50 Best Italian Restaurants near East Hartford

“Absolutely incredible food, music and service! Kitchen is always open. Come check out the CT Super Open Mic on Thursdays as well as their Monday and Tuesday open mics!“

“I hope everyone try’s this place out just so they get to meet and talk to Maria. The most sweet welcoming lady ever. It was my first time ordering from there and she herself alone will make sure I go back again and again. Food is great too! It’ll make you come back but Maria makes you want to even more!“

“My son and I stopped in to get dinner while passing through on a road trip. The food was delicious. Liz, our waitress, was outstanding. She was attentive and friendly. We had an outside issue that came up regarding where we were staying that night and Liz went above and beyond to try to help us. Clearly they are good people there. Outstanding!“

“I was visiting from out of state. This is one of the best pizzas I have ever eaten. The area is lucky to have Gino’s. I did try to talk the owner into moving to my state.“

“food is always excellent“

“Anything vegan is definitely delicious 😋“

“Always delicious food with great service!“

“Awesome service, food, atmosphere, and hospitality. Classy and comfortable place to eat top notch Italian. The cheesy garlic bread is incredible. Can’t wait to visit again! Owner is so kind!“

“I've tried several entrees (chicken allegro, eggplant, lobster ravioli) and everything has been perfectly prepared. The chef pays attention to every little detail. Portions are significant. Prices are very reasonable for the quality and portion size. Staff is attentive and friendly. Interior is suitable for a casual dinner or more formal event. Easily my favorite Italian restaurant in town.“

“food was delicious waitress seemed a bit out of it.“

“I attended a baby shower there and it was delicious and the the staff and the manager couldn't have been nicer . The garlic cheese bread was delicious and the sweet potato ravioli was second to none. The whole meal was 5 star worthy. Can't wait to go back !“

“Stuffed mushrooms are to die for piazza also chicken wings a bit overcooked sauce was great tho also our driver was so concerned that something had happened to our order (he had gone over some speed bumps) that he would not leave until we checked the order we love this place and would definitely order again“

“What a great restaurant with top notch service and amazing Italian food! perfect for a date night , we both enjoyed everything about Bricco! Can't wait to come back! Exceptional! 👌🏻“

“Amazing nice place and food delicious 🤤“

“Great service and awesome food!“

“Ordered a meatball sub with hot peppers and mozzarella. The meatball were delicious! The best! I can not day one bad thing about this place. This was our first time here and we will be back! And the staff were great and treated us like family. They hit it out of the ballpark ! Mangia!“

“Amazing food and friendly and attentive service! Anything we have tried here has been amazing. Always support local!“

“Best pizza, customer service is amazing. The owner is amazing very personable. I’ve been going here for over 13 years and still The only pizza place to brings home to my heart coming from NY!!!! Plus all the other options Are freaking amazing!!!!“

“Great food and so clean!!“

“10/10 Recommend! Best calamari I’ve ever had - we had the yummiest dinner and the sweetest server. Every dish was delicious - zero complaints!“

“I would walk 500 miles... Well maybe not walk 500 miles. But I will drive 350 miles round trip. Just to have dinner at one of my favorite Restaurants in my old neighborhood. Congrats to Kenny and his culinary and service team. Dinner for my party of 4 was delicious. The 3 specials Short Rib Ravioli, Chicken & Sausage Paella, and the Baby Rack of Lamb. The 4th dinner was our longtime favorite Gnocchi Sorentino. Walked out bellies full and pallets completely satisfied. Oh yeah, don't forget the Fried Burrata. Anytime I'm in Brookfield I will visit Portobellos. Love this place.“

“Authentic delicious food always made fresh in house~ amazing cocktails~ appetizers and desserts always on point~service and atmosphere…that’s excellent too! We love coming here“

“We love Nonna’s in our house! We visit weekly since finding out about the specials they post daily here on Facebook. Everyone is so nice and the pizza is always a great as the last time. Definitely has become a staple in our household, especially their Wednesday deal!“

“Excellent all around. Great food and atmosphere.“

“I love this restaurant. The food is always good and the female wait staff is great. The males, are on the rude side....one time throwing steak knives across the table when we requested them to cut our steaks. Every time we dine here, I am so annoyed with the lighting. Fluorescent lighting in a fine dining establishment is the worst. Please...please ...please put in recessed lighting that can be dimmed to make for a romantic dining experience.“

“It Is My opinion that this is the best Italian Food in Connecticut. if you love Italian food you will love this restaurant.“

“I was there last night with my family I came from Florida a few days ago and went to ct to see my brother that goes there all the time with his wife and I may say it was amazing service and all 🙏🏻😊“

“Carmela’s ravioli, pasta and sauce are amazing. It’s just the homemade flavor you’re craving. We get her pastas every year for Christmas dinner and buy it all year long as well. Once you eat from her shop you will surely be back for more!“

“Wow! Get the fire roasted veggie pizza - yummo! I am a picky eater and this is the best pizza I have ever eaten. Thank you!“

“We went for an early dinner Saturday afternoon our anniversary. Our server was Lance and he was fantastic. We really enjoyed our meals including the rum cake for dessert we go again in a heartbeat.“

“First time experience the other day; was seated promptly and tended to immediately, despite the restaurant being crowded. Food and drinks were served quickly, and everything in my order was hot and delicious. Highly recommended.“

“Love this place, perfect lunch spot while working on the road. The steak sandwich.It is quite different from most places. This is not shaved steak, but cut very thinly. They roast your own peppers, which are excellent. There veal cutlet is also very good. They offer hot plates throughout the week that changes every day. It's a very authentic italian deli“

“We have had food from the new location in Preston Connecticut three times now. They had only been two days, a few weeks, and now a few months when we are here. First impression was the cheese pizza had no taste but the deep dish pep was good. Second impression was similar. Now a few months into establishing, the cheese is delicious. Great sauce and cheese flavor and ratios. Crust is just right. We did have a few pieces of the Detroit/deep dish pep but not all of our deep dish tasted “Smokey.” The best way to explain it is like the smokiness of mezcal tequila. Most of the pep was charred so we suspect it was over cooked or was adjacent to something else in the oven that burnt. Overall, positive experience and in time, we think this restaurant will continue to strive and adjust recipes and cooking techniques to meet or exceed expectations.“

“Hosted my daughter's baby shower here, and I only have praise and respect for the whole staff. They were easy to work with, and the service and food were exceptional. All the guests complimented the amazing food, and the staff was very responsive and attentive. I highly recommend Elizabeth's.“

“We had a great dinner at the OC Kitchen Bar tonight. Asked our server if they could make a dish that was not on the menu and they nailed it for us! Exactly what we wanted. Very friendly staff and great food! Glad to have them in RH.“

“We had my sons graduation dinner at Lena’s and it was fantastic! The food was delicious (as it always is) and the staff was great (as they always are)! Everyone had a great time! Thank you Lena and staff!“

“We had such a wonderful experience at Joey’s Garlic! The food was absolutely delicious. We ordered the penne a la vodka, shrimp scampi, and fried calamari, and every dish was full of flavor. The portions were huge—definitely family-style! Honestly, one plate would have been enough for both of us, and we still had plenty of leftovers to enjoy at home. The restaurant itself has a beautiful setting with an industrial hipster vibe, warm lighting, and a fun flare that makes the atmosphere really inviting. Service was excellent—our server was both fast and friendly, which made the evening even better. For the quality and size of the portions, the pricing was amazing and very affordable. We truly felt like we got more than our money’s worth. We’re already looking forward to coming back and trying more of the menu next time!“

“ottime pietanze,accoglienza cordiale,locale carino“

“Yummy delicious and totally worth a visit to the truck 🛻“

“The bolognese was the best! The service was wonderful also. Had a lovely time.“

“Food is amazing, everything on the menu is delicious“

“Wow !!! A group of 4 of us were traveling through the area and needed a good place for Dinner …We called and made a reservation , the owner Al was very personable on the phone .We arrived for dinner and he had our name on table , and he introduced himself …We had a couple of beers while he explained the menu to us ….we Decided on a couple of appetizers and also a small pizza to sample before ordering our dinner . The appetizers arrived and were very good, but the star of the show was definitely the pizza , so much flavor … the crust was to die for light and airy and so much crunch in the crust !!!! Next was the Dinner - Chicken Francaise , Chicken Parm , Chicken Marsala , Fettuccini Carbonaro .All meals arrived hot and were Delicious …We also got to meets Al’s Daughter who was very personable just like her Father ….We wished we had this Restaurant in our community . Give this Restaurant a shot , you won’t regret it . Thank you“

“This is really an update of a bad review that I had previously left, I wont go into details. But my last 4 visits were just great, food great, service great....I'm happy I came back because the whole experience was superb.....but that particular bad visit was horrible. Good job!!“

“This was my first time coming here and I have to say that this place was not what I expected. It’s super cozy and clean. Our waitress (Amy) was awesome! She was nice and attentive. Our pizza came out fast and it was delicious. I’m
Definitely going back.“

“Yanni’s food is always great!!!!“

“Everything I order has always been top notch quality. Mac and cheese bites are to die for. And I haven’t had a bad pizza yet. I travel 20 minutes just to come here. Best pizza around for sure.“

“I recently ordered a large pepperoni pizza along with a side of wings, and both exceeded expectations. The pizza had a perfectly crisp, thin crust that held up well under generous layers of melted cheese and pepperoni. The edges had a light crunch, and the overall balance of sauce, cheese, and toppings was spot on!

The wings were equally impressive—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and coated in a well seasoned sauce that delivered just the right amount of heat and flavor.

This meal was a great combination of quality ingredients and solid preparation. Whether you're ordering for a casual night in or hosting guests, I’d definitely recommend this combo. Will be returning for more!!!!“

“It took a little bit to get the food, but it was worth the wait!“

“We celebrated Thanksgiving 2025 at Casa Mia. The ambience was lovely. The food offered was a family style four course meal. I ate so many yummy warm rolls, I barely had room for dinner for dinner. The staff had a lot of customers to serve for the seating and the provided outstanding service. The restaurant manager was personally greeting customers and ensuring they were happy with their meals. Keep up the good work!“

“I went back to CT after being gone for about 20 years and, having told my family how good Connecticut pizza was, I took them to Pietro's on a cold March afternoon. They all said this was some of the best pizza they had ever had, absolutely loved the garlic knots, and they all tried to steal my ham grinder. It was the best food we had that trip and we often talk about it. The staff was also very friendly. Thanks Pietro's.“