42 Best Italian Restaurants near James Island

“Best sandwich of my life. There were so many flavors popping with a hint of heat. The pasta salad was perfection and the tomatoes were in my dreams last night. And I don’t even like tomatoes. Usually. It was so fresh and good and I have now added this place to my list of food obsessions. It was so good. I have driven by so many times and laughed at the name and wanted to try because of the name. I’m so glad I finally went but also mad slept on my neighborhood shop for so long. Do yourself a favor and eat there!!“

“So, my old man and I decided to treat ourselves to some Italian grub at this place, and let me tell you, it was off the charts! From the moment we stepped through the door, we knew we were in for a treat. The vibe was classy yet cozy, setting the perfect mood for a memorable night.Now, onto the good stuff – the food! Every dish we tried was like a party in our mouths. I'm talking next-level risotto with truffles that had us swooning, and ossobuco so tender it practically melted on the fork. And don't even get me started on the fresh-baked focaccia – we had to resist filling up on it before the mains even arrived!The service was top-notch too. The staff were super friendly and knew their stuff when it came to recommending wine pairings. We ended up trying a couple of their suggestions, and boy, were they spot on!Honestly, it's no surprise this joint has a solid five-star rating. I wouldn't be shocked if they bagged themselves a Michelin star soon – they're that good. So, if you're in the mood for a dining experience that's a cut above the rest, do yourself a favor and hit up this Italian spot. Trust me, you won't regret it.“

“Yum yum in my tum tum my daughter said, and she’s right. Pizza, shrimp rolls and short rib ragu in a beautiful afternoon dining al fresco. And dessert from the bearded cat for the road. Terra was excellent in taking care of us and confirming our decisions. This is visit number 6 or 7 and I’ll keep coming back.“

“As a pizza enthusiast, I will give this place a major stamp of approval! My margarita pizza was sooo delicious. Authentic brick oven Neapolitan style, but had an extra crisped bottom so the slices could be picked up. Almost like New York meets “

“Great food, great service, beautiful decor. Be prepared for an unusually loud interior due to hard surfaces everywhere. Marinated olives with orange zest and pizza were awesome. Probably need a loud atmosphere to turn tables because the pizza is so good and so many people order it, but just don’t expect a peaceful atmosphere. In a hurry and want great pizza in a place that looks super cool and feels lively and loud with incredibly friendly staff? Go for it! Sometimes that’s what you want to celebrate something and to keep things upbeat. We prefer to be able to have a conversation and relax, but it’s probably great for young people who are on dates and nervous because they don’t know how to have a conversation yet or people who like drinking at dinner and cackling and hollerin’ at each other.“

“Very charming house (like many restaurants in Charleston).The green salad with roasted carrots was fine, but the sea bass with crispy skin and a base of lentils was the best dish I’ve had in my entire stay in the city.Since the menu changes daily, I do hope that when you come it’s on the menu, and please do order it.“

“I could not write this review fast enough. We had the pleasure of having Eric as our server last night. What an incredible guy. He greeted us by name, went over the entire menu page by page, offered recommendations for food and drink. We did the chef’s experience tasting menu and it was incredible. Eric went over each course and explained how it was prepared. Our bill after some drinks and tip was a bit over $400 but truly the best money I have ever spent for food and experience. Again, thank you to Eric for making our time in Charleston so memorable and if we are ever back we will be requesting him by name, he was truly wonderful. -The Fees“

“Wonderful meal prior to our show! I had the clams with house made linguine and the pasta, buttery seasoned sauce was delish. My husband had a lamb meal and it was excellent. My daughter had a small plate as her meal and her girlfriend had a Cesar salad! Drinks were phenomenal and so was the service. Our waiter was very attentive and we even got a visit from the Maitre d! We will definitely be back.“

“There are places you go to eat and the food is good, the service is attentive, and the atmosphere is perfect. Then there is Muse in Charleston…We mulled over the menu for maybe 20 seconds when Donny dropped in on our table (after checking in with regulars, ensuring people saw the step on the way in and greeting total strangers like they were bffs) and altered our evening from a nice night out to a next level experience.He asked us about any dietary “stuff like allergies, vegan-“Me: “yup, we’re vegetarian.”Donny: “I’m getting you the Fettuccine Carbonara but I’ll make sure there’s no meat. It’s what you want. Anything to start? The beets and carrot plate is amazing. How about wine?”Me: “Red…”Donny: “I got you.”I haven’t tasted a pasta dish like that. Ever. Everything is prepared in house (including the fresh noodles), the wine was on POINT and just order the Beets and Carrots. Donny would approve…Donny: “dessert?”My wife: “we were thinking about it but we can’t remember the menu” (cuz we hardly even saw it!)Donny: “Trust me? I got you” and capping (until then) our Muse experience with Pomegranate Liquor soaked ladyfingers topped with a pistachio crumble alt-tiramisu apres’ unlike any dessert I’ve tasted.Now for the amazing part: we leave our credit card behind on the table. I get a phone call/voicemail that I don’t answer/check until 10:59pm. It’s a lovely woman from Muse informing me about our card saying the close at 11pm. We fly out the next morning… I call them, crossing my fingers.Donny answers, problem solves really fast by way of “I’m swinging past your hotel on my way to drinks with a buddy who’s in town. You’ll never know if that true, but I’m dropping off the card anyway…” So I run downstairs and three minutes later, he’s jumping out of the car with a take-away box grinning “you didn’t think I’d come empty handed, did ya?!”Donny, you made our trip. Thanks for being a rad human, serving tasty food and for the extra slice of pistachio heaven. May we all channel a little more of THAT in this world.“

“Renzo is hands down my favorite restaurant in Charleston. It’s first and foremost delicious, but also loud (in the best way) and cozy. In a city that often times takes its food too seriously, Renzo is irreverent and fun.Do yourself a favor and order the Korean fried chicken and a Caesar. It’s the best salad in town and those two items alone make a great meal. But don’t stop there. The pastas sell out fast because they’re good - make earlier reservations and guarantee yourself a selection of menu items. The wood fired pizzas are the perfect mix of crusty edges and soft centers. You get char and chew all on one plate.Finally, never miss a “specials” event, loved red sauce week so much the first night we came back for a second. Feast of the Seven Fishes is better than my husband’s Italian grandmother (but I didn’t tell her that).“

“This is one of our fav restaurants in Charleston! We just celebrated our anniversary there on Monday and had such a great time! Kari was our waitress and she was absolutely wonderful! She was extremely attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable! She even brought me bug spray because I was getting bit by mosquitoes. I will always recommend this place to locals or out of town visitors!“

“Best pizza I've ever had in my life!! Service was amazing, they make everyone feel like a part of the family. We were visiting for vacation and found this gem based on reviews. My only regret is that I can't go here in a regular basis.“

“Orlando’s did not disappoint. The pizza was amazing and our server was very hospitable. This restaurant was what I would consider to be a must try if you’re visiting Charleston!! Thank you from all of us at That 1 Painter for the memory you guys created, we will be stopping back by soon!“

“First time diner, and was extremely impressed! I loved the vibe of this shop as soon as we walked in. The menu is unique, and packed with flavor! Had the porcini rubbed prime rib with mushroom conserva and it was heavenly. We also ordered sides of the rotisserie drippings roasted potatoes which tasted like they were right out of your grandmas best pot of stew, and the cremini mushrooms that were delicious! So happy we found this spot!“

“You pick your choice of homemade pasta and sauce. The fettuccine Alfredo sauce with shrimp was delicious , as well as the Caesar salad and garlic bread. Also , the spaghetti with tomato basil red sauce and meatballs was delicious too. This is a more casual atmosphere where you order at the counter, pay , then they bring the food to your table. I noticed a lot of carry out orders . A wide range of alcoholic beverages available too. Great beach restaurant.“

“The food was excellent, starting with meatballs and marinara sauce. My wife doesn't normally do meatballs but found them very good. The bread was not the normal oven baked but an Albania roll that was excellent, had them in Italy, and once again, my wife was happy because Italian oven has the hard crust which I like, but it's a personal taste. What can I say, but the overall dinner was excellent.“

“How do you describe great pizza in 4 words? "Pizza A Modo Mio"My wife and I were in town for a convention and stopped into this little gem for some take out. First of all, when you walk in the aromas in that room are amazing. We placed our order (although it was hard to pick just 1 or 2 things, everything looked so dang good).I ordered the pizza (18 inch) with pepperoni & onions. My wife ordered some different slices of pizza and an order of garlic knots. Everyone working behind the counter were pleasant and personable. I got to talk to the owner (Mike) and his manager (Pete). Boy, you could tell these guys were from New York lol. We grabbed our food, paid the cashier and we were off to the hotel to dive in.The pizza was traditional New York style. Thin slices that were full of flavor even with just 2 toppings. The sauce was amazing and the pizza crust...mmmmm. The garlic knots - well....let's just say they didn't last long. Buttery, garlicy and soft. Sooooo goodWhen we are back in town, we will definitely be stopping here again. Do yourself a favor and give these guys a try, you will thank meWheelchair accessibility: Easy in and easy out“

“We split our time between Pennsylvania and the Charleston area. We have been searching for a bonafide good Italian Restaurant in the area. We found one in Fratello's. Traditional Italian food that was delicious, especially the “special” pappardelle pasta with bolognese sauce and the chicken Scarpiello.“

“excited to say we finally have REAL italian-american food in charleston! citadel mall food court ambiance not-withstanding; this place is 100000% legit.we had chicken parm over spaghetti and manicotti with bolognese sauce, and they were both absolutely delicious.representative of all of the flavors i grew up eating in my italian-american household, and have been missing so much here. my meal was literally like a trip down memory lane.the pasta (at least in the case of the manicotti shells) was made fresh in house, the sauce is absolutely on point, portions are ridiculously large, prices are reasonable, and the owners super friendly. although we didn't try any, the desserts looked fantastic.. as well as the deep fried calzones.we will be regulars here for sure.“

“Authentic Italian from a chef who's inspiration and devotion comes out in the amazing dishes that he creates. If there is a special, definitely try it because it means there was something special that Chef Davide saw in the ingredients that day. Fresh ingredients and traditional Italian style combine for an unforgettable meal. I've been going since moving to Charleston and will never stop. My 8 yo daughter already thinks it's going to be her first job to be back in the kitchen w the head Chef himself ?.The staff are trained and will treat you like family. Every bit of the meal is important and they will make sure you enjoy it all! And don't even think about leaving without trying the best tiramisu on the east coast....made fresh constantly because it does not last long!And if you're in the mood for authentic napolese pizza, check out his pizzaria just a couple shops down called Pizza Pazzo!“

“Very tasty Italian restaurant! It was packed like sardines on a Tuesday night, which is a good sign of great food. Was a bit crowded and loud for my typical liking, but it was well worthwhile. The service was about as good as the food, but the food certainly was the star of the show!“

“I pride myself on finding the best pizza places- this one is a hidden gem. The pizza is super fresh and the crust is awesome. They have lots of different options and we’ve never had a bad meal here. Their happy hour is great and most of the staff is great too. It’s a casual place- a good change in pace from the downtown dining scene. The pesto, pepperoni, and mushroom are our top favorites!!“

“They have a huge menu. You can buy pizza fresh and by the slice. They also have salads, pastas, stromboli, calzones, and rolls. We got several things and they were all good. The only thing I was a little unsure about was the fact that the pizza by the slice was sitting out on the counter and they warmed it up before serving it. It seemed like it should have been under a warmer. I didn't know how long it was sitting out like that. They are open late. There's a small dining area, but it's more of a takeout place.“

“Fantastic vegan food and Fantastic service. Got a couple of pizza slices and some lasagna, all of it was fantastic. The service was super friendly and variety of vegan choices is great. You can tell everything is handmade and they care about making quality food. Will be back again and again.“

“My fiancé and I ordered takeout for an at-home date night and we could not be more ecstatic about finding this place. As two transplants from Boston, this was the first time Italian food has made us this happy since we’ve moved to Charleston. We cannot wait to order again!“

“I am so glad I found this place. The only downside is no delivery, but the pizza is unique and tastes amazing. The ingredients taste fresher than chain pizza places, and the staff is nice. The pizza slices are very gene. I ordered the cowboy pizza aka chicken bacon BBQ pizza and it was amazing. I added bacon. Try the "order by the slice" option. You can choose any pizza on a huge slice. Also, there is no sit-down and eating area. Only an area to wait for your order.“

“My wife and I recently traveled to the Charleston area for our honeymoon and stopped here for lunch. We were both extremely satisfied with our selections. The chicken parm sandwich was spectacular. It was definitely more than I could finish. Beyond the food, our servers were fine examples of the friendliness and hospitality that the Low Country and Charleston are known for. If you are a local or visiting the area, make it a stop for lunch.“

“Today we had decided to have lunch at another restaurant in Daniel Island, but we were sent away because our group was too big and they didn't have enough staff (???). We found Orlando's and we were seated immediately. The food was great; our server (I think his name is Scott) was very courteous and went above and beyond to accomodate all of us. We are very pleased with this place, and will definitely come back.“

“Had the opportunity to visit last night for the first time. Had some apps and pasta. Everything was great . Coming from nyc and Philly we have high standards for Italian cuisine. Most Italian restaurants in Charleston are a disappointment. Savi is our go to place now. If you stop at the bar be sure to say hi to Keith.“

“Came here with the U Penn Baseball team and they treated us and the boys so well! Thank you Joe for fitting us all in and Joel our server who was incredible and funny! Also from as a fellow Italian I must say the chicken giambotta was incredible! Definitely recommend!“

“I love love this place first time here is when they did the Christmas tree lighting an I’ve been going ever since!!! I have taken a pic yet but trust it’s good next time I’ll take a pic but the lamb an chicken over rice burgers an wraps must try I haven’t tried a pizza yet but it’s next thx y’all for good “

“Very good food. Staff was friendly and attentive. Would be nice to have a few vegetarian options. We plan on returning again soon.Vegetarian options: Not too much for vegetarian. Really only five was salad and one of the pasta dishes. It's possible they could have made something off menu but we did not ask about that option. The for was very good though.“

“Cozy and happy atmosphere, attentive, friendly service, and the yummiest pizza and salad we've had in a long time. Bacon/bibb salad w/Bleu cheese dressing, then a pizza with Bleu cheese, delicious, tender, tasty beef, and a balsamic glaze. Didn't like the arugula tossed on top, but it was easy to pick off. Tall, fizzy coke with refills. Everything was great.“

“I love this pizza, best in town, and impressive for the south! The slice is massive. Thin crust, quality sauce and cheese. It is not greasy and made fresh. There is indoor and outdoor seating but we opted to take ours in a box and eat it by the waterfront. This pizza hits the spot!!! The service is great. Cash payment is preferred, but they do accept credit cards.“

“It's got great food at reasonable prices. If you want to just drink water, then your should bring your own water bottle. I ordered wings and the chicken avocado salad, which were very good. The bathroom is small but reasonable considering how few people the restaurant seats. It needed some help in the paper towel department but was otherwise quite good.“

“Don't sleep on this place. Eaten here several times and each they had the best tasting pizza in town. Both my fiancee and I agree that their White Calzone is the by far one of the best calzones we have ever tasted, and she is from Europe and has been all over to pizza places. “

“We really enjoyed our meal here. It's a small pizzeria/trattoria easily located off Maybank highway in a nice shopping center. It reminds me a little bit of pizzerias in NY where I grew up, where the pizzeria is on one side and the restaurant is on the other. Portions were HUGE! So go hungry, or take home leftovers, which are never bad! I had the half a chicken Parm sub with an arugula salad (a lunch special) and it was oh so good! Some of the best chicken Parm I've had and the salad was really refreshing, simple, but Delicious. The sub bread was unlike anything I've ever had, not exactly pizza dough, which is what it looked like, but was lighter than I expected, which was nice considering how heavy a dish this can be. My husband had a calzone, which was not technically on the lunch menu, but obviously, it being a pizzeria, was always available. This was one of the best calzones I ever had. And, again, much lighter than expected. Generously stuffed with ricotta cheese and your choice of up to 3 fillings, with sauce on the side! De-lish! If I lived closer it would be a staple in our rotation, probably good for my waistline that I don't!“

“Cat was the best server and bartender ever! She made us feel so welcome and went out of her way to make sure we had everything we needed! Cheers to LIDI for their excellent service, staff, cooks and food! Highly recommend. And ask for Cat!“

“Wow! Such an amazing spot. I was looking for a local Italian spot to cater a large event of mine (almost 250 people) and stumbled upon Amalfi’s! The owner Davide was super responsive and helpful while I placed my order. He even gave me a discount on my order! When I came for pickup they brought everything out to my car for me. It was a Friday night and the restaurant was packed, but still gave amazing service to me! The food was all hot and fresh, and everyone raved about it! Thank you so much Davide and your staff! I will totally be back :)“

“Third time at Coastal Crust on James Island, and can't wait for the fourth. The staff is always friendly, and we haven't had a pie that we did not like. I keep it pretty simple when it comes to pizza, but I enjoy the variety of elevated pizzas that this establishment has. Also tried the wings and was surprised with their crispiness and overall great flavor.“

“One of our favorite places to eat outside in Charleston, especially with kids. Get a pizza and salad from the walk up window, grab a drink, let the kids run around, and enjoy. Also, you can grab ice cream at the trailer next door if your kid stops playing long enough to actually eat their food.“

“This little pizzeria has the best food! Every ingredient is so fresh and cooked to perfection. We had the black and bleu salad and margherita pizza. The pizza is big enough to split with 2 people. Each person gets 3 medium size slices. We were very happy with the service we had and it's a nice relaxing place to eat outside in the shade under some oak trees.“