price down. Knowing that the price is the absolute last thing your gonna wanna touch or adjust without facts, figures from more than just little ol me. Just saying, yall would have locked me in as a weekly regular for sure, gotta have my pizza why not from you. Well, your way too expensive so I didn't come back ever“

“Today was our first visit to Mama Santa’s. We were visiting Case Western and this place was highly recommended. We had pizza and a meatball sub. Both were excellent. The pizza had the perfect crispy crust. Service was fast and our waitress was perfect. All around a perfect lunch with my son. We will definitely be back. Thank you Mama Santa’s!!!“