50 Best Italian Restaurants near East Haven

“my family goes here weekly the staff is great the owners are there daily to over see everything that leaves the kitchen food is always great the kitchen is spotless best keep secret in the new haven area. I rate this establishment 10 all around.“

“My family orders Minervini almost every Friday! The only pizza my youngest daughter will eat. They just changed their chicken fingers and my oldest daughter and I think the new ones are even better! I’m a picky eater and they’re probably sick of my special orders 🤣 but always accommodating. 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“

“Everything was delicious I am so glad I found this place again. I came with my family years ago and remembered loving it and saw the name on Instagram somewhere and figured we would give it a try. They have a beautiful outdoor patio I saw but we did sit inside. Espresso martini & old fashioned were great. I had the penne alla vodka and my boyfriend had the tortellini carbonara.. I found myself picking off his plate because it was so yummy. The pasta is hand made, which makes it very soft which I love!! If you’re expecting al dente you won’t find that here (thank god). Both were fantastic. We also had the tiramisu for dessert. We will be recommending this to family & friends. We really enjoyed our dinner thank you!“

“Fabulous food and amazing staff“

“my wife and I were looking at places to go, There was Doma, Pasta Cosi, LaMonacos,Goodfellas, Cava, so many other places , But we optioned for Rossittos, and asking Branford locals they gave some mixed reviews, I made reservations for valentines day, We were looking forward to it, And then we Arrive, Its like a Noisy Bar as soon as u walk in , We were seated in the Back along a long wobbly bench seat Next to a filthy wall with an oil pipe coming out, We ordered, The wait staff was extremely slow, I get it , It was busier than they probably ever are considering the occasion, No excuse, we ordered cacio e pepe, And a Lasagna Simple, Casio Pepe which is supposed to be done with Romano Cheese and Black Peppercorns , And pasta Water to form the Gravy.....over Bucatini which is a hollow pasta Well what I got was Brown Butter and someone's leftovers in a Bowl The portion was literally 3/4 eaten when I got it, I immediately asked waitress what the hell is this, she ignored me and walked away, The waitress comes by after almost 30 minutes of it sitting on my table and uneaten, and asks how was everything and is something wrong, I explained that situation, and this is not what I ordered, Couldnt be, We sat next to a couple who ordered Pasta and the Portion was Very Large and looked delicious, Then mine shows up which is literally 2 fork full of pasta in a bowl with This gross looking Brown Buttery sauce and Green parsley I have Many Photos, the waitress asked what I wanted her to do and I was mortified and quipped Bring me what I ordered for 26 dollars , she said We just want to make ya happy sarcastically , I said there is Nothing you can do to make me happy, But bring us the check she did 45minutes later and it was 89 dollars For a lasagna and Cacio e pepe, one soda and a martini, I added it came out to 61 dollars so where is the additional 28 dollars, we paid , Said nothing No Tip and left, Never will I ever Return I guess they charge extra for someone else's Leftovers the kid forgot to wrap!....“

“Carla and Rob and their staff make you feel welcome and have excellent Italian fare, both imported and home-made. Do not pass up the gelato as it's all fresh and there are amazing choices, changing constantly. Can't say enough good things about this venue and it's owners.“

“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.“

“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.“

“We love coming here for dinner when visiting our son at college. Excellent service and everything is delicious. Definitely our favorite place.“

“My wife and I got a reservation for the outside patio tonight. Great move. Weather was beautiful and the waitress rocked it. I ordered the Chicken Napolitano and my wife got the baked stuffed sole. Amazing portions. Bring an appetite and a doggie bag“

“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.“

“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“

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

“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.“

“We celebrated my daughter’s graduating from the University of New Haven here, and everything was wonderful! There were nine of us, and the staff handled our group perfectly. The food was delicious, the drinks were great, and the service was truly top-notch. They made it feel special from start to finish. Highly recommend!“

“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!!“

“My children gave me a 85th Birthday Party at Brazi's and I cannot say enough about this wonderful Restaurant. The food, and the service that was given to me and my guests was exceptional. A day of a Happy Remembrance.“

“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“

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

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

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

“Having an outside party? THIS is the best food truck to hire! Today, June 21,2025, I’m at my niece’s graduation party & this food truck was amazing! It’s like having a personal restaurant on your lawn. The pizza was fantastic -THE BEST- actually! Frank made me a gluten free pizza with potato, bacon & carmelized onions. Oh my goodness! It has to be the BEST GF pizza I have ever eaten in my life. Super thin, well cooked! I can’t say enough good things about this pizza. He made all types of pizza. Very organized, clean and so delicious! Wonderful people to talk to! Then they have other services like Gelato Giuliana-between the pizza and the gelato-it is the best of New Haven! Then if that wasn’t enough, he made Italian coffee! I have never been so impressed by a food truck in my life as I was today! Wonderful experience! Best Wishes to Frank & his team! Buon Appetito!“

“Excellent menu, food, staff and ambience!“

“Rachel was the nicest hostess I’ve ever had, 10/10 Olive Garden is my favorite restaurant and I would sell my children if that means she is working there for the rest of her life. (Gordon Ramsey would approve because she isn’t an idiot sandwich). (Also don’t worry I’m not a creepy person).“

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

“Excellent dinner and very friendly staff“

“Had a great meal, the crab cakes were delicious! Love the ambiance! Waitress was fantastic with great service. For such an elegant charming restaurant, was disappointed the hostess was dressed in leggings and crop top …. took away from our first impressions unfortunately.“

“I have been going to Aldo’s for many years and think it’s time I left a review. Service - always 10/10, can never do enough for you. Value for money - 10/10. Everything is reasonably priced and the quality is unreal. I’ve probably tried everything on the menu but today I went for the Sunday dinner. Why would you get a roast at an Italian you may wonder, well let me tell you, I am the biggest roast critique as I am pretty good at them myself, but Aldo’s roast is the reason you should get a roast at an Italian. Beef, pink and tender, Yorkshire, fluffy and crispy, mash, buttery and smooth, roasts, caramelised and fluffy, veg, seasoned to perfection, all topped off with a thick shiny gravy. Cannot wait to be back next week for another round. P.S always get the little meatballs as a starter as they are THE tastiest things in the world.“

“Best Italian food!  Great owners that really care about their customers.  Would recommend Cappetta’s 100 times over“

“This has been a favorite of ours all the years we lived in Connecticut from Darien to Old Lyme. Last. Night did not disappoint! 6 of us all ordered different dishes and there were raves for all of them. At the end of the meal, the chef/owner came to our table to see how we enjoyed our dinner. And chatted with us finally sending a plate of deserts to us. Everything was perfect and I cannot wait to go back especially for those crab cakes !“

“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!“

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

“We had dinner tonight at Nikki and Frankie's on Route 80 on the recommendation of a friend.. the eggplant was fantastic and made the right way the good old-fashioned Italian way.. the meatballs were legit the sauce was delish and couldn't be any fresher... we were welcomed like we were walking into aunties dining room and the place was clean as a whistle.. A must go to !“

“Awesome foods, staffs very friendly and accomodating.“

“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.“

“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!“

“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.“

“Great squid among other foods“

“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.“

“Such a great restaurant! Their food is outstanding and the specials are even better. Haven’t tried a dish we haven’t enjoyed. The staff is awesome - attentive and friendly. Highly recommend!“

“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“

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

“FABULOUS FAMILY ITALY ALWAYS“

“I used Shoreline for my Son & Daughter-in-law’s Baby shower. I was in constant contact with Dena and she answered all of my questions & concerns. She set everything up with what was needed and wanted.
She sent me one of the Servers for the extent of the party. Leidy was amazing and so helpful!
I would use them again if I ever need another event catered & definitely would recommend them to anyone.“

“Vegetable pizza was just perfect. Cant wait to get there again. Crispy crust with fresh crunchy vegetables was the best vegetable pizza I have ever tasted. All four of us felt the same way. Very clean , simple and friendly place to relax with family and friends.“