50 Best Italian Restaurants near Lakewood Ranch

“Hubby had the cod, ff and coleslaw. The cod was perfectly breaded very lightly, the french fries yummy and we never got to the coleslaw (taking home leftovers). I had the shrimp scampi fettuccine, in butter sauce – Yum! The bread with the oil dip was wonderful. I highly recommend this place and wish they were much closer to where I live (SRQ airport-could replace Primos! I’m just suggesting).“

“We were there last evening for dinner. This location is much smaller than the one at UTC. Difficult to carry on a conversation even at a small table. Food was good and service was as well. Very busy and noisy for a Wednesday evening. We prefer a more intimate experience, as well as excellent food.“

“Michelangelo Pizzeria Cucina isn't just a restaurant; it's a heartfelt family. I feel so profoundly grateful to this incredible establishment for the love and kindness they showed my son, Finn, during his time with them. From the moment he started working there, he was welcomed with open arms by the owner, the manager, and the entire staff. They treated him like one of their own, fostering an environment filled with camaraderie and joy. Finn cherished every moment of his time at Michelangelo's, especially as he worked his way up to the “slices” position from bussing tables. At just 19 years old, he had been working since he was 16, and of all the places he joined, this was where he truly felt at home. Their generosity was boundless—they consistently provided us with free food on multiple occasions, and their warm-heartedness shone brightly during Finn’s Memorial Celebration at Bayside when they offered us free food to honor his memory. It was these selfless acts that made an indelible mark on our hearts, showcasing the kind of extraordinary people they are. I’ll never forget the evening of August 6th, just three days before Finn passed. I had the privilege of watching him work while enjoying dinner with my daughter. Sitting in the booth, I observed him taking orders, pulling pizzas in and out of the brick oven, and calling out orders with such grace. The way he juggled so many tasks with a smile on his face filled me with pride. I even managed to sneak in a few pictures, moments I will forever treasure. Thank you, Michelangelo Pizzeria Cucina, for being the supportive family Finn needed in a workplace. Your kindness, generosity, and community spirit have touched our lives deeply. We will always hold you close to our hearts. With heartfelt gratitude, Kyra, Luke and Family“

“Outstanding. First time customer. Fabulous across the board. I’ll be back. Again .... outstanding.“

“So delicious, everything is home made. It is a small intimate restaurant and the owners/chefs are so welcoming. The pasta is so delicious and the focaccia bread to the mussels appetizer to the lamb sauce over fettuccine was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The homemade mixture they serve with the bread is unlike anything we have ever had and it was their grandma’s recipe that made it extra special. I would suggest a reservation for this hidden gem!“

“Rocco and crew catered my Mom’s 80th Birthday party! Food was fabulous. All the guests agreed. Thank you again for everything. Next time we are in Sarasota we will be in for dinner.“

“Amazing atmosphere and food“

“We came here for the first time this week. Our waiter was incredible. The food is probably some of the best Italian that Sarasota has to offer. We will absolutely be back. Thank you so much for a wonderful date night!“

“Went to dinner with family at the Carrabba’s on University. Teddy was our server and we was phenomenal. Service was prompt, he was attentive without hovering, and when we had a little mishap by way of a spilled glass of Sangria he took care of us immediately. Alex was our bartender and he’s got mad skills with a dirty martini. If you’re at this restaurant ask for these young men… You will not be disappointed!“

“Amazing food in downtown Sarasota.“

“Delicious meal! Service was great! Matthew our waiter was super!“

“Fabulous experience!! Great service and amazing food! Highly recommend!!!“

“The food really wasn't that great, but the service was and the atmosphere was pleasant as well. The manager was also pretty awesome. The best part was that we didn't meet the manager because of a complaint we met the manager because he was offering outstanding customer service to help his team. RESPECT!“

“What a GREAT find! Small Italian place with 8 tables and the Chef cooking for the room.

Everything was great! Had the Escargo fra diavolo, table-side Caesar salad for 2. Entrees were the lobster fra diavolo and jumbo shrimp/lobster over cream sauce.

An hour ride but worth the trip. Looking forward to our next visit.

Grazie mille Chef!“

“Thanks you . cibo davvero delizioso. il vitello è super tenero“

“We hosted a neighborhood holiday dinner for 42 guests, and everything was fantastic. Laura and Veronica were a pleasure to work with—professional, efficient, and incredibly accommodating. The food was delicious, and they truly went the extra mile to make sure all our guests were taken care of. Highly recommend this restaurant for special events!“

“Hey Fresta's Fresta's
Happy 1st anniversary! I'll take the whole meau and try it all! Meatballs, garlic bread ball, cheese balls and for dessert a baseball cake ball if you have that! I also will like to take couple of swings of those buffalo wings hopefully it gives me a Grand slam smash Burger home run. although it's spring training! I need that real philly taste. To drive it back to Clearwater at Phillies philly spring training camp! I am dying for that taste of that real philly special cheese steak Italian style and that real Italian stallion sandwich that's light out and it knock your shore right off your feet! Omg! Don't forget that philly cheese as well with any kinda pasta that melts in your mouth and down your stomach that you will good hmmm. That was very tasty. That Florida doesn't even have and they cannot even make it correctly that other Florida Italian restaurants and made up philly steak places cannot even make. Pretty tried going back and forward going home to Philadelphia to get these types of delicious Italian food even philly cheese steak. Forget about it about Arizona Italian food. then back to Florida. No other Italian real taste. Finally there is a real Italian restaurant. In westnorth of Florida. Can't wait to get a taste of Fresta's that everyone in Bradenton area is talking about the Philly! philly! Style. 😋 God knows hopefully this real Italian restaurant grow across the state of Florida. See y'all“

“Was a great evening with the wine Pairing yesterday. The wines were great and Tatorial was informative. The 5 Dinner courses were exceptional, can't wait for the next ? one.“

“Lived here for 12 years and just discovered this place. Definitely the BEST Italian restaurant around. Everything tasted like my mother and noni had prepared it. Caesar salad was the real thing. Gnocchi truly melted in my mouth. Sauce was exceptional.“

“Excellent place to relax! Great people, great food.“

“First time here… had a wonderful evening with wonderful Italian food. We have a little 1.5 year old son and the staff and owner couldn’t have been more friendly and expressed to us not to worry about anything with our son being a little grumpy, and told us to just enjoy the evening and the food. Shrimp risotto, linguini, chicken parm, all so tasty and wonderful. Highly recommend. We will be back. Best service we’ve had in a while.“

“We took grandma for her 97th birthday lunch. We could not have picked a better spot! From helping mom get inside with her walker to the outstanding service for a party of 9 to the fantastic food, we were so impressed. You can taste the love in every bite! They make their pasta and focaccia in-house and you can certainly taste the difference from dried bulk pasta. We tried a variety of options from soups, salads, pasta and stuffed focaccia sandwiches-all were so delicious. The restaurant is quaint and they made us feel like family that came in for a delicious home cooked meal. We will be back! This is my new favorite restaurant!“

“The food at Sardinia is exquisite. The atmosphere is elegant and the owner is very warm and friendly. I highly recommend this restaurant. One of the best in Sarasota! Will be returning there with friends and family many times.“

“Very friendly staff, especially Hannah. She is always smiling and is very efficient. You can tell she loves her job by the way she treats her guests! Piesanos is one of our go to restaurant's for that reason and not to mention the great tasting food!“

“Most autenthic italian restaurant in town!“

“If you’re in Lakewood Ranch and craving New York–New Jersey style pizza, you have to try Valentino Pizzeria Trattoria. 🍕 I’m from Long Island, so trust me when I say I know good pizza — and theirs is!. I just realized they were originally established in New Jersey, and honestly it all makes sense zzzThe red sauce, the crust… it tastes like home. Their whole menu is amazing, — the chicken piccata, the chicken parm, literally every entrée is done right. You can tell they put pride and professionalism into everything they make. If you haven’t been, go support this awesome local spot. You won’t regret it! 🙌🇮🇹🍝“

“nice lil spot that holds late night entertainment. The staff was polite and accommodating. The music was great and we had a good time. next time will try the food.“

“The homemade sausage is excellent! The caponata was a little mushy. Overall, not a bad meal.“

“Growing up living right down the street we’ve always loved Verona’s, even now that my kids are older(2 adults!) it’s a must visit for them Everytime we are in town. It’s not a trip home unless we get some Verona’s! As always, the food was delicious and service that makes you just feel at home!“

“My total dinning experience was amazing. The only thing they should change is the music, it's an Italian Reztsurant it should be Italian music“

“Just slammed some Ziti and bread. never disappointed!!!! Thank you for treating us awesome and thank you for the amazing food!!!!“

“Great food, and the service was exceptional, best lasagna I’ve had in a long time“

“Small Italian restaurant. Pizzas and entrees are all amazing. I've eaten in and done take out, always great. Nanna's Longhots- with sautéed hot peppers and crisp potato slices is so flavorful. The meatball appetizer with ricotta and crostini is suitable for a small individual meal. My favorite dish is the Benny's Penne with sausage, mushroom, spinach and creamy marmalade sauce- be prepared to want to lick the plate clean!“

“This place happens to be next to the UPS store that I have to frequently visit to send out packages. They offer the best white pizza slices in Sarasota hands down. Full menu, great staff, awesome atmosphere, and if you want to spoil yourself look at their desserts.“

“If you’re in Lakewood Ranch and craving New York–New Jersey style pizza, you have to try Valentino Pizzeria Trattoria. 🍕 I’m from Long Island, so trust me when I say I know good pizza — and theirs is!. I just realized they were originally established in New Jersey, and honestly it all makes sense zzzThe red sauce, the crust… it tastes like home. Their whole menu is amazing, — the chicken piccata, the chicken parm, literally every entrée is done right. You can tell they put pride and professionalism into everything they make. If you haven’t been, go support this awesome local spot. You won’t regret it! 🙌🇮🇹🍝“

“The food, drinks and staff are amazing, you won’t find better wings in town, the martini will have you clocking out of work by 2:30 to make there happy hour, live this place, highly recommended!“

“Excellent Pizza! Fast and friendly service! Our family really enjoyed dining out at Rico’sPizzeria!“

“My husband and I ate at Ferraro's on January 28th at 5:15pm. Our waitress was Ronnie. She was a good waitress but we would have liked her to smile. She acted like she really did not want to be there. On the other hand, Emma came over to our table to check to see if we had gotten all our food and if we needed anything else. She had a super personality and I personally asked if she was an assistant manager. She said no. She went over to several tables to check to see if they were happy with everything. Emma made our night. We are glad that you have a person like this who enjoys work working here. Our compliments to Emma!!!! Food was delicious as usual.“

“I cannot wait to dine here again. Incredible menu, quality delicious food and ingredients. There were so many items I wanted to try, but everything we had was excellent. I had homemade ravioli stuffed with ricotta and spinach in a vodka sauce, my husband had sautéed parmigiana encrusted grouper. We also shared homemade stuffed mushrooms, stuffed with sausage and goat cheese. Great wines by the glass and great service. The hostesses were exceptional as well, they gave as a quick tour inside to see if we preferred indoor or outdoor seating. Definitely a new fave! This restaurant also has one of the most beautiful patios in all of Sarasota! Such a gem spot.“

“The pizza was amazing. So much cheese!!“

“Great food, service, and atmosphere!“

“Had a fantastic experience at Olive Garden! The food was delicious, fresh, and exactly what we were hoping for—but what really made the night stand out was our waiter, Jeorge. He was incredibly kind, attentive, and genuinely made us feel welcome from start to finish.

His service went above and beyond, and it truly elevated our entire dining experience. We’ll definitely be back—and hoping to have Jeorge again!“

“We hosted a 40-guest private event at Cafe Amici, and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. The food was amazing, everything ran smoothly, and the staff was friendly, professional, and efficient throughout the night. I had to leave a bit early, and the staff was kind enough to neatly place my decorations together so I could easily pack them up the next day, which I truly appreciated. We couldn’t have asked for a better venue or team to host our event. Highly recommend Cafe Amici for any private party or special occasion“

“Great place best veal piccata in all of Florida. Service was great food excellent on make sure you get the lemon cello cake it is to die for. We will be back for sure just wish it were closer to Port Charlotte.“

“We ordered Pizza and it was delicious!! The service was great!! Sophia made us feel welcome and was very pleasant. She must have visited our table 6 or 7 times making sure we were doing ok.“

“Attardi's is the best pizza place in Sarasota, and I'm Italian and am picky. And, for you West Virginia's who miss your state's famous "pepperoni rolls" - Attardi's has them, and they're as good or better than any you can get in the Mountaineer state. George the owner/chef has amazing attention to detail, cooks everything perfectly with the finest ingredients. He's a perfectionist (you can tell by watching him). This place is a gem. Just Fyi.“

“Great atmosphere and delicious food! Very family friendly as our 7 year old had a blast! Well worth the price and hope to return again soon!“

“We love wood fired pizza and Atmosphere delivers in every way! This small friendly spot on Beneva has the best wood fired pizza we have ever tasted in FL -“

“Best pizza I've ever had.“