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.“

“Absolutely love it here… The pasta, sauces, and dressings are all homemade. The pizza with their homemade dough is phenomenal… which also comes in a gluten-free option, for those of you… My favorite thing about this whole place is the server and manager, Johnathin. He brings a personal and enjoyable experience every time. 10 out of 10 I highly recommend.“

“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 wine, food and service!“

“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!“

“We had a delicious meal here. Homemade mozzarella balls, garlic knots and bolognese tagliatelle were very good. But the bomb was the Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich. So
Glad our waitress recommended it and the Philly native owner brought the perfect recipe.“

“Amazing food in downtown Sarasota.“

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

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

“Yum!! We go to nice Italian restaurant once a week. We have our favorites & this place is now at the top. The eggplant app was incredible. So much flavor, yet light. The best we ever had. Bread is fresh served with garlic olive oil, fresh. Husband had artichoke fettuccine, excellent. I had a wagu pasta that every bite was wow this is so good! We are going back soon!“

“Great service and food. They have a large selection of wine. The veal chop was excellent and very big. The table side caesar is also a must try. The menu changes frequently. Everything was top notch quality. I visited for a second time and the food was again excellent. The service was as good as can be.“

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

“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.“

“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!“

“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.“

“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.“

“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!“

“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.“

“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! 🙌🇮🇹🍝“

“Most autenthic italian restaurant in town!“

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

“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.“

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

“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“

“I was visiting my mother from NJ and she wanted to try this place because she heard the pizza was good. Their pizza is, by far, the best I've ever had in Florida. If they were back up in NJ, this would definitely be my go-to pie. If you want a great pizza and you’re in the area of Verona Pizza, don't bother looking anywhere else. They are the real deal.“

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

“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.“

“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!“

“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! 🙌🇮🇹🍝“

“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.“

“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!“

“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 -“

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

“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!“

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

“Great place for wine and live music lovers!“

“5 stars for the fantastic takeout service! The entire process was incredibly smooth, fast, and organized. My food was perfectly packaged, piping hot, and everything—down to the famous soup, salad, and breadsticks—was completely fresh and accurate. The staff at the pickup area were so friendly and had me in and out in no time. Perfect option for a delicious, hassle-free meal at home!

It hits all the right notes—speed, accuracy, and hot food. Enjoy your meal!“

“Best pizza I've ever had.“

“Food is very good, especially their subs, actually the best sub i have ever had here in sarasota. i also love their frozen raviolis, Pastosa brand, which are imo the best frozen raviolis you can buy. their prepared foods are really good also. as for the actual market, like specialty items, not bad , but when your comparing it to mazzaros in st. petes, its just ok.“

“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.“

“Outstanding pizza every time!!! Love the addition of fresh basil included in the box!!“