50 Best Italian Restaurants near Hamden

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

“Awesome foods, staffs very friendly and accomodating.“

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

“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!“

“Great wait staff Food was delish“

“Great wait staff Food was delish“

“Delicious food!! Too bad they changed to throw away dishes & utensils. I have always loved their food.“

“A fave since I was a little kid.“

“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“

“This is my second time going. Highly recommend. The food and the owner are both authentic Italian. You can't go wrong.“

“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“

“Thank you Joe for always making pizzas for us for pickup. We also enjoyed going to the restaurant for lunch or group dinner. Due to our disabilities, not driving anymore, we miss Avanti. All the best Molder“

“Every bite was delicious!“

“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.“

“Hands down best lunch I've ever had !! I celebrated my 60th birthday with my bff today ! I can't wait to go back... service: impeccable food: Outstanding cocktails: super fun and delicious ! This restaurant is not just a 10... is above and beyond !! Thank you Sabrina for a wonderful afternoon in your beautifully decorated restaurant. You and your husband have a winner in my book ❤️“

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

“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 ♥️♥️♥️“

“Cozy, delightful service and absolutely delicious food. High quality, fresh and amazing flavor.“

“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.“

“great food great people great atmosphere.. thank you Jo and George“

“Have never been dissappointed with Rossini's. The staff work really hard too. Ate there tonight and everything was great once again“

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

“The Mahi Mahi, and Pork Chops specials were so delicious that we literally wiped the plates clean! Fratelli’s has the best bread, great service, absolutely delicious food and a wonderful family atmosphere. What are you waiting for? The best food in town is at Fratelli’s! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟“

“Great food and excellent service! I’ve eaten at Mirabelle’s many times and the food has always been great! Highly recommend this restaurant. You won’t be disappointed.“

“Excellent dinner and very friendly staff“

“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.“

“The best, delicious entrees. Wide variety of delicious appetizers and salads. Everything is cooked to order and can be personalized. Delicious cocktails with Melissa. Perfect dining experience with Arturo and Michael in the dining room. 10+. Our favorite Friday night spot, where we are family.“

“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.“

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

“FABULOUS FAMILY ITALY ALWAYS“

“Had an excellent meal here tonight. Waitress was wonderful. Tomato bisque soup was great. Eggplant parmigiana was very good. I liked the sauce here. I was a bit disappointed in the dessert. Looking forward to going back.“

“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“

“Best Italian restaurant in the area I come all the way from Florida to go there Make sure you ask for Francesca for a waitress the best Thank you Francesca for a great experience“

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

“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!“

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

“Excellent food, good service.“

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

“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!!“

“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!“

“First time trying this place.Went there craving beef tips in marsala sauce, but they didn't have tips (not their fault, they were just opening for the day and the meat shipment was running late), so we substituted with a regular steak with the same sauce.The interior is small but more beautiful than I expected with a nice atmosphere.My server was a lovely woman, the table bread was excellent, my steak was a bit thin, but cooked perfectly and the sauce more than made up for it (soooooo good), and for the price I was pleased.I'll definitely be going back in the future.“