44 Best Italian Restaurants near University Heights

“Great Food, Great Location, Friends, and Heritage“

“Simply the best pizza I've ever had. Superior toppings, great crust and consistent excellence for decades now. I find it unreasonable for me to go anywhere else.“

“Absolutely love doing our celebrations at LockKeepers! We've celebrated our Birthdays and anniversaries here through the years and it was always such a wonderful experience each time! Jackie was the best server! She really took good care of us and made sure we were happy during and after our meals. She's absolutely the best server one can ever hope for! We always had a very good gastronomic experience here at LockKeepers! Definitely coming back soon to celebrate more milestones! Thank you! Keep up the great work that you do! 👍“

“My Favorite Italian Restaurant in town! Best food, wine, service and great atmosphere! Omg and did I mention desert ?! The most delicious! Valerio & Stella go above and beyond for their customers which they treat as a family! Highly recommend A +“

“9/24/2025: This place is a gem! The food and service was amazing! Our server Katina was very attentive and made sure everything was great throughout the night!! We also enjoyed talking with Moma and her daughter. Such an added bonus to the night to meet and hear their stories! Can't wait to go back---until then I will enjoy my left overs!!“

“Fantastic food and service!“

“Catering for Our Film crew was Perfect after a long day on Set!! Every dish was a celebration of Italy's culinary traditions, fresh, high-quality ingredients. The classic combination of ingredients was a snapshot of what Italian cuisine is all about. The Lemon Chicken, Peppers, Meatballs, Pasta and Salad were Perfection .... the team loved everything!“

“Food is amazing, service is excellent. Pranzo! does not disappoint.“

“Simply the best pizza I've ever had. Superior toppings, great crust and consistent excellence for decades now. I find it unreasonable for me to go anywhere else.“

“This place was awesome. Service, food and ambiance just what you’d expect in Little Italy. I had fusilla (spellcheck) puntenesca excellent!! We will be back.“

“I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to Ethan and his staff for doing such an absolutely amazing job at my daughter's wedding this past weekend. Ethan is the best! He is a pleasure to work with, he knows his job and does it very well. The servers were so kind and worked so hard while keeping a smile on their faces at all times. And the food...it was incredible. I am a picky Italian when it comes to Italian food and Alesci's has some of the best Italian food in Cleveland. Everything tasted fresh, homemade and authentic and my guests LOVED the food which makes me that much happier. This is the second wedding that Alesci's catered for me. I have 2 more kids to marry off and will no doubt be calling on Alesci's again! 5 stars on all accounts.“

“I had a wonderful birthday dinner with my wife on Saturday. The food was outstanding and the service even better! Jose brought me out a piece of tiramisu cake with a candle! Thank you everyone for adding to my wonderful birthday! We will definitely be back!! ❤️“

“Best Italian food in the area period! My famiIy has enjoyed many visits/celebrations there over the years and the food/service is always great! Nothing on the menu is a bad choice and definitely save room for desert. You can tell their food is made with love ❤️“

“Pizza was ok nothing that made me say oooh delicious sauce was flavorless (took a bite with no pepperoni), pepperoni over powering that couldn't even taste the sausage and greasy. The mozzarella too expensive and cold, I live 2min away if that so it wasn't the drive time.“

“Very nice resteraunt in the heart of Gates Mills. We had two very solid cocktails, the navy bean soup and Thai Lemengrass pot stickers to start. All solid. For mains, we ordered the blackened grouper special with mustard sauce and a center cut steak. Both were specials and came with string beans and mashed potatoes. Beans were cooked to perfection, mashed potatoes were really good, steak was super tender and tasty, and the Grouper filet was really big and broiled perfectly. We tried the lemon marcapone cake and it was also very good.“

“Had a really amazing time at M Italian tonight. Food was fabulous and our server Theresa was such a joy and attentive and felt like a friend -thank you Theresa! I enjoyed the lobster and shrimp pasta and I taated the eggplant parm and it was also great. Can’t go wrong here and will be back soon for sure!!“

“Thank you for the lovely dinner! We had a fantastic time while visiting Cleveland. I’ll definitely be back.😘 Exceptional Italian food! 🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹“

“First time trying it and it was good! Definitely will go back when I visit town again!“

“Food and service were excellent. I recommend.“

“great food and vibe.m.want more!!!“

“My husband and I had lunch today for the first time at Scotti’s, and it was phenomenal! It will definitely become regular new spot for us. The food was fresh and absolutely delicious. Honestly, I would be satisfied eating just the bread with olive oil and vinegar and enjoying a nice glass of wine! The service was also super friendly! I’m looking forward to spending some time on their beautiful patio when the weather warms up.“

“The food is absolutely delicious!“

“Everytime I go there the food always good and the worker Alway cool I love going their Thanks Jennifer 😍🤪🤪“

“Very low key but if you know you know. I caught the chicken parmesean special. The chicken was crispy and help up against the sauce. You also get a salad and bread. Everything was ok but the atmosphere wasn't really welcoming. It kinda reminded me of a scene in Goodfellows and the Sopranos. It looks like you could have easily ran into John Gotti!!“

“We had my birthday celebration there. Let me tell you, the experience was just beautiful. There were 16 of us, and they catered to our every need. The serving staff was patient, and very thorough. They were so attentive, and made certain we were very well taken care of. THE FOOD! Man oh man. That food was the bomb. I think everyone had something different, and we are all still talking about how good it was! I recommend you have dinner with them. You will not regret it. It’s a whole vibe! ❤️❤️“

“Delicious entrees. Great service.“

“Dang, yet another great pizza place in Downtown Willoughby! We got a hot honey pizza and had some wonderful appetizers there. My only notes are the prices were a bit high and the place was pretty cramped unless you sit outside in the back. Despite these, you will only be greeted by very nice staff and have nothing on the menu to complain about.“

“A true hidden gem! If you love authentic, home-made Italian food, then you need to visit Abo's Grill.
Nonna's lasagna with fresh, home-made noodles is outstanding. Home-made lemon-honey ricotta with warm bread is off the hook! The Cavalli with home-made sausage meatballs is delicious!
The staff are so friendly, patient, and attentive.
Get in your car and drive to Abo's for dinner - you won't regret it!😋😋😋“

“The food is always fresh and delicious!“

“Our favorite family restaurant. The best in little Italy, hands down. we've been coming here for decades and it never disappoints. Angelo & his staff are top notch.“

“🌟 A Meal to Remember – Thank You for Making It Special 🌟 After finishing my last round of chemo, we wanted to mark the occasion with something meaningful(a good meal shared with my husband). We chose Guarino's in Little Italy, and it turned out to be the perfect! From the moment we walked in, the staff made us feel welcomed and cared for. They didn’t just serve us food — they gave us an experience filled with warmth, kindness, and that meant more than words can express. My lasagna and my husband's spaghetti and meatballs were absolutely delicious! The atmosphere was calm and inviting, just what we needed after such a long and emotional day. Thank you to everyone for taking care of us! Your hospitality and excellent food turned a simple lunch into something truly memorable. We will never forget your kindness! We’ll definitely be back, this time to celebrate health and new beginnings!“

“The best food in the world, the best martinis in the world world, the best, the best, the best, the best the best lemon drops ever“

“Got pizza this weekend for the whole family and friends this and it was absolutely delicious!! Fantastic quality of products and look forward to going back again soon. Great job team!!“

“We just got this two days ago for the first time. It was excellent pizza, and will definitely be back.“

“Tried Cuoco Bello for my first time tonight and it was delicious! I ordered the chicken parm for carry out and it was flavorful, a large portion size, and better than I had anticipated 😊 Just what I was looking for in a great meal! The staff was friendly and I can't wait to go back and try something else! Also, they have weekly specials so definitely check those out too! Highly recommend! 🍝“

“Visiting from Maryland, and read good reviews about Danspot. Glad we came. Dinner was fantastic. I had the Shrimp Piccatta, and my wife had Pipette pesto pasta with chicken. Both were outstanding. And our server Jake, was wonderful. Friendly and attentive. If you're in the area of the MGM Northfield, be sure to stop at Danspot. You will be glad you did.“

“We come here often and it's typically very good/great and this one was great! The swordfish special was a nice surprise and I would order it again and is a great choice if your appetite is small to medium. The Chicken Parmesan is a great choice, especially if you're extra hungry. The fall apple dessert was tasty, but it could've used a little more ice cream to balance out the flavors. Chris provided excellent service! “

“My husband and I popped in for dinner after he arrived home from a family event. We wanted a date night after being away from one another for several days/nights. It was our first time. I sent him the menu as he boarded his plane and he was looking forward to a “new spot”. It did not disappoint. We were attended to from the time we sat down until after we tabbed out. We tried several dishes to get an idea of their style of cooking. The prosciutto melted in our mouths.. the ricotta was extremely creamy and bread from Breadsmith? DELISH. The Italian wedding soup was delicious, the pig n’ fig pizza was excellent (kudos on the dough and crust!), the spicy vodka rigate was on point! Not too spicy.. just that perfect amount of crushed red pepper in the sauce. The wine list was an extensive and our servers (we love to sit at the bar) was top notch! (Forgive me because I’m bad with names but I believe they were Alyssa and Jackie?) it is now on our list of must return spots. They were jamming for a Wednesday night. We initially sat at the rail bar but a couple waved in our direction to let us know they were leaving in a few minutes. If you’re looking for a quiet, romantic spot, it’s not quiet but it doesn’t echo, either. The details are beautiful, the artwork is pleasant to the eye and it was a perfect romantic date night spot for us. One of the better Italian spots in the area. Kudos and thank you for a great evening! Oh. P.S. the 12 month prosciutto with ricotta “primi” is definitely enough to share with 4 people. lol. So good!“

“Unique, fresh, and delicious! We will definitely be ordering from here again!“

“Went for the 1st time today, and met some friends we have not seen in a while. The service was exceptional, food was delicious, atmosphere was delightful. Our server went above and beyond mentioning to her manager that we were meeting friends we do not get to see often, and surprised us with a glass of champagne so we could do a toast. we will definitely be back. Thank You for making our gathering extra special. Two of the couple drove an hour and fourty minutes to be there, and well worth it.“

“Alfredo's at the Inn has always been a favorite of mine. The food is consistently good and the service is attentive without being overbearing. The value is good. The veal parmagiano and the lasagna are favorites. Also, the spaghetti and meatballs are wonderful.“

“Had the BEST pizza in years here today. I will be back! AWESOME“

“Amazing service, delicious food plus gluten free options. Will def be back“