50 Best Italian Restaurants near Exeter

“Blessed & grateful to celebrate my son’s birthday dinner at Grico's! The Chef Bill crab cake and the Ribeye were outstanding! Such a welcoming team there too!“

“Absolutely wonderful food and service. Angela was super attentive and extremely pleasant. We love everything about this place“

“Best Pizza and Meat Sauce!! Mike the owner is a true gentlemen owner and the bar tender Donna is wonderful. I can’t wait to come back and try more!!“

“The best pizza ever! It was delicious!!First time here and we had a terrific time! Expresso Martini and all the specialty beers were out of this world!• Atmosphere rustic and inviting! This place was recommended to us and was very thankful because we had a terrific experience!“

“We ate there for the first time , the atmosphere and staff where great.Quick service food was great will be back again soon.“

“Saturday 2/8/2025 , wife and i had the pork special , it was outstanding , waitress was outstandind also , i believe it was abby“

“My son kept telling me he wanted us to try this restaurant as he lives in the area and he goes there often. It was a hike for us, but we decided to go try it out. There were 6 of us there, and everyone enjoyed their food, but I will speak to what we ordered. My son insisted we try the pizza as an appetizer. I am not really into pizza when I go out to a restaurant, so I was hesitant. When it came out, it was huge. I loved that it was very crisp on the bottom and it was not overloaded with sauce. It didn't have the typical cheese that slides off the pizza when you order it. The owner, Chris, came to check on us to see how we liked it. I thought it was fantastic, but there are a limited number made during the evening so I think you have to get there early. My daughter and I shared the bang bang cauliflower and that was very tasty. There was a lot of it so we ended up taking some of that home. The other appetizer we had were the soul scallops. We all thought this was an amazing appetizer and I loved the combination with the cornbread. We each had a salad before dinner and I personally like the spring mix with tomatoes. It wasn't an overly large salad, but it was a salad was what is was supposed to be: a precursor to dinner. With the portion sizes of the appetizers and the food, we actually ended up taking some of the salad home. My son got the Italian Chicken and Waffles, which was huge. I was give a taste of that and while it was a combination that I did not think would work, it was very good and a creative recipe. My husband had the Surf and Turf Fricassee and he is still talking about that almost a week later. It was a very nice dish and his steak came out the way he asked. He is frequently disappointed when he goes out to eat in other restaurants and is disappointed by how often the steak is overcooked. I had the Alfredo Bay, which again, was a large portion that I ended up taking home and finishing the next day. I was worried that it was going to be a bit too spicy with the Old Bay, but I liked the combination of ingredients so I thought I would give it a try. You can taste the kick, but it wasn't overwhelming thankfully. When talking to the owner, he said that the only dessert they were out of was the Tiramisu (which is one of my favorite desserts). His mom personally makes it so it tends to sell out. Chris.....tell your mother to make more (just kidding). The staff that we interacted with were very personable and friendly. While this was a little over an hour from home, we will definitely be back the next time we are visiting our son!“

“This pizza is great!!! GO ORDER SOME LOL its seriously that good �“

“The greeting we received was like coming home to family. The food we ordered was delicious and authentic Italian and it was nice asking their owner for his suggestion to match the wine for our meal.“

“Our 1st visit was today. OMG!! highly recommended. Pizza variety & crust was amazing, burger was great! Desserts were OMG excellent! We will definitely be going back soon! 😋“

“This was our 1st time dining , we made reservations for party of 5. We were seated immediately. Very good food . We ordered a variety from across the menu , Pasta , Seafood , Veal , Chicken , and it was all VERY GOOD. The portions were good as well. The service was excellent , friendly and timely. Will definitely be returning again.“

“we had Chicago style pizza. was excellent!! Highly recomend!!!“

“Illiano's is by far the best restaurant in the valley. There's something for everyone on the menu. Order the sicilian marinara pizza...thick crust, fresh tomatoes, garlic and plenty of cheese. If you're not happy, it's on you. It's definitely not the food“

“The Pasta alla Tovalo is an awesome night out. The service is excellent and everything we've ever ordered has been phenomenal. Highly recommend this restaurant.“

“I had dinner there with friends and everything was super. The food was delicious, and the service was even better. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking for a great meal and very good waitress and bartender.“

“My family and I had some friend over Saturday evening and wanted to keep it simple with pizza. Our order was a plain, pepperoni and a grandma. As usual every pie was so fresh and delicious. My favorite will always be the grandma, just the right amount of pesto oil, thin and crispy. While I forget his name, the tall gentleman with glasses, who I assume is the manager, is always so polite and keeps things moving behind the counter. Dino’s will always be a pizza that I enjoy and highly recommend!!!!“

“Very close tables nex to each other. Be careful, salad was included with the meal, but we were charged for each salad that we did Not order. Then, a fiasco to try to have it removed from the bill. Will Never, go back. Beware, check your bill.“

“Outstanding dinners for our party of 6. Service was excellent and atmosphere phenomenal. 5🌟 Restaurant“

“first time here tonight based on my dates recommendation..very happy with our dinners and the service..I got the gnocchi with meat sauce and she got a chicken caesar salad I believe..both large portions . Will definitely be back“

“fantastic place great food and freindly folks!“

“Best Zuppa Di Clams anywhere! Friendly staff, fair prices and real Italian/Sicilian meals.“

“We ordered the Gramma Sicilian tonight.....Excellent!! The crust was perfection! The blend of sauce, cheese and pesto was the best Gramma pizza I've ever had. The gentleman who handled my order was so welcoming and friendly also! Thank you!“

“This is a lovely restaurant for a special occasion or for any excuse to go and have a lovely meal. If you are there in the summer, get the long hots - they are amazing. The staff is always super friendly while still maintaining decorum. We always have a great time here, and the food is wonderful.“

“We come here as much as possible. There isn't anything that we have ordered that we didn't love. I love date nights here and the food is out of this world.“

“Tried for the first time since moving to area, and kitchen is not set up completely at home. ordered Chicken francaise for 6 value, I was not disappointed. Was it mine? No. Was it big chain? NO. Very pleased with this Sunday dinner. Mozzarella sticks, garlic broccoli, and Bread! and oh, the fettuccine side I ordered will definitely be ordered again. Greeter was wonderful and told me, next time call in the order rather than through 3rd party, saves BUNCHES of money :)“

“We visited Augustine's with a large group of 20 people and were incredibly impressed with the level of service we received. Despite the size of our party, our single waitress handled everything with remarkable efficiency and professionalism. She managed all our drink and food orders promptly, and every item arrived hot, fresh, and perfectly prepared.

We ordered a variety of appetizers, entrees, pizzas, drinks, and desserts, and everything was served in well-timed stages. No one waited too long, and the quality of the food was outstanding—every dish was delicious. Not a single person in our group left hungry or disappointed.

We highly recommend Augustine's and will absolutely return the next time we're in town.“

“We had our daughter's bridal shower on Sunday in the small room in the restaurant. Such a great time, and set up beautifully. They are very accommodating, and make sure you are happy. Will recommend to our friends!“

“Tripe is the BEST i've ever had!!!!!“

“Perugino’s was terrific. We hadn’t been there in a long time and we will certainly go back. The food was delicious with generous portions. The service and staff was great.“

“Please accept me as a friend on Facebook. I want your daily info. I have a new page.“

“The Best Meat Ravioli I have ever tasted!“

“This is the second time it was dried out. No taste. And the bottled garlic that they are using was so over powering it for Ed it down. And I asked for a little more sauce. When it came. It was all dried. Like it was sitting g under the heat lamp a long time. This is the second time. And it had no taste. Twice . And the prices have gone sky high for. Pasta. 17 for a lousy dish of clams in sauce that had no taste. I’m very sorry we loved co I g here for years. But the food is. O share what it is. Most likely there is no one watching how this is prepared“

“My daughter has been telling me about their pizza for over a year, but I’m very picky and hate trying new places. Finally decided to try it today, and it was amazing… we ordered the square red pizza, and I have to say it’s one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had. We will definitely be ordering again, and trying some other menu items. Thank you for an amazing experience“

“Great food, staff, and owners!“

“I got 2 trays of red pizza with anchovies & the pizza was Absolutely Scrumptious. Pizza was phenomenal. Loved it! Everything was perfect even though I ordered out. Order was ready when I got there & just the smell, I couldn't wait to get home to have a piece. Sheer Perfection.“

“Love this place! The owner and the staff are amazing! The Food is always great! My wife and I enjoy everything we have ever had!“

“Today was a good day we had a good time . The food was good the service was ok but she should have offered up the olive garden experience on a special birthday visit. No suggestions for drinks no suggestions on appetizers, no pre bus but food was good company was better and all was great.“

“Their buffalo chicken wing pizza is to die for! We also love their burgers & salads! Be sure to try the meatball hoagie next time you’re there, you won’t regret it! They are so friendly & the food was ready fast!“

“Been here many times,, had so many different meals. I haven’t been disappointed YET. Mike comes out and Greets his customers. The the atmosphere..“

“We just had a white and a red they were both excellent. We will definitely be back keep up the good work“

“Lemme just tell you, I wanna kiss Giuseppe right now! We ordered subs, wings and pizza and drove it back to Scranton. Everything was fire ?. How have I not eaten here before.? You guys got your s*** together, lemme tell you!! I'll be back, Jack!!“

“they never disappoint I had wings tonite & they were excellent I order almost every Fri or Sat Danielle is the sweetest and has a smile for everyone even the nasty people l respect recommend them very highly“

“I grew up on Main Street in Old Forge and the Pizza here tastes like it’s from Main Street in Old Forge. Outstanding job!“

“Best chicken parm in the area, and the owner is lovely!“

“Napoli's NEVER disappoints. This is genuinely the best restaurant, and it's owned by the BEST family. Authentic Italian food, and you can tell. Always always always handcrafted perfectly. You don't see many authentic Italian restaurants anymore... but this one? The BEST. Anyone who tells you different has lost their mind.“

“We lucked upon this place after late arrival at one of the many chain hotels surrounding. Marguerita pizza was crispy and sauce excellent. Salads large and fresh. Italian wedding soup was definitely homemade., Bonus of fireworks at minor league baseball park below. We had a great young woman serve us- off to Goldsboro, NC next couple months with her soon-to-be husband and his military training. Just a delightful energy. She was very excited about attending the Marine ball--which we have seen and is a beautiful event. We pray for her future success and she definitely has a very bright future ahead of her!“

“Frequented this establishment often…I LOVE LOVE LOVE the FRESHNESS of the rolls n deli meat…I ALWAYS get the Turkey n Cheese w/that YUMMY SPICEY MAYO….& follow up with the Carrot Cupcake…I HIGHLY recommend this place….the OWNER is very SOCIABLE w/his customers which is nice…1 greeting could really make a difference in some1’s life….the staff are very Courteous and Friendly as well….Overall: I LOVE LOVE LOVE this establishment🙂Go check them out!!!!👍🏾“

“Getting hoagies from III Guys is CONSISTENTLY hit or miss. Now it's constantly a *miss* so we're done spending money here. I got a turkey hoagie today and there was barely anything on it! 😠 A regular sandwich is thicker! Two slices of turkey, a tiny bit of lettuce, some onions and a couple tomato slices! Oh and it was DRY! We paid for mostly BREAD! Feels awesome to be shafted for what you paid for. I had to put my own Mayo on it, add lettuce and add tomato to fill it! That's NOT the point of take out. Food quality is going DOWN last few years. ((See comments for pics of this sad hoagie)) We're done giving them the benefit of the doubt. The other hoagie we bought was also lacking & dry. Plenty of other good quality restaurants to choose from than wasting money on food that clearly quality isn't a priority. ~Signed Another Unhappy customer“

“Simply the BEST.“

“We love Lino’s! From dinners to pizza to special salad and hosting our family’s special occasions, it’s a long-time favorite. Always well done!“