20 Best Italian Restaurants near Watkinsville

“So glad Martino’s has open patio!! Still don’t feel comfortable dining inside restaurants. The food was delicious as always and service was great! Shrimp scampi,salad, & of course the yummy bread.“

“I enjoy dining here. Hardly ever have I had bad food or service. Always a good to great experience. However I urge you to strongly reconsider having live music in your establishment. While I love music, your establishment is way to small for it. I came here to have dinner and conversation with my wife. If I wanted to hardly be able to carry a conversation and hear live music, I’d go to a bar. If this becomes a regular occurrence, I’ll find a new pizza joint. Sincerely a long time customer. And yes, there is outdoor dining, however it isn’t always available seating wise or ideal temps.“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My wife and I had the absolute pleasure of dining at Girasoles, and it was an unforgettable experience! From the moment we walked in, the ambiance set the tone for a perfect evening.

We started with a glass of wine and their seafood stuffed hush puppies, which were nothing short of perfection—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with flavor. For dessert, the crème brûlée was divine, with the perfect caramelized top and creamy custard that left us wanting more. To top it all off, the espresso martinis were an exquisite end to the meal, crafted to perfection and the ideal blend of bold coffee and smooth indulgence.

The service was impeccable—Deniella our server was attentive, warm, and knowledgeable. Every dish and drink felt like it was prepared with care and passion. Girasoles truly knows how to deliver a dining experience that delights every sense.

We can’t wait to return and highly recommend this gem to anyone looking for exceptional food, drinks, and hospitality! Thank you, Girasoles, for an unforgettable evening!“

“Great food, good service and nice people“

“MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT IN ATHENS! This place is unmatched compared to everywhere else. You can tell these people are very good at their culinary craft. I have been there for both dinner and brunch and everything I have had there is just divine! The rigatoni alla vodka is literally the best pasta dish I have ever had in my life. Starting my day off with the lush eggs in purgatory was incredible. Do not skip dessert, the vanilla gelato with olive oil and flaky salt is something that needs to be tried to truly understand.“

“Sat at table on porch. Took our Miniature Poodle. It was Restaurant Week and we had prix fixe menu. Artichokes were great, pasta was good and tiramisu was large serving and excellent. Had reservations and were seated immediately. Did not like the online third-party reservation service. Waitress was very attentive. Recommend.“

“Great restaurant! My wife & I weren’t sure where to go. I Googled “Best Restaurants in Athens, Ga”. Frankly, I had to scholl through 3-4 pages and Ossetian Athena finally came up … we’ll worth the wait! My wife & I had a great over appetizer, Mushroom Bruschetta, Caesar Salads & Salmone Al Pistacchio including an Italian Blend … simply outstanding! On top of all this, Drew, the owner, was a GREAT HOST! I highly recommend this restaurant!“

“We were blown away by Indigo Road Hospital Group's latest creation Osteria Olio in the Rivet House in Athens Ga. Brenda and I were staying at the Rivet House to attend the Georgia Tennessee game and ended up eating dinner and brunch at Osteria every night and day. Steve Palmer who we met there has hit a home run with Osteria Olio a 5 star gourmet dining experience. AJ is the star host/manager who gave us a great table every time, the food was delicious including bone in New York Strip for me and the Spaghetti Alla Bolognese for Brenda. My steak and eggs at breakfast was the best I ever had in my life. The Martinis were perfectly mixed by bartender Graham. The vibe at dinner was subdued elegance with stunning well dressed customers all feeling blessed to be dining in a such a beautiful built-out space. Thank you Indigo Road Hospitality for giving Athens Osteria Olio which has now joined the A-list of gourmet dining experiences in Athens.“

“Olive Garden catered a meal for my work party. I miscalculated the amount of food we would need. Desperate to restock mid party I called and asked for a couple more family size trays ASAP. They were so fast and helpful no one noticed we almost ran out. Everyone enjoyed the food!“

“While visiting my Aunt in Athens we got take out From the Timothy Road location. We were told an hour. I arrived 50 minutes later, paid and waited about 10 minutes for the server to return to the bar with our order. I could tell the pizza box was not warm but when it was handed to me. When we arrived at my Aunts condo just a few minutes up the road the pizza and pasta were COLD. Frustrating to have to wait for cold food. The salads were good and the taste of the pizza and pasta were good. Next time I guess I’ll order and wait at the bar?“

“While visiting my Aunt in Athens we got take out From the Timothy Road location. We were told an hour. I arrived 50 minutes later, paid and waited about 10 minutes for the server to return to the bar with our order. I could tell the pizza box was not warm but when it was handed to me. When we arrived at my Aunts condo just a few minutes up the road the pizza and pasta were COLD. Frustrating to have to wait for cold food. The salads were good and the taste of the pizza and pasta were good. Next time I guess I’ll order and wait at the bar?“

“While visiting my Aunt in Athens we got take out From the Timothy Road location. We were told an hour. I arrived 50 minutes later, paid and waited about 10 minutes for the server to return to the bar with our order. I could tell the pizza box was not warm but when it was handed to me. When we arrived at my Aunts condo just a few minutes up the road the pizza and pasta were COLD. Frustrating to have to wait for cold food. The salads were good and the taste of the pizza and pasta were good. Next time I guess I’ll order and wait at the bar?“

“Stopped here after the game. One of the best pizzas I’ve had! Authentic and the sauce was amazing!“

“This place is doomed to fail. Ordered takeout and noticed the health rating as wife left with food. A glorious 85! Needless to say, food was tossed in the garbage and we will never return. This was our third attempt to give them a chance. Horrible service on first try. Horrible food on the second try and abysmal health rating on the third try. Done and done.“

“DoorDash caused a nightmare. Your Pie stepped in, called me about the sketchy dasher, and personally delivered it to me! They are always so great, but today showed how well they treat their customers. Above and beyond! Highly recommend.“

“Excellent place, for a relaxed and pleasant afternoon…“

“We were in town for a conference and decided to try out this restaurant. It was pretty busy, but the waitress was still very attentive to us. The food didn't take too long, but when it came out, it looked delicious! We loved the crust and the pizza was fresh. It was all wonderful. I would highly recommend trying out this restaurant if you are in Athens!“

“dank blaze it 420 69xxx 🔥“

“Good food, great people. Reasonable prices, large portions. Highly recommended.“

“My favorite pizza take out in Athens! Their gluten free crust is good and reasonably priced (and big)!
When you ask for extra cheese, they really load it up! So much cheese it looks like a cartoon pizza- in a good way!
Recently, I got an order and they mixed up my toppings request. They were very apologetic and made me a free extra pizza in just a few minutes.
Highly recommend ??

Dietary restrictions: A good gluten free crust“