50 Best Italian Restaurants in Sarasota

“We had a family gathering catered by Dolce Italia and everything was absolutely amazing! We had trays of the Trenne Dolce Italia with sausage, an eggplant dish and homemade pasta with meatballs, which was absolutely delicious. The Mista salad was beautiful, fresh and the perfect compliment to the meal. The process was easy thanks to Matthew’s suggestions and the food was hot, packaged well and ready to be served.“

“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!“

“Amazing wine, food and service!“

“the food was absolutely delicious 😋 and the staff!!! Magnifico!!!“

“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!“

“Excellent Italian cuisine. Service and food were outstanding. Highly recommended!!“

“Excellent!!! the hostess was so friendly. the waitress very attentive . I highly recommend it !! I just moved from Texas . I'm so happy !!“

“My husband and I just had the most delicious dinner at Nikki Greek in Golf Gate! Everything was bursting with fresh, vibrant flavors—truly close to authentic Greek cooking. Fresh ingredients were purely delicious. The presentation was beautiful, and every bite was absolutely wonderful. We loved it! Opa!!!“

“Oh my goodness the food was delicious! They just opened recently and are still getting the kinks out. They’re from Salerno, Italy. The decor is simple trattoria. There were 4 of us. We shared arancini- very good and a Cesar salad. Extra anchovies added on the side. Pasta dishes- bolognese fabulous, gnocchi delicious even the bread was real. Service was slow due to staffing issues but that’s what o meant re: getting the kinks out. But, food came out quickly and so good. Bottle of San genovese good & reasonably priced.“

“With only eight tables and reservations in constant demand, we somehow managed to secure a weekend spot by calling more than a month in advance. I was genuinely grateful just to be there. They seated us at a little two top tucked into the corner by the window. Normally I am not a fan of two-seaters because they can feel like an afterthought. But this one felt intentional. From our spot we could see the whole intimate dining room and watch the chef cooking away. It felt cozy, not cramped.

We started with a bottle of white and two appetizers that set the tone immediately. The tuna tartare was bright and fresh, perfectly balanced. The sausage over spinach and broccoli was warm and rustic and full of flavor. Simple ingredients done really, really well.

I especially love that they wheel the menus over on chalkboards instead of handing you a printed menu. Our server Gus was great and carefully explained each item. You can tell the chef works with whatever is best that day. That detail alone says a lot.

My husband, who is very picky about pasta, ordered the lobster pappardelle in red sauce with a little kick. He was thrilled. I had the shrimp and lobster pappardelle in a sauce that I honestly cannot even describe properly. It was just incredible. Rich but balanced. Every bite made me pause.

Everything was marvelous. I have not enjoyed a meal that much since Florence. And finding that kind of experience here in Florida felt like a little gift.“

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

“We are from Tampa and came to Sarasota just for a couple of days to celebrate Valentine’s. Andrei!!! the waitress was awesome, he knew the menu and was able to recommend different alternatives, food was delicious and service was great, definitely coming back. My husband and I did not have a reservation but we were able to wait for a table at the bar which was also good 😊“

“We hosted a neighborhood holiday dinner for 42 guests, and everything was fantastic. Laura and Veronica were a pleasure to work with—professional, efficient, and incredibly accommodating. The food was delicious, and they truly went the extra mile to make sure all our guests were taken care of. Highly recommend this restaurant for special events!“

“Great good, great service!“

“Hey Fresta's Fresta's
Happy 1st anniversary! I'll take the whole meau and try it all! Meatballs, garlic bread ball, cheese balls and for dessert a baseball cake ball if you have that! I also will like to take couple of swings of those buffalo wings hopefully it gives me a Grand slam smash Burger home run. although it's spring training! I need that real philly taste. To drive it back to Clearwater at Phillies philly spring training camp! I am dying for that taste of that real philly special cheese steak Italian style and that real Italian stallion sandwich that's light out and it knock your shore right off your feet! Omg! Don't forget that philly cheese as well with any kinda pasta that melts in your mouth and down your stomach that you will good hmmm. That was very tasty. That Florida doesn't even have and they cannot even make it correctly that other Florida Italian restaurants and made up philly steak places cannot even make. Pretty tried going back and forward going home to Philadelphia to get these types of delicious Italian food even philly cheese steak. Forget about it about Arizona Italian food. then back to Florida. No other Italian real taste. Finally there is a real Italian restaurant. In westnorth of Florida. Can't wait to get a taste of Fresta's that everyone in Bradenton area is talking about the Philly! philly! Style. 😋 God knows hopefully this real Italian restaurant grow across the state of Florida. See y'all“

“? this place.. great service from Joseph our bartender.. absolutely yummy HH ? and appetizers were awesome ? will be definitely be visiting again soon ! ?‍♀️?“

“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.“

“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.“

“Excellent place to relax! Great people, great food.“

“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.“

“Most autenthic italian restaurant in town!“

“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!“

“Food excellent , a must try..!“

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

“Go support this small family restaurant! It's in the Meadows but it's open to the public. My family is Italian and I can say the food here is great. They know HOW to cook the dishes correctly when so many restaurants don't. It comes out piping hot and they make pasta by hand. The prices are fair. Don't miss this little gem. #supportlocal“

“Jose provided excellent service on multiple occasions and Jared, at the bar was amazing as well… food is AMAZING!!“

“Great food, took a lil while but worth the wait. We dined in and it was pleasant and they had a bunch of comfy booths free. They have a pretty extensive menu. Waiters/waitresses were kind and friendly. Dude behind the counter was quick to notice new customers and offer help.“

“This place is incredible! I felt like I was in Italy as far as food and atmosphere goes. Hands down best pizza I’ve ever had and all the pasta is homemade. The place was full of Italians, true Italians which is always a good sign. Highly recommend!“

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

“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! 🙌🇮🇹🍝“

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

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

“The food we had was excellent, and we enjoyed talking with the owner who said he has been in business for 21 years. Its important to support small restaurant businesses especially when they serve authentic Italian cuisine and desserts made with fresh ingredients and pride.“

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

“Great food, service, and atmosphere!“

“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“

“Fantastic food and service!“

“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.“

“Best pizza in Sarasota hands down..will be getting again tomorrow with friends!“

“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.“

“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 -“

“Great food, atmosphere and let’s not forget about the amazing chicken parm 🤤“

“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!“

“1000% recommend the Baked Feta Cheese & Roasted Tomatoes with Shishito Peppers - wonderful tapa! Cute restaurant, great wine list and most nights have live music. Spread the word!!!“

“Very welcoming as soon as u walk in, friendly staff, quant and cozi. I got the bruschetta, very good!!! Then a large sized garden salad which was good, then the capellini with maranara sauce and sausage and all wonderful!! I didnt feel rushed and my food came out as I finished one meal and not all at once, the pasta was not watery like most places and sausage was so good!! Not to mention the background music was great 😊“

“Great vibe, friendly staff, tremendous pizza! I look forward to eating here again.“

“Best pizza hands down ! Real New York style pizza ! Amazing“