50 Best Italian Restaurants near East Haven

“I have been ordering from Minervini's since I moved to Branford and I never had any issues! Always a great service and delicious food!“

“The Pane Cotto was delicious, and the Chicken Barsi was out of this world. Highly recommend.“

“We had a picnic wedding celebration for our daughter and son-in law at our home. They had gotten married in Italy a few months before. The pizza choices were amazing and delicious, never a line. Salad, gelato and expresso were all a hit with our guests. I would recommend using them. Luigi is wonderful and easy to work with.“

“I honestly am ashamed to say that I’ve lived in East Haven for 22 years and have never had Tollis pizza. Some friends and I were getting together and we were talking about restaurants to go to, and I had mentioned that I had never tried Tollis. We decided to give it a go. And I have never been happier with a decision ever! We had the white clam pizza, we had the Amalfi pizza. And I couldn’t decide which was my favorite. My friends had the Bolognese sauce, which the waitress brought a little bowl so they could try it with some bread before they ordered their entrée! Nice touch! It was fantastic! Our waitress was super attentive, very friendly, we were near where they were making the pizzas and it was fun to watch. An all-around great experience highly highly recommend.!!!!!“

“My wife and I lived in New Haven for 4 years and ordered many a delicious pizza from Anthony and his great crew. We retired to Florida and I returned for a visit and ordered two pies. How lovely that they comped me, and the pies were amazing! Thank you ! Vange and Lori“

“Very good spot to eat highly recommended“

“As always this is our favorite night out in New Haven. The food is always amazing and the service is the best. From the time we parked we were greeted with a smile and a friendly conversation. Love the patio on a beautiful summer night. Now better place to be .“

“Fabulous food and amazing staff“

“Awesome hospitality - great people - excellent food and fantastic family!“

“This is our favorite reataurant in Ct ..the pasta fagioli is the best anywhere just like eating in Italy..they have live music Fri and Saturday and we sit outside eat ? drink and ? ?..it is hard to get in make sure u reserve in advance

Parking: right by the restaurant or across the street plenty of parking“

“2024. Still stop here when i can. Still amazing. Still delicious!

WOW. I just moved to Branford and a local friend took me here. Everything Italian! Prepacked dinners of various sizes. Cookies, AMAZING gelato, arancini, donuts, squid, meatballs, cappuccino...and more! I'll be back for more.“

“Every bite was delicious!“

“We had a fantastic meal at Caffe Bravo! We ordered the arancini and buratta for appetizers. The arancini reminded me of what you get from an authentic, local Napolitan eatery in Italy. The buratta was creamy and super fresh. For dinner we had freshly made gnocchi , the linguine and vongole, and the grigliata di mare. The gnocchi were like fluffy pillows that were made moments before getting to our table. The homemade linguine was perfectly cooked with plenty of clams. And the seafood was grilled to perfection with a tasty farro rice as a side. And then for dessert we had the homemade tiramisu and chocolate lava cake that put us over the edge. Can’t wait to go back and bring friends so they can experience for themselves. 💯 🇮🇹 #caffebravo #forzanapoli“

“This place is fantastic! We stopped in for dinner by chance with no reservations on a Saturday and were given a great table. The cocktails are amazing and they have a great wine selection, the food was delicious the service was great and the prices were not bad at all. This place is a definite yes.“

“I have been ordering takeouts at Il Forno for the past seven. I started with bacon and onions pizza which was great. I then changed to eggplant pizza and it has to be the best I have ever had. Now I have moved on to shrimp marinara with linguine and I can't tell you how great this dish is. The shrimp are so large and fresh and the sauce is excellent. The filet of sole must weigh at least 2 pounds and my husband gets it every week. The filet is enough for two meals and so is the shrimp. Thank you Il Forno for making our Friday takeout a special treat.“

“Delicious seafood and steaks! Excellent martini's!!“

“First things first; Please understand that this is Strega’s fine dining experience. It’s a different vibe than the Milford location. A bright and modern aesthetic, no pizza, a few speciality mixed drinks and the restaurant holds 6 tables with 24 people max. Please don’t let the stark difference deter! It’s very intentional. The experience for us was truly special. The staff were top notch, and the food absolutely delivered on taste, presentation, quality and intrigue.

We did the chefs tasting menu. We were pleasantly surprised with plates we would have never ordered otherwise. An experimental dive into Italian cuisine, the chef plays with interesting pairings and bountiful ingredients, but absolutely sticks the landing.
Fettuccina Di Seppia - Cuttlefish Linguini, Orzo Alle Erbe Di Campo - Barley Risotto, and Trofie Al Pesto with Shrimp Tartare were among some of the offerings we enjoyed.

A few specialty cocktails were available. We were delighted with a Grapefruit and Rose libation, but all sounded tasty. I went with a wine - a couple wines-by-the-glass are available. I asked for a dealers choice, and it delivered. Tons of wines available by the bottle.

We wrapped it up with 2 small deserts; tiramisu and cannoli with freshly made cocoa whipped cream.

All and all, Strega New Haven did not disappoint. We knew the experience would be different compared to its Milford location, and we embraced it tenfold. Thank you to the chefs and staff - we’ll be back!

EDIT: 6/18/25 - We went back. It didn’t disappoint. More photos added!“

“It is such a cozy friendly vibe♥️♥️Tge staff are so friendly . the food is so good♥️♥️Our favorite spot in New England ♥️♥️♥️“

“We stopped in for some stuffed breads and tried some italian pastry.They where all excellant and be back for sure.“

“We dined in last night (10/12/23) we had a party of 5. Our server was top notch, our meals were extremely delicious and outstanding in their presentations. The photos do not do any justice. I had Shrimp Fra Diavolo, Pinot Grigio White and my wife and I shared the Carrot Cake.“

“I have dined in and gotten take out… never have I had a bad experience either or. So glad to have a great establishment right down the street. Cocktails and craft beer selections are great too. Kudos to whoever does the cocktails. That watermelon one is on point.“

“Always an amazing meal. Fresh. Hot. Delicious.“

“Excellent dinner and very friendly staff“

“Modern Apizza is our favorite pizza restaurant. Always a must when we are in New Haven. Nothing comes close in Florida“

“Came here on a quiet weeknight and was amazed by the authentic Italian cuisine. Started off with a wonderful Burrata then I had the Rigatoni Bolgenese with was really good. We also bought a loaf of the Italian Bread to bring home. That bread with some Cabot butter and you are on to something!! Would visit again.“

“This place is the best restaurant outside of Naples Italy. My wife and I have been to Naples many times and Zenelli’d reminds us so much of the restaurants in Naples.“

“FABULOUS FAMILY ITALY ALWAYS“

“I give Villa Lulu a solid 4, bordering on 5, but I'm so fussy, it's probably a 5. I save 5's for something so amazing I just can't describe it. After a brief snafu with who our waiter was, the staff was super accomodating with everything. They kept their promise to get us to the show on time. So, service ended up a 5 but started as a 2 or 3. Food, we had a variety of salads and appetizers, two main courses for 4 of us. All were very good., to excellent Atmosphere, 4, and I only detract because we had to walk up a steep flight of stairs to the dining room, so if you are physically unable to make the stairs, your options will be limited. There is al fresco dining but it was too cold. I am sincerely looking forward to returning and trying more options at a more leisurely pace because it's the type of place where you can actually carry on a conversation without the clatter of dishes and the intrusion of others' conversations. It's very warm and cozy and would be good for a romantic dinner. Reminds me of "The Big Night" kind of vibe.“

“fried mozzarella r banging, get garlic bread with it to start off, after that whatever u feel like having, it the oldest spot around with one of best food in west haven“

“The staff and owners are awesome. And the dessert was amazing.“

“Great atmosphere, great wait staff and fantastic food. The portions are large too!“

“Awesome foods, staffs very friendly and accomodating.“

“I came from Virginia to visit my sister and kept hearing about it and wanted to try it. The Fresh Tomatoes Pizza was excellent! The staff was very friendly. Loved it!!“

“Excellent food, good service.“

“Yesterday, they were at ShopRite in Clinton. I’m so glad they were as it was truly the best Italian sausage I’ve ever had! Top notch ingredients and no corn syrup or preservatives like the others. The best!“

“Amazing authentic Italian food; cozy & classy ambiance, private back room for parties & outdoor seating.“

“Best restaurant ever. Every visit was great! Food Great! Service great! Atmosphere great ! This is our go-to restaurant. Highly recommend !“

“I absolutely love this salad bar. It's always fresh. The food is outstanding and I NEVER buy premade meals. However, this is my go-to. Anything I've ordered here is delicious and made with good ingredients. I highly recommend. Staff is always friendly and helpful!“

“Excellent menu, food, staff and ambience!“

“Gabrieles was the venue for my son and daughter in laws rehearsal dinner and it was fabulous, the food was delicious and the staff friendly and accommodating highly recommend“

“I dream about their eggplant parm. & pasta fagioli. Simply the best. Lou & Lorenzo Coletta make the best food ever. Everything is fresh and handmade. Great people.“

“We have been dining at La Lupa for a few years and love it! The food is delicious, but what truly makes La Lupa special are the people. It is a friendly family atmosphere. From the owners, to the servers, bartenders, and bussers, everyone is so pleasant. We consistently leave with a smile on our face, which is pretty special.“

“incredible sandwich and service. super fresh ingredients and maybe the best bread I've ever had. highly recommend.“

“On Saturday, June 11th after my Mom’s Memorial service I brought 35 people to lunch. The waitstaff was well organized, very attentive, not to mention the food was OUTSTANDING!! Everyone ordered off the menu, drinks were served along with appetizers and dessert. We all ate at the same time which is hard to do with that many people. I would highly recommend Cafe Fiore in Branford, CT to anyone who is looking to have an event or just a nice lunch or dinner. They staff worked so well together that I gave them a 30% gratuity. WELL DONE CAFE FIORE!“

“The best Restaurant in CT. A combination of good food, price, and attention, among other things, the kindness of its Staff. A great experience. I recommend it, you won't regret it!!“

“Great squid among other foods“

“We just hosted a baby shower at Cafe Amici and can’t rave enough about them! The staff was exceptional, helpful and so kind. The food was also outstanding! Our event was buffet style and they made sure we never ran out of any options while keeping the food hot and delicious. Lindsay was especially lovely and cheerful, you’d think she was just as excited to be there as we were! We will absolutely be back!“

“Always like their plentiful menu. Always have a good cider on tap along with an extensive beer menu. A special today was a kielbasa sub. It was a huge and tasty kielbasa that did not repeat on me as kielbasa often does. The garlic bread with cheese is enough to fill up on it by itself.“

“I’ve gone here a few times but every single time was great! The food is always delicious and very interesting my bf has an extreme shellfish allergy but they’re very accommodating to it. The dining room echos conversations a bit but everything else about this place is amazing lol we’ll def be monthly regulars☺️“