18 Best Italian Restaurants near Matlacha

“St. Pattys day we listened to live music, ate spicy seafood next to the busy channel watching boat parties go by or pull up to party. We shared breadsticks, fresh drinks, and respite from the sun under a canopy right at the rivers edge. Always fun to watch the boats go by. Servers are fast, knowledgeable, and great. Food portions are big and we couldn't finish everything but took it home for later. Great time.“

“We found the restaurant on OpenTable and drove to Fort Myers to meet another couple who were coming from up north. With the exception that there was a large party on the patio. The inside of the restaurant was very nice white tablecloths. I was server was excellent. The food was excellent. The only thing that was a little uncomfortable was it was warm because the terrace door was open because of the large party outside. So it made the restaurant quite warm. And there was a table across the room that was extremely loud. But the restaurant itself was very, very good. We enjoyed ourselves and was great and we will go back again if we had the opportunity.“

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again hands-down without question Gusto Italian is the best Italian restaurant in all of Southwest Florida maybe even in all of Florida. I’ve never had anything, but absolutely mouthwatering so soothingly heart felt delicious authentic Italian Food from this establishment. Vince, you have a customer for life my belly misses your Veal, Calamari and tiramisu on a daily basis..“

“We were very pleased with our meals. Our Server, Emily was awesome!We were there on Sunday & they were busy. Found out that it's best to have reservations.Parking: SeveralKid-friendliness: There were several kids there.Wheelchair accessibility: Easy wheelchair accessibility“

“The food was amazing! We had the carbonara and the chicken Parmesan and they were exquisite! The service at first was a little slow since we were sitting outside but then our server apologized and was attentive after that. The appetizers - tuna crudo was delicious and filling, the wagyu carpaccio was excellent too. Highly “

“I went to Grado’s for a slice, after seeing great reviews on different sites. I ordered a slice of their Bronx pizza. It had sausage, meatballs and ricotta cheese. It was so good. The flavors were wonderful and the thin crisp crust was outstanding. I will be back!“

“Wonderful Italian restaurant - dined here twice over the last 2 weeks - the food is plentiful and sooo good - from the crusty bread to the dessertsRecommend the Artichoke dip , veal and pasta dishes, and cannoli .Service and atmosphere spot on.Shout out to our server- Adam- went out of his way to provide a great dining experience!“

“On a whim we tried Ciao and it did not disappoint. Hudson was a friendly server who understood his menu and all options. The dinner started off right with fresh authentic Italian garlic bread. Our party got the veal Parm with and prosciutto arugula pizza. Both were phenomenal with the pizza winning the gold star for the perfectly cooked crust and flavor. The Veal could have been from a high end NY restaurant served with Angel hair pasta. Great atmosphere and gentleman playing the guitar created a wonderful atmosphere. Hope everyone can go as it was not very busy so people are missing out .“

“Wow, excellent pizza, the best pizza in the area.Small restaurant with an atmosphere that reminds us of the small pizzerias in the Italian neighborhoods of New York.Easy to get to and plenty of street parking.The staff is very kind and courteous.The prices are reasonable.You can order to bring or eat on site.“

“The service was great, but the food at this olive Garden was not like previous Olive Gardens. Maybe they used a different spice or maybe just is sat under the food warmer. We got a tour of Italy plate, lasagna fritters and an unlimited soup and salad. The salad and bread sticks were great, everything else was borderline acceptable. Our server was excellent. My parents split the tour plate which comes with a salad, however they needed another salad for them. An additional salad is $12. She allowed them to share the salad that came with the meal. She just brought an extra plate, which was super. Very pleased with that. To be honest, that is the only reason for 4 stars. Without her it would have been a 2 star review.Vegetarian options: It is mostly a pasta place. Almost all the pasta has a no meat sauce offered OR they have the "create your own pasta" dish. You get to select the noodle and the type of sauce that goes on that noodle. They also have vegetarian soup for the unlimited soup and salad special.Parking: Lots of parking, but when I went, the entire parking lot seemed to be full. There was only 5 or 6 spots available and if you have a big vehicle....good luck. My parking spot was super narrow.“

“A lovely place to get a delicious pizzal in the Cape Coral areaThis restaurant is located in a line of stores on the north side of Cape Coral Parkway East to the west of Del Prado Blvd and just about a block south of where the farmers market is held on the weekends. Parking is available in the lots to the north of the site, adjacent to the restaurant. We ordered and picked up some pizzas. The restaurant has a very open look to it with glass on 3 sides tile floor, wood chairs, a bar area, seating inside, Christmas lights along the ceiling and a clear view into the kitchen and oven. Inside seating is a mixture of counter seats and table seats. There are 2 entrances with one from the parking lot to the north and one to the street along the south. The area was clean and the staff was very friendly. The food is an assortment of Italian dishes. We got 2 pizzas. A 16” pizza runs between $13 and $20. They were hot and ready on time. Both were delicious. Overall, it is a good place to get a delicious pizza from friendly people in the Cape Coral area. Enjoy!“

“Great food! Cute little place for small dining in.If you're going to place pick up orders, please be respectful to the restaurant and understand this isn't a huge place with a lot of cooks people, HUMANS are preparing your food and deserve respect just like you and I. If you're going to use a delivery service remember not all of them are polite or have patience! Kudos to the lady behind the counter who sat customers, took orders, checked people out, checked on tables, and dealt with the outside delivery people being impatient. We will definitely be back! Food was great!“

“I don't usually post reviews on Google, but I feel compelled too... because this food is simply amazing. It's easily the best Italian, in all of Cape Coral-- and a hidden gem, at that.I've tried several dishes and I have yet to find one that I wouldn't rate 5 stars. Their garlic bread is amazing and the atmosphere inside is relaxed. The staff is very friendly and is very attentive to our needs, every time. Also, the owner is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet and genuinely cares about his customers.“

“We went to Luigi’s ristorante for dinner and what an amazing experience! The food was delicious! The service was excellent! The owner was present and attentive to everyone’s needs! I highly recommend this restaurant for a special occasion, date night, or just for anyone who loves GREAT food! This place checks every box! Loved it!“

“I wasn’t a huge fan of Italian restaurants until I came here! The food is amazing! The services equally as great! The first time we came we had a wonderful dinner and we had let the bartender know that it was our anniversary. She surprised us with the largest piece of tiramisu I’ve ever seen! It was delicious! We will always remember that and we’ve been back every time we come visit Cape Coral!“

“Dietary restrictions: I have cauliflower pizza, no sauce ( like cheesy bread and Greek salad). The best un area. My husband does regular pizza with bacon or pepperoni. We are from Boston area and this is best we had here in Fort Myers. We go at least once a week. Patrice is numerous 1“

“I was so impressed with the service I couldn't not give a review. The food was good, very generous portions but our server and the manager were so incredibly nice and attentive. It's so hard to find a place where people genuinely enjoy their job. We will absolutely go back!!“

“Last meal on our trip to FMB was good but not great. Where we were sat was close to the POS terminals and I saw the staff bickering about stuff amongst themselves a couple times which really if it's gonna happen should be out of sight from the guests. The waitress kind of complained about her other tables to us which again is a no-no. The food was exceptional in flavor but crust was a bit soggy in the middle of the pie. I'd definitely come back but I hope the management focuses in their lineups about some steps of service tweaking to make for a more enjoyable guest experience.“