50 Best Italian Restaurants near East Hartford

“Hosted our Holiday Party here, amazing atmosphere, food & music!! Holly & Carmine are the best! Check them out ♥️“

“I’ve loved C&E pizza since I was a kid in the 90s and living in EH.

I’ve since moved out of state a decade ago, but anytime I visit, I order takeout! Last time did not disappoint, just as good as it’s always been.

Can’t wait for my next visit.

Legends, other states just don’t have the same quality of pizza.“

“This is a wonderful little family owned place. The service is outstanding. Liz and her family take great pride in taking care of people. The food is delicious and reasonably priced. Great spot for a dinner out or take out. Definitely recommend!“

“food is always excellent“

“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.“

“Anything vegan is definitely delicious 😋“

“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!“

“Always delicious food with great service!“

“Everything great in this place . Thank you Allegro“

“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 !“

“Great service and awesome food!“

“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“

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

“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! 👌🏻“

“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!“

“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!!!!“

“Initially visited about 10 years ago. Hadn’t been back for. O particular reason. Recently decided to go back and we’ve been going there every couple of weeks since. Prices are very good and the food is excellent. Jason does a great job. Highly recommend.“

“Great food and so clean!!“

“Last night was my first time at Portobello Restaurant and as a local HS Culinary teacher, this spot is INCREDIBLE. Although small, the atmosphere is cozy with top tier hospitality. And the food? SO flavorful and FRESH! My Chicken Alla Casa was everything I wanted and more! Looking forward to going back soon!“

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

“Amazing nice place and food delicious 🤤“

“Excellent all around. Great food and atmosphere.“

“This restaurant is my absolute favorite restaurant. The pork Milanese is fantastic“

“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!“

“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.“

“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 🙏🏻😊“

“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“

“Great food and cocktails with excellent service 😍🤗“

“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.“

“Excellent food, friendly staff, and great service.“

“Visiting Hartford for work and stopped in this little pizzeria on the way to my hotel. AMAZING pizza and the nicest service. Staff were so sweet and the place was filled with families grabbing quick bites. My sausage slice was perfectly done and so flavorful. Highly recommend!“

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

“Great food and incredible portions! Our server Christina was outstanding! Highly recommend!!“

“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.“

“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.“

“Everything on the menu is good. Nothing is half assed. Really good food all around/ amazing pizza/ grinders. I’m very picky about my parm grinders and everything here is spot on.“

“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.“

“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“

“best beef cutlet hands down“

“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.“

“Impressed with the pizza last night which had the freshest toppings and pizza sauce. Crust perfectly cooked.“

“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!“

“I’ve now been to Casadoro three times, and this latest visit was hands-down the best yet! This place has quickly become one of my favorite spots for Italian-American comfort food with a fresh twist. Great happy hour.The new bean and garlic dip is an absolute standout—creamy, garlicky, and loaded with herb flavor. Paired with their warm, homemade bread. We also got the Bianca pizza with shallots. The sweet caramelized shallots combined with the creamy base and crispy crust made it incredibly tasty and unique. The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive. Casadoro nails that cozy yet elevated vibe, and the food quality keeps impressing me more each time. Highly recommend for date nights, happy hour hangs, or just a delicious Italian meal. We’ll definitely be back soon—can’t wait to try more from the menu!“

“First time visiting here. We had an awesome meal!!!! Service was fantastic, attentive and friendly. It felt like we were family. Lisa made us feel like we were at her house.

Food was fantastic. This time we had pizza. We tried both the deep dish and the thin crust. Both were awesome!!! Coffee and dessert were also great (made in house) and tasted so fresh and homemade!!!

Will be back to try all their other dishes. Thanks for a great night!!!“

“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!“

“Elm Hill Pizza is the best!! I grew up in Newington and now live in Texas. I’ve never found pizza that even comes close to their quality and every Connecticut visit includes Elm Hill Pizza.“

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

“First time trying Leo’s. Delicious pizza, had the Sicilian thick crust lasagna pizza, it was loaded with toppings and absolutely scrumptious. Also very friendly staff. Will definitely be back!“

“Wonderful family and delicious house made Italian dishes.“