4 Best Italian Restaurants near Saranac Lake

“This restaurant was such an incredible and unexpected find on the way home from the Bloomingdale Bog! I have traveled widely and the best food I have ever had was in Venice Italy: I kid you not, the food and service here brought me back to Venice and Florence. I had the shrimp special: shrimp cooked with sautéed vegetables: onions, sliced garlic, roasted red peppers, large wands of broccoli, all cooked to perfection. The veggies still had flavor and bite, the large shrimp were perfectly cooked, and all tossed over pasta with delicately flavored sauce and olive oil, which never overpowered the flavor of the main ingredients. My partner had the Chicken special which was perfectly tender chicken breast bathed in a cognac marinara sauce, with mozzarella cheese, roasted red peppers and a side of delicate pasta. For dessert we enjoyed the Tira mi su, my favorite, which I make from scratch myself. The pastry and pastry cream were heavenly, finished with a thin layer of chocolate and a dollop of whipped cream. Stupendous. The lemon cake was also obviously made in house, with cake that was not too sweet, richly textured with a nice thick layer of lemon cream between the two layers. This dinner was a glorious North Country surprise, one that transformed this series of cold, gray days. The service was also absolutely exceptional, professional, friendly, graceful, relaxed and timely. We can't wait to return, and I would highly recommend you treat yourselves...especially now when it's slower! Light up a cold winter evening. THANK YOU!“

“This place is AMAZING! From the food to the drinks to the service! We are so happy we decided to stop here on a whim. Chelsea was friendly and recommended a sandwich I ended up loving. 10/10! ⭐️“

“Our favorite place to "fine dine" as a family in Saranac Lake. They incorporate local food into their menu year-round supporting local farmers, growers, and entrepreneurs.“

“We visit Lake Placid every year. For some reason, we had never realized that Caffe Rustica is tucked away in the Price Chopper's shopping center. Immediately when we walked into the restaurant, I was charmed by the front dining area, beautifully decorated with a spacious bar. Everything felt luxe while maintaining a cozy, old-school Italian ambience. We started with a Caesar salad to share, our usual go-to appetizer at other Italian restaurants. It was absolutely delicious with flavorful dressing and crisp, green lettuce - we were off to a good start! The stars of the show were our entrees. My husband ordered the chicken alla vodka special...he licked the plate clean! I tried some of the vodka sauce and can confirm it was perfectly balanced and scrumptious. I ordered the shrimp risotto dish (I believe it was called Tuscan Risotto). OMG IT WAS SOOO GOOD. I mean, insanely good. The risotto and sauce were perfection. I already am looking forward to returning to Lake Placid on our next vacation so that I can order that dish again. We ended the meal with one of the tastiest servings of tiramusu I've ever had. Also, the espresso martini was super yummy and I believe was topped with pumpkin pie spice which I adore. Service was 10/10, atmosphere 10/10, and food was unbelievable. If you're staying in LP, Caffe Rustica is a MUST! A new favorite for us.“