50 Best Italian Restaurants near Watervliet

“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!“

“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“

“Food was okay but reminded me of a fancy chain restaurant. They did a great job with the tomato cream sauce, but the chicken was extremely tough and reminded me of frozen cutlets. Service was good. For the price of everything (1 app, 2 full sized meals, and one glass of wine for over $100.00), I expect the food to be fabulous and the menu to have more options.“

“We made our first visit to Nicole's on Sat 1/06/2024 5:15pm. After visiting the Schuyler Mansion's Twelfth Night celebration we decide to go to nearby Nicole's on Delaware Ave in Albany, NY. It was quiet when we first arrived but quickly filled up with many diners & the big party upstairs. Nicole's is larger than it appears. A 10 seat bar with about a dozen table in the adjoining dining room. There is also a cosy dining area with a fireplace through a doorway on the first floor. The reserved party room upstairs holds 25-35 people. Plenty of wait staff on deck. We sat at the bar where we were greeted by Katie V. We ordered a Glenlivet neat ($13) & a house pinot grigio ($10) while we looked over the menu. Katie told us the specials. She was very busy as the restaurant was filling up quickly. Reservations are a must on Fri & Sat. She was quickly & deftly making many fancy cocktails & pouring wines for the bar, both dining rooms, & the party upstairs. A true professional and kept up an entertaining banter with patrons & staff. We shared three appetizers from the specials menu. The unique crispy artichokes hearts w/ an aioli dip ($10) was a perfectly prepared & served. My bride had the Italian onion soup ($10) - Fontina | Mozzarella | Short Rib | Italian Bread | Thyme Rosemary- deep rich flavor & piping hot. I had the Gnudi & veal ($18) - Gnudi are gnocchi made w/ ricotta cheese, not pasta, served w/ the braised short ribs. Another unique, & excellent dish. Check out their inspired menu. No room for desserts but they all looked sized for sharing. A friendly neighborhood restaurant with flair and a loyal clientele. Thank you to Katie V. for excellent & entertaining service. Nice trick with the cocktail shaker. LOL. Dinners range from $19 for pappardelle & meatballs to $38 for Zuppa di Pesce. Monday: 5pm-9pm, Tue: closed, Wed-Thu 5-9pm, Fri-Sat 5-10pm, Sun 4-9pm. Plenty of parking in their side lot & some on the street parking. A great first experience. Highly recommended. Thank you again to Katie V & a big thanks to the kitchen staff - a great job tonight. We certainly will be back frequently in the future. Nicola & Liz, Albany, NY USA“

“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!“

“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.“

“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 only word to define this place is exemplary. This place from appetizer to dessert has knocked me off my feet.

1) My friend and I got the calamari for the appetizer. It was perfectly tender, crispy, and the Pomodoro that was served with it was excellent.

2) for the main I got the frutti di mare, or fruits of the sea. It was a pasta dish including shrimp, calamari, octopus, in a richly flavored tomato sauce with pasta that was perfectly al-dente. This dish was incredibly delicious and satisfying but without being heavy. My friend got the steak which she liked a lot.

3) After an exemplary main, I did not expect to be blown away as much as I did with the cheesecake. It was light, fluffy, and a mix of ricotta and lemon, as well as evidence of cream cheese. Overall it was moist, incredibly flavorful, sweet, but not too sweet, and probably the best cheesecake I have had in the state. This dessert took me out from left field to be honest. I did not expect it to be THAT good.

Overall, service was great, food was next level. Placing this on my roster of “impress guests” restaurants. 10/10“

“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“

“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!!“

“very nice place The food was excellent excellent excellent service was outstanding I had the striped bass risotto and my wife had the ravioli it was amazing!“

“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 !“

“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!“

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

“Great dinner, service and complimentary dessert as it was my birthday! Verdiles never disappoints!“

“Being in the service industry for 15+ years, I will have to say that this place is top notch. The food was absolutely delicious. The timing of the apps and main course was perfect. My filet was cooked perfectly at a medium rare. The Utica greens are amazing!The service was phenomenal. Our server was on top of her game, making sure our drinks were never empty and checking in at the perfect times. We will be back for sure!“

“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!“

“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.“

“They're moving in the wrong direction. Prices are much higher, portions are smaller, service is mediocre, and I felt "nickeled and dimed". After paying $130 for a bottle of wine, I was charged $2 for the extra sauce I requested but never received. Veal Sorentino was dry (thus my request for extra sauce).“

“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.“

“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“

“We picked up 5 dinners for takeout tonight. All different veal dishes. They were all excellent! Old school Italian. We’ll definitely be back. I would not hesitate to eat in. The bar and dining room were immaculate!“

“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.“

“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.“

“I have been wanting to come here for awhile, and finally made it last night. Overall a good experience, but nothing I would go out of my way for. I ordered a glass of riesling (no Savignon Blanc by the glass, which was odd imo), and after the waitress brought it over, another waitress took my glass to fill it more (my kind of service!). The bread was not the kind of crusty Italian bread you would expect; it was the size of sandwich bread, with no chew to it. Plus we only got FOUR pieces of it. We saw the other waitress give out a nice full basket to her tables. I do not not typically eat bread, but I look forward to it at these places, especially to dip in my salad dressing. The salads were also meh. No veggies, just lettuce and onions. The vinegar peppers were a nice touch, but they're from a jar!

Onto the mains: I ordered shrimp scampi. It was more like linguine with shrimps and broccoli; very disappointing (and DROWNING in oil). No garlic or wine to be found anywhere, plus I'm pretty sure it was frozen broccoli. My mom makes the best, and this did not even come close. My friend ordered the combo, which I thought was cool & something different. You get chicken parm, eggplant parm, a meatball & lasagna. He liked it, said the sauce was really good. It did not come with pasta though, so he paid $4 for a side of buttered pasta which is ridiculous imo.

Anywho, I was glad to try it, but I will go to Verdile's next time. Their menu offers some different things, which I like. I will say though the service was very nice, and I enjoyed the Frank Sinatra playing. Happy eating!“

“The food is really delicious, and the staff are very polite, but I don’t like being constantly asked if I’m still eating.

Kid-friendliness: Kids will definitely love this place! They provide crayons and have kids’ menus too.“

“Dinner on Sept 7th 2024. Started out great. When bread & toppings serviced no small plate were brought to our table. Had to ask for knife. Dinner was delicious but didn't received our complete meal together (sides). Asked if we got funnel bread said no then had to ask for to take home. Ask if I would like more wine answered yesterday. Had to eventually say I don't want it now. Waited too long. A little too much for a supposedly nice evening out.“

“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.“

“We made a reservation for The Fountain Restaurant on Fri 1/13/23 for 5:30pm.This place is always busy. And has been a neighborhood go to for many years. The Romano family has won their customers' loyalty with great service & consistently good pizza. We were early and there were two seats open at the bar. So the bartender Tony moved our reservation to there. The bar works nicely for us here. Thanks Tony. We ordered a wine ($7) & a local craft beer,Jack's Abbey on draft ($9) while we looked over the menu. The Fountain makes great pizza, but tonight just wasn't a pizza night for us. My bride had a small Caesar salad w/ chicken ($10) right size for her. The large is not an exaggeration. I had the caprese sandwich-Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil, EVOO & Balsamic Glaze on Ciabatta bread ($11) Note: you can add chicken breast or eggplant for $4. more. Very good sandwich. In my opinion, this sandwich would be even better w/ some pesto spread on the ciabatta. Still a very good dining experience. Hours: Tues-Thurs 11:30AM-10:30PM (Kitchen Closes) Fri-Sat 11:30AM-11PM (Kitchen Closes) Sunday 12:00PM-10PM (Kitchen Closes) Closed Monday Street parking is at a premium but there is public parking behind the restaurant. Thanks again to Tony & all for another great visit. Nick Parisi & Liz Farrell, Albany, NY“

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

“The pizza is very good, the cheese is melt in your mouth, the service is good, the atmosphere is so so depending on days and such. Highly recommend for dine in, take out, or delivery, their side menu is very good as well, good desert options and “

“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!“

“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.“

“Very delicious pizza, very good recommended to anyone.“

“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.“

“Stopped in for quick lunch as they have lunch special between 11:30 to 3:00 pm menu soup,salad, bread sticks unlimited along with selection of pasta ranging from $11 :99

Vegetarian options: Salad- Minestrone soup -pasta- spaghetti- eggplant Parmigiana- ravioli- unlimited breadsticks with meals - cheese cakes

Parking: In front entrance area and surrounding the building.. wheelchair accessible parking

Wheelchair accessibility: Has ramp to the door and many parking spaces near the entrance“

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

“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!“

“Genoa is a true Italian deli, a gem and staple. The establishment that puts Loudonville on the map, I came in with a slightly odd request (due to my numerous allergens), of straight horseradish on my cutlet, bacon, red pepper, and onion sandwich (not horseradish mayo, not horseradish cheddar). The lovely hosts of Genoa spared no expense and went deep into the back to get the straight horseradish. Upon my takeout order feast, the kick from the horseradish was a perfect counter to the sweet red pepper with their sumptuous cutlets taking the forefront alongside a comfortable bacon and onion background to fulfill my wildest dreams. That, along with the quick service and friendliness of the staff made me feel right at home! Thanks for a great time.“

“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 run a social group for adults with developmental disabilities. One of the activities that we do is visiting for the easiest. The employees there are phenomenal. Great people that care. I can’t say enough good things about this restaurant. And I’ll always be grateful for them being kind to my members take me up to the ball game“

“It has a wonderful atmosphere, I ate an excellent pizza cooked in a wood fire.“

“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!“

“Great local restaurant. Food and service always excellent! One of our favorite local restaurants. Good luck and continued success!!“

“They are just chill def an amazing place to hang out the pizza is competing pizza war lol I love you“

“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!!“