50 Best Italian Restaurants near Longboat Key

“When in Sarasota ... it's worth the time to make the beautiful drive up Longboat Key for the wonderful ambience, food , and service at this hidden gem. Juan warmly and proudly walked us through our menu selections...which did not disappoint. We'll be sure to make that trip again.“

“Everything from the food, to the service, to the atmosphere were fantastic!“

“Such a wonderful and serene location.“

“It's breakfast by day and Italian dinner by night. We had breakfast here for three out of the five nights we stayed here and had dinner one night. And dined at CW Prime and places on the island.\n\nFine, attentive service by DAWN who served us for breakfast. Great coffee that gave us that morning boast for the day. We opted for the Great buffet, plenty of great choices, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, sausages, crispy bacon, breads and bagels and cereal for the kiddies, fresh waffles and an egg station which was manned by AARON who made me three fried eggs, sunny side up, no flipping and no cover every morning !!! So perfect and the way I love my eggs!!! TY!!!🍳🍳🍳🥓🥓🥓🧇🧇🧇\n\nFor dinner, one evening, we had ANDREW who was on top of his game, knowledgable about the menu and specials, answered all of our questions about the entrees and the way the chef preps the dishes.\n\nA bottle of Amarone Tommasi started our night for my wife and I. Our friends had a Prosecco Rose, and a few JW Black for my buddy. For our apps we all shared the rice balls, meatballs, and the Burrata. All three were just delightful, full of rich flavor, seasoned perfectly, and hitting the spot. We ate up all the focaccia bread and dipped it in the sauces!!!\n\nFor our main entrees, my wife had the Chicken Milanese, I had a spaghetti with bolognese sauce, our friends had the corn and ricotta Agnolotti with shrimps and my buddy had the Squid Ink Pasta.\n\nAll four entrees were absolutely Delish, flavorful, fresh made in house pasta, and hitting our palates with satisfying results!!!\nPaired it with our wine and we were very\n happy!!!\n\nOverall, great food, this is the only place in the resort for sit down breakfast, and Italian dinner, superb service from Dawn and Andrew. \n\nWe will be back!!!🍽️🍽️🍽️🍷🍷🍷🍝🍝🍝🥓🥓🥓🧇🧇🧇🍳🍳🍳“

“Absolutely one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had. This small, family-owned restaurant won my heart within seconds of walking through the door. My friends and I were visiting from out of town and happened to stumble upon this place while looking for somewhere to eat. We didn’t even realize until after being seated that we had arrived only about 30 minutes before closing. Not once did they make us feel rushed or like an inconvenience — quite the opposite. Pane e Amore is a truly authentic, family-owned Italian restaurant. The menu is simple yet unique, and every single thing we tried — from drinks to dessert — was incredible. We enjoyed the red blend wine, beer, and the pasta of the day: an Italian sausage spaghetti in a white sauce, made completely from scratch, right down to the noodles. It tasted like real Italian food and genuinely made us feel as though we were sitting in the heart of Italy. While our entrées were being prepared, we were served bruschetta that was crisp, light, and perfectly cooked — not overly hard like it often is elsewhere. We finished with a dessert that was equally light and delicious. The service was unmatched. Every interaction was genuine, heartfelt, and full of care. We were treated like family, and in the short time we were there, it felt like visiting relatives in Italy for the holidays. Five stars simply isn’t enough — this place deserves a ten. We will for sure be back.“

“Absolutely delicious!, Small, intimate, great service, and oh so delicious“

“Food was amazing. Got us in right away. Great service. Would recommend to any of my friends. 🥰“

“What a gem! Beautiful decor, excellent food and exceptional service. Our waitress Angel was top notch - she's very knowledgeable on both the menu and wine pairings. We went with everything she suggested and were not disappointed. Highly recommend!“

“It’s been a few years since I’ve eating at Carrabba’s. And today I was reminded why it was my favorite restaurant years ago. The food was amazing, but even more important, the service was excellent. Lexii took such good care of us. We didn’t have to ask for a thing. She proactively anticipated our every need and was so sweet. My daughter said she gets 100 stars. We’ll def start coming more often.“

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

“Just finished a lovely dinner with family at this special place. Everyone loved the food. Fresh and flavorful. The meatball appetitizer was delicious, from the salad to the dessert we enjoyed it all. The best Italian suisine has to offer. Highly recommend you take a trip to Palmetto, just over the bridge, to this lovely old home and enjoy what tastes like home cooking.“

“Been looking for a good pizza ? place and I found the best pizza ? place ever I give it 10 stars if you are looking for a great place for pizza please try this pizza“

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

“Andrei! Was an absolutely fantastic waiter. So attentive too! The food was delicious from the French fries and salad to the pizza and pasta. A great experience! A special birthday donut with candles was delivered to our table as well. Highly recommend! Andrei made it more enjoyable too.“

“Great good, great service!“

“Loved this place! Thank you for taking care of us!“

“Amazingly fresh and delicious food, an adorable, cozy atmosphere, and wonderful, personable owners, including Oliver. 🐾 Can’t wait to return!“

“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.“

“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.“

“My husband and I are big-time foodies and travel to Michelin star restaurants all over the world. We really had no expectations prior to our dinner tonight, but it turned out to be such a pleasant surprise! Food was fantastic, great outdoor courtyard, and really good service! Such a pleasant surprise!“

“Really enjoyed our meal tonight. Came in after we have lost some of our favorite Italian locations. Food was excellent! great portions and quality. we will be back!“

“Amazing wine, food and service!“

“Food so good menu changes weekly“

“Excellent food! Excellent service ! Recommend 100%“

“Absolutely our favorite restaurant! The owners, staff all make you feel at home. The service, food, wine, music and atmosphere is perfect. Scarpino’s is definitely are GO To Spot, whether by ourselves or hosting company. Be sure to check it out! Ciao, Ciao!“

“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.“

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

“Went there with my wife as a dinner date and the food was amazing. We both agreed that we will be going back there in the future“

“Wow! Just Wow! My husband surprised me with reservations at Marcello's & it was phenomenal!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Marcello’s Restaurant – Sarasota
This was, without question, the best meal I’ve had in Sarasota — possibly anywhere. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt warm and intimate, like being welcomed into someone’s home in Italy. Every detail was thoughtful and elegant without being pretentious.

The food was nothing short of extraordinary. Each dish tasted as if it was made with love and passion — fresh ingredients, layered flavors, and perfect presentation. The homemade pasta was beyond perfection, the sauces rich and balanced, and the desserts absolutely heavenly.

And the tomahawk steak?! Stop it! Beyond the best I’ve ever had — in my life. Perfectly cooked, melt-in-your-mouth tender, and bursting with flavor. Truly unforgettable.

A special mention to Jeff, our waiter, whose service was exceptional. He was attentive without ever being intrusive — knowledgeable, kind, and genuinely passionate about the food and wine. His recommendations were spot-on and elevated our entire evening.

Marcello’s isn’t just a restaurant — it’s an experience. The kind that fills your heart as much as your plate. For me, it was an Italian girl’s dream (Incorvaia is my maiden name :) ) - authentic, romantic, and absolutely unforgettable.

Making reservations for our next trip to Marcello's. Can't wait to go back!“

“Delicious food. Pizza 🍕 is so good. Friendly service.“

“I used to love this place but it has changed. The garlic knots were fantastic but the ziti was cooked noodles with I think canned tomato sauce with no cheese and not baked. The waitress was friendly but the kitchen staff just seemed to mingle about. Plenty of parking and easy handicapped accessible. Price was more than what the food was worth.“

“My husband and I had a delicious dinner and superb service by Julie our server. We always look forward to our dining experience at Caragiulos.“

“Great atmosphere Amazing drinks! They’re open now! After hurricane Milton! The best Mule I’ve ever had“

“Fantastic food and service!“

“The overall service use to be amazing at this Olive Garden. We have come here several times over the years and this is the worst front staff I’ve ever experienced. I checked in and was told it would be a 15 minute wait and told them that I had people coming but instead of seating us after 25 minutes passed I came up to ask the pregnant hostess if they were waiting for my party or something because we’ve been waiting and she was like oh yeah yeah we are without so much as looking at me or apologizing for the wait. There were several of them up there that were just laughing and joking around unprofessionally and the pregnant hostess was eating up there talking with the other ladies at the podium while they ignored us. She disappeared completely for several minutes and after 30 minutes I asked a girl who showed up if we were going to be seated because my party was waiting. She said she would check because she just got there. She went to find the pregnant hostess and told her we were waiting 30 minutes and my daughter overheard her denying it. I’m just not used to that at any restaurant. If you tell me 15 minutes and it’s not busy in there then we have better be seated whether we are waiting for people to arrive or not. It put me in such a terrible mood that I wanted to leave but thankfully our waiter came right away and was amazing. He was very attentive and kind and I felt he deserved a good tip. What made me write this review was when we left there were a gaggle of women at the front with the pregnant hostess and we all noticed that they just stared at us and didn’t say the usual thank you have a good night. No one bothered to politely open the door like they have always done for us in the past. You just knew that they we’re talking bad about you. If this is what this Olive Garden restaurant is turning into then I have to stop coming. I don’t know what’s up with those women but this is their place of work not a place to gossip and bullshit about their life or talk shit about their paying customers who are there to be treated with some measure of respect and kindness when they are out with their family for dinner. I hope a manager sees this review and addresses this issue of plain rudeness. We are also not white and so obviously white people were being treated better and seated immediately. By the way, our pregnant hostess was black but for some reason thinks it’s ok to be rude to us. If this ever happens to us again, a complaint will definitely be filed to your corporate management or the BBB. I will not tolerate this behavior in front of my family.“

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

“Amazing dinner! Pizza. Italian sub. Philly steak and dessert. 5/5. Perfection“

“Nice monday night we had with our waiter Josh. Taking the time to explain the menu and promotions elevated our experience for a quick Monday night dinner. Offering complimentary refills of salad, breadsticks and bottomless pasta made us feel welcome. Thank you for the great evening“

“Great food, service, and atmosphere!“

“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.“

“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.“

“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.“

“This was great pizza and wings, very nice place all the staff was friendly and great we will be back!!!“

“Everything was excellent. First time trying your place and we will be back.“

“The food is great and you get a lot! Niki, Ashleigh, Linda, Debbie and Hakan are super servers. A very friendly place. Only one thing…bring back the ICEBERG lettuce for the salads!“

“Visiting from Pennsylvania. We love the food. The atmosphere. would recommend recommended highly.“