44 Best Italian Restaurants near Wauwatosa

“Our third time and the anniversary couple's first time (55 years!) and we were all thoroughly impressed! The food is so authentic - better than any dish we had when we visited Italy! Made with love and fresh ingredients, served by staff who care, and presentation and waitstaff well worth the price. This is not inexpensive, but for any meal with ambiance, and never disappointing, I recommend it highly. Five star everything. We cannot say enough. Thank you for contributing a wonderful Italian option in Tosa area.“

“Cannot say enough about the food, the staff and the ambiance. Whether it is pregame, post-game, special night out, day drinking and dining or late night cocktails and dinner after a late flight this place never, ever disappoints. Its been that way for years and hope it never changes.“

“Staff was very attentive. Food was fantastic. My only complaint is the price, but you certainly get plenty of food for what you pay.“

“Classic Italian done right!“

“Great discovery of a great pizza place!“

“Food was phenomenal!! The atmosphere is lacking. A day of touching up paint, stain, chair nicks and deep cleaning would go a long way for minimal cost and effort. You would have thought it would have been done during the COVID-19 shutdown.“

“Food was average but a decent value for cost. Service was average, but things like checking on drink refills were a bit slow. Atmosphere was like an open hall, nothing special and very old, but obviously in line with what the business target audience is.“

“We were in Wauwatosa to avoid the craziness of Milwaukee and stopped by this little bar - Club Tap. Our neighbors at the bar counter ordered the CHEESIEST pizza that I’ve ever seen in my entire life (I’ve seen a lot of pizza) from you guys and we HAD to go next door and get some of our own. The small town vibes of this pizza place are wonderful. It’s so cute, authentic, DELICIOUS, and worth every penny. Thank you Lalli’s for your service. I don’t know who Lalli is but I’m sure he/she is/was great.“

“DO NOT LISTEN TO KATE WILLIAMS’ REVIEW SHE IS WRONG! Me and my bro came across this place at Mayfair, we were going to get Rocky’s but I’m so glad we didn’t. This place had the greatest pizza in all of Wisconsin, America and the entire Milky Way galaxy. The workers were nice and the food. Oh the food was phenomenal. Me and bro DEVOURED that pizza and Garlic Bread. Please choose this on your next trip to Mayfair.“

“Fried zucchini and steaks are very good so is the spaghetti very friendly people“

“Excellent food excellent service Nice change to have a professional serve us and a professional cooked food highly recommended this restaurant“

“Can't say enough about Safina. We started with cocktails at the bar. The lemon martinis reminded me of the ones I enjoyed in Positano. The food was delicious. The restaurant has a great vibe and it's a great spot for date night. Make sure you add extra time because parking is a little tricky on weekends downtown. It's great to see restaurants busy. Can't wait to return and try more dishes.“

“Very good food, great service. Drove 45 mins out of my way to try this place, will be back!“

“My food was absolutely delicious. I went for brunch and ordered the El Mexicano Bowl. I highly recommend this place. It’s nice to see a great restaurant finally take over the old Trocadero building.“

“Just ate here with my girlfriend's and it was very good. service was excellent and food was delicious! Adding some pics“

“I have not been here in years. We just had a large family gathering today and it was amazing! Great food, great service.“

“an amazing dining experience! food and wine list on point, and the atmosphere is amazing! 10 out of 10 would recommend!“

“everyone there is always very friendly. we love eating there“

“Great stuffed pizza. One of our favorite restaurants for many years.“

“There is nothing that I did not like about tonight's experience. The atmosphere was lovely. The service was fantastic and friendly. The food was delicious. The wine was divine. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Cheesy garlic bread 👍Salad was fresh and tasty. Generous portion. Steak speidini with angel hair pasta was perfect. TIRAMISU was one of the best I can remember. GRAZIE 🇮🇹“

“Went here for the 1st time tonight and is was beyond wonderful. Service was fantastic and the food was soooo good. Can not wait to eat here again ❤️“

“I love the pizza but it seems like the sauce was different. did they change the sauce?“

“The best chicken parm I've ever had.“

“This was my first time there with friends. The food was great. We'll be back again.“

“I had Nadi Plates at a wedding in October. This was by far some of the best wedding food I've ever had! Their Alfredo sauce was spectacular, as was their romesco sauce! My date and I both got Filet which was cooked perfectly. The Bride and Groom also told us how professional the team was to work with. I can't wait for their restaurant spot to open to have their food more often!“

“Calderone pizza is the best! I first had their pizza back in the 1960’s and it’s still the best pizza! . So glad it’s in Fox Point,“

“This is our favorite Fish Fry in the area! (And we've tried a lot of fish fry's :) The Pizza is also really good! We love their thin, crispy, crust! The wait staff has always been friendly and hard working. It's hard to beat Pepino's.“

“Extremely good pizza! I’ve been eating Mama Mia’s since I was a kid, and even though I no longer live in Milwaukee, it’s still a rare and special treat whenever I get the chance to enjoy what I consider to easily be the best pizza in the Midwest. The garlic bread is exceptional as well. Sadly, the original Antipasto salad is no more. Highly recommended!“

“Worked at Armelis many many years ago. Had a craving for it tonight and it’s exactly how I remember it from 15+ years ago! My husband had it for the first time and said “WHY HAVENT WE ORDERED FROM HERE BEFORE?!” So we will definitely be ordering again!“

“Our food came out timed with apps and entrees. Fresh and hot. Exavion was a superb server meeting our needs and friendly with smiles. Our apps the lasagna rolls and fried mozzarella were delicious! Entrees of shrimp scampi and eggplant parmigiana were wonderful! I am new to the area and I will be back!“

“Vinu Cappuccino had a great takeout experience. I ordered the chicken parmesan & few more to go, and it was very tasty — the chicken was well cooked, crispy, and flavorful with a rich sauce and melted cheese. Everything was packed nicely and stayed warm until I got home. Quality and portion size were both good. I would definitely order from here again. 👍🍽️“

“I had heard great things and had never been. Was heading to see a show at the Marcus Center last night and we opted for dinner here. Being a foodie, I had asked for recommendations in some of my foodie groups. I heard the meatball appetizer was a must have. It wasn’t on the menu for some reason, and I’m glad I asked as Frank, our awesome bartender/server who is in the family didn’t realize it wasn’t. I have zero idea how you get meatballs light, fluffy, not dense, but these were them. And the sauce! Beyond fresh, light, and delicious. Eggplant Parmesan fries were also super light and served with the same delicious sauce. And then the pasta… Capellini alla Caprese (which was Frank’s recommendation). From their menu: “Handmade angel hair pasta tossed with sweet Roma tomatoes, genuine Prosciutto di Parma ham and an Italian soffritto (olive oil, onion and garlic), finished in a light chardonnay-cream sauce and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.” This was also super clean, light, and just delectable. The bruschetta appetizer we did not order, but the people next to us did, and I asked to take a pic. It looked amazing, and the girls eating it absolutely raved. The tiramisu - not much to say other than chefs kiss! I literally want to go back and try everything on their menu. This was for sure one of my favorite new (to me) places and I will be back for sure! Also a shoutout to the other bartender Shea… she was an absolute gem. All of the staff we met were super friendly and helpful. Love places like this!“

“Absolutely fantastic. I ordered on a whim , en route home from work. I never heard of the place before , but it slapped harder than nonna with a hot spoon. The food was ready before the pick up time. And it was phenomenal. Would smash again. Definitely. 🤌🏻🤌🏻“

“This restaurant serves up authentic Italian food and reasonably priced. My favorite is meatballs with red sauce and angel hair pasta which combine to make a great dinner. This restaurant is family friendly. I highly recommend reservations.“

“Centro Cafe has been our favorite date night spot for years - the food is always fresh and delicious, the atmosphere is lovely and quaint, and the drinks are amazing too! They have the best Negroni in Milwaukee and we love their rocket salad so much we started making a version of it ourselves at home. Great gluten-free options as well. Truly such a gem!“

“Pizza was decent but average in the sense that it definitely wasn’t bad but it also wasn’t amazing or anything. I thought it was a twinge salty and could’ve used just a little more flavor, the owner was really nice though.

There didn’t appear to be any kind of eating area so don’t expect that.

This place isn’t bad, I recommend checking it out if you’re at the nearby beach and hankering for some pizza.“

“My best friend and I have been visiting for 8+ years, since we were 14/15 years old! The fusilli is our absolute favorite, and we never go without a cheeseboard or the flourless chocolate cake. We have always had great service and it has made every celebration worth visiting Onestos! ❤️“

“I was here recently with my 89 year old retired dance teacher and my friend I used to dance with. We had not seen each other in several years. We met at the restaurant that is near Southridge mall in Milwaukee. Shelby was our waitress. She is a gem! No hurry to get out. Came to the table often to see if we needed anything. Had a great time! I had the sampler platter . Awesome and at a good price. No wonder these restaurants are always busy. We went to one last year in Boseman Montana when we were on vacation. This was the first time my son ate at this restaurant. He loved it. The waiter again was awesome! He gave my son the meal for free since it was his first time eating there. Not sure how he could do this but people in Boseman are very nice indeed. My son is now a lifelong patron of this restaurant! Soup and salad for 12.99. A deal!“

“Maria was such a sweetheart , she so kind , thoughtful , grateful and amazing she kept checking up on us asking did we need something getting us refills without us asking js thoughtful of her to do that the food wasn’t bad i js didn’t like the shrimp scampi bt evt else was fire !!! SHOUT OUT TO MARIA FOR BEING THE BEST FOREVER THE BEST SERVICE merry christmas to maria !“

“I have been to Brick Pizzeria 5 times and I absolutely loved the braised short ribs. The last time I went i got the lobster mac and cheese. Sadly it wasn’t real lobster. it was fake or as the waitress said a mix of lobster with other seafood. The other people in my party tasted it as well and all said it was fake crab meat. I was very disappointed. I would have appreciated the menu listing what was actually in the dish. Lobster has a distinct texture and flavor. I have really enjoyed Brick so this was very sad Michelle L“

“Very good food and great service lasagna is superb and the pizza is top notch“

“The absolute BEST gluten free pizza! You brought me to tears! The pizza tasted just like “regular” pizza! Thank You!!“

“One of the BEST restaurants in the entire city! The food was worth traveling for alone. Some of the freshest and most flavorful food there is to offer. Caleb, the General Manager, greeted us upon arrival and made sure we were well taken care of. The atmosphere of the place was warm and cozy, yet had a modern and lively feel. It made it so hard to leave after enjoying such a lovely meal and time with friends. We will be coming back many times in the near future.“