50 Best Italian Restaurants near North Branford

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

“Bobby’s Pizza has been a local favorite for over 30 years, known for its consistently excellent thin-crust pizza. As a pizza lover, I can say Bobby’s nails the perfect balance between crispy and chewy with their thin slices. The crust is light yet sturdy enough to hold the toppings without becoming soggy, offering that satisfying crunch when you take a bite.

The sauce is tangy with a hint of sweetness, complementing the fresh, gooey cheese that stretches with every bite. Bobby’s doesn’t skimp on quality, ensuring every slice is flavorful without being overly heavy. Whether you go for a simple cheese slice or a fully loaded pie with pepperoni and veggies, each bite is a testament to the care they’ve put into their craft over the decades.

Operating for over 30 years, Bobby’s remains a go-to spot for pizza enthusiasts who appreciate the simplicity and perfection of a well-made slice. It’s the kind of place that keeps you coming back for more, and with good reason. That’s why they call me the pizza gavone.“

“Just tried this joint for the 1st time ever and mannnnn...This is the type of independent Italian American deli that would make John Gotti shed a tear. One of the best Italian combos I've ever had in my lifetime. The amount of sandwich that this one man serves you for $10 should be the national standard for America. Last of a dying breed and I put that on Jesus sandals. I'd give this mf 6 stars if google would let me. God Bless.“

“Fabulous food and amazing staff“

“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.“

“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!“

“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 ❤️“

“Pizza is fantastic and the rest of the menu is equally as such. AMAZING food all around. Angelo is also awesome. Whole place is great. Everything about it.“

“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.“

“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.“

“FABULOUS FAMILY ITALY ALWAYS“

“So on my way home and I’m starving but I’m in Durham and it’s almost 9:00 pm so I pull into Carmines and the guys r outside. I walk up and they say r u picking up and I’m like no I wanted one of the frozen pies in the case. Sorry register is all closed. Ok thanks anyway I said and one of the chefs hands me one of his pies and says enjoy. Love you guys at Carmines.“

“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“

“Awesome foods, staffs very friendly and accomodating.“

“Excellent food, good service.“

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

“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!“

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

“Excellent menu, food, staff and ambience!“

“Great squid among other foods“

“Delicious every time! Definitely try the penne vodka or sausage and peppers. We order trays upon trays for our events like birthdays, holidays, etc. The food is always phenomenal, always on time, and the employees are nice enough to help bring them out to the car.“

“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.“

“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!“

“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!“

“My favorite restaurant of all time“

“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.“

“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 !“

“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☺️“

“I love this place, whenever we go they're friendly, the food is fresh and very good, a manager comes by asking if everything is good or how it can be better, and the drinks are awesome. The breadsticks are so good too. Keep it up guys.“

“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!“

“Let me share with you a little background. I lived in NY for 23 years, and moved to CT. Since then, I couldn’t find a pizza place that reminded me of home. CT has great pizza, don’t get me wrong, but everywhere I’ve gone, there was always something missing.

Enter Mama Rosa’s, a place me and my wife happened to find tucked away in North Haven. The first time we tried, goodness, I fell over. THIS PIZZA IS SO GOOD. It’s almost EXACTLY like a NY Style pizza!

But surely, it can’t be consistent, right? WRONG. We got it maybe 7 more times, all different pizzas, throughout a few months, and man, ITS ALWAYS GOOD!

Today, for the first time, we decided to try something else; a grinder. I got a chicken parm, and my wife got a steak and cheese. We told ourselves, surely, they only specialize in pizza, no way the grinder can be as good…

…WHAT. LO’ AND BEHOLD, THE GRINDER WAS A HIT, both of them!

Which is why I’m writing this review. This is the best pizza place I’ve been to since I’ve lived here in CT. Please keep this place around, there’s truly nothing like it.

Thank you, Mama Rosa’s!“

“It’s bright and so clean and there are white linen tablecloths. Food was steaming hot when brought to our table and delicious too. Not expensive and everyone was pleasant. Other diners looked very happy too! This is our new “go to” restaurant. They serve those delicious warm garlic knots and homemade bread and olives before meals. We had chicken contadina, and linguine with bolognese sauce.

Parking: We did see spaces marked for disabled.“

“We drive from Rocky Hill to Christos Wallingford for their family meal deals during the week or if we are passing through from seeing family on the shore. Family serving of whatever they are offering plus bread and a salad. Feeds us for 3 days. 10/10“

“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!“

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

“Perfect spot for a breakfast sandwich or lunch to go. I like adding the chipotle aioli to my breakfast sandwiches 😋

My interactions at check out are always pleasant and my order is always ready when I go to pick it up.“

“Good pizza, fast service and got a party of 21 in and out quickly with lots of kids.“

“Ordered La.Luna from Slice app Food came very fast and it was delicious. Would recommend this restaurant and order from there again.“

“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.“

“Great wait staff Food was delish“

“First time there. Wanted to try a different place than our usual couple of places. Very interesting menu with a huge variety, we had to bring home 3 different pies to try, and they were great! Can’t wait to go back and try more. 🍕❤️“

“I stop by at least once a week“

“Cannot thank the staff, especially Debbie, Cheryl, and Christine for their amazing efforts in coordinating a dinner at Gaetano's following a funeral for our treasured family member. We could not have been more pleased with the accommodations, the food, and especially the service. We received many positive compliments from our family and friends. We could not have picked a better spot to gather. We are so grateful for the comfortable, supportive and positive experience we had during such a difficult time we were all going through.“

“Pizza was fantastic! I got a small house special with cherry peppers ! Soooo good !“

“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.!!!!!“

“I deliver packages for amazon and I've tried tons of pizza all over CT, and I would have to say if your looking for really great Greek style pizza then this is your spot! Great menu and very friendly people! I would highly recommend giving them a try.“

“We used Pasta Avest to cater our daughter’s birthday party. They were professional and easy to work with. Food was DELICIOUS and prices are very reasonable. Thank you again!“