27 Best Italian Restaurants near Madeira

“Outstanding pasta and pizza and the bakery breads are even better. It’s the best bread I’ve ever had anywhere? Game changer bread! You gotta try it…“

“Stopped by to enjoy the patio with our dog at lunch time on a Saturday. The food was fabulous- nothing fussy, simple great Italian dishes with a reasonable price. We had the fig and prosciutto pizza, gnocchi with crema parmigiana, and the sweat pea tortellini. Everything was perfect.
We also enjoyed that their patio is pet friendly.“

“This restaurant is an absolute gem, skillfully blending the flavors of Argentinian and Italian cuisine to create a culinary experience like no other. The attention to detail is evident in every dish, making each plate a delicate, artful experience with a beautiful balance of flavors. The staff is both knowledgeable and attentive, offering thoughtful insights and recommendations that truly enhance the dining journey. So far, I've sampled four dishes, and each one has been exceptional—so much so that I’m still undecided about which one I’d call my favorite!
The only note to keep in mind is the space itself; it's cozy but can get a bit loud during peak hours. However, the vibrant atmosphere and incredible food make it well worth the visit!“

“We ate at Caruso’s for the first time July 3, 2024. My wife and I thought our meals were 5 star, delicious! She had the Chicken Marsala and I had the Rigatoni Rustica. We asked our waiter Sam for his recommendations and we’re so glad we took his advice. Best Italian dishes we’ve ever enjoyed. We can’t wait to return with good friends. Excellent! Denny & Barb G.“

“It was our first time there and they had amazing food, great staff!!! We will definitely come back Again and would highly recommend them!!!“

“Food is so good! Tried the new avocado chop salad today and it's my new fave!“

“Norwood Piada is one of the best locations in Cincinnati!“

“We went here because was close to the hospital. Used to go to olive garden. Never again. Carrabbas is top notch from top down!“

“Ashley helped us with a gift card fiasco(Something called Feeding America). It was Mother's Day and very crowded. She spent time with us even though she was needed elsewhere. SO IMPRESSED! We definitely will be back. BTW food was excellent!“

“We went to Buca today and our food came out so quickly after ordering and was delicious! Our waiter, Griffin, was wonderful and answered all the questions we had with delight. 10/10 would recommend.“

“The entrance delivers luxury and elegance. Hostess was very inviting and friendly! A live performance was also showcased at the front of the restaurant. A pianist played beautifully throughout the evening.

Heads up to first time guests- parking is ONLY valet or you need to find parking out on street with a meter.

We went to celebrate our anniversary and they made us feel so special. We were brought two glasses of champagne (which was delicious!) by our server as she greeted us.

Our server was wonderful! She had great recommendations and was so kind. Also very prompt and on top of everything!

There was a lady I’m unsure of her status. But she helped clean up a table (possibly supervisor? ) and she was speaking down to a young bus boy. To me it appeared to be a language barrier and that made my husband and I uncomfortable to see.

Let’s get to the food!
We started with Brussel Sprouts which were delicious! Highly recommend trying. The soft Gorgonzola dulce was such a nice compliment to the saltiness of the pancetta and perfectly seasoned Brussel sprouts.

For dinner entree my husband had the butternut squash risotto and I had NY strip that was paired with Potatoes.

Hands down the risotto is one of the best dishes I have had. Compliments to the chef on putting together such a fantastic dish. Sweetness paired with a subtle hints of pesto. This is one of those dishes you’re going to crave and will have to go back specifically for.

The Ny strip wasn’t special by any means. $57 I was expecting to be wowed. Overcooked, charred and lacked flavor that I was hoping for. The risotto coming in around $20 was the winner of the night. My husband and I both ate from it and it was enough.

We really enjoyed our evening! Again, the atmosphere was wonderful. So elegant and inviting. The service was fantastic. Our server was just amazing. We felt so welcomed and highly recommend the Brussels the risotto.“

“First, long time drivebyer, first time diners. This is multi fold. 1) I recommend Padrino 100%. A surprise destination for Monday as “marinara night”. 2) Grace is one of the nicest, personable, and best servers I can say I’ve had in recent memory. After telling her that we had never been and how we typically order food when we go out, she walked us through every page of the menu and asked pertinent questions like “hey do you guys want apps tonight?” After we talked we thought maybe we should try a pasta, hoagie, and a pizza. She provided suggestions for each of those sections and we took her up from her list. I saw an employee of the _____, not sure if it was month, day, week, or what, or if she’s had it before, but she definitely deserves it! Which brings us to… 3) FOOD! Not only that, but PRICE!!! I will preface this as if nobody picked up on our “try some of a lot of things” and then have leftovers for the next day approach which has been illustrated above, but I’d say what we got was SUBSTANTIAL for what we spent. Heck, screw the dollars, let’s talk about flavor! Pasta: Vodka Tortellini, and she recommended we each get a garlic knot to finish off the sauce. I can’t give a fair shake to the knots because I just couldn’t eat anymore, but boy did they look and smell delicious. But the pasta? Shoo Sammie: Padrino Club. Sure it sounded and probably gets viewed as basic, which it was way more than basic thanks to their garlic aioli to top it off. And go with Grace, swap for the Parmesan fries! I’m not usually one for fries anymore but golly…. Parm fries for the win (I’ll say they’re at fault for me not making it to a knot) And finally Pizza: again our quests of trying a lot we were told we could split a large between specialities and we did. The choices: Chef’s Forte and Drunken Goat. I can safely say I’d expect any of their pizzas to be delicious based off trying these two. The veggies part on the Forte were SO big and noticeable and delicious and cooked to perfection. Will we be back? 100%“

“I have no idea why it took me so long to give Forno Osteria & Bar a try. I guess I don't get down to East Hyde Park very often, even though it's only barely over a mile from home. It will definitely not be long before a return visit. Be sure to book an online reservation before going. We did and were treated to an outdoor table of our choice.

To start my wife and I split the arugula salad with golden raisins, capers, shaved cauliflower, pistachios, citronette dressing, and parmigiano reggiano ($13). The serving was very generous and the salad was full of flavor. I loved the crunch of the pistachios and cauliflower.

I ordered the basil and ricotta tortelloni served with pomodoro sauce, parigiano reggiano, and basil oil ($25). The freshly made pasta is stuffed full and cooked perfectly. The sauce was rich to complement the subtle flavor of ricotta.

My wife ordered the asparagus gnudi "Cacio e Pepe" ($21). Gnudi is similar to gnocchi, but the dumplings are made of ricotta cheese and semolina instead of potato flour. These were very light and served in a Vermont butter sauce with asparagus. It was a very flavorful dish, despite the simple presentation. I think I enjoyed the tortelloni better, but both are worthy of ordering again on a future visit.“

“Great food, great atmosphere loved our dinner there“

“This place is AMAZING!! I went there for a birthday dinner with family and friends and the food and service was fantastic. All my needs were met and I felt so welcome! Hospitality and costumer service 100/10. Will be coming back for more!!!!“

“Gabbys and their owners recently held a dinner benefit for one of their former employees and chef with 30+ years experience. The hospitality by the team, the welcome we received and the support from their employees was excellent. In a world where community means alot, consider supporting small businesses who support others. I'll definitely make the drive to visit here during normal operation.“

“The service and the atmosphere were so bad I took the manager's card with me and sent them a huge email explaining the situation as well as sending them pictures. And I never heard back from them so it is the last time that I will go to that Olive garden“

“Good food but the Waiter should inform and be more helpful like my aunt ordered the chicken Alfredo and hardly got any chicken then was informed after the fack that it wasn't the all you can eat so she had to pay extra for more chicken“

“great food. my grandson loved it“

“Absolutely recommend this place to everyone! The food is delicious, the service is impeccable, the ambiance is wonderful. I brought my in-law's here who live out of town and they were blown away. It was immediately put on their list of places to come back to when they come back to visit Cincy.“

“This is by far my favorite restaurant! The food is always amazing and I’ve never met a rude waiter/ waitress there! Today our waitress was Becca. She was very polite and friendly! The atmosphere the restaurant provides is so welcoming. Big thank you to Candice and the rest of the Bravo staff members for their amazing hospitality and kindness!“

“LOVE this place! The food, the drinks, the atmosphere! They have the best espresso martini ever! After dinner dessert drink! TRY IT!“

“I only have 3 words.... Couldn't be more pleased!

This place is THE best Italian joint in Cincinnati!. If you're in Cincinnati and don't come to this restaurant you're a fool.

The cheese cake is worth every cent!“

“We recently attended a private "pop up" dinner here. The home made pasta dishes were absolutely delicious and the best pasta that I have experienced outside of Italy. All meal courses were wonderful and unique. The chef has a true gift. The service was friendly and efficient. We will definitely return!“

“10/10 experience. I haven’t been to Olive Garden in YEARS. The food was warm and tasty. The drinks are fairly priced. Great wine selection. The tiramisu was phenomenal. Despite all the bad reviews about this place, I really enjoyed myself here and had a great time. Will definitely come back.“

“Amazing!!! Great food and great service“

“Phenomenal would be an understatement to describe this establishment. 10 out of 5.“