14 Best Italian Restaurants in Charlottesville

“What an incredible little restaurant. I still can’t believe we happened across it! My boyfriend and I live in DC and eat out quite frequently, and Tavola topped some Michelin star restaurants we’ve tried. We were blown away by the kindness and knowledge of the sommelier and staff, the generosity and talent of the kitchen, and the overall atmosphere and ambiance. Every dish was on point, every service mark was hit, and I could write paragraphs about the wine recommendations. I would rate it more than five stars if I could. Huge thank you to Clay, Caleb, Kendall and everyone else we met for making our night so memorable. If you’re thinking about opening another location I vote DC!“

“For a pre anniversary dinner , I chose Vivace and glad I did. Service was a little slow as was the kitchen but that made for a relaxed and enjoyable, romantic atmosphere. Our server Tim was friendly and courteous even if was a bit confused at times. Many tempting choices on the menu but after conferring we opted to share a bottle of San Pelligrino ( I don’t drink and drive ) , the house salad ( home made Gorgonzola dressing was delicious!) and the Veal Picatta. Fantastic presentation and flavor ; tender and tasty veal and the crusty warm Italian bread kept us occupied while waiting for our meal. All in all a wonderful experience and very reasonable prices for such good quality as well. Highly recommended.“

“Everyone is very welcoming, as though you are family. Courses are served allowing time to enjoy the appetizer and digest before the next course. You are never rushed but also never ignored with someone always checking to see if something else is needed. The food is excellent with large portions. The atmosphere is relaxing and romantic with low lighting. I enjoyed everything about it and look forward to eating there again.“

“Highly recommend this restaurant! The house salad was the best salad I’d ever had. The cocktails are wonderful; the tender even accommodated my special request. The entrees were sumptuous; we got the Italian sausage pasta and the salmon. We travel through Charlottesville twice a year and dine here on our way up and back each year. It’s my favorite part of our trip. Service is excellent.“

“I have lived here for years during my time at uva and so sad that I just discovered this place for my last summer in cville. It does not disappoint. The prices are competitive and comparable (and from what I glean, better) than any other restaurant serving similar food in cville. I plan to try the fresh pasta and raviolis next - also comparable to even grocery store chains… very good vibe, and an underrated gem“

“We had delicious food and even better service. Was a great stop on our visit.“

“We learned of this place from some online guides and decided to give it a try. We had two different pastas: the pistou and the fettucini. Both were fantastic. The portions are generous and certainly filling. Everything tasted extremely fresh (because it is) as they are cooked and made when ordered!

Side note: I asked about the pesto ingredients as often pesto is made with cashews which I am allergic to. The gentleman who took our order kindly informed us that there are neither cashews or pine nuts in their pesto!

Our pastas were neatly packaged in a brown paper bag with napkins and forks, and brought out to us in a very timely manner!

We are excited to go back and try more of their pastas and give their pizzas a go.“

“Amazing!!!!!!! The vodka rigatoni is to die for!“

“It’s a quick sit-down pizza place with a variety of pizza flavors. Vita Nova came recommended by locals. The pizza types looked so good it was hard to decide! But the two we got, chicken Chipotle and margarita, were very good. We didn’t eat it right away though. We saved them for lunch the next day and they were very yummy.

You can order a whole pizza or pizza by the slice. The slices are very big though!

The server/owner was very helpful and funny as well 😊“

“Great service, excellent flavors and choices!! Pizza was so flavorful and amazing!!“

“Great diner for breakfast and lunch. Friendly and prompt service. Food was delicious and reasonably priced. Sweet tea was really good also. Be sure to try the homemade cookies. Close to UVA medical facilities, & wheelchair accessible.“

“One of the best pizza places in town. Our family loves their pizza, and honestly everything on the menu at vocellis. Thanks for providing great service and food over the years. Look forward to future orders.“

“We have been ordering from Fabio’s once a week during my pregnancy and it has been amazing each and every time! We normally don’t order out much so it’s been a huge treat. What impresses me most is that the menu is so wide (perfect for whatever you’re craving- pregnant or not 🤣) and everything from the pizza to the wings to the subs to the desserts and the crispy well seasoned fries has been fantastic. The food always arrives quickly, fresh and hot!! Thank you for being a weekly highlight.“

“I would highly recommend Marco’s. We drove almost 30 miles to check the place out and were not disappointed.“