50 Best Italian Restaurants near Menands

“A very heartfelt evening with family and friends to celebrate my retirement with a catered dinner and drinks at IL Faro. My deepest thanks to Jessica Lamoreaux, Chef Christian Lofaro, and our server, Valerie, for an outstanding culinary experience.“

“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!)“

“Cute, authentic Italian deli, mac salad hit the spot, not too much mayo-just right. Turkey sub tasted like an authentic Italian deli sub should taste, I didn't find the bread to be too thick whatsoever - it seemed like authentic Italian bread. Impressive selection of Pastoso in the freezer, Manhattan Special (coffee) soda, nice assortment of imports, interesting confections packaged Italian desserts. May not be Brooklyn, but for upstate NY, this place is top notch. Thank you.“

“Excellent vibe and interesting food choices what really makes the experience is the super down to earth staff that seems to know their crowd. Asia especially was a breath of fresh air with quality recommendations and exceptional service. I will definitely be back“

“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!!“

“I’ve been meaning to try this place for a long time and I’m very glad my boyfriend and I finally made it! Amazing service and our meals, the bolognese and Vitello alla 72, were delicious. The calamari was also crispy and tender. The best part was they accidentally brought a caprese salad to our table and let us enjoy it for free, very generous for such an insignificant “mistake.” Great prices and not too loud or chaotic in there like some places that try to fit in as many tables as possible. Will be returning!“

“The restaurant offers a relaxing and upscale vibe. The food was fantastic. We started with the prosciutto and mozzarella, this seemingly simple meal was so flavorful I nearly ordered a second one. The chicken parm was arguably the best in the area. Finished it off with the tiramisu, can’t go wrong with that. Would recommend to anyone that wants an Italian meal that is a step above the rest“

“LOVE Anthony’s and our favorite waiter Josh“

“Fine, Italian cuisine in a delightful atmosphere. In today's economy, its unheard of to dine at a restaurant and receive fresh, homemade bread, salad, your choice of side and an entree made with fresh ingredients that 90% of the time, you're leaving with leftovers and all for a very reasonable price. Not only that, but the kitchen accepts nearly all special request and modifications. Highly recommend!!“

“Tonight I decided to take advantage of the Family Takeout Special at Cafe Calabria II, I worked all day and didn’t feel like cooking but also didn’t want fast food. Well, I made an excellent decision! The food was amazing, I opted for the Chicken Sorento and even my picky little ones devoured it; it was truly delicious! The eggplant and chicken were cooked and seasoned perfectly. They were both still warm and crispy despite being driven 25 minutes from the restaurant to my house and being covered it a mouth watering, savory marinara sauce and bubbly melted mozzarella. 😋 for the price, I couldn’t have made it cheaper myself at home. 10/10 recommend!“

“Sat at the bar and was served by Vinnie. Vinnie was super nice and we had great conversations. Gabriella was also very smiley and friendly (she drinks a lot of water lol [inside joke]). I ordered the veal cordon bleu and my adult son had the lasagna. I’ve been to Italy and this meal was just as good, if not better, than some of the food I ate in Rome, Gaeta or Naples. The food was nice and hot, the bread was perfect and the everything was tasty. Great job we will definitely be back!“

“Best coffee in Albany, flavor and comfort guaranteed!“

“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 :)“

“The food the atmosphere... Ali, the owner .... I’m speechless ... best Italian food , no other place exists around here ! You want to experience great food ? Go here !“

“The food, service & ambience were all superb!! 5⭐️“

“My son goes to RPI and we discovered Moscatiello's Italian Restaurant two years ago. We love going there for dinner. The food is great, the menu is HUGE and the customer service has always been excellent! It is our go to restaurant in the Troy area.“

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

“Romo’s New Haven style pizza is an absolute must try. The thin, crispy crust with perfectly balanced toppings makes it a standout. The garlic knots are also a must try, with a fair price! Just a heads up: if you want to experience this pizza at its best, it’s dine in only—worth every bite fresh out of the oven!“

“Was recommended here by someone we met on a flight! And to say the least it was well worth the trip.
Lunch on a Friday, and it was a PACKED house.
Was sticker shocked at the menu, specifically the prices for every selection. Very reasonable to the point of LOW. Especially for the entrees.
The Waitress was extremely helpful and friendly. Ordered the Veal Antonio, and it came with delicious spicy sausage soup and a side of pasta. The bread & butter, old school whipped butter and Hot fresh bread. Amazing.
Accompanied by a Peroni drink order in a signature glass.
The veal was outstanding. One of the best dishes we've had anywhere. Cannot recommend this enough to anyone looking for an excellent dining experience. There's a reason it was a room full of very happy diners. MUST GO BACK to try more of the choices. The picture is of one entree they split for us. That's how generously sized the plate was!
The person who recommended it, said his friends and neighbors drive a full hour to go for the food that they can't get nearby! Wow that is the truth.“

“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.“

“Great menu....great food... courteous service....fair pricing...Great people! I've never been disappointed with my meal.“

“Everything in Pastina was superb: the appetizer, the main dish (sole), the dessert (gelato), the Italian wine, the espresso, the service. We felt like we were transported back to Florence. Only the Italian-speaking waiter was missing. Fine dining at its best. 5/5“

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

“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!!!“

“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.“

“Great atmosphere, good service and great food.“

“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.“

“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.“

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

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

“I usually order a white pizza with sausage, onions and roasted red peppers. I get a Gino's salad and on occasion a piece of cheesecake. All excellent choices, and I recommend them highly. Less than 30 minutes from call to pick up!“

“My dad and I went tonight and our whole meal start to finish was amazing. We had Evan as a server, phenomenal service- very helpful, had great recommendations and so friendly and attentive! We had martinis, the calamari as an appetizer (to die for), and the balsamic salmon with risotto and brussel sprouts. We split the cannoli cake. WOW. I’ll be dreaming of this meal! Portions were generous. We had to have to-go boxes. We will be coming back! Thank you to Hillary the manager, 10/10 experience ! We’ll bring the whole family next time!“

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

“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!“

“This is in response to the review from Etem Cetin below since I can’t respond. Next time you want spew false accusations and hate toward my restaurant and myself please make it believable. Also don’t hide behind a fake profile. You know where you can find me. Also I’m not sure how you ate lunch at my restaurant since we don’t open until 4pm, please troll someone else and get a life.“

“Picked up some takeout! Awesome as usual! Hard to find a restaurant that is as good takeout as in house. Chicken parm, Caesar cutlet and arancini! All still crisp and delicious!“

“Hands down best Italian mix sub I've ever had!!! The care and time that they put into their food and customer service is exceptional! Owner, Jason, recommended hot peppers on it 👌😋🔥 all about it!!! If you haven't visited this local business what are you waiting for!? They cater too!“

“this place was AMAZING. my parents used to go in the 70s and loved it. we went recently for 1st time. shrimp cocktail huge shrimp well priced. steamed clams hot great flavor. chicken Riggies. great flavor with huge serving. 3 little pigs Mac and cheese huge serving with great taste. scallops 8 tender flavorful scallops. chicken Anthony amazing flavor and enough for 3 meals. was busy and wait staff did great and checked everyone frequently. can't beat serving size and price“

“Thank you for everything. I placed a large order a day ahead of time and everything was delivered perfectly. It was on time, hot and delicious. Your antipasto is the best I’ve ever gotten and the wings were huge! Everyone was so happy and full. Great job!“

“I frequent here often and the food is delicious- reviewing the posts here all I can say is because the food is soooo good I can see them struggling with deliveries occasionally- they're that popular!!“

“We went to Milanos for the first time today, and we’re never going back. To say that the service was terrible would be an understatement. Ordered a large pizza and watched it sit there on the counter getting cold because the server was MIA. I was going to walk over there and pick it up myself, but I flagged down the other server who did it for me. Same thing when I asked for the check. I could see if the place was busy and they were understaffed, they weren’t. As far as the food goes, mediocre at best. The “large” pizza was actually small and we left there hungry. We should have eaten at the burger place a few doors down.“

“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.“

“girlfriend said it was good so I tried it. was a solid 9/10 on any scale imaginable I'm picky af. I like a flop free cheesy light sauce crispy pie and they made it perfect. it's salty and not too much water content in the sauce FOR ONCE. was FASTER than their time estimate and its well worth $1 for what tastes like amazing breadsticks as your crust. best $15 8 cut in the 518 so far“

“I can’t recommend this place enough! It’s not just a pizza place—it’s a haven for anyone who loves delicious artisan food. Their pizzas are phenomenal, with a variety of creative and flavorful options that cater to all tastes. But it doesn’t stop there! Their Mediterranean bowls and dishes, like the Gyro and meze platters, are equally amazing—fresh, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned. I order from them at least four times a month, sometimes even more, and they never disappoint. The food is always delivered on time, piping hot, and exactly how I want it. Their attention to detail and commitment to customer satisfaction truly set them apart. Nasıl? The quality of their ingredients is exceptional, and everything is so clean and fresh. Whether you’re in the mood for a quick snack or a hearty, healthy meal, this place has it all. I genuinely look forward to every order. Fast, reliable, and absolutely delicious—this restaurant is a gem!“

“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!“

“We recently celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary, which was a good choice. We found the staff to be polite and friendly from when we entered until we left two hours later. The environment was pleasant and easy with a touch of class. The half-chicken "Picata" ordered was "mm-hmm good" served with an exquisitely savory sauce, prepared by Chef Jake, who is a rising star and a compliment to Troy's fine dining experience. My wife and I also appreciated and thought it "cool" that the owner "Vic" took the time to talk with us. Enjoyable evening and location!!!“

“Excellent service! Great food! Reasonable prices. Morgan was a great waitress! Perfect dinner! Thank you!“

“The ultimate neighborhood restaurant. Amazing food, friendly staff, and generous wine pours! Can’t recommend highly enough for take out or dine-in. Try the Mario pizza! Order the wings crispy.“

“I tried their seitan wings. Super yummy!“