50 Best Italian Restaurants near Essex

“Never had anything bad. Best pizza bar none. Well managed by Jason.“

“I can only recommend the cheese steaks here because that's all I ever get but would be willing to bet other things are great too. Quick service polite staff good food .. hard to beat this place IMO.“

“Favorite pizza in MD. I've been going to Pizza John's my whole life. Cheeseburger subs are also pretty good.“

“Thanks Ricardo for your awesome Customer Service and addressing me by my name!“

“Food did not disappoint Staff was very friendly Favorites chicken momos , pizza fries, Greek pizza and gyros. I will be back next time I visit Maryland“

“below average pizza. missed order notes. feedback is padded. I know someone who works there.“

“I L❤️VE the suicide wings! The food is always delicious🤗“

“Excelente , la comida muy rica , muy amables estuvieron pendiente de nuestra mesa en todo momento la comida llego rápido y caliente excelente servicio“

“Best dining experience all weekend!“

“We are visiting from Canada. We received fantastic service and the food was incredible. The restaurant even helped us get back to our hotel when the cab didn't show up as our phones weren't working. Thank you Abigail and the hostess (unfortunately I can't remember her name). They ended our evening on a positive note which won't be forgotten 🤗. 5 stars.“

“We celebrated my daughter's 21st birthday at Sotto Sopra last night and had the best experience! we were met by name at the door! Given prosecco when we arrived at our table! Had a delicious 3 course meal. And then dessert with sparkler! The atmosphere was amazing - beautiful decor, clean, perfect acoustics so you could hear and talk, but also wonderful selection of music playing in the background. And our waiter was just amazing and so attentive and friendly! Perfect restaurant for your special occasion! I cant wait to go back! Thank you for making our daughter's birthday so special!“

“I recommend Limoncello Baltimore for delicious food and nice atmosphere! Baltimore is known for its restaurants and Limoncello demonstrates great quality and excellent service.“

“Had the Italian deluxe sub today & it was amazing. Fresh ingredients, fresh bread. I loved it!!!!!“

“I can’t say enough good things about this place! Every time we go here for dinner, we always enjoy! The staff is friendly and the owner Jerome is awesome! He comes to the table not only to greet you and to make sure everything is okay. He even takes the empty dishes off the table. He’s always helping out around the restaurant. Love this place!!!“

“This is one of those places that leaves you speechless. The service is good and the environment is comfortable, but the food. The food is next level, it’s Nona in the kitchen good. Just pure home style Italian cooking in the best way possible. Definitely one of the best in Baltimore.“

“Ordered off of their catering menu for my wife's birthday. I purchased the Margharita Seafood Special with shrimp, scallops and lump crabmeat in a rose' cream sauce and it was excellent! The homemade meatballs jad everybody raving and their sausage, onions and peppers in marinara sauce was also great. Thankfully we had some left overs that we are still enjoying. Lastly was their Greek salad, very fresh and loaded with feta cheese. I definitely recommend these folks for your next lunch or dinner or when you need an event catered. Call and ask for Saul and he and the staff there will take great care of you!!“

“Food was great , service was great. No complaints.“

“The service was phenomenal. We were there for my sis in laws 50th Birthday (came in from Columbus,Oh and they treated her amazingly. Our server was great managing staff amazing.“

“Went to dinner with friends here and had a phenomenal meal. Banger after banger with fresh seasonal ingredients and well crafted plates. Mussels were rich and meaty and the pastas were excellent. Nice wine menu and enjoyed the offerings particularly a complex rose. Ben, our server, was incredible and took really good care of us. Will definitely be back.“

“By far one of the best Italian restaurants my husband and I have ever visited. Great atmosphere. Super friendly staff. Delicious food. Will be back during our next visit to Baltimore.“

“I love how some things never change, like how certain restaurants are always good. Cinghiale is one of them“

“beautiful restaurant, but the food and service was amazing! highly recommend!!!“

“Delicious breakfast. Thank you so much for your hospitality.“

“The food is authentic Italian and delicious!!! Great drinks. The staff is tremendous! Attentive and kind. Shout-out to Raven, Tim and Emilio! Always have leftover!“

“Best Italian food in the area. Service is the best. Can't get any better.“

“Real Italian cuisine is served here in ample helpings. Mama's Favorite Caesar salad can be split for two people. It's loaded with soft fresh mozzarella, artichoke, & sundried tomatoes. It's my favorite, too. The lasagna had so much of the wonderful delicate tomato sauce, it was covered. This is the real authentic lasagna of Italy. For a tasty pasta with a kick, the Salmone Al Pesto has a marvelous creamy pesto sauce, & a heaping of small fresh button mushrooms. They say it's only 6 oz. of salmon but the whole plate was covered in large segments of it--it's large enough to take home for a second dinner. Mama had made her own Tiramisu. The delicate sponge soaked with flavor is something not to be missed. Get it when you can. The service from Madison was attentive, friendly, knowledgeable & extremely helpful. This is a wonderful place for authentic Italian meals.“

“OMGOSH, this place is FABULOUS. Came for lunch after Dr appt best ( lost) decision we made. We will be back. Service was Great ( perfect ) Started with Espresso martini ( best I ever had ) Crab soup absolutely delish topped with lots of lump crab meat. No shells. We shared Shrimp Gondola ABSOLUTELY FREAKING AMAZING. Shrimp on toasted baguette bread with simply delicious cream sauce. ( a definite must try) Hubby got pizza with mushroom n sausage. WoW!! I ordered Grilled Chicken Pesto Panni , which came with fries or mixed greens( I opted for mixed greens ) I will have to update on taste because I could not even take a bite of panini. I did eat the greens which were also delish. Do yourself a favor try this place. We will definitely be back. Yes it's a two hrs drive but worth it. Cheers to entire staff. Thanks again Pam n Jerry Wright“

“Outstanding and delicious!! Atmosphere is superb!! Mrs. Hope was a great customer service lady!! Highly recommend!“

“Best Italian food! Excellent home made pasta. Staff are amazing.“

“Nicely appointed dining room, attentive and friendly staff. And our pizza was wonderful.“

“Marta manages to be both lively and cozy simultaneously in a rowhouse that previously housed Salt (one of my all time favorite upscale restaurants) We went for a friend's birthday, and all 3 courses were delicious, beautifully presented, inventive, and not the same old menu that you find everywhere. Very sweet wait staff was super attentive, educated about the food and wine and made great suggestions. Our original wait staff had an emergency and had to leave in the middle of service, but seamlessly another wait person stepped in to covered us. Kudos to the front of house team for handling with such skill and ease. But the food was definitely the star of the show. For me, the standout was the tuna cannoli. I'm not even sure I can do justice to this deliciousness with a crunchy outer "cannoli" shell with a slight hint of sweet surrounding a creamy center of tuna crudi with little dots of avocado cream. And all was covered with a pistachio "dust." The spicy meatballs were delectable nestled in a cloud of creamy spicy ricotta. And the Duck and Foie Gras Panzotti (little triangle ravioli) was creamy, delicious and the perfect combination of delicate tastes. And the Tiramisu Affogato ended the dinner on a delicious note! And for two people with drinks it was really pretty a good deal for the quality if the food, service and location. We will be back! Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 5/5“

“I’ll be honest, I was both excited and skeptical about trying Wonder when it first opened. The whole concept seemed a little strange to me, and I wasn’t sure how it would actually work. Since they were offering 50% off for first time customers when I went, I figured it was worth a try.

We ordered a pizza from Alanza, a double cheeseburger from Burger Baby, and a Build Your Own Bowl from El Diez. Funny enough, the burger, which was the item I was least excited about based on how it looked, ended up being my favorite. It was honestly one of the best burgers I’ve had in a long time. The pizza was a little overdone, but I actually like my pizza that way, so no complaints there. The bowl was good too, though I felt like it was missing a little something. Maybe some extra lime or cilantro would have given it more of that fresh Mexican flavor.

I’d definitely come back and try some of the other restaurants they have. I also really liked the atmosphere. It was quiet, clean, and didn’t feel chaotic, which was nice. The kitchen area looked especially clean, which always leaves a good impression.

If you’ve been curious about Wonder and are looking to try something different, I’d say it’s worth checking out, especially while they’re offering 50% off for new customers. There’s a huge variety of food options, so it’s easy for everyone in your group to find something they’ll enjoy. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised and left more impressed than I expected to be.“

“Great food and wonderful staff!! The service was the best. The whole place is just beautiful. Will definitely be back.“

“We came here last Friday for my fathers wake. Everything was perfect, food was hot and refined quickly. The server, Mike was amazing. Thank you for a wonderful experience.“

“My husband and I were looking for a good meal slightly out of the chaos of Fells Point and stumbled upon this most delicious Italian restaurant. Chef John recommended the Rigatoni alla Vodka with shrimp and it was everything. My husband always particular about seafood felt the shrimp was cooked to perfection. We also had the Buratta as an App and took a Tiramisu to go and enjoy later. We could not have asked for a more enjoyable meal with excellent service. We will be back. If you are looking for an excellent meal in a beautiful environment I recommend it.“

“Dinner with a large group. Our server, Lisa was great in handling all of our orders.“

“We were in town for a family celebration, and Gastro Social really came through for us. The staff could not have been kinder and more attentive, and the food was terrific. As for drinks, some in our party had the sangria, which they loved!“

“Ordered a meatball sub and fries. And definitely one of the best meatball subs I’ve ever had“

“We went for a girls brunch today and it was such a great vibe. Wonderful DJ, Espresso Martini Bar and just overall chill vibes. We loved it and can’t wait to be back! Service was great and food was good!“

“I've been looking for a new carry out in Dundalk, Great pizza and they have the best cheese-steak subs. I love this place“

“Exceptional customer service and the best food in Nottingham! This Italian Delight Sensation truly deserves 5 stars for consistently delivering outstanding experiences.“

“This restaurant is and always will be my favorite the pizza and subs are to die for that was my place go when I lived in Baltimore now every time I visit thats my place to go“

“Italian Chicken Cheesesteak is the best!“

“I was at a birthday catered by Benny’s. The meatballs were outstanding, tender, moist, excellent flavor and the sauce was excellent also! Deep flavors, not strong, with a good texture, without that strong acid, garlicky tomato flavor! Baked pasta was great also! It was good for my tummy also, no reflux, YUMMY 🤗. I highly recommend eating there!!! I’m thinking about ordering for my supper bowl company 👍👍👍👍“

“My daughter and I are in Baltimore for the week. I am 100% Italian and she was craving pasta. After some research I settled on Chiapparelli’s. We went for lunch today. Loved the old school atmosphere and the food was delicious. Eating out has gotten so expensive and I am often disappointed with the food. Not today! We will be back every time we are in Baltimore.“

“We had our rehearsal dinner for our wedding here a few months ago and it was INCREDIBLE. Everybody raved about the food and drink.
The restaurant buyout minimum was very very reasonable compared to other restaurants in the area. The owner, Sam, would also let us do basically anything with the menu. He worked with the chef to make a custom menu for us based on our needs, dietary restrictions, and what was in season at the time. He also picked out wine for the dinner and created a custom cocktail for my wife for the event because there were no mezcal cocktails on the menu at that time.
The service was excellent, the drinks came out fast, and the food was plentiful.
We've also been here a couple times before and since, and it's been the same excellent experience.
We really could not recommend this place enough, it's easily one of the best restaurants in Baltimore!“

“I've enjoyed their outstanding menu for over 15yrs.“

“Great place staff is great nice drinks“

“Hands-down best pizza in town!!!“

“We ate here for the first time on Saturday. The food was amazing! Service was amazing and the staff were so friendly! It was nice to talk to the owner and get his back story and ended with him letting us try a delicious cannoli! We will definitely be back and referring our family and friends here!“