50 Best Italian Restaurants near Guilderland

“I heard amazing things about Marisa’s so we finally tried it for the first time. We were originally going to get slices, but when we first walked in, there was no place to sit and have a slice. We would’ve had to sit in our car. The kitchen staff were not friendly, looked pretty miserable and had an attitude when we asked questions. Maybe it was the heat. It was a pretty hot day, but we decided to go into the dining room and sat at a high top by the bar because the dining room was rather small and they had reservations. Not a problem. The food was excellent. The bartender who was the waitress was so nice and personable. She provided a great service. She was attentive and very timely. My husband and I both ordered our own personal pizza which was a good size, we ordered the homemade mozzarella sticks and I had a house salad. Love the food! It was great. Our bill came to $60. We did not have alcohol. I don’t mind spending money on good food. We will definitely return.“

“Had dinner last night at Johnny's and it was amazing. The food was delicious. Our waitress, Vanessa made our evening magical.“

“Absolutely wonderful experience! I took 12 employees out to celebrate the holiday season and see a show in Albany. From the time we called for a reservation, right through dinner, the entire staff, and especially our server Casey were so welcoming and accommodating. The drinks, food, and service were all superb! Casey made us feel like we were the only thing that mattered in the restaurant, while the kitchen and bar handled some special requests with ease! In a world where the meaning of hospitality seems to have been forgotten by so many, this restaurant still knows what it means, and executes flawlessly. I highly recommend, and will definitely be back when in the Albany area. (I may even have to make a special trip back just for this restaurant!)“

“Food was delicious and well presented. Lighting was wonderful for a quiet relaxing dinner. Our waitress was very attentive and well prepared when we came into the restaurant and one of the guests has a mobility scooter. Making this one of our favorite spots to dine out. Also opened on Monday where many other restaurants are closed.“

“I’ve had their Pizza and Subs and both were delicious. High quality ingredients as well as very good service, definitely a go too when on Upper Union St“

“Grappa 72 has always been my favorite. ❤️here’s why. I hadn’t been in awhile- used to go frequently, so I grabbed a to-go order of their excellent fettuccini bolognese and some bruschetta to take home after a very long drive- ❤️❤️❤️and had a glass of wine at their friendly and comfortable bar while I waited. It’s 100 degrees outside- so I wasn’t dressed (shorts and an ocean city tee lol) but it was early.. so I popped in to wait for my order. From reception to bar to the chef popping out with my order- to the other lovely guests who were popping in as well and enjoying banter and kind conversation.. the bartender primo making everyone happy- I can’t tell you how much that atmosphere warms my soul. Good people, great food, no pretensions, phenomenal service.. and I can attest from so many previous visits- a warm and inviting dining room where when they have music you never want to leave. Soooo well done from every aspect. Thanks Grappa!!! I’ll be back soon, I’ve missed you while I’ve been away! Did I mention the bolognese? It’s better than my own- and that’s saying a lot! 😉Sincerely, Mary“

“I'm from Scotia and this was my first time here Thursday, 8/28. It will NOT be my last.“

“I had my daughter’s baptism celebration at Canalis and I truly want to thank them for going above and beyond for our daughter’s special day. We rented out the banquet room and it was absolutely perfect. The food and service was exceptional. Thank you again Canalis. I highly recommend for any future event.“

“Traveled from Clifton Park today to have a fabulous Italian meal in Rotterdam. I sat at the bar, and ordered the chicken francese. My lunch came with a salad and some crispy Italian bread. A very generous portion of the chicken and a side of penne. What a beautiful place inside. I'll have my leftover chicken for lunch tomorrow. 5 out of 5 stars for me. Thanks for a great meal. I'll be back.“

“Absolutely amazing, huge portions, amazing homemade pasta, great service!“

“Pollo alla Rusa, perfection, bread and butter, perfection, vegetables, perfection, portion sizes ample. BYOB Chef seasoned my meal expertly! Atmosphere could use a bit of upgrading. Best real Italian meal I have had in Florida.“

“Went for dinner with a group of 10 people and had a wonderful evening! Everyone’s food was outstanding and the service was impeccable! I especially loved that the owner came around to all of the tables in the restaurant to see if everyone was happy - SUCH a sweet lady!! Overall, A++ experience!!“

“Authentic Italian! Reminded me of eating in my Nona’s dining room! The meal was phenomenal starting with the delicious salad dressing, crusty Italian bread & eggplant parmigiana with spaghetti.“

“We stumbled on the place by chance and were not disappointed. The bartender, Jill was very friendly. Our meals were full of flavor. My husband got the chicken parm and I the barramundi. Finished by a tiramisu martini with a side of tiramisu. Sooooo good. We will definitely go back! Oh! The fresh bread and olive oil topped with tapenade was delish as well!“

“We are so happy we chose Stella for our daughter's Bridal Shower brunch. The private room was perfect for a small group; the service was wonderful; and every brunch option was absolutely delicious. The desserts were delectable too. A special thank you to Ali for coordinating every aspect of the event. We couldn't recommend you higher!“

“While I expected to have Coal Fired Pizza, it wasn't available. That being said the lasagna was excellent, the meatballs had great flavor and you got 4 of them. The spaghetti carbonara was delicious and the penne ala vodka had a red pepper kick to it.

Over all the food was good. I just had a hankering for the pizza and when I saw it advertised on the window I was super excited... but quickly disappointed.“

“BEST ITALIAN FOOD IN THE NORTEAST ,“

“Not only does Grano have amazing food, but their customer service is also fantastic! I went there recently before a show at Proctors, and unfortunately the kitchen was a little behind, and we did not have enough time to eat. When leaving Proctors, our server was waiting outside the theater to give us our food to take home. They really went above and beyond. I will definitely be going back soon!“

“Absolutely phenomenal establishment! The staff here go out of their way to meet, greet and actually take time to have a conversation with you. This restaurant feels like home. There are a lot of regulars here.

Let’s talk about the food…. As the pictures indicate, plating is beautiful! The portions are generous. The flavor is exquisite! Everything was just Perfect.

Rachel was our server. She was very attentive even though she has a lot of tables. We didn’t have to wait or wonder when a drink would be refilled. The remainder of the wait staff hustled and bustled. Tommy and Joe made us feel welcomed and important. We can’t wait to come back! Go Bills! Oh and Josh Allen, Joe says hello :)“

“Thank you! For a great take out order!! For my Mother on Mother’s Day! Delish! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I will be back!“

“The service was incredible, the food was unforgettable, and the price point was very fair. Despite being overwhelmed with several tables at once, and training a new hire, our server was poised, graceful, and prompt, and was kind enough to offer suggestions for entrees and wine pairings. It was evident that her section was extremely busy, and we were politely notified that the kitchen was short-staffed that Friday evening. But we never would have guessed as the service was outstanding and the food arrived within a reasonable time. Thank you to our beautiful server whose name I regrettably cannot recall (dark hair, crow tattoo, drop-dead gorgeous) and to the kitchen for making our night exceptionally enjoyable.“

“I haven't always been satisfied with their food BUT I had their Maple Salad with grilled.chicken last night for dinner and it was AMAZING! It was a flavor burst in every bite.“

“Scottis Restaurant is outstanding. The Mussels Marinara Fra Diavolo is one of the best dishes I’ve ever had—perfectly cooked with a bold, spicy sauce. My wife loves the veal parm. Owner Guy is an excellent chef and a genuinely great person. Service is fast, friendly, and attentive. Highly recommend and will be back.“

“The staff is absolutely awesome. Make sure to get a reservation as the place fills up fast. The place is nice but by the time we were nearing the end of our dinner, the place was packed and conversation was near impossible. They need to install a noise-absorbing ceiling or something to help minimize that.“

“Named Albanys best Italian Restaurant for over 10 years .
The food quality is unmatched by most other restaurants anywhere.
Attention to preparation detail is apparent. Good value! Good service!
You can tell they care about producing the best dishes they can
which a rarity today.“

“Solid and reliable! Always good food and great portions- easily accommodated our large party and super attentive staff.“

“Our new place to go. We did the family meal takeout. It was delicious, everything was great. We even added meatballs and sausage, plus canoli's for dessert. The price was more than reasonable for the amount of food. Top notch all the way!!!“

“Thank you! For a great take out order!! For my Mother on Mother’s Day! Delish! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I will be back!“

“Thanks for the pickle pizza!! You made this pregnant lady very happy 🥰🥒🍕“

“All of the food here is amazing! Wonderful family and wonderful food!“

“Last night we played trivia and we had a new waitress named Abby. I want to give a shout out to Abby and Romo’s management for hiring her. She is amazing! I wanted to tell management in person but it’s busy on a trivia night. Abby was so friendly and attentive. She checked backed in with us several times during the night. She’s got a great personality and she knows how to manage her guests. Thanks Abby! You’re the best!“

“Great place to stop when passing through Albany for some quick fresh Italian food take-out for the whole family. Seriously, forget the Thruway rest areas. If you have kids whose staple food is boiled noodles and butter, no matter the time nor the day, Bellini's will satisfy, and won't break the bank. Without a Noodles & co around for at least 100 miles, Bellini's has you covered, and is a must-stop for us. I can also recommend the meatballs and sausage.“

“Been seeing the shop. Finally ordered tonight. Chicken parm sub and a buffalo chicken wrap. Fresh ingredients. Hand cut fries. Excellent. Now my go to for to go.“

“Love the pizza every time!! Counter people they are OK!! Could be a lot better on the personalities and the tables are usually dirty and this is at 11 in the morning. But I love the pizza. And they can work on the fruit fly problems in both Johnny’s and the hamburger place.“

“So this was my first time here…we had a birthday celebration for my boss! About 13 people. Reservations were for 6:00pm. I came about 15 minutes late, and some people had drinks already. We waited for our waitress to return and it was almost 1/2hr. She took our second drink order, and seemed annoyed. The restaurant was very busy (which we were told by other servers) another 1/2hr pasted and finally she took our food orders. At this point, we were very hungry and disappointed-I guess our server had another big table.. So our salads were dropped off but another female server (who seemed very professional and much nicer than our original server) After that things seemed better. Food was good! I just thought about the customer service of the first waitress. She seemed like she didn’t want to be there. I work in customer service (which is very important especially for first impressions) would i recommend this restaurant yes, food was good. Service was not so great.“

“Went here on Thursday September 26 2024 for dinner and drinks with two of my friends and the food was good and the staff were kind but only problem was that the drinks were long after we ordered them“

“I am in love with their marinara sauce. Every dish was amazing. The service was impressive too. I tried arancini, bruschetta, truffle fries, and Pasta with vodka sauce. Although the pasta was a bit pricey, every dish was perfect. I would definitely recommend this place.“

“Went there twice, I'm a single mom of twins with one daughter who has autism. I wanted to start going here regularly if I could because the first time I went here was absolutely perfect and the waiter was very patient, understanding, terrific and helpful. I wish I knew his name because he provided outstanding service. He bagged everything for me, went to my table multiple times to check how everything was going. Even gave my daughters two tablets to play on while we sat down and ate (this was also during a busier time of day). If I could I would request this waiter again in the future if he was ever on shift. The second time I went there, today, exact opposite experience. the waitress who waited on my table wasn't as helpful as the first guy and it was dead silent when I went in. Told me they had no other tablet to give my daughter who has autism when there was only a couple of other people besides me. Gave me the smallest boxes to pack everything myself and the thinest bags when we had a lot of food to take home. Told me those were the only boxes they carried when the other waiter before packed everything properly in bigger casing. I'd consider going more often if the waiter prior was always working if I'm being honest but either the one today was a trainee or she just didn't care enough to do it herself. Other than that the food is always great to me but sometimes I want to personally get out for the one day I'm available to.“

“The store is aptly named and was indeed a 'Joy' to visit. After losing the Italian deli in Saratoga that I've patronized for many years to a buyer from Albany that doesn't even answer the phone, I began a search for a true Italian deli. When I walked into La Gioia I knew I had found what I was looking for. The aroma of Italy in the air, the hustle bustle of a staff serving with professional knowledge, courtesy, and a neat and clean appearance so rare today, and shelves and cases filled with all the Mediterranean delicacies imaginable, made me realize the true gem I discovered. This was a wonderful epiphany for me; I smiled all the way home 30 miles away.“

“great food and nice and clean“

“We are visiting from California and wanted to try some New York pizza, and this place did not disappoint. Might be the best pizza I have ever had. Crispy crust with a great flavor and the cheese is amazing. Prices are very reasonable. I would highly recommend.“

“Just this evening, I ordered take out from the wrong location. I called Stuyvesant plaza instead of Slingerlands. When I called Stuyvesant about the mistake the manager said, “ No problem”. What’s your address ? I will drive it out to you. Within a 1/2 hour this awesome guy Justin pulled into my driveway with all our food. Hot food and cold salad !! Thank you. Way to go!!“

“The best pizza I've ever had! (I'm old and have had pizza from MANY different places) I've enjoyed everything I've ordered, which has been most of the menu. They care :) The downside is that I'm within walking distance from them LOL!“

“Best pizza and more. Everything is delicious!“

“Every time I'm in the area, I stop for a slice or 2, and the pizza and friendly service are always great. Yesterday, I stopped, and I have to say, I think the slice i had was the best slice I've ever had anywhere! That deserves a review. I rarely give reviews.“

“I visit there about 4-5 times a month to grab a bite to eat, I usually get the lasagna dinner or their hot subs. Hands down the best in the area. The staff is always friendly and helpful. when in the area a must stop it won't disappoint!“

“Just had date night and have absolutely nothing bad to say! Brian served us and he was knowledgeable and knew the menu well. The food was cooked professionally, there was no feeling of “another chain restaurant “ it was delicious! Cocktails were nice, presentation was good. It was everything we needed tonight!“

“Annie & Aimee are the best!“

“I tried their seitan wings. Super yummy!“