25 Best Italian Restaurants in Poughkeepsie

“My husband and I were in town for a couple days and had a real hankering for Italian food. We recently visited Italy and were pleasantly surprised by the authenticity of this restaurant. We live in San Diego and were traveling quite a distance. Hands down the veal Parmesan and bruschetta were the best we have had since we left Italy. You must patron this restaurant, you’re missing out if not. Quaint, delicious and tasty!“

“We had been given a Gift Certificate for this place and decided to try it. Wow!! We were so happy we did. Our Server Matt was top notch. He took very good care of us. The drinks were good and we enjoyed the Portobello Mushroom appetizer. Our entrees were pasta dishes that were delicious. We are sorry it took us so long to ‘discover’ this Restaurant . We will be back“

“First time here for a private party and i cannot say enough great things about not only the food but the staff also. By far one of the best upcoming restaurants in the Hudson valley. The pizza was so flavorful, fresh with perfect crust n that’s coming from someone whose family owned pizzeria for years. Another must have is the house made penelle which aside from my nonna making it I’ve never had in any restaurant. Last but not least the cannoli were some of the best I’ve had in months. This place is 1000% worth the drive from anywhere in the area. Will be coming back asap“

“I was there with two friends from Kentucky that used to
live here. They wanted Italian because Kentucky doesn't have good Italian food. Waiter was exceptionally nice had good conversation even with the waiter. Food was excellent as usual“

“LOVE...LOVE...LOVE! Not just because it's convienent but the food is the BEST! Knowing that Greg makes EVERYTHING fresh is important to me...also he and his wife and guys are the friendliest...like extended family ❤ thank you guys for ALWAYS being there!“

“The food, the Friday night bands, and all of the staff !!! <3“

“I am writing his a second time because I don't see my review I just wrote. I have been going here since I was a kid! 60+ years! I have had parties here. Even my son's first birthday 38 year ago! My union even has had pizza parties here. Best Italian food in the area! Love their pizza, their eggplant parm, and their stuffed zucchini blossoms. My family loves their raviolis and even the chicken parm!! Never had a bad pizza or meal there!!!! I even live their salad with homemade dressing!!!! Can't go wrong!!! Even the staff is so nice!!!!!“

“Great food and service. Went on a Sunday for lunch. The gnocchi was delicious, as was the smash burger. We will be back.“

“Great menu and excellent service!!“

“calamari was terrible, touggh waiter was great“

“Amazing food, always fresh and QUALITY ingredients. Gina and Steve are amazing and treat you like family. Great pizzas, sandwiches, dinners and MORE.. perfect to dine in or take out.. Give them a try, you wont be disappointed. Try the Chicken cutlet with broccoli rabe sandwich or the penne ala Vodka Pizza.. you cant go wrong with anything“

“One of the best pizzas ive ever had“

“Touch of Naples is by far the best pizza in the Hudson Valley. Anyone who thinks differently is unfortunately wrong. I’ve been going here for 38 years and the quality has always been unbelievable. Their old style Sicilian and grandma pizzas are amazing. The giant slice is a great value. And the selection of different slices at the counter is fantastic. Awesome staff very friendly reasonable prices. They don’t deliver, you know why… They’ve never needed to. It’s worth going there.“

“Just had it for the first time . Recently moved to Poughkeepsie and this is now my favorite spot to eat around here . 10/10 highly recommend“

“The best pizza.“

“Wow totally amazed. Might be better than MYC pizzeria!!

We came down to this town after visiting Art Omi (an hour away), and stayed a night at a hotel nearby before heading back home. We researched and found many other pizza places in the town, and there are too many that looks good that it's hard to decide. So we asked the front desk lady at the hotel and she recommended is this spot.. so we tried!

I'm so glad we went with her recommendation, Pizzeria Bacio is SO good! It's the classic NYC pizza but with labor and love that you can taste. The soup already blew me away - all vegs are hand cut to cubes, the soup is not having too much flavors that's odd, but a cooked well yet not over cooked vegs and pasta soup. The margarita pizza is so well balanced. The dough is light, airy but bottom crust is crisp, the sauce is very neutral yet works well with the cheese being thinly cut, and the basil is spread evenly you can taste it every bite! We also got the lasagna and it's also not heavy at all! Real mozzarella cheese, perfectly al dente pasta, and the meat sauce is not heavy yet saucy.
Cannoli is not hard shell (like the fake, pre baked ones) and the filling is not cream but an actual cannoli filling!! Maybe I'm too dramatic for having real Italian and NY pizza...but sometimes even in the state of NY you don't get this quality! You can tell they made everything in house without cutting corner!

We did take out but the server at front was nice, and we can tell it would be nice to dine in. It was somewhat busy on a Friday night.

Overall highly recommend this place! We are planning to come back just for this pizzeria in the future!“

“I cannot recommend Mel's enough! I purchased the Holiday Catering Special for a work party and the food was amazing! I added a 1/2 tray of eggplant rollatini and also tortellini primavera and this easily fed 30 people (with leftovers!) My co-workers were raving about the food and I easily said it was all from Mel's. This special catering combo is the perfect mix for any party!!! (I will also add I ordered on Monday morning and picked up Tuesday evening! Quick service as well!!!) 👏“

“A huge thank you to Bobby and his team at the Eastdale location for accommodating our special request this morning for our Soldier! There’s nothing like bringing a taste of his favorite place to him on his graduation from Basic Training! God bless you 🇺🇸“

“Best pizza in the Hudson valley“

“I'm not easily impressed but Joseph's Italian Steakhouse really hit a home run on all levels. Best Prime Rib I've ever had, so tasty and cooked perfectly. The sides we equally delicious which elevated my whole experience. The hospitality was superb and judging by the looks on other patrons' faces, I assume others had a similar experience.“

“thank you for the sandwiches. they hit the spot today. the dynamic duo was amazing. thank you for customizing for me. and you were so freindly on the phone. so nice to hear a smile these days. thank you. stay safe!“

“Not one to typically leave reviews but this place really deserves it! Long story short this was my second time ordering there and when I arrived they accidentally misheard my order over the phone (most likely my fault due to poor service) and the gentleman I spoke to was very cool, professional and polite! He immediately sprung into action to make the correct order which didn’t take long…Food is 10/10 just like the first time and I would highly recommend anyone to check it out if you haven’t already!!“

“5 stars ***** this place is amazing! Sal and Brian know what they are doing some of the nicest people you will meet! top notch pizza !“

“Mike and Joe’s is great for families. They have diversified menu to please everyone. When we have a family dinner, if not at home, we choose Mike and Joe’s.“

“Joe Cristiano’s Pizza is easily one of the standout pizza spots in the area. From the moment you walk in, you can tell this place has the kind of neighborhood feel that makes people keep coming back. The atmosphere is relaxed, welcoming, and exactly what you want from a classic local pizzeria.

The pizza itself is excellent. The crust has that perfect balance—crispy on the outside with just the right amount of chew inside. The sauce is flavorful without overpowering the pizza, and the cheese and toppings are always fresh and generous. Every slice comes out hot and cooked just right. You can tell they’ve been doing this for a long time and take pride in making great pizza.

The menu also offers plenty of options beyond just pizza, which makes it a great place whether you’re grabbing a quick slice or sitting down for a full meal. Everything is prepared quickly and consistently.

Service was just as good as the food. The staff were friendly, efficient, and made the whole experience easy and enjoyable. It’s always nice to see a place where the team clearly cares about their customers.

Joe Cristiano’s Pizza delivers exactly what you want in a great pizzeria—excellent food, friendly service, and a welcoming atmosphere. If you’re in the area and craving a really good slice, this place is absolutely worth stopping in.“