35 Best Italian Restaurants near Pacific Grove

“Great service fron everyone in the floor ,Delicious food.“

“What a find! The three of us had an absolutely wonderful experience with a warm reception from the owner, excellent service, cocktails personally delivered by the barman, and a great ambience!
The food was outstanding, and the extensive menu gave each of us plenty of choices. Great cocktail menu as well. The staff was attentive to our food allergies, and responsive to our desires. A delightful evening very much worthy of a repeat visit. As out of town visitors we definitely plan to return!“

“We enjoyed a delicious lunch. Everyone enjoyed their food and the restaurant has a nice ambiance.“

“I tried something new today, the hot Turkey open face sandwich smothered in a wonderful mushroom gravy. OMG 😱 So good ! And my salad was the perfect size to complement the large portion of the hot Turkey. I added a little Tabasco cause that what I do. I thought I was finished until the little waitress offered dessert 🍨. I ordered a piece of their home made apple 🍎 pie 🎉🎊😱. People let me tell you this is a bucket lister. With out a doubt the best apple pie I have ever had. And yes they make it from scratch. Great lunch experience today ! I ordered a piece of pie for a friend who is not feeling well and dropped it off to her. Thanks Victorian Corner for such a pleasant atmosphere to have my lunch 🙏.“

“My boyfriend brought me here for my birthday, and it was a lovely experience.

The cheesy garlic bread was delicious! We got the lamb pappardelle and sausage pesto gnocchi. The pappardelle was nice and hearty, and the gnocchi was rich and filling. Everything tasted nice and fresh.

They also had live jazz playing, and the waiter surprised me by having the band play happy birthday! The waiter also surprised me with a cake that could easy feed 3 people. Yum! We definitely left super stuffed and satisfied.

I highly recommend this spot!

Fair warning: It gets super busy, so definitely make a reservation!! There were people constantly coming in and waiting!“

“The best pepperoni pizza we’ve eaten in a long time. The base was perfect, tomato sauce really nice and a generous topping of cheese and pepperoni. The service was great, friendly, efficient and helpful offering suggestions to find a place to eat at the beach. If we lived locally we’d definitely be back!“

“Ordered take out twice during my month long vacation in PG. First order was 5 stars. Fish & Chips and artichoke appetizer. Hot, freshly prepared, delicious! 2nd (repeat) order not so much☹️. I was in-between the lunch and dinner hour and my food had been sitting around awhile I was disappointed! because I was so looking forward to freshly prepared fish & chips“

“Beautiful restaurant absolutely wonderful service, wait time wasn't too bad and the food was soooo amazing and filling !! a must try if you're in the area“

“Delicious pizza & drinks.“

“Delicious food! impeccable service!!!“

“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!“

“We were visiting on a golf trip and stopped in here for dinner. Absolutely excellent food with outstanding customer service! Thank you for making our first meal on our trip a fantastic one! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“omgosh 5 star service our waiter did it all“

“I had done a search for the best clam chowder in Monterey and they are at the top of almost every list, and they were right! I got the clam chowder in the garlic sourdough bowl I highly recommend them! My wife, Michele got risotto with caramelized onions, shrimp and sole. We had a view of Monterey Bay and some sea lions playing. Our server, Giovanny, was phenomenal! He brought Michele a piece of complimentary cheesecake and a rose for her birthday. 🌹 I had the chocolate creme brûlée. Great start to our mini-vacay in Monterey!“

“Delicious pizza & drinks.“

“went here for dinner on our first night in Carmel when we wanted great food and a cozy vibe. the food was one of the best meals my boyfriend and I have had. split the lamb & risotto (divine, so flavorful and meat fell off the bone) and gnocchi in cream sauce which was great too, nice crisp the cast iron pan. inside was cute, the patio with twinkle lights and heaters is special just too chilly of a night for me“

“We love Cafe Fina and always try to dine there when in Monterey. Great food, cocktails and good wine selection. We recently had our son and daughter in law’s rehearsal luncheon there and everyone enjoyed the atmosphere, amazing food and drinks. We highly recommend this fine restaurant while visiting Monterey. Cozy, warm and friendly staff too!“

“We always have a pizza at Gianni's whenever we're in town! Love the veggie pizza and breadsticks😍“

“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.“

“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!!!👍“

“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!“

“Great spot on the wharf!!! A must go to for amazing Italian dishes!!!“

“Best pizza we’ve had hands down. Family owned, cooked fresh, and it just hits better than anything. We make a point to come here when we’re in Monterey and I’d encourage everyone to do the same!!!“

“My family from Texas was visiting and we came for the first time….. best food, service and drinks. Joe was a great and welcoming service. 100% recommend“

“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“

“Great food, view and location. Friendly service right in the heart of Cannery Row.“

“Stayed in Cannery Row for a few nights and came into Monterey to walk around and grab a bite. Very happy with our pizza, Caesar salad (huge!) and pasta. You order at the counter and sit down, but someone still came out to get us waters and check on us a couple of times. Quick service on a Monday evening.“

“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“

“Great food service and atmosphere“

“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!“

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

“I was here last night with friends and it was a great experience very busy but our server was very good about allergy and explaining things to us! I appreciated that they let us stay later and didnt rush us were having a good time! Their bathroom was unacceptable though! Someone needs to do their job better in that department!“

“The clam chowder, I can not say enough about this wonderful dish. This was hands down the best I've ever had. Every spoonful had clam in it. The texture was perfect. I alao had the red snapper special, with fettuccine al fredo, and vegetable medley. The fish was fried perfectly and very flavorful. Overall, I was highly pleased with my experience. Highly recommend.“