50 Best Italian Restaurants near Wellesley

“2nd visit to your restaurant in the past month comments - the Bar Tender was not very friendly or welcoming - not ignoring customers but not intuned , Like " Hello I'll be right wth you " 2nd small item is the knives - not sharp where they need to be - time for some replacements Thanks“

“Service was amazing. Food was even better. Friendliest staff of any restaurant I’ve ever been to. I live in California and I’m coming back!“

“Fiorellas should more restaurants and takeout food with more food options. Special in wellsley all mass.“

“Little gem of a spot with really good Italian food. You can grab some fresh to-go (uncooked) past and buy meatballs & sausages in sauce separately. The staff is always friendly and there's parking spaces out front, which makes the trip there super convenient!“

“Here’s a polished version in the style of a food critic:

From the moment you step inside, the restaurant makes a strong first impression. Soaring ceilings and a whimsical underwater theme create a distinctive atmosphere, with imaginative light fixtures resembling streams of ocean bubbles and colorful octopus murals adorning the walls. The space feels inviting, thoughtfully designed, and impeccably maintained. Guests can also take advantage of the outdoor dining area, which adds to the restaurant’s appeal.

The kitchen delivers where it matters most. The octopus appetizer, frequently praised by diners, lives up to its reputation with excellent flavor and preparation. The pasta dishes were equally impressive, showcasing well-balanced flavors and expertly executed textures. Each plate demonstrated attention to detail and a solid command of technique.

Service, however, proved to be the restaurant’s weakest point. Despite arriving around 1 p.m. during a relatively quiet period, the pace of the meal was noticeably slow. Given the light crowd, a more efficient turnaround would have been expected. The dining experience was further hindered by inattentive service, as our server checked on the table only once throughout the meal.

Overall, the restaurant offers an enjoyable dining experience highlighted by creative design and well-executed cuisine. While the food is certainly worth trying, the combination of sluggish service and premium pricing makes the value proposition less compelling. At this price point, there are stronger dining options available that deliver a more complete experience.“

“Scott gave us fantastic service! He appeared to be the only server this afternoon but you would never know it—he was so quick and attentive. He put us at a quiet table as requested, then got our order right in, refills on drinks, rolls, and then automatically got us a second pizza to take home as he said the first one didn’t come out the way he wanted it to.. we were so lucky to have him today—thank you Scott for giving us such a wonderful dining experience!!“

“Great food and great service! I even got gluten free chicken parm and spaghetti which was excellent! They have a wonderful food and drink menu. Our server Jess was was excellent as well. The manager Nick greeted us when we came in and found us a great table by the window. So the bottom line is, this is a great restaurant and I'm so happy we found this little gem! We will be back!“

“Marybeth was the sweetest!! Went in to use my birthday meal before it expired and she went above and beyond to make it still feel so special weeks later!! It was our first time at this location and we are definitely coming back. Loved loved loved the lavender blueberry cosmo, brussel sprouts, chicken parm & citrus honey torta!!“

“One of my favorite restaurants in the area for a night out with friends, especially when we are meeting partway between Boston and western suburbs. The food is really delicious, the drinks are great, and the service is attentive. It can get a little loud, but you can definitely still have a conversation. Don’t miss the focaccia and ricotta, but the pizza and pasta are also always outstanding. So are the salads. This place is just really solid.“

“Molto bene! The decor was bright & cheerful, with yellows and whites. The owner’s daughter was friendly, fun, upbeat and managed a very busy & very loud restaurant with grace and patience. She was our server. The food was exceptional. I got meatballs (homemade) and spaghetti. I’m a homemade meatball chef at home and these were delicious! My husband’s braised beef and mashed was delicious, too. Looking forward to coming again!“

“Excellent people exc food great prices!“

“Spiga is our absolute favorite restaurant!! We've come a dozen times and it is always the best meal! This particular time, I made a reservation for Father's Day but I accidentally booked it for a week prior - the manager was so incredible and could hear the desperation in my voice, so squeezed us in and made it work by his own kindness, even though the restaurant was fully booked. Our waiter was amazing - the service was incredible from beginning to end and our meal was absolutely delicious and so freshly homemade as always! We cannot wait to come back, thank you Spiga!!“

“We would like to give a higher rating and hope to in the future but there were several areas that could be improved:

1) My husband and I sat on the patio next to the front door. We used to come here alot when it was Petit Robert. They have done a nice job of changing it from French country bistro to modern upscale Italian, still very cozy. It was a lovely evening but it was disrupted by 2 young boys running in and out of the restaurant yelling the score to some game. They continued to yell up and down the sidewalk and climbed the lamppost. It really ruined the vibe. It was surprising that their parents (inside) nor the staff said anything to them. We could over hear the table next to us also commenting about this raucous behavior.

2. The service, although super friendly was slow. We waited for quite some time to place our order and for the bill. I never got the ice that was requested. Perhaps this is because of thr busy crowd on a Friday night.

3. The majority of our dishes were outstanding. The grilled squid appetizer was the best we have had in awhile. The squid was very tender and went perfectly well with the sliced fennel and lemon vinaigrette. My husband's wagyu dish was also beautifully executed. It was cooked to the perfect medium rare and paired nicely with the garlic sauce. Sides included lightly seasoned crispy fingerling potatoes and broccolini also cooked to perfection. I ordered the house special, lobster in vodka sauce with house made pasta. This was the biggest disappointment when the other dishes were so well delivered. The pasta was over cooked and mushy. The sauce was a bit sweet and there were only a few small pieces of lobster claw meat. This was surprising since the dish was more expensive than the wagyu. When the hostess checked in on us, she was gracious in offering to get us something else. I went with the black truffle wheel since we had seen other tables ordering it and the waitress had said it was her favorite dish there. Indeed it was incredible and did not disappoint! The pasta was not overcooked and the sauce was to die for! I loved it and would come back just for that dish alone!

When the bill came out, we assumed that they would have comped us for the lobster dish since that was what we didn't like and had sent it back despite their offering us to take it home. But instead, they had comped us for the truffle dish ($26), which was just over half of the lobster dish ($44). Seemed like a strange unprofessional practice.

Overall we still loved 3 out of 4 dishes so would still come back. Hopefully there won't be screaming kids and perhaps the wait staff would not be as slow.“

“I have never in my life had a steak cheese & mushroom sandwich as good as Lola’s. We stopped in for a quick dinner Wednesday and I have been thinking (dreaming?) since then about how delicious it was. It’s a bit far for us to come there regularly but I can’t wait to visit again.“

“Excellent high end meal in Waltham. The mushroom souffle is a signature dish with great sauce. The Tuscan kale ceasar salad is likely the best kale salad I have ever had. The chicken schnitzel main is a bomb of flavor. Strong, attentive service from the staff.“

“Beautiful interior and food was amazing. The staff and bartenders were very attentive as well.“

“Thank you for a nice chicken parm dinner. It was very good and a nice portion. I'll be back!“

“This was our first visit. The restaurant has plenty of natural light, space and free parking in back. Our meals were delicious and the portions are very generous! I especially enjoyed the peach panzanela salad and chicken marsala. The service was on point. We will be back!“

“I lived in Italy and did culinary school there. I've eaten at hundreds of authentic Italian restaurants. No restaurant in USA has really ever scratched the itch of those places like Trattoria Nina. I last ate here 6 years ago and I'm happy to report this place still scratches that itch. It really feels like you've been invited into someones home off the street in Firenze or Bologna and you're eating nonna's cooking.
The music was charming and it's such a great vibe. Excited to come back soon.

ʕ⁠ ⁠ꈍ⁠ᴥ⁠ꈍ⁠ʔ“

“Great service and delicious food“

“I just ate here for the first time and it was excellent! What a local gem. The food was very tasty and the service was amazing; I felt like I was at someone's personal event the way we were attended to like old friends and not a restaurant. Amd the prices were very reasonable. I will definitely be back. Thank you!!“

“always excellent food and service!“

“Always great food and service!“

“Came in today with the family, and we were admittedly quite impatient. The host was so incredibly articulate and she made our culinary experience ten times better. Highly recommend Emily, she is phenomenal at her job and we will come back!!“

“Went in for my birthday dinner. Service was great and the food was fantastic. Will definitely be back again.“

“My family and I were looking for places to eat before a family friend’s play in Belmont. We decided to stop in and nothing short of amazing! The staff welcomes you when you walk in, super friendly and were very generous. Place was busy which is a good sign and ton of people doing pick up orders. The pizza was very authentic and probably the best I have had in a long time. The hot honey tenders were delicious. I wish we had one close to me, I would be a loyal customer!“

“My family makes it there at least once a month. Best mussels on the planet. Bolognese, risotto, chicken parm, rosemary chicken, Lamb shank, something for everyone. Best friendliest staff ever. BYOB makes it even more fun. Daphne, Shannon, Joe, Angel, Dillon…all the bomb!“

“Adrian was the best service we have had in a long time. Great place ask for him if you want great service. Will be back.“

“Dinner was fantastic!! Order to go…Veal piccata with linguine, Fresh Italian bread and Italian, sparkling….Sanpellegrino orange drink, with a fresh cannoli made to order.
Everything was exceptionally tasty. The VEAL in particular was exceptional.., very tender and cooked to perfection.. Cannoli was freshly made directly in front of you, with a nice firm shell.. portion size was generous. The bread was actually stupendous too!
This establishmen continues to never ever disappoint. Consistently great and reasonably priced.
HIGHLY RECCOMEND!!
Keep up the great work thank you for a delightful meal.“

“Good food, friendly staff, affordable for lunch and catering“

“Enjoyed a delicious brunch here today - they also serve their regular menu all day. Staff was friendly, beautiful space.“

“On October 2nd, we hosted a Rehearsal Dinner for 35 that opened up to a Welcome Party for 90. The transition in their beautiful event space was seamless, thanks to Joanna and her wonderful staff. Leading up to the events, Joanna answered any question I threw at her. It was especially comforting since I was organizing from Florida. The food at the rehearsal dinner was delicious, chicken parm, salmon, gnocchi. The service, both food and drink was exceptional. We did a prix fixe menu and Joanna created a specific menu for our event. It felt very special. For the welcome party with an open bar, we chose a charcuterie board, fruit platter, meatballs and arancini all served buffet style. High top tables were added to accommodate the additional guests. Again, Joanna and her staff paid attention to every detail. As the hostess, besides wanting great food and service for my guests, it was extremely important that I got to enjoy my son’s wedding festivities. I had the best time not having to worry about a thing. I can’t thank Joanna and her staff enough for making it all happen.“

“We stopped in today because we were in town for another reason and skeptically asked whether they had anything for vegans (you can't tell quickly from looking at the menu). The kind person behind the counter was genuinely happy to tell us they had great vegan cheese, we should get a pizza - - we did and we LOVED it, just like my favorite NY pizza. The nicest thing was that they really wanted us to be happy, and we were. Thank you, we will make a drive to be back!“

“Delish dinner. Swordfish & fresh vegetables. Scrumptious tart for dessert!“

“We had a lunch with my coworkers and the food was absolutely amazing , everything was delicious, I had Fruti Di Mare and it was to die for. Our server Alexia was lovely , she made sure we were taken care of, always checking in on us !
Great atmosphere I would definitely be coming back“

“Fantastic place to hang out to be with friends always a great time and awesome food 😊😊😊“

“just had one of the best dinners I have had in a long time..the server was (Evan) superb..the food (veal parm) was outstanding..the salad is always great..I really appreciate great Italian food and this was wonderful..“

“The food and service was outstanding. We were greeted by the owner,John Testa, he oversees the whole operation. Huge portions, a well balanced plate (not too heavy on the pasta) the Italian Chop Salad for two can feed four. The waitstaff are friendly and efficient. Looking forward to going back .“

“I and my husband had a dinner yesterday and food was delicious, Angelo, our server was excellent, real pro. The restaurant by itself gave us a feeling of the real Italy. Thank you!“

“Love Arlington Cafe, got delivery , ordered through Amazon Grub Hub, Great pizza with out cheese, garlic bread, Baklava.“

“you took all the Italian food that made you what you were, a great Italian restaurant. Now you are just another mediocre restaurant with hummus and meh food and $$$$$ Bad choice. Where is the gnocchi??? and everyone has veal and chicken parmesan... not impressed“

“Rachael was an amazing server! She was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. She checked in on us at the perfect times, had a great attitude, and made the entire experience enjoyable. Her excellent customer service truly stood out, and I would definitely ask to be seated in her section again. Thank you, Rachael, for making our visit so great!“

“Very family Friendly as well has a Very Nice Bar-Everything i have had is Superb-Large portion-The bingo on Tuesday is alot of Fun!!“

“We went for Mother's day . The food was outstanding. I can't say enough for a 5 stars it was fabulous. The place was beautiful, food unbelievable, and service was little bit slow it turn out great at the end. I can't wait for Father's Day hope to be there.This is the place to go.“

“Best place,great food.Highly recommend 🥰🥰🥰🥰“

“great pizza hot rolls and dipping oil. kid friendly excellent service“

“Lovely and welcoming hosts and servers! I went there with my team for dinner on Friday and we sat in the back where there’s a large table. They were very kind and catering to us.

I’m also allergic to a bunch of things but they’re really good with that. I had the GF pasta + spinach + chicken (no dairy specified) and it was super good. One of the best I’ve had. Would recommend!“

“Annie is the most awesome bartender.she is so personable and helpful it was a great experience in Waltham“

“Excellent food and service.“

“The food was just as I remembered“