50 Best Italian Restaurants in Columbus

“I get my food to go every week; the food is great; Nico is the guy who usually gets everything together. He couldn't be more efficient, helpful or friendly. His assistance is always appreciated!“

“We had a delightful lunch today at Gallo's, from the moment entering, we were greeted by a Fine Gentleman that discussed our seating options ( Yeah, I'm a bit picky) to the time we departed with full bellies that was topped off with the Belgium Chocolate Mussee cake that was Outstanding!! Ice cold beverages and our service (Bartender) was Awesome catering to our every whim. This is definitely a MUST stop when looking for a Great place to dine!!“

“Great food. Don’t miss out. Trust me, you really want to eat here. I’m a pretty harsh critic and I LOVED it. Will be back soon. If carbs didn’t make people fat, I would eat here at least once a week.“

“The restaurant was clean and had a nice family atmosphere. All of the staff were friendly and attentive. The blackened chicken was delicious. The Gelato was equally delicious. I tested a few different flavors of gelato, then settled on the Lemon Cake and Mora. We will definitely visit again!“

“​Cento delivered five-star perfection for our special staff dinner. The entire experience, food, service, and ambiance was truly spectacular, exceeding every expectation. ​The ambiance was warm and sophisticated, setting a superb stage for the evening. The food was a demonstration of culinary mastery; every dish was executed with precision and delighted the palate. ​Above all, the service was exceptional. Our server, Luke, was outstanding. He was knowledgeable, charming, and anticipated our every need, greatly enhancing our dining experience. ​We must also give a major shout-out to the sommelier. She was highly personable and knowledgeable, guiding us to a fantastic wine selection that complemented our meal perfectly. ​Cento is the ideal destination for guaranteed excellence. We couldn't have picked a better place to celebrate and show our team our appreciation. So good!“

“Dinning is A classic vibe with excellent homemade food from pasta to pizza and subs. Highly recommend 😎😎😎“

“My wife and I visited Marcella's for the first time Friday, November 14, 2025 and enjoyed our entire visit. We had the most wonderful, kind, and knowledgeable server Jacy Rios, whom I highly recommend as she is very pleasant and will recommend menu items if you are having a difficult time deciding. The food is absolutely authentic Italian cuisine. The food came out in a very timely manner and was hot and fresh. If you're into the adult beverage selections, they have an incredible selection, especially bourbons. The beautifully restored aged-architecture of the building and artwork rounds out the entire experience. We highly recommend multiple visits to Marcella's in the Short North as they have too many excellent options to choose from!

Mike and Michelle“

“Growing up in Italy, I’ve always been surrounded by food made with love, and Villa Nova Ristorante captures that same spirit. I come here often for their classic lasagna and hand-tossed pizza, and every bite feels like a return to family dinners back in Turin. The cozy, old-world atmosphere makes it more than just a restaurant. it fee ls like stepping into a true Italian home“

“Fine Italian dining, with an excellent, reasonably priced menu and gracious owners, Rick and Jackie. They have been a consistently high quality venue in Grandview Heights for 22 years!“

“I never really leave reviews like this but this meal was really good! Yes it is about $44 for two sandwiches and two drinks but I think the quality is there. Also the sandwiches are pretty big, like you can only finish that in one sitting if you are pretty hungry! So you get your moneys worth. They are served cold(?)/room temp but honestly for the sandwiches me and my boyfriend got, they were best served that way, I don’t think I would’ve liked it warm. The gelato was out of this world and definitely much better than the gelato I had in Cleveland’s Little Italy- I felt like this was much more authentic. Love love love this place.“

“The atmosphere was fantastic! The staff was absolutely wonderful! The food was beyond fantastic!!! Highly, highly, highly recommend!!!“

“From the moment we walked in, we felt like welcomed guests rather than customers. The atmosphere transported us straight to Italy, with a warmth and authenticity that set the stage for what became an extraordinary evening. Each course felt like a carefully wrapped gift, designed with intention and presented with artistry. The flavors carried unexpected complexities—layers that unfolded in ways you rarely find in restaurants around here. Every bite told a story, both comforting and refined, and left us excited for what would come next. This wasn’t just dinner—it was an experience. One that lingered long after the last course, reminding us how exceptional dining can be when passion and craft meet. Truly unforgettable. We added the 4 course wine pairing with the Pelino’s Dinner. We ended the experience with espresso, which was better than any espresso we’ve ever had (even the 3 times we’ve been to Italy). Truly a special night.“

“Eight of us went there for lunch and ordered just about the whole lunch menu to create a tasting menu that we could all share. None of us had been to Speck before and we all loved the food, service, and space and all want to go back with our significant others for dinner. We came in from the outskirts of town and was concerned about finding parking but street parking near the restaurant was actually relatively easy. Highly recommend Speck.“

“We went there today { 2/14 ) As always great service. I have a fatal Dairy Allergy. So I always order Cherfs choice. I had the red Snapper. THE BEST FISH I HAVE EVER HAD. I even ate the skin ( which I never do ) Atmosphere as always was great even on a busy night!!!!!. Don't think about it, JUST GO“

“This is a hopping place, food was good, cocktails were great but you want to know what was really cool…the staff.

We sat at the bar and I witnessed the most amazing thing. All the staff worked SEAMLESSLY as a team. Any server who came to get drinks at the bar also served dinners, bussed, prepped, stocked. This was a machine of efficiency and I could only hope replicate that at my own restaurant. Kudos to those who trained and came up with this super efficient system. You’re the real MVP 🙌 #amazingstaff“

“It's been a while since we've been to The Rossi and we are so glad we dined there yesterday. First, they have one heck of a Happy Hour both for their food and beverage offerings were fantastic, I mean how often do you see French 75s and Palomas on a Happy Hour menu. Second, their staff, front of the house, bartenders and servers all have the impeccable timing as far as knowing when to check-in which made the whole experience relaxing & leaving us truly happy! Finally, the restaurant itself has character in a good way... the rays of sunlight dancing thru the windows and the sparkle off of the lighting fixtures leaves patrons with the impression the owners of this bar care about the ambience! We'll be back for sure!“

“First time having Piada. I’m not big on trying food im not familiar with but tied off the same ol stuff. Since this was my first time I decided to grab the kids meatball with penne noodles, marinara and garlic dough. ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. Where have I been all my life?! I could eat this all day, everyday!! Sorry, Piada it has taken me this long to meet you, you forever now have a friend ❤️“

“Great food for lunch and the patio area is a plus. 😊“

“I brought 14 travelers in on a bus trip with 1018 Travels this morning. Called last minute and we had a beautiful table set for us when we got there. The food was amazing but the server was so sweet! We asked about the history and he answered . What a great place, will be back for sure“

“My family visited the La Baia food truck during the Pumpkin Aglow at Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus. No kidding, this was the best pizza I’ve ever had! The dough is amazing, the flavor of the sauce..just plain delicious. All of the ingredients are fresh and everything is prepared on site. I highly recommend. Be advised that since all of this is prepared at time of order that there is at least a 30 minute wait for your food to be prepared and oven fired cooked. Definitely worth the wait! The staff is very friendly and courteous as well. La Baia - Please consider looking up Knox Foodies on FB. (Ann is the page admin ) Tho we just had our annual food truck festival, we would love to see you in our town at that event, or other events that are held throughout the year. I know the witches walk is coming up, if there is still time to sign up for that. Keep up the good work and I hope to be able to dine with you again soon.“

“The overall experience was wonderful. The food was outstanding and the atmosphere was very comfortable. The staff was very friendly. Only negative is the note in the reservation was a child would be present. No seating accommodations or menu were offered. Our server was very diligent but should have included the child. A fellow coworker brought the child a snack which showed they were observant and also a good coworker and had our server's back. This of course will not keep us from coming back. “

“Last year you showed up and showed out for my cousins wedding reception Hunter and tonight again for another cousins retirement dinner! Thank you“

“Great place and food! I’ve been getting the Chefs Favorite w/chicken. Bomb every time! I prefer getting food here than getting Chipotle.“

“My all time favorite pizza. Only thing I miss about Ohio.“

“I buy pasta, sauce, coffee & desserts here and I’m never disappointed. My SIL is NJ Italian & a tough critic so I’m only going to serve him the best I can find. I recently tried PD’s gelato and I’m going to be eating this all summer. You can really taste the difference between grocery gelatos and the real thing.“

“Fantastic food and service. Top notch - if your in Columbus this restaurant is a must.“

“Ordered online and the delivery was missing a meal. I called and was immediately given to a manager, who apologized and my entire order (not just the missing meal that I asked about) was credited back to my card immediately. Mistakes happen, but how a place responds is what matters. They will continue to have my business. Food that did arrive was also very tasty.“

“Best Location Piada Location! Friendly Workers. Food always cooked Fresh!“

“This is our happy place. When there is a special family celebration, we come here. Love walking in, as David greets us at the door every time. It’s like visiting your Nonna and Nonno’s house and seeing all of your cousins and knowing that you’re in store for the best meal ever. Look forward to a leisurely feast with good wine, warm bread and some of the best Italian dishes we’ve found. The entire staff is incredible. Be sure to make a reservation because every time we go it’s a full house.“

“Ciao! Catered our wedding of 110 guests, making a huge feat look simple. Our guests were served just as fast as any buffet style catering would have got their meals. The food was fantastic and the beautiful Ciao! truck gave the wedding the relaxed yet elegant vibe we were looking for.We served their standard menu but put the Alfredo and Parm on pasta verses a sandwich. We also had salads and bread to go with. All meals had good praises but it was the arancini that stole the show ??The crew put so much into our event and we are beyond thankful. For the rest of the night everyone raved on how good and unique the dinner was!! Highly recommend for any event or for a fun night out when they are around town. Thank you Ciao! team!!“

“My husband and I took a friend with us for dinner. It was exceptionally clean. Our food was pretty much perfect. So was our service. We had a late dinner so it wasn't too crowded and they went out of their way to accommodate us for our disabled dinner quest. It was very enjoyable. Everyone was very polite and helpful. Our server even chuckled at my husband's corny jokes. He was a peach. We will Def return to that location.“

“Last night was our first time at Tony’s and I will absolutely be back! The service there was so accommodating and friendly. Tony himself was our host! The man even helped someone with wheelchair needs by storing the chair and bringing it back out when they needed it and was so kind. Our waitress was so friendly and outgoing and was so accommodating when my husband needed plain noodles with no sauce for his marsala. Speaking of food we ordered the chicken Marsala and Tony’s Own Fettuccine and oh my god they were both mouthwatering. They both came with salad and my husband switched to a Cesar salad instead for an upcharge and it was soooo good. I loved the uniqueness to the house salad with the two garbanzo beans, one pasta salad noodle, olives, tomato and blue cheese. It was soooo good especially for someone who loves blue cheese. The Cesar salad was also so good. We also ordered an appetizer of the bruschetta and it had to be one of the best orders of bruschetta I’ve had in a long long time. The bread they used complimented the ingredients so well and really brought the flavors together. Tony’s own fettuccine is now hands down my favorite pasta I’ve ever had to date. The cream sauce was so so good and the crab used was melt in your mouth amazing along with the shrimp and scallops. The chicken marsala was incredible and the sauce was so savory and perfect. My husband and I will definitely be back soon!! If you haven’t tried Tony’s yet please do!“

“I ordered catering for our office and I can’t say enough about how amazing the food and service was. The person who delivered our food was so nice and extremely professional as she did the set up. The food was exactly as ordered and was perfect. Thank you, Olive Garden.“

“I dined here for the first time yesterday and order the Fettuccine Alfredo w/chicken and a Caesar salad…both were absolutely delicious, the flavor was amazing and so was the Moscato wine which had the perfect amount of sweetness that I like! The breadsticks were amazing, they melt in your mouth. My server Aaron, was excellent, great personality with a wonderful sense of humor! I will definitely be back and will be making Milanos a regular place to have dinner! If you’ve never been here, I totally recommend giving Milano’s a try!!!“

“We ordered a meat lasagna and a make it yourself pizza and picked it up yesterday. Guys. Lemme tell ya. You can just tell it’s made with love. The pasta sauce is so fresh, it’s literally the best ricotta I’ve ever had, nice and cheesy all around and even the garlic butter and loaves of bread you get it really good! Haven’t done the pizza yet but I expect no less! Thanks so much!!!“

“We were very impressed. Their Gluten free options were amazingly delicious, they took it seriously and everything was fresh, seasoned to perfection, and we will be going back. The portions were large, the presentation was immaculate, the wine and cocktail list was the stuff of dreams and legends. The restaurant was cozy and comfortable in a sexy Italian style. It could have come to life off the page of Conde Nast Traveler. Hidden jewel of Ohio worthy of the drive. The staff was professional and very welcoming. We loved it!“

“service was excellent and food was good“

“Our waitress Kendra was amazing! The food and drinks were fabulous! Our extremely picky child said they have the best pizza she’s ever had. We had to order an entire pizza to go! Thanks for a great time! We will absolutely be back!“

“The ONLY place to get pizza from. Nicest guys in the world and piled on toppings! Professional, polite and LOCAL! Thanks a lot!“

“Great Pasta. Top notch service and wine selection!“

“Everything we had was AMAZING!!! You gotta try it for yourself.“

“Our server Romina was great! Our food was fresh. Romina took very good care of us when it was like 25 to 40 of us. Overall, I had a really good experience at this location and would be willing to go back again. Thanks, Romina, for looking out my family and I. We appreciate you!“

“This place really does have delicious food. Even the shrimp we ordered were perfectly cooked. We hadn't ordered from there before, but I'm glad we finally did. Highly recommended. Edit: Order from there and pick it up. Don't order it through a service if you can help it.“

“When are you guys going to come into this century and sign up with GrubHub or DoorDash? You'd definitely increase your profits. Driving to pick up food is old school, LOL!!“

“We live in Lancaster,Oh so it's a bit of a drive but so worth it! The market itself takes me out of my little world.The restaurant is superb.The staff goes out of their way to speak to whether they are stocking the bakery items to cashing out your order. One of my new favorites as well as we've shared your page with my husband I 's 1500 fb friends...hope they all make the trip to meet you🌲❣️🌲Merry Berry Christmas“

“Typical suburban restaurant, with the same food and service. Nothing out of the ordinary with this restaurant, but we were annoyed with the ladies at the table next to us swearing like crazy around our child, which really killed the atmosphere. It wasn't exactly the family-friendly restaurant it's advertised as.“

“Someone recently mentioned this place in a pizza group on FB. I decided to try it today & I'm glad I did. Probably the best non-deep dish pizza in Columbus. The prices were good as well. There's also plenty of nearby parking.“

“This is gotta be hands down. The best pizza and salad in Columbus period“

“It’s possible this place is under new management for reasons that will seem obvious after you walk in and see who is running Big Tony’s. I have never eaten from here until a couple days ago though so wanted to give that disclaimer. I wanted to sit on the experience before reviewing.

First of all, fries were pretty good. There were a few that tasted like maybe they should have been left in the fryer for a little longer but overall no complaints. Second, my penne marinara was very good with good amount of melted cheese and a good portion. The last item was rather poorly made. The veggie subs I ordered were made to look more filled than they were by adding extra mayonnaise and reducing the amount of veggies inside. Every bite I took tasted mostly like bread and mayo. This appears to be a cost cutting measure which was very noticeable in both subs I ate. It’s not acceptable for the sub to be mostly bread and mayo…especially as a vegetarian, I was deprived of veggies that I desperately wanted more of…

Overall, pretty good. Being completely honest though, if you mess up fries and or marinara, penne, and melted cheese you kinda suck at being an Italian restaurant, so happy to report these guys do not suck. But, quality and measures reducing quantity in foods needs to be addressed to get 5 stars from me.“

“Great dinner tonight. Food was very good and our wait staff was friendly and engaging.“