50 Best Italian Restaurants in St. Louis

“We wanted Italian food and we decided to go on the hill to Zia‘s. We ordered pasta dishes, which was extremely nice portion size. The bread was delicious when you dip it in olive oil. I also had the French martini which was delicious. I think if you have a taste for Italian food pasta, you couldn’t find a better place.“

“Stuffed squash blossom, delicious!! Did not get the margarita had a different cheese pizza with garlic can’t remember the name. It was great except 2 slices had no cheese. Will definitely be back but need more cheese!!“

“Bartolinos South is our favorite nice restaurant. Not only is the food consistently wonderful but they always work to please you. We celebrate all special occasions there. Recently we reserved their front room which holds a max of 16, I believe. They went out of their way to make the setting perfect (even bringing in a small table for our use). Our waiter, Karen, was discreet in providing us perfect service without interrupting our shared conversation/memories as we were toasting a dear friend on her birthday. I can’t say enough about how flawless they made our luncheon. Bartolinos will remain our favorite not only for the quality of the food but for their personal attention.“

“Fantastic food & incredible service made our 24th wedding anniversary celebration memorable.“

“We chose to have our happy hour drinks here & we chose to have dinner here, too. Service was excellent (bartender deserves a raise, she was great!). We split a steak & sides which were delicious. The last night we dined there I had the scallops and risotto and it was amazing! We loved dining here!“

“We went tonight to celebrate a birthday. Food was amazing and the staff were very friendly. The owner spoke to us a couple of time’s. Looking forward to going back.“

“I have been wanting to get here for several years, and we finally made it, tonight, to Anthonino's Taverna, a short distance from Rob's place. (Fun fact, this place has been spotlighted twice on Guy Fieri's Food Channel Show. I can now see why. 🥰) Well, I wish I had made it here sooner. But, that's behind us, and tonight was a delicious, and delightful night. Our waitress, Bailee, had the excellent insight to know it takes awhile to decide on a drink, and dinner choices. It doesn't matter if you read the menu online or not. Changes are always added. She gave us the grace to settle in for a few minutes. She gave us enough time to settle in so we could make our choices. Rob had a Kona Wave draft, and I had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Bailee brought us bread made, and baked on The Hill with great quality olive oil, and herbs for dipping. Rob ordered the lasagna, and I opted for the Tutti de Mare with seafood, garlic, butter, and olive oil. My dinner was delicious, and made with freshly made pasta, and a perfect mix of perfectly cooked wild caught seafood of mussels,shrimp, clams, and squid. Rob's lasagna also featured freshly made pasta sheets, Anthonino's red sauce, sausage, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese. I tasted it, and it's your pick here if you love lasagna. Homemade taste that brought me back to my grandmother's and my mother's tables. 🥰❤️ I also felt welcomed, and comfortable as soon as I walked through the door. Italian girl here, and I would highly recommend this place for the food, drinks, the customer service, and the ambiance. I am already planning to come back on my next trip here. Anthonino's Taverna“

“First time at Failoni’s yesterday. Had pasta and marinara (I know, not very daring). The marinara can stand on its own. Wonderful. Loved the ambiance, neighborhood vibe. We were made to feel welcome right away. Was with two friends and we will be back!!“

“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pictured below is the Gonzo calzone- Salami, dates, spinach, garlic herb cheese, mozzarella, mascarpone-ricotta blend, and garlic oil with garlic butter on the side. My husband looked at me like I was crazy when I read off dates but the slight sweetness against all of that savory is what made it!! We also tried the Fatty B, Meat me in St Louie, Magic Carpet Ride, and the Gyro. They were all amazing but the Gonzo and the Gyro were my favorites. The Magic Carpet Ride is also a must try if you're into mushrooms.“

“Every dish I have tried has been a 5 star!“

“We came into Charlie Gitto’s on the Hill with no reservation, to celebrate my birthday. There was a short wait for seating but we got drinks and were checked on during our wait. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable with pairing drinks with food. The lobster ravioli and manicotti were delicious!! I look forward to going back in the future.“

“Delicious food. Friendly atmosphere. Great service. Great happy hour menu! Great little local gem. Everyone is so kind. Shannon was great!“

“I can’t stop thinking about YOU! My husband and I visited our friends in St. Louis in July. We’re from Michigan & they said that this was the place we HAD to go to no negotiations. I’m a pasta girl so I said no problem! This place is absolutely amazing. I had a special rigatoni with shrimp and oh my goodness. Chefs kisss doesn’t define it. The food was so delightful and definitely Italian authentic! Homemade noodles, sauce from scratch, delicious wine, high quality meats….the list goes on. The only problem now is I’m 1,000 miles away with no hope of ever eating it again. Trattoria Marcella…I love you! I’ve been thinking about you! And I wish I could go BACK! Highly recommend. It’s one of those places that is excellent from the moment you walk in to the moment you walk out. The manager is delightful as well! Don’t think about it! Just do it!!!“

“We just left and had an amazing experience!!! From the food, to the server and the young man clearing our plates. Absolutely wonderful!!! Will definitely be back again - very soon!“

“Guido’s is the best! Every meal I have had there is top notch. It’s our “go to” restaurant!“

“Nice, relaxing atmosphere. Great servers. Amazing, authentic food.“

“Had a catered lunch brought to work for a special occasion. Everything was perfect. The catering crew out did themselves. Every dish was fresh and the hot food was perfect temperature. Thank you!!!!!“

“Went there for the first time Sunday and it was a great place. The food was delicious and the owner came out and greeted every table and was super nice.“

“great food and hearty portions 👍definitely recommend“

“Our family opted to eat out for Thanksgiving. I’m so glad we chose Pietros. The staff were so friendly and welcoming— like family! Service was timely and the food was incredible!“

“Pasta con Broccoli sauce was like water, no flavor! Moved the noodles to my wife’s dish and took it home. Service was good. Stuffed Mushrooms were ok. Won’t go back“

“Last night was our second time to Lorenzo’s Trattoria and again it was amazing. Our waiter, Jose, was energetic and friendly, always with a true smile on his face, wait staff kept our drinks full and used dishes cleared, but the best part was the food. Absolutely delicious! We will be back many times!“

“One of the best restaurants on the hill which is known for their Italian cuisine. You won’t be disappointed. White tablecloth, excellent service. The Rolls served hot in a basket with butter is easy to overindulge in. The calamari was cooked perfectly. If you like risotto, try the risotto with lobster. Veal Parmesan is excellent. If you’re lucky, you may hear Dominic sing at one of the tables for a birthday or anniversary! This is the real deal folks.“

“We ate there 2 nights ago. All dishes the three of us had were exceptional. Even the simple dishes were spectacular. I don’t think I’ve had a better meal in my life. Chef Adam came to our table of number of times and got us just what we wanted. The portions were huge. Everyone should go here and keep going back.“

“Best food and kindest people!“

“My partner and I were impressed with the friendliness of service and amazing food. We will definitely go back. 5-star place, for sure.“

“The food is delicious and consistent. I love the calzones and the salad.“

“One of the best parts of St. Louis food culture, this restaurant exemplifies Italian Pasta at its finest. Well done!“

“We ate lunch here Sunday after church October 16, 2022 and had the most attentive and delightful waiter named Chandler! Our food was great and took enough home for two more meals! Really love Joey B’s thanks n the Hill!“

“My husband and I came here for our 9 year anniversary and almost left before ordering. Sabrina started the save of our business by providing excellent customer service after we experienced extremely poor customer service from the young hostess. First the young hostess attempted to sit us in a loud, busy section of the restaurant so we asked if we could sit on the other side where it was much more quiet and enjoyable. She agreed but stated we would have to wait for a table to open up. We agreed and waited approximately 10 minutes which was no problem. The hostess then tried to sit us at a table and when we requested a booth seating she just simply said none were available even though there were clearly a couple empty booths available in that area. The upsetting part of that was she didn't even offer us the option to wait for a booth to open, she made it seem like the table was the only option and walked away. When approached by the server Sabrina we explained the situation and she immediately sat us at an empty booth and apologized. Then our assigned server Ashley continued to provide excellent customer service turning our poor experience into a wonderful one. So thank you Sabrina and Ashley for making our anniversary dinner an exceptional experience!“

“Thanks for the OVER PRICED BLOODY WINGS! 🤮🤮🤮“

“I would say that this place has the true St. Louis style Pizza that are you looking for it's the best I have ever had. I've been here in St. Louis for 50 years and Joe bacardy's fire. Bricked oven Pizza is 10 above all, the rest. I am a lifer and I will get no Pizza unless it's from there. I'd rather spend a couple extra bucks and get what I really love. Hats off to James Bacardi at the Watson location..“

“Great service. Delicious food.“

“We celebrated our 40 th anniversary last week. We also celebrated our 1 st anniversary at their restaurant on the hill. Wow how time flies. To manage a consistent product every evening over a long time period is a credit to Dominic, Jackie and the entire crew. It's so hard to be good every night. The food is original recipe.... not all the fad items. Quality ingredients prepared with care by people you enjoy their careers. Appetizers were delicious....salads were chilled an looked terrific on the plates....dinners were served hot from the kitchen..... the servers knew where the correct item was to be served. No need to ask... who gets this item. Plates were removed when finished by an attentive assistant and water glasses were filled several times. Server knew the menu well and made solid recommendations. What could have been better..... well after dinner the owner stopped by the table to say hello and check on our experience.... that made it perfect! We also got to say hello to his wife Jackie. Treat yourself to an original Italian meal in Clayton. Thank you Amy and Marvin for a wonderful evening.“

“Robin and I ate here Friday night (5/3). We were immediately seated outdoors in the lovely courtyard, flanked by a large, ivy covered wall. Every bite we had from the salad, Brussels Sprouts, Burrata, Wild Mushroom Risotto, and their award winning Amaretto Pie was better than the last. It truly tasted like Italy and has our wholehearted recommendation!“

“I was at Pasta House today with a group. Our server was excellent and greeter was pleasant! My side House Salad was delicious… the way I remember as I haven’t been in a long time and rolls delish as well. However my Chicken Breast was terrible and honestly should be taken off the Menu. I’m actually shocked that they let it go out of the kitchen as were the ladies sitting near me. The chicken breast had obviously been cut in half, so was very thin and dry with burnt pieces on it and was hard to cut and chew. I tried 2 bites and then asked to get another one which my group was about done so I only took one bite and took the rest home. I just tried eating it for dinner and although it was a tiny bit better than the first one, it was still dry and inedible so I made myself a sandwich instead. The side pasta I brought home also wasn’t good. I really do not like to do bad reviews but I spent $15 on this mostly inedible meal and thought others should know Thank you!“

“Very,very accommodating on a busy Saturday night. (July 13)“

“Very nice ppl. Best pizza ?“

“We ordered a couple different sandwiches.. including the ORIGINAL… and holy smokes!! The ORIGINAL HOT SALAMI.. STOP! Right there .. unbelievable.. we also had the Meatball, and the Italian Trio.. but I’m trying every thing on the menu! 13 STARS“

“We ordered this pizza through doordash and received the wrong pizza. We went back to the store because doordash was entirely unhelpful and the owner replaced our pizza for the correct one for no charge. He was very kind and helpful as well!“

“Our first time visiting and it was a very memorable experience that we will highly recommend others to see for themselves. The waitress we had was on top of her duties taking care of us in spite of the extra large table that came in after us. Thank you for such amazing food and excellent customer service.“

“My Son and I like to go on Mondays to the Woods Mill location. Alyssa is our regular server. She’s exceptional!! Great service consistently. Food is always exceptional! I’ve been going to this establishment for decades!!“

“Food is amazing, atmosphere is very nice, service staff are wonderful! Recommend the asparagus & prosciutto, pistachio goat cheese, bruschetta, their antipasti plates are all good! Also the house mixed greens is fresh and delicious, and they have amazing pastas and entrees. Our favorites are the Ragu alla Bolognese, fettuccine tres amici, tortellini with cream, the salmon is the best ever, and their steaks are fantastic. And you have to have an espresso martini. Definitely recommend. Sit on the patio if it’s nice out, it’s beautiful.“

“We were in St Peter’s Mo. and were going to go to Olive Garden for my Wife’s birthday, when I told our clerk at the hotel she said she would recommend the Pasta House over the Olive Garden. We went and had supper. Everything we had was great better than the other place. We took desert back to the room and it was great. I would recommend to anybody.“

“Awesome pizza! Always fresh, cheesy and hot. I'm holding out hope they'll one day offer mozzarella cheese sticks. 😉“

“Pizza was cooked perfect and the crust was delicious!“

“Great food and service“

“Great experience at Sauce on the Side! My boyfriend and I came to St.Louis for the day and love trying something new everytime and this was a great choice. Staff was really friendly and gave suggestions and the calzones were very filling and delicious!“

“Great sandwiches and soups“

“It was such a great time! Food excellent, wine even better and the atmosphere was so awesome. Low lighting just a great vibe“