37 Best Italian Restaurants near Alameda

“The food was great, the service was excellent, I was very satisfied“

“They have a guest dock. Good food.“

“I'm from Italy (have lived in Philadelphia for 20 years), and I was in Alameda in 2015 for a friend's wedding. I happened upon this place, and what a joy! Not only is the owner (who ended up at our table, where we had a lovely conversation) Livornese (I'm from Tirrenia, a province of Pisa), but the food was incredible, AND he knew a number of people that I knew! It's been five years, and I really want to go back some day. BOIA! CHE GIOIA!“

“Good food, friendly server.“

“The service was great! The coffee here is also good.“

“Great food and superb service. love the beef wellington!!“

“I love this place, best meatball sandwich I have had in years. Thanks Brian.👍“

“My daughter took me and the hubby here for our Thanksgiving celebration since she couldn't come home (Sac) for actual Thanksgiving, we went to her. This was a night I won't soon forget! Having a nice meal with our daughter was a treat, the service was amazing and the food....OMG! Every bite of every dish I tasted was so so delicious! I can't get the butternut soup out of my head it was THAT good! We all ordered different food & shared bites with one another. This night was so enjoyable! Thank you, Sis & Thank you Mama Oakland!“

“Short wait on a Friday night for 7 of us. Really small place but the wait staff and owner very friendly and everyone was very happy with their meal. If I lived here I would go back.“

“Great atmosphere and delicious food! Outdoor dining, too!“

“The lamb chops were phenomenal!“

“The food was really good. The standouts were the Calamari Fritti, Caponatta, and the Cosacca. The Ruccola was the only dish that felt flat, but tasted fresh. Service was good and we luckily did not need a reservation. Would definitely return and it's recommended!“

“I loved that the menu happened to be all vegetarian when we went. The fact that they have a seasonal rotating menu will also definitely keep us coming back. The mushroom bolognese sauce was so rich and filled with umami. I didn’t take a picture of the saffron poached pears as I took it home to eat but I really enjoyed it - the flavors were very reminiscent of the Indian dessert Srikhand. There’s limited seating so it felt a little loud and crowded inside but I did enjoy the open kitchen concept.“

“We had a relaxed and enjoyable meal. The owner is warm and friendly. Personable service. Food was great. Especially enjoyed the pasta tossed in Parmesan wheel. Everything was top notch. And laid back. Sitting inside was great. Sat and the bar and she told us about her product and process. Will also be nice to return in wam weather and take advantage of outdoor seating. Unpretentious comfortable restaurant with excellent food & quality of product & service.“

“Very tasty and carefully seasoned. All dishes were perfection“

“We are new to the area/California from NY we were delighted to find pizza as amazing as home! Friendly owner and staff.“

“great food, ambiance and service and wine list.“

“You have to go there from brunch!! The dishes are packed with flavor and love. Fresh wonderful oatmeal, cheese eggs on toast! Omg all so delicious and Donna is an amazing host.“

“Deliciousness for value and warmth for atmosphere. The host is always welcoming and service accommodating. New favorite place for life. 🤓“

“We love going to La Finestra. The food, the service, and the ambiance are outstanding. A restaurant with white table cloths! It is truly a special, wonderful neighborhood restaurant. One of our favorites! Add to it beautiful, background piano music by Bob Athayde. Thank you for an outstanding experience all the way around.“

“Great wine, love the squid, love the pastas and desserts!“

“Recently enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Postino's The food was wonderful, and the service excellent. It was a perfect al fresco dining experience“

“Great cozy atmosphere inside, it definitely makes you feel like you’re dining at a neighborhood pasta shop - which you are!

My Tortelli Bolognese was fantastic, as was the accompanying bread.

Unfortunately, my dessert cannolo was served with mascarpone which had split and was grainy, which is the only reason I didn’t give 5 stars.

Will definitely be back for more pasta!“

“My experience at Passione Caffè in their gorgeous two-story, well-decorated café at 91 Shattuck Square was simply marvelous. The staff was friendly, quick, and accommodating and the food, drinks, and desserts were delicious! I highly recommend Passione Caffè to those looking for a quick and yummy lunch (or breakfast/brunch everyday), to snack and study, or for an authentic Italian coffee. Don’t miss out on the great happy hour/aperativo deals between 4-7PM! It almost goes without mentioning, but Passione Caffè is absolutely true to its slogan: “A corner of Italy in Berkeley.” From the food and drink to the atmosphere and the service, this is the only truly Italian café I have found in Berkeley! And that comes from over a year of experience living and traveling in Italy! Besides the beautiful architecture and interior design of Passione Caffè—not to mention its convenient location next to Downtown Berkeley BART—I would like to point out some highlights on the menu. The pastas are all made with homemade, organic noodles and made-to-order sauces. The pasta dishes are so fresh and authentic! The spaghetti with meatballs, their only Americanized dish, is to die for! The pizzas also are also made with home-made dough and gluten-free options are offered. Try one with fresh prosciutto, mozzarella, and arugula! The fresh panini with Italian meats and cheeses round out the lunch menu. It is possible to have a filling lunch for $7-15, which is definitely reasonably priced by Berkeley standards! A serious final highlight was the artisanal gelato, made in-house by the Italian co-owner, Eleanora Cercatore. There are 12 flavors, weekly made with gluten-free options, that are displayed on a beautiful rotating wheel. The gelato is spectacularly tasty—I cannot recommend it highly enough! For your time, money, and fine Italian bites and drinks, I cannot recommend a Berkeley café more highly than Passione Caffè! Please pay them a visit soon—you won’t be disappointed!“

“Great sandwiches in downtown Berkeley with a lovely patio“

“Good pizza !!! Also affiliated with Haddon Hill Cafe. Nice local businesses“

“Excellent food, and the patio dining offered perfect weather. Plenty of excellent wines available to accompany the meal. And the staff- wonderful as always“

“great food. good service.“

“This restaurant is no doubt one of the most attractive place in the region. Anytime I visit this place I am so glad. They always keep their high standard service and the highest level of food they offer. You definitely will enjoy this this restaurant. Highly recommended.“

“I was introduced to this restaurant by my other “foodie” friend Maria Vargas. I have been there about 4 times now. I appreciate the fresh pasta, the fresh veggies and the excellent service. Will be back again soon.“

“Great ambiance, service, and cuisine!“

“On January 2nd, I visited Gypsy’s Trattoria Italiana in Berkeley with a friend, and let me tell you, this place is a hidden gem.

I ordered Special #2: a huge plate of pasta in a rich, creamy pesto-style sauce with veggies, topped with tender, well-seasoned steak strips and served with hot, steamy garlic bread slathered in freshly made smashed garlic butter. It came out piping hot and smelled incredible. My friend had a different pasta dish and could only finish half—the portions are no joke. I definitely overate, in the best way.

The vibe is casual, the service is quick, and the staff are friendly and warm. For the price, the food honestly rivals what you’d get at some high-end Italian restaurants, which makes it an easy yes for me.

I highly recommend not only visiting Gypsy’s, but specifically ordering Special #2 if you see it. I’d love for them to cement this as a permanent menu item. It deserves a permanent spot! I’ll absolutely be back and plan to bring family from all over the world here when they visit Berkeley.“

“Great Hamburgers and garlic bread.“

“Took my friend here for a Mother’s Day lunch. She was feeling blue because her kids didn’t show up. Panini’s was the closest and most convenient since I had to go back to work. I hoped it wouldn’t disappoint and it didn’t. She had a turkey avocado and she said it was just right. The service was spot on&she cheered up a bit. Thanks for that Panini crew.“

“This was our first time. Food was authentic Northern Italian. My family are from Le Marche’. The pizza & polla Parmagano was loved by our teenagers. And the Gnocchi was cooked to order per my request. Definitely adding this to my top 3 restaurants“

“I ordered the make-your-own-pasta bowl with fettuccine and marinara sauce. The breadsticks were amazing and the pasta was pretty good. Our waitress was really nice and we got our soups in about 3 minutes. Even though they didn’t have fettuccine on their make-your-own-pasta bowl, she made sure I got it free of charge. The main course came about 5 minutes later. Overall it was a nice experience.“

“Friendly, professional and fine cuisine!“