50 Best Italian Restaurants near Siesta Key

“First off, this place is amazing! It’s definitely a small hole in the wall shop but the pizza and atmosphere did not disappoint! Had the spaghetti and meatballs also, very delicious and can’t forgot garlic knots! Will definitely be back!!! Price is great“

“Everything was absolutely amazing!! Excellent service, food was delicious!! Hands down a must! We will definitely be back!!“

“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!“

“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!“

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

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

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

“We were there last evening for dinner. This location is much smaller than the one at UTC. Difficult to carry on a conversation even at a small table. Food was good and service was as well. Very busy and noisy for a Wednesday evening. We prefer a more intimate experience, as well as excellent food.“

“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!!!“

“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 😊“

“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.“

“Went to dinner with family at the Carrabba’s on University. Teddy was our server and we was phenomenal. Service was prompt, he was attentive without hovering, and when we had a little mishap by way of a spilled glass of Sangria he took care of us immediately. Alex was our bartender and he’s got mad skills with a dirty martini. If you’re at this restaurant ask for these young men… You will not be disappointed!“

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

“Great good, great service!“

“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!“

“? 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!“

“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! 🙌🇮🇹🍝“

“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..!“

“Fourth time tonight since the first of the year. Food is AMAZING and great service. Gustavo was personable everytime and remembers little things about his past customers. Ask for oil with the bread. This make the bread even better than it already is... We will be back soon. Ate outside for the first time. Would like to hear more music if possible. PS - The pizza is the best on the island!!!“

“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!“

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

“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“

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

“Went here for the first time last night with some friends. Friendly staff, great food and service was phenomenal!!! I had the lasagna and was fantastic. Made from scratch ingredients....homemade bread, made from scratch cream of broccoli soup. wings are out of this world! It is a hidden gem! We will definitely go back!!!“

“Authentic Buffalo Style pizza. Homemade crust and sauce is to die for. Definitely our go to place for pizza from now on. ❤️🍕“

“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“

“Such a wonderful and serene location.“

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

“It's breakfast by day and Italian dinner by night. We had breakfast here for three out of the five nights we stayed here and had dinner one night. And dined at CW Prime and places on the island.\n\nFine, attentive service by DAWN who served us for breakfast. Great coffee that gave us that morning boast for the day. We opted for the Great buffet, plenty of great choices, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, sausages, crispy bacon, breads and bagels and cereal for the kiddies, fresh waffles and an egg station which was manned by AARON who made me three fried eggs, sunny side up, no flipping and no cover every morning !!! So perfect and the way I love my eggs!!! TY!!!🍳🍳🍳🥓🥓🥓🧇🧇🧇\n\nFor dinner, one evening, we had ANDREW who was on top of his game, knowledgable about the menu and specials, answered all of our questions about the entrees and the way the chef preps the dishes.\n\nA bottle of Amarone Tommasi started our night for my wife and I. Our friends had a Prosecco Rose, and a few JW Black for my buddy. For our apps we all shared the rice balls, meatballs, and the Burrata. All three were just delightful, full of rich flavor, seasoned perfectly, and hitting the spot. We ate up all the focaccia bread and dipped it in the sauces!!!\n\nFor our main entrees, my wife had the Chicken Milanese, I had a spaghetti with bolognese sauce, our friends had the corn and ricotta Agnolotti with shrimps and my buddy had the Squid Ink Pasta.\n\nAll four entrees were absolutely Delish, flavorful, fresh made in house pasta, and hitting our palates with satisfying results!!!\nPaired it with our wine and we were very\n happy!!!\n\nOverall, great food, this is the only place in the resort for sit down breakfast, and Italian dinner, superb service from Dawn and Andrew. \n\nWe will be back!!!🍽️🍽️🍽️🍷🍷🍷🍝🍝🍝🥓🥓🥓🧇🧇🧇🍳🍳🍳“

“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!“