50 Best Italian Restaurants near Sand Lake

“Went to Anthony’s today with a super old gift card and had Andrew as our server. Had no idea if that thing would even swipe at this point and he helped us out and made sure it was good to go. Chill guy and easy going, we sat and yapped for probably too long but he took care of us so well. We appreciate not being rushed, and appreciated him dealing with a gift card older than the Toast app itself lol. I’m from miami so I love Anthony’s and my experience in Orlando didn’t disappoint:)“

“We are from Lakeland and always drive up here to enjoy the food and atmosphere. Our waiter Moe this evening was very nice and Ethan, the host, was also kind and great to talk to. The food here is delicious and the people are nice. We got the 4 for $40 deal which is an amazing promotion going on for the summer. I highly recommend this place! Shoutout to both Moe and Ethan! Definitely tell Moe I say dankje, which is thank you in Dutch. We will be back soon.“

“Great Thanksgiving dinner experience while in Orlando. Jose was excellent!!!!“

“While at Epcot we dinned here twice. Our waiter Francesco was awesome. He was very attentive and went over the menu with us. The food is superb and the resturante is beautiful. Francesco even helped me with my italian. we give this resturante 5 🌟 stars!“

“Good food! Nice staff. Pizza and chicken parmigiana absolutely delicious“

“The best Italian restaurant in central Florida!“

“Big rave to this restaurant. An honest mistake was made and a few items were missing from our Uber Eats delivery. I contacted the restaurant and they immediately admitted to the error. Their asst manager personally drove the missing items directly to our hotel and even threw in some free dessert! They went over and above to quickly address and fix the issues! Would highly recommend them and the food was great.“

“We always enjoy lunch at this I-Drive location. The food is delicious and May, our server, is always amazing. May is extremely attentive and personable. Good job Carrabbas and May! Can’t wait to go back.“

“Rica la pizza, cómo me gusta. Amplió el restaurante y el servicio súper especial“

“Great food and great service“

“Love Prato! So much fun! Great food! ❤️🍷“

“Just left there for my first visit and I found it to be slightful. My windiw seat was perfect, the jazz music , the cheese playecwas lovelybandvour waiter Leah was so carefulbtokeep us hapoy and cared for. I will be back very soon“

“Sam (our server) and Angeline (our Sommelier), along with a very nice young man (been there about 8 months) who brought us in (sorry I didn’t catch his name) made sure we wanted for nothing. We asked for suggestions and they delivered all the way through dessert!! Professional, engaging, and genuinely nice people! Oh, and the food!!!!“

“Antonio’s House of Pizza has quickly become my go-to spot, and it all started with their garlic knots—easily the best I’ve ever had. They’re baked to perfection: golden on the outside, soft on the inside, and soaked in a rich, flavorful garlic oil that makes them completely irresistible. You can smell the garlic as they hit the table—and they taste even better than they smell.

I also have to rave about their gluten-free pizza. As someone who eats gluten-free regularly, I’ve tried a lot of crusts that fall flat—but not here. Their gluten-free crust is thin, crisp, and full of flavor. It actually tastes like real pizza, which is a rare find. The toppings are super fresh and generously layered.

Great service, clean space, and consistently amazing food. Highly recommend Antonio’s—you won’t be disappointed!“

“Visited Orlando for the weekend golfing at Bay Hill. Fresco's was recommended by the folks at the Lodge. Glad we stopped in for dinner. The food is excellent. It will be my goto on future Orlando visits.“

“Excellent service and food. We asked to be seated in the bar area as it was crowded Sunday lunch time. We ordered drinks and food. Sara gave excellent service and great conversation while waiting on everyone at the bar. I am a server and that is a big compliment from me. Kudos for hiring such great staff. I will visit this location again even though I have 2 that are closer.“

“I recently had the pleasure of dining at Maggiano's Little Italy in Orlando on International Drive and it was an experience worth sharing. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted warmly by the hostess, who promptly seated us at a cozy table that perfectly set the tone for the evening. The waitstaff was exceptional—attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. They made sure our glasses were never empty and checked in just the right amount to ensure we had everything we needed without being intrusive. For the main course, we chose the Chicken Parmesan, which was cooked to perfection with a crispy exterior and tender, juicy chicken inside. The pasta was al dente, and the meat sauce was rich and savory. It was really enough for two people to share. To top it all off, they brought two plates of their famous lemon cookies to our table, to celebrate our third anniversary. Overall, our experience at Maggiano's was nothing short of excellent. The combination of outstanding service, a welcoming atmosphere, and delicious food made for a memorable evening. I highly recommend Maggiano's for anyone looking to enjoy a wonderful Italian meal with top-notch service.“

“Service was splendid. My boyfriend and I celebrated our anniversary and we had such a lovely time while feeling cared for. Our servers were attentive and friendly. Music was great!!! Overall amazing service and staff was as joy. Key lime pie was delicious! 10/10 experience!“

“We wanted to compare this place to what we experienced in Rome. It’s not Rome but it captures the essence. Enjoy.“

“Had the most delicious pizzas and drinks tonight!! A definite try if you’re looking for great pizza!! Angela was amazing!!“

“Great service and quality food!“

“The staff fulfilled every request with efficiency and a smile 😊.“

“Great family dining experience, highly recommend!“

“Fantastic food and friendly but professional staff. We had tiramisu and wine one night and then the meatball appetizer and lobster ravioli the following night. All was delicious but the meatballs with the polenta was a delicious new twist.“

“My favorite restaurant in Winter Garden. Decided to do Italian for Thanksgiving and it was outstanding. My favorite is their Pork Osso Bucco and they did not disappoint. Service and owners are always on point. Thank you for enjoying my first Thanksgiving being waited on. Always recommend this place, never a bad meal. Thank you Dorina“

“I worked with John for a little while me coming in with 17 years of experience I thought I couldn't learn much else but this guy is ap true master of the trade I call him the Mr Miyagi of Italian food really makes a good product he truly loves the trade and pays attention to the details thanks for helping me better my skills“

“Delicious! Recommend highly. 5 stars!“

“Catherine was amazing and offered the best possible service. She is truly an amazing server and deserves all the praise she can get and promotion. Seriously, put her in charge of training other servers. She is exemplary in how she handles big tables and makes everyone feel welcomed and happy being in the restaurant. I can not express enough how amazing of a worker she is.“

“Great service and quality food!“

“I love the soup and salad special. Cuppa Toscana is my favorite!!

Parking: The parking lot is big, but sharing with Dennys and very full after 6 p.m.

Wheelchair accessibility: Accessible. Two disabled parking spits.“

“They Best italiano fotos I loved si good“

“I love eating out what I don't like is the repetitive situation of servers I encounter. Tell me I'm wrong... step one sit me down step two ask what to drink step three ask if I'm ready to order step 4 take my order step 5 if there not any food runners they bring the food step 6 ask before I take a bite of my food if everything taste good step 7 ask if I like desert or take out bins step 8 give me a check and walk away ... NEVER in the past 10 years probably more have I been asked how's my day anything new in life where I'm from no interaction but yet our servers say don't eat out if you don't tip WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO EARN YOUR TIP! BTW I tip but you'd EARN more if you interact with us.“

“If you appreciate fresh chef-inspired and chef-created Italian cuisine, then you MUST dine here. Truly authentic from the ambiance, the cozy intimate setting, to the tiramisu and espresso finale! Only wish we’d found this gem sooner!“

“Peperoncino’s was absolutely amazing! The menu offered such a fantastic variety, and every dish was cooked to perfection. The desserts were a true delight, and the service couldn’t have been better. Our server, Daniel, was a joy—his menu descriptions were spot on and made the experience even more enjoyable. We can’t wait to come back, and I highly recommend you visit too!“

“This place is always busy; so be ready to wait. The food is good and the staff is friendly. Be patient when you come here, they are servicing volumes of people daily.

Parking: Parking can become difficult during peak hours.“

“Jasmine is absolutely the best bartender I’ve ever had!! She had amazing customer service along with awesome drink skills. I also have a food allergy and she was definitely on top of that! I highly recommend that anyone visiting this location ask for her as your bartender!!“

“If you’re ever at La Bella Luna, do yourself a favor and ask for Garrett. I’ve been to a lot of Italian spots, but I’ve never met a server who could recommend a wine pairing, crack a joke, and still remember to bring extra parmesan—all without missing a beat.

Garrett’s the kind of guy who makes you feel like you’re not just a guest at a restaurant, but a long-lost friend who finally made it home for dinner. Polite, professional, and just the right amount of sarcastic to keep the table laughing between courses.

La Bella Luna already has great food, but honestly, Garrett made the whole experience something I’ll brag about. If you’re reading this, Garrett, I’ll take that beer now. 🍺 Cheers, my friend.“

“it was a Great experience friendly staff and and great food and went home stuffed“

“At least I loved this place. The food is exquisite, the garlic sticks are wonderful and they refill them as much as you want. Incredible attention, everyone extremely friendly and well cared for. I would return without a doubt.

Kid-friendliness: They do accept children and have a special menu.“

“Delicious food and amazing service !!“

“Hallelujah, I’ve been lost and found! I’ve been searching in the wilderness that is Orlando Italian restaurants for the 25 years that I’ve lived here and I am so happy to proclaim from the rooftops that the new Manzzo’s in “Windernear” is the first authentic Italian restaurant that I’ve found in Central Florida. I’m not saying Italian American, I’m saying Italian. As someone not only of Italian heritage, but as someone who is lucky enough to travel to Italy somewhat frequently, I was so happy to dine at Manzzo’s tonight. Yes, Amatraciana has guanciale in it (not bacon), yes Carbonara has eggs (not cream), and yes, the Tiramisu is not overly sweet. The wait staff is great, the atmosphere is a nice vibe and the wine list is good enough. The food is wonderful. We had a pasta dish and a risotto tonight and it brought us back to Rome, I think Stanley Tucci would be proud to eat here. Even if the authenticity of the Italian food is not a concern to you (admittedly I am obsessed), I am sure that you will find Manzzo’s to be the best restaurant on the west side of Orange County. Give it a try!“

“What an awesome experience at the portifino resort at universal. Felt like a date night in Italy. The food was delicious, prepared fresh, and the atmosphere was very nice. Had a few folks walking around playing music and singing. Too notch service and food that I would pay too dollar for and not much more expensive than everything else at universal. Definitely worth checking out where ever you are staying“

“Amazing setting, music, and food. Everything is very presentable, and fresh.“

“DINNER REVIEW: ANTHONY’S THORNTON PARK PIZZERIA 100 N. Summerlin, Orlando For my first meal in a restaurant after moving back to Orlando, I happily chose Anthony’s Pizzeria in Thornton Park, at the heart of downtown Orlando, which means you can eat your delicious meal and then walk around Lake Eola to cancel those calories. When I first moved to Florida in the 1990s, I went downtown looking for a hole-in-the-wall video rental store called Angel Heart, which reputedly rented John Waters movies which weren’t available anywhere else. The bad news when i arrived was that Angel Heart was having a going-out-of-business sale; the good news was that I bought their John Waters VHS collection for less then ten dollars. As I walked back to my car, I saw a pizza place on the corner of Washington & Summerlin, and it soon became my go-to restaurant in Orlando. All these years later, Anthony’s has grown into a large and beautiful place—though I still like dining on the street side patio, and I still order my mushroom Stromboli even though the expansive menu offers a full range of Italian dinners and of course their outstanding pizza. This time I treated myself to a caprese salad Anthony’s has one of the best physical locations in the city—walkable to all of the major attractions downtown, yet still having a quiet neighborhood feeling and even having its own free parking lot, which is rare these days in the city beautiful. The food meets my exasperatingly snobby northern expectations of what Italian food should taste like, and the service is excellent. I recommend Anthony’s to everyone everywhere always.“

“The food is amazing.The bartenders are friendly and efficient. My friends and I try to go at least once a month for happy hour .“

“The food is absolutely incredible. Every dish is worth getting. Our family loved the Salmon and Carbonara the most.

More so just a small warning. The bar is connected to the outside patio meaning that the outside air does influence the temperature of the restaurant. This is normally a non issue most of the time but as it gets hotter it's something to keep in mind.“

“The hotel is beautiful, huge, rooms were great, lots of choices on places to eat. HUGE DOWNSIDE…. Parking!!! There was a cheering competition here(no I didn’t know when we booked or we wouldn’t have!) so we had to park about a mile away from the hotel every time we wanted to come and go, even though we have handicap parking they didn’t have any spots only a couple that have been taken since we got here. And don’t forget anything you need. Lol Hubby ran out of cigarettes, ran down to the little market downstairs. $18.00 a pack.“

“I can tell you that Italio was a great find!
Whoever else claim "fresh italian food" doesn't really achieve any freshness as this place.
Price is correct and individual plates are well served! Sauce is fresh, salt correct and the pasta is "al dente" .
The paninis are also a must!
Highly reommended!“

“Sue and I have not been to this place since they converted to sit-down and order. Finally joining the real restaurant world. We have eaten here about 20 times in the last few years and have always enjoyed the food, but felt strange with the get-your-own-drink aspect of it. Anyways, we are seated at our favorite booth, Perry Como, Elvis, Dean Martin, and Sinatra (the usual suspects) crooning at a comfortable level, with decent speakers. Oscar greeted us and took our drinks order, leaving a couple of rather impressive menus with us. We spent some time looking at the menu, as the format has changed somewhat. I ordered the shrimp marsala on linguine, Sue ordered the same on some other pasta noodle (You choose). After a reasonable interval, our food arrived. 2 huge bowls of deliciousness thick enough that it could have been called a stew. Lrt me tell you, I've been to restaurants that the orders contained little meat, little mushrooms, and a LOT of broth. Not here! These bowls were crammed with a ton of food. Shrimp, portobella mushrooms and pasta that was not overcooked. I gotta tell you, Sue and I dine out a LOT...various venues all over WG/Ocoee/Windermere/Clermont. This was probably the finest meal I ever had. The improvements the restaurant made are A+ Definitely worth dropping a hundy on.“

“Love this place… perfect combination of atmosphere and great food.“