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.“

“My sisters and I recently ate brunch at Classico. The food was delicious, the presentation was lovely, and most important to note, our server Brody was awesome! How refreshing it was to have such a genuinely polite and pleasant server. He really added to our dining experience. If you dine at Classico, be sure to ask for Brody!“

“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!“

“Always a great evening, The service is amazing and the food was delicious“

“Rocco and crew catered my Mom’s 80th Birthday party! Food was fabulous. All the guests agreed. Thank you again for everything. Next time we are in Sarasota we will be in for dinner.“

“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!!!“

“Amazing wine, food and service!“

“We’ve had several excellent meals at Sara’s kitchen. Homey atmosphere, delicious food and you always feel like family. This past weekend we had a large party and closed the restaurant on a Saturday night. It was unbelievable. Fantastic food, excellent service, beautiful decorations. Please give this fabulous gem a try. You won’t be disappointed.“

“Amazing atmosphere and food“

“We had our first visit to Maestrale last Sunday, March 1st. Our group of 7 was exceptionally pleased with our meals (we've never seen our 3 1/2 year old granddaughter eat so much!), the attentiveness and the ease of scheduling the reservation. Our meals were all amazing and it was the first of many visits as we expect to enjoy many more meals at Maestrale. We can't wait to go back!“

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

“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!“

“Amazing food in downtown Sarasota.“

“Incredible, 5 stars all around!! The service was incredible!! Every appetizers, drink and meal was perfectly cooked and homemade. Restaurant was beautifully spaced out with romantic lamps on each table. Servers were attentive. Give them a visit!“

“Delicious meal! Service was great! Matthew our waiter was super!“

“We have become regulars here, the food is always fantastic, staff is great, Jess REALLY knows what she's doing with those pizzas. Just typing this has me craving a stella and a fig & pig pie. No loud music, nice, chill atmosphere. Trust me, just go, whatever you pick is gonna be great“

“While I gave this restaurant 4 stars we had some issues while there. Our server, from the get go, was hurried! It felt like he just didn't have time for us. We were with two other couples there for an anniversary celebration. We wanted to get a bottle of Proseco to share for the table. The server joked with us and said go for the champagne since we were celebrating. We agreed. He pointed out some lovely bottles of champagne some to the tune of $1000 and Over! That's not what we had in mind but we did want something special. I pointed out a bottle on the menu that was $95 and that's what I agreed to. He brought it to the table and we all enjoyed it. Onto the dinner menu which comes on a chalk board. He flew through everything on the menu so fast that we were all dizzy when he was done and then he left. When he came back we asked the questions we had about the menu and that seemed to bother him! Everyone's meals were excellent! The food was delish! We did get desserts to share. Two got the ice cream which they said was good. We got the pistachio cheese cake. Sadly, it was very dry and did not taste like pistachio. Then the bill came!! The server gave us the separate bill for the champagne alone.... $575😵😲 Not at all what we were expecting! Thank goodness we declined the second bottle he tried to get us to have. We did not say anything at the time because for one we were shocked but also because we drank it. Since then, that has just not sat right with me. A good server should have double checked that was what we wanted and that the price was correct. Sadly, we were there for a celebration and this ended up ruining our celebration. I'd love to go back and try other menu items as everything sounded so good. However, I am hesitant after this unfortunate experience.“

“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.“

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

“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.“

“Our first visit to Mona Lisa Italian Restaurant will definately not be our last. Aaron greeted us and seated us and treated us well throughout the meal. The music was amazing. Italian opera was perfect to set the atmosphere. The artichoke and the mushroom starters were wonderful. The bread was yummy. The Caesar Salads were fresh and delicious. We ordered the mushroom ravioli, seafood risotto and shrimp scampi. All excellent. The wine pours were very generous. We had a great time and will definately be back and recommend this restaurant to all of our family and friends.“

“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.“

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

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

“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! 🙌🇮🇹🍝“

“Most autenthic italian restaurant in town!“

“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.“

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

“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!“

“As a NY Pizza enthusiast (read: snob), the pie here definitely hit the spot!! Perfect balance of cheese to sauce as well as the perfectly crispy crust. Pizza was hot and delicious and the topping were generous. Will definitely be back next trip!“

“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.“

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

“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!“

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

“Great place for wine and live music lovers!“

“The food was exactly what keeps people coming back. Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and generously portioned. It’s great comfort food at a fair price, and it’s hard to go wrong with the menu.

The service was also friendly and attentive throughout our visit.

The only downside is the atmosphere. The restaurant was quite loud and crowded, making it difficult to have a relaxed conversation. It lacks the cozy, authentic Italian ambiance you might expect and feels more like a busy chain restaurant than a place to enjoy a leisurely dinner.

If you’re looking for good food and great service, Olive Garden delivers. Just don’t come expecting a quiet or intimate dining experience.“

“We hosted a 40-guest private event at Cafe Amici, and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. The food was amazing, everything ran smoothly, and the staff was friendly, professional, and efficient throughout the night. I had to leave a bit early, and the staff was kind enough to neatly place my decorations together so I could easily pack them up the next day, which I truly appreciated. We couldn’t have asked for a better venue or team to host our event. Highly recommend Cafe Amici for any private party or special occasion“

“Outstanding pizza every time!!! Love the addition of fresh basil included in the box!!“

“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.“

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

“Food is very good, especially their subs, actually the best sub i have ever had here in sarasota. i also love their frozen raviolis, Pastosa brand, which are imo the best frozen raviolis you can buy. their prepared foods are really good also. as for the actual market, like specialty items, not bad , but when your comparing it to mazzaros in st. petes, its just ok.“

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

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

“This is how you do pizza!🤌 10/10 recommend! Would definitely order from here again!“