49 Best Italian Restaurants near James Island

“Been searching for an authentic Philly cheesesteak for a year. All places advertise that they are the real deal and we end up disappointed every time . A friend that we met recently is from up north and told us to try . Today we stopped in and thank GOD we did!! Literally our prayers have been answered. Soft bread , delicious meat , melty cheese. Authentic Philly food! We got a cheesesteak , Italian hoagie and turkey hoagie. If you’re looking for soft customer service , this may be alittle hard core for you as in normal Philly fashion , we loved it ! This is a MUST!! GO BIRDS!“

“Great experience,fast friendly service“

“To say we’ve been sleeping on this culinary gem would be the understatement of the year 🫠 Unbelievable meal and wonderful service by Kim tonight!“

“Great food; great service“

“When you go sit at the kitchen counter. Loved watching the cooks.“

“We had such a wonderful experience celebrating our anniversary here, and a huge part of that was thanks to our incredible waitress, Naomi. From the moment we sat down, she was warm, attentive, and genuinely enthusiastic about making our evening special.

What truly stood out was the thoughtful surprise she organized for us — the entire staff signed a beautiful anniversary card, and she even gave us a postcard to send as a keepsake. It was such a personal and meaningful touch that made the night unforgettable.

Naomi checked on us at all the right moments without ever being intrusive, made great recommendations, and made us feel truly cared for throughout the entire meal. The food and atmosphere were fantastic, but Naomi’s hospitality elevated the whole experience.

Thank you for making our anniversary so memorable — we will absolutely be back!“

“If you love authentic Italian sandwiches, Porkchetta is the place to go. Their sandwiches are served on fresh, homemade focaccia bread and packed with high-quality, fresh ingredients. Every bite is full of flavor, and the staff makes you feel right at home. An outstanding experience from start to finish — highly recommend!“

“Can't wait to visit! Looks amazing!“

“We visit Le Farfalle every time we visit Charleston, as it is a tradition for me and my son. We love the food and the atmosphere. We can’t wait to have many more trips together to enjoy there.“

“Fantastic food with personal service“

“Mt Pleasant has a REAL Italian restaurant. The food is authentic tasty and cooked to perfection. I felt like my family & I were back in Italy w great Italian food. You can taste the love that this restaurant has for their food & their customers. The service was impecable and out waiter Jim was very attentative. My family is from NY, FL,SC and we all enjoyed a taste from Italia.“

“Amazing food. Everything is homemade. My fiancé and I live an hour away and it is always worth the drive. Must try! We have loved everything we have tried. After developing a gluten intolerance I can still enjoy their delicious gluten free lasagna. Even their homemade breads are much easier to digest than anything else I have tried! Such a treat to get their food 🥰“

“The food was absolutely delicious with good sized portions and a great value for the price.“

“The service, food and atmosphere are outstanding.“

“delicious meal with great service. everything was wonderful, from the bread to pasta to tiramisu. Dogu took good care of us.“

“Drinks, food and service— all fantastic!“

“Being from NY, it has a hometown feel with excellent food, good sized portions and the best waiter ever in Joel.“

“Truly one of the most authentic Italian spots in Charleston. There’s no shortage of great options, but this is one I’d come back to every time. The menu is designed for family-style dining, though they’re happy to accommodate à la carte requests if that’s more your pace. Affordable, welcoming, and genuinely feels like I'm in Italy.“

“Great Food, baked clams, chicken parm YUmmy“

“I have been to numerous Italian restaurants in my life. Out of every Italian restaurant this one is the absolute best, everything was so outstanding. Everything was made from scratch it had tons of flavor. Great service great atmosphere. I cannot highly recommend this place enough, today was my first day going there and I will be a regular there multiple times a month because it was that good. I can no longer hold other Italian restaurants that I’ve been to at such a high standard because this place was so outstanding and delicious.“

“Really authentic Italian at reasonable prices! So good! We especially like the Bolognese and Penne Ala Vodka. Great focaccia bread too. And we can't not order without getting my mom a Tiramisu! You can't support a nicer family-run business!“

“Good atmosphere and terrific food“

“I can confidently say it was one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had! Although we didn’t have a reservation, the staff went above and beyond to accommodate our large party and quickly arranged a lovely table for our group. When we asked for recommendations, our waiter suggested a family-style three-course meal, and we couldn’t be happier with his suggestion! Each course was beautifully presented, and simply delicious. From appetizers to desserts, every dish was crafted with care and creativity. It was a wonderful way to experience the menu and share in the joy of great food together. If you’re ever in the area, do yourself a favor and dine here—you won’t regret it! Thank you for an amazing experience; I can’t wait to return!“

“Just ate dinner at the reopened Mondos and loved it! Great atmosphere, excellent server and delicious food! Highly recommend“

“First timing eating here last night. Amazing food, service, etc!“

“I took my wife on a mini food tour and this was our last stop. The food was very delicious! We only ordered the Disco Fries and the Bruno Bianco pizza. The fries were very flavorful with vodka sauce, pesto, and fresh mozzarella. The Bruno Bianco was extremely fresh and very delicious. You could definitely taste the aromas of the parmigiano and basil pesto ranch sauce. It was phenomenal!! I completely recommend this place and these options.“

“Chicken piccata was amazing. Our server Dominick is a true professional. Our experience was terrific. Compliments to the chef🫶“

“Crust Wood Fired Pizza delivers on great pizza—but what really sets it apart is the incredible customer service. The wood-fired pizzas are consistently delicious, with perfectly cooked crusts and well-balanced toppings that make every bite satisfying.

But beyond the food, the staff truly shines. Friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming, they make you feel taken care of from the moment you walk in. It’s the kind of place where good pizza becomes a great experience because of the people behind it. Absolutely worth coming back for—again and again.“

“Delicious and creative menu!“

“We have been 4 times now and the food is fresh, plentiful and flavorful. Their pistachio cheesecake and raspberry lemon cheesecake are delicious and we brought them home to enjoy over the next couple of days. The linguine and clam sauce is almost as good as my husband’s recipe . Their bread is fresh and great to finish off the clam sauce. The meatballs are a great meal if you are skipping pasta. Their pizzas are wood fired thin and crispy with many choices for toppings with both red and white sauce. The staff is friendly and attentive. Even the customers are friendly and smile and greet you. Thankful they are here on John’s Island“

“I went for the first time and it was awesome. I saw that they had amoroso rolls and had to have the meatball sandwich. It helps to take the crave away if your from the Philadelphia area.“

“We live around the corner from this absolute gem. The owner is clearly passionate about every plate of food he puts out, whether it’s the perfectly curated paninis, variety of sides full of quality ingredients, or DELICIOUS, authentic desserts (that you might get a sample of if you’re lucky! Can’t say enough good things about this place, definitely worth a try.“

“👊 Pizza A Modo Mio continues to impress with their quality. Definitely the best in the area and love to see them prosper!!!“

“We had a great experience at Renzo's! The churrasco was delicious—perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The chicken and beef empanadas were also really good. Our waitress was very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. Definitely a place we'd come back to!“

“Best food and service in all of a Charleston. Ask for Gage Jenkins. Best server in town.“

“Great pizza. Excellent service. We always love eating here when we are on DI !“

“Excellent food and service-everything we ordered was over the top and there were 8 of us, each ordering a different appetizer and entree!Our server Pat, was so well informed about the food, and his service could not have been better!“

“Baker’s Bar is one of those places that just gets it. The team is always hustling and welcoming, serving up fantastic cocktails, fresh delicious salads and pizza, and a soundtrack that somehow always matches the mood. Finally, a place made for locals! We keep coming back for a reason... The rest is still unwritten“

“JI has a message saying you can't place online orders and there not answering the phones . they keep a problem. it's a shame because the pizza is good. The business is just not being ran right.“

“Absolutely best Italian combo sandwich ever! The ciabatta is out of this world. Crispy and fresh. You have to try this one!“

“I am so upset that we’ve never ordered from here before!! It was the best pizza and pasta we’ve ever gotten in the Charleston area. I would even compare it to the food we got in Little Italy in NY. The pizza is superb with the best crust, sauce and mozzarella!! The spaghetti with marinara and the Lasagna were AMAZING as well. It’s our new go to for pizza and pasta!!“

“Tori took great care of us! Great service ! Cute atmosphere with I door and outdoor seating.We played a tournament here last year and loved it. We are back again and the food was just as delicious.The garlic knots are so good! Pizza is very good and so is the pasta .“

“Only have one question…how come you are not open at 9am. So glad you are here to make these amazing pies. Never disappoints, well except having to wait for you to open!“

“La Mejor Pizza Que Hemos Comido En SC ✨ 10/10 Excelente Servicio Al Cliente!“

“Visiting Charleston,SC, needed something filling . Found New York Pizza on East Bay Street. The young lady April who took my order over the phone was wonderful. She was most helpful in suggesting the amount and toppings. My mobility issues allowed me to go to the Lobby and receive my Pizza. Leo brought it to the desk, he was very nice, appreciative and caring. April and Leo are great employees to have, they accommodate others issues and make it happen. I am most grateful and thankful. My Pizza,Side Salad, Strawberry Lemonade mad the difference also. Thank you again and again April and Leo.“

“Just got an everything pizza, it’s probably the BEST pizza I’ve ever tasted!! The pizza was fast and fresh and amazing, what more can you ask for!! My new Charleston tradition will definitely be Suna’s pizza!! Thanks guys 😀“

“Bruh, BEST PIZZA IN CHARLESTON IDGAF what anyone says. $10 a slice, yeah sounds expensive. But when you SEE it OMG. And then taste it?! Bro, GET DOWN HERE NOW.
Stellar Smartography on youtube for my full review.
PREEM FEED MY CHOOMS“

“We ordered an Italian sub, a steak sub and a medium thin crust pizza with 4 toppings, from Ryan. Everything was fresh and tasted great ! Ryan really has it going on !!!“

“Food was good- pepperoni and basil on gluten free crust & another pepperoni on regular crust. Pizza is wood fired and has that thin crust, rustic, floury thing going on. The kids tried the hot honey on theirs and loved it! The meat and cheese board was good as well. We went on a weekend and there was competing music between here and the bar across the street, lots of people, lots of kids playing on the playground in the seating area.

Dietary restrictions: Gluten free crust available“