14 Best Italian Restaurants in Carmel By The Sea

“Delicious pizza & drinks.“

“one of the best in Carmel...“

“Amazing food and service. If you need gluten free options then this is the place! GF garlic bread, pasta, and more. soooo good!“

“Delicious pizza & drinks.“

“This is our second time eating at Il Tegamino, and both times it was absolutely delicious. It is definitely a step up from your basic Italian American cooking. The pacchieri in ragu sauce was the winner, but everyone enjoyed the other items we got. The service is very attentive. Both times we ate outside. But because the terrace is all enclosed and with the space heaters, we were perfectly comfortable, even at the end of January. This place is a hidden gem in a town of frequently overpriced and mediocre restaurants, catering to tourists. “

“Route 1 was closed and I had to return to Carmel from Big Sur and took Freeway 101 instead. So another pasta at Portabella! Always going back for it.“

“We recently visited Carmel and were craving Italian food, so we decided to try Allegro Pizzeria since it was conveniently close to our hotel—and we’re so glad we did! This charming local spot has a warm, low-key, inviting atmosphere that immediately made us feel comfortable. You can tell it’s a favorite among locals, not just tourists, which is always a great sign.
The restaurant was very clean, neat, and welcoming, and the service was excellent from start to finish. Our waiter, Evan, took wonderful care of us—friendly, attentive, and prompt without making us feel rushed.
As for the food—delicious! We started with the calamari appetizer, which was perfectly cooked and flavorful. I enjoyed the lasagna, rich and comforting with classic Italian flavor. The shrimp and scallop pasta in a butter and wine sauce was absolutely wonderful—fresh seafood and a beautifully balanced sauce. Our son loved his pizza, which was fun, cheesy, and hit the spot. We also appreciated the soup, salad, and fresh bread that rounded out the meal.
Parking was plentiful, though we loved that it was an easy walk from our hotel. If you’re visiting Carmel and looking for a casual, delicious Italian restaurant with great service, Allegro Pizzeria is definitely worth a visit!“

“Highly recommend!! We had a 90th birthday dinner for my mom with 11 people. Everything was superb! Outstanding service, excellent food and drinks. Outside terrace is pretty and even allowed our 2 dogs. Superb! Thank you to Z and the wonderful staff, everything was perfect!!!👍“

“My wife and I had a wonderful time during a day-trip last Sunday, 4/12/26. Our server did a great job of attending to our every whim and request! The ambience was fantastic and even though it rained a little, moving into the bar area was another experience in itself. We can't thank em enough for giving us such a memorable experience!“

“Always amazing. Great food and service. 👏🏼 my favorite“

“We had a great meal last night and wonderful service with Bryan! Our lasagna and pizza were fantastic.“

“Great food service and atmosphere“

“We've been coming for so many years never had a bad experience always love the food the people the ambience it's absolutely fun and excellent food drinks, etc. This time for lunch we had an exceptional server she's new to us. Her name was beautiful. It was a flower like maybe jasmine we hadn't seen her before but boy was she on top and thorough always seeing if we needed any more of anything we loved her she was phenomenal.❤️ just wanted you to know“

“Lovely setting, excellent service, food was delicious and best coffee I’ve ever tasted! I know you use Lavazza but how do you make it?? When we make it to Carmel again we’ll definitely come back!“