34 Best Italian Restaurants near Merrillville

“Gamba should have a Michelin Star in my opinion. From the cuisine to the staff this place is top notch. The Gamba family are truly a wonderful and kind hearted family, and is shows in all parts of the service you'll receive!“

“01/2026: The main food was delicious, as always. I had the spaghetti and meatballs 🍝 this time. The servers were nice, however, it was impossible for them to bring breadsticks that were not cold and hard. I gave up after 2 requests and just used one as crackers for my soup.“

“My daughter and I picked a random place today, and we ended up here. Definitely didn’t know what to expect, and the menu had so many choice it was hard to decide ( a good thing )!!! The waitress was super helpful and super nice!!! My food was so good! And the portions were enough for leftovers. I will definitely try this place again. 👍“

“Very good experience at sbarro this morning. We arrived at about 11:10, right after opening, and all of the food was out and fresh. Everything looked amazing-we wanted it all. We ended up trying the pizza, spaghetti with meatballs, and breadsticks and it was all so good. The workers were also very friendly and quick. Would definitely go back“

“Our meal was delicious, server, Alex, was attentive and helpful, a pleasant dining experience“

“you hungry for real great food, that's cool, me too, you should go here!!! you're welcome. staff is really nice as well.“

“Nestled in an old home, this is top notch dining in the Hub. Great place for an intimate dinner or for a gathering of friends. Since it is an old house the seating it spread around so if you are there for a more intimate gathering, you will not be dominated by a rowdy get together of long lost friends. In the warmer months, the patio is pleasant“

“Had a fantastic carryout this evening. The Italian beef with cheese, the ribeye steak sandwich, and pasta shell sides. Absolutely awesome. They take very good care of me every time I go there. Thank you, Pepino’s.❤️❤️❤️“

“First time I've eaten here and Santina Was absolutely wonderful! She was patient as we looked over the menu and made sure we got everything we would need. She provided us with information on the online membership before we left. The food was hot and delicious & I couldnt ask for any better experience. Thank you again 😊“

“Never had a bad dish at Livios til tonight. We each had fried perch, the waitress commented how big it was. I ate one piece and couldn’t eat anymore. Had a funny taste to it. Hope we don’t get sick!“

“A very pleasant surprise!
​To be honest, I sometimes hesitate when it comes to large chain restaurants, as my preferences usually lean elsewhere. However, my visit to Olive Garden about two weeks ago completely exceeded my expectations.
​While the food was quite good and definitely a step above average (the breadsticks and salad are always a classic!), what truly made our meal outstanding was the service. Our server was fantastic—incredibly attentive without being intrusive, timely with every request, and genuinely friendly. It's not every day you get that level of service, and it made a huge difference.
​Because of this wonderful experience, I can confidently say I'll be back“

“Party of 15 tonight, food was excellent and the waiters were great especially Evan! Hope we have our Christmas party there next year! Love the place.“

“Went in not too long ago on a Saturday for lunch, from the time we walked in, The owners greeted us with a smile and were very personable, which is a lost art these days, so we were very comfortable from the get go, at that time we had multiple questions about the menu and AGAIN the owners explained every question we had in detail with no fluff, I ordered Italian Wedding Soup which is the BEST I’ve ever eaten, and finished with The Mostro… Great big portions and the food itself was amazing, we finished with desert and when we got the bill… again we was pleasantly surprised… I recommend to the highest powers that be that Ammirato’s Meatball Cafe is a hidden Gem and will definitely return for a different item on the menu“

“Suzanne is an absolute gem! One night after a long roadtrip home we didn't want to cook dinner so we popped in to the restaurant to eat. We had spaghetti & meatballs, and Italian beef sandwich, and ziti with sausage- the atmosphere is so chill and the food is delicious. It was exactly what we needed to wrap up a wonderful weekend!“

“Amazing food and customer service .. best around!“

“My wife and I tried this place for the first time tonight. When picking up the pizza they were very busy. The staff was extremely nice and very Apologetic about our wait time for our pick up order. Now I know why this place was busy, the pizza is amazing!! We are definitely making the trip there to come back!“

“Best Pizza in this area or maybe the best of all. I was in town helping my Uncle and he recommended we try it and I fell in love with their pizza!! In 2 and a half weeks I think I ate here 5-6 times!! Thank you for the great pizza!!“

“Rosati’s is our favorite pizza in the area. The food is always delicious, and we have tried a lot from their menu. I have never had an issue with any of my orders. Tonight I ordered 2 pizzas, an appetizer and an extra side of ranch. My order was missing the ranch, which was not a big deal to me at all. About 30 minutes after I got home, I received a call from Amy apologizing for not including the ranch. All the workers there are so nice, but that took their customer service over the top! Thank you Schererville Rosati’s!! You guys are awesome!“

“Our Girl Scout troop had an amazing experience today making pizzas and getting a tour from the BEST waitress!“

“I have ordered Rosati's pizza delivery many times. Delivery was excellent however our pizza tonight was definitely not up to the regular standards. The crust was soggy, it was light on sauce, and could have cooked a few minutes more. I will continue to order Rosati pizza as I feel it is the best in the area. Maybe just a difficult night for the cook.“

“What a lovely experience! Started off with some fresh, homemade cheese sticks and a glass of their delicious Borgoña based sangria. Ended up filling up on the Guadito, Papa Rellena, and Lomo Saltado. Everything was perfect. So good. Will be back for more!“

“We love this place! The food is always hit and delicious and the servers are always friendly!“

“I like to think that im a pizza connoisseur, I can look at pizza pictures and tell if it will be good or not to try. So that what I did for this place and they did not disappoint it was the best pizza I had in long time. I eat Nancy's and Italian village in Illinois, and Mama D's is way better. The pizza was thin with the right amount of sauce and cheese. Very well seasoned pizza! Im telling everyone.“

“the Chicago thin crust taste here in hammond. The butter crust is a must have. Not to mention it's so crispy so none of that floppy pizza.“

“Riley is AMAZING!! She always greets us with a big smile and makes us feel right at home. She is very attentive to our needs & always makes sure everything is exactly right. She is such a joy to chat with, too. She’s a fantastic server (& person, in general) and we look forward to requesting her every time we dine-in.♥️“

“We ordered for the first time in a LONG time and it was THE BEST pizza we had! We will 💯 be ordering more often!“

“Unfortunately I hadn’t been ordering from this Rosati’s, although it’s been in my backyard. I’d had it in the past but due to unhappiness with service, and seeing negative reviews I hadn’t ordered in years.

This past weekend I had a specific craving for Chicago style thin crust pizza. My spouse suggested we give it a try. Wow! It blew us both away by how good the pizza was. It was everything we wanted and more. The “fabulous four” (Italian sausage, mushroom, green pepper, and onion) was mouthwateringly delicious! The Italian sausage savory and the veggies were so fresh. It was even better the next day, reheated in our toaster oven. The other pizza was fantastic too. Along with the few appetizers we ordered. Their marinara sauce tastes so fresh and is the perfect balance of savory and just a hint of sweet.

I cannot believe we haven’t been ordering from here for so long but now that we’ve had it again and tasted the quality we will be loyal customers. It’s a littler more price wise than our local chains around here like Domino’s but I promise you, if you like Chicago style thin crust and quality ingredients it is so worth it. The best part is getting an authentic Chicago pizza without traveling to the city.“

“This was our second time in. The first time we just sat at the bar and had dinner. The food was great off the menu and the staff was very friendly. Our second time in we had a party for 50 so we had a food and bar package along with renting simulators. The food was great again and everyone had a lot of fun! Our servers Danielle and Kim were exceptional as was Sean the manager. I highly recommend this place for a fun evening out! We will be back!“

“Dear Aurelio's Staff,

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for the exceptional service we received during my husband's surprise 60th birthday party at your Winfield location. From the initial planning stages to the final touches on the decorations, your team was incredibly accommodating and helpful, going above and beyond to ensure everything ran smoothly. The level of personalized attention was truly remarkable.

The party was a resounding success, largely thanks to your dedication. The food was absolutely delicious – a delightful array of options that catered to all tastes. The breadsticks were perfectly crisp, the salad refreshing, and the Mostaccioli was a particular hit. The pizza, roast beef, and the carefully curated selection of beer, wine, and soft drinks completed a truly superb spread. I was especially impressed that you were able to accommodate my request for my husband's favorite beer, even though it's not typically on your menu – that extra effort truly made a difference.

Having 50 guests and managing to stay under $20 per person was a pleasant surprise and a testament to your efficient and cost-effective catering services. More importantly, the party was a memorable and joyous occasion, exceeding all expectations. My husband had the best birthday celebration he’s ever experienced, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

Thank you again for your outstanding service and for helping to create such a wonderful and unforgettable event.

Sincerely, Victoria“

“Always Great!“

“What a perfect delicious pizza [Original] What a perfect delicious pizza“

“Took a night vacation fom Illinois and ordered delivery to Hilton Garden Inn Merrillville and the pizza came HOT AND FRESH😍 like it was fresh from the oven! Delivery was fast and delivery driver was so sweet! Great pizza!! So glad to have an Aurelio's in Crown Point!!“

“Giordano's Pizza tastes great.... all the time! Taste is consistent regardless if it's dine-in or take out! I've enjoyed Giordano's for at least 10 years now and looking forward for more! First time doing business with Schererville and it is very pleasant. Thank you Schereville team!“

“First time ordering the Italian beef sandwiches and I will definitely be getting from now on. The bread was soft, the neat was tender and not salty which is amazing because my family has heart problems. The au jus was perfect, not salty at all . My family and I absolutely loved it. P.s thank you for not putting salt on the fries they were excellent.“