39 Best Italian Restaurants near Saint Johns

“The food is fantastic. We dined here on two different occasions. The service is perfect, the owner said hello to all the tables. My favorites are mussels appetizer and veal piccata. The only issue would be they don’t allow you switch the pasta for the healthier option“

“Perfect!🚀 Must try pastas and wines🍝🍷🍕🌯“

“I am from ny and this true ny pizza Its the best i have had in Jax True sicilian pizza U will not be disappointed“

“One of the best Happy Hours. Drinks are excellent and 1/2 price appetizers are very good. Wish they would add Fried ravioli. Would be great with their marinara sauce. We had a Thursday "special" meal. It was the best beef stroganoff we have ever had! Should be on the menu, even though it isn't Italian.“

“Even though others are rated well the only place we've liked is Bronx House so far. The pizza is thin and crispy and we like their ready to eat variety for by the slice ordering. We just wish we could order at the counter. We dont need the full-service experience for a couple slices and soda.“

“We have been hoping for a local pizza place we can go to. We live in south Hampton so location wise it’s perfect. Good price and the food is fantastic. Highly recommend.“

“this Carrabba's location has the best food I have ever had. the manager there, Ray, is an awesome fellow. I recommend going there for lunch and dinner. absolutely the most delicious food and wonderful service“

“AMAZING!!! warm inviting atmosphere, food deliciously prepared. Generous serving size. FAMILY OWNED! you feel the love through the food. Husband had the calzone (with ricotta), I had pepperoni pizza. I could've eaten the marinara sauce by itself!!! So delicious!“

“My favorite is the Meat lover pizza, but also, I've tried the Pappardelle Bolognese, and it is out of this world. Great atmosphere and service. I would definitely recommend this place to everyone.“

“We happened to find Poppy’s on Trip Advisor and boy were we delighted. The atmosphere is authentic, food is exceptional and friendly staff. Would highly recommend.“

“Small piano bar vibes. Absolutely love this spot! Tasty food and drinks and wonderful service!“

“Delicious ❣️Enjoyed every bite❣️“

“This is by far the best Italian Food I have ever had in Jacksonville.“

“love the pizza and calzones. the calzones DO have ricotta cheese. I forgot to take a picture.“

“Went to Mandola’s yesterday for the first time and had a wonderful experience. Everyone was super friendly. The food was amazing! Branden the manager was very nice and made sure we had everything we needed. We had a piece of the chocolate cake and some gelato which was absolutely delicious! We most definitely will be back very soon!“

“We were starving and grabbed a quick cheese pizza on our way out if a market. We immediately had to come find this page just so we could leave a review. This was one of the tastiest cheese pizzas we’ve had! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“We didn't have to wait long...The food was great! Everything was very fresh. Our services was also great. And they have plenty of Employees ♥️.We will be going back soon!“

“Went tonight first time at new place. Food was even better than old place. If we don't order through Grub Hub will definitely go in person“

“👍Luis took excellent care of us. First time we had been there. Chix Parm was excellent, very large portions. Would definitely return to try the pizza! 🙂“

“The best Italian food in the Jacksonville area! Friendly and warn service, fantastic atmosphere, and reasonable prices! My family and I will be back!“

“Best experience out to eat my wife and I have had in a long time food was fresh and so delicious. Service was amazing and the owner was so friendly. You can tell he loves what he does because it shows throughout the restaurant. This is our new date night spot!“

“I love finding hidden gems, and Jonis Pizza was exactly that.

Susan and I were heading to one of our favorite restaurants, Fionn MacCool's, when we noticed Jonis Pizza tucked away in the same shopping center. Somehow, despite being in the area many times, we had never stopped in. That changed this week, and I am glad it did.

The restaurant is cozy, family-owned, and immediately feels welcoming. The aroma of garlic and fresh Italian cooking hits you as soon as you walk through the door. We started with the Garlic Cheese Bread, which was perfectly toasted and loaded with flavor. We also enjoyed the Fresh Mozzarella Appetizer, featuring fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, and pesto that allowed the ingredients to shine.

As someone who grew up in a large Italian family in New York, I take Italian food seriously. When I saw Stuffed Shells on the menu, I knew exactly what I was ordering.

What happened next surprised me.

The Stuffed Shells at Jonis Pizza earned our prestigious Best of the Best Award. The shells were filled with a rich blend of cheeses and topped with a perfectly balanced sauce. The waitress explained that her mother makes them from scratch, and it showed. The dish immediately brought back memories of a favorite Italian restaurant from my childhood in the Bronx. For decades, no stuffed shells had matched those memories. Jonis Pizza finally did.

Susan ordered the Chicken Francese, and it was equally impressive. Tender chicken, perfectly prepared angel hair pasta, and plenty of flavorful lemon sauce made this a standout entrée.

The service was warm, friendly, and personal. You can tell this is a restaurant that takes pride in both its food and its customers.

If you are looking for authentic Italian food, a family-owned restaurant, date-night dining, or simply some of the best homemade Italian comfort food in the area, put Jonis Pizza on your list.

Be sure to check out our photos, especially the award-winning Stuffed Shells.

★★★★☆ 4 Stars

🏆 Best of the Best Award: Stuffed Shells“

“❤weather is nice , excellent service“

“Everything was good not great. I was able to park near the front door for free. I was seated right away. We ordered the lasagna, chicken parmasan, endless bread and salad. The chicken parmasan had a good taste and well seasoned. I enjoyed the lasagna. The lasagna tasted good not great. I enjoyed the atmosphere and I had a great window table. I would recommend Olive Garden for the entire family.“

“Thanks to our attentive and knowledgeable waiter, Sebastien we had a wonderful experience. The service, drinks and ambience were exemplary, and the food was quite good. The salmon was delicious, but the branzino was slightly overcooked. The dessert was unbelievably delicious! Overall, the flavors were tasty and we will definitely be back.“

“If you live in Jax and haven’t been to mamas you’re simply just missing out. The pasta, the sauces, the wings, the pizza, the apps…. I can’t stay away I have tried something new every single time and have yet to be let down. I have not had truly good authentic Italian like this since New York!“

“I had there food delivered and was so amazed by not only the quality of the food But to me one of the best in Jax“

“I’ll just put it out there. Renna’s pizza is amazing. We have loved their pizza since… forever. For many years I would literally order pizza on my way home from work every Friday and bring it home to the fam. Then Covid happened and they closed. It was a sad day. But they are back!!! Taking over the old Tijuana Flats store front in the Publix shopping center on Southside and Baymeadows. A great spot! The pizza recipe is the same. Lots of the menu items are the same (I’m looking at you, cannolis). 🙏 The atmosphere needs a little warmth, I think. It seems a bit too bright and sterile. But I’m not noticing too much of the super white walls while I’m scarfing down delicious pizza. Kudos to the manager that night we showed up with a party of 14. He pulled all the available tables together for us so we could sit together, even though they already had another large party there before us. We were going to leave but he quickly accommodated us. They were very kind and had great service. I don’t know if my wallet or waistline can afford pizza every Friday night like the old days, but we are thrilled to have Renna’s back in the ‘hood.
Welcome back! We hope you have lots of success and stick around for a long time!“

“LOVE VINOS!!!!!! Baymeadows location is the very best!! Omar is THE MAN !! They truly treat their guests like family and the food is top notch :) recommend their lemon pepper wings“

“I have been a regular here for a while. I don’t know how to title this review but if I could I would call it, “How not to be a Karen in a Restaurant.”
I come here during the week almost daily to sit at the bar and get work done that I had no time for during my school day. The happy hour prices are also a great bonus!
I come here because the staff is warm and like family, and just as important, the food is awesome and you can tell that the GM Zee takes pride in all aspects of this wonderful spot.
Today I had to take a half day from work and had the opportunity to come in early for lunch. I also must disclose I have extensive hospitality management experience, and that I’m not an entitled human being.
I saw something today that should be on everyone’s DON’T EVER DO THIS list.
I can’t help but pay attention to what’s going on around me. I was at the bar when I noticed a scene starting. 2 women and a child were dining with one of the best servers I’d ever had. Apparently their order was running behind. The server was on top of it and got Zee (The GM) involved. They had ordered an item that takes a long time to cook and an app that should’ve come out faster than it did. Both Zee and the server apologized and offered other items while they waited.
Here’s the WTH Karen part. This woman jumped up and chased the GM down to tell him he was rude. I’m sorry, offering to help is not rude. The man has a game face because he cares. Her entitled self got up and yelled at him in public. I’m embarrassed for her and how our society is devolving. Don’t be a Karen.“

“I love the chicken it was so good. it was my first time here my dad took me. I got chicken wings. My mom got the lasagna. It was delicious and they’re powdered donuts with the raspberry sauce. It was really good dessert The waiter was extremely nice to give us dessert a 9 year old made this lol“

“yum yum with great service“

“Been coming here for years. Great pizza, very good crust and sauce. Delicious“

“OMG the food is awesome! Chicken parm is spot on. Had a specialty taco pizza made. Corey knocked it out of the park!! Green Cove Springs, with this restaurant you are officially on the map!“

“Our family had a huge pizza order. And Shawn made sure everything was right. He double checked everything before I even left the store!“

“I eat here at least once a week. This place is absolutely amazing, and everyone on staff is friendly and patient. Love this place!“

“I had an absolutely amazing experience at Marco's Pizza! The food was hot, fresh, and delicious, but what truly made our visit standout was the staff. Lauren and James were incredible! They provided top-tier customer service, were extremely welcoming, and made sure everything was perfect with our order. It is rare to find such friendly and attentive service these days. We will definitely be back. Highly recommended!“

“Great experience! The food was fresh, hot, and tasted great. Everything was prepared just right, and the service was friendly and quick. My order was ready on time and everything was exactly as expected. Definitely satisfied with my experience and will be ordering from this Pizza Hut again!“