50 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.“

“Great discovery of a great pizza place!“

“Had a lovely dinner. Service and food were excellent and the 3 for $35 is a great value. We enjoyed our evening“

“Classic Italian done right!“

“Great food. Wonderful Friday night fish fry. Very friendly and efficient man at the host desk. True vintage atmosphere. Servers all run around and are all very unorganized. Our server only had one pen on her. I'm sorry but that's part of the uniform that is extremely unprofessional no matter how old you are. They are all older experienced servers so there was no exception for this. She hovered over our table waiting for us to sign and return her Pen. They do not do separate checks.. The bus boy was absolutely amazing. Everything was fabulous but the servers need to step it up.“

“My partner brought home a pizza last evening from Lalli's. It's the 1st time I ever had pizza from this place. He said the service was excellent when ordering it and picking it up. Our pizza was delicious and they were generous with the toppings, which i appreciate, instead of being skimpy. My only concern after comparing the receipt to the take home menu was that it appeared they might've charged him for 5 toppings instead of the 4 we ordered.“

“When it comes to mall food courts and there's a pizza venue, it's usually Villa or Sbarro which are practically identical. Both are 2 of the most common in major shopping centers and nearly taste the same.

If you arrive at the mall with an empty stomach or have just been scaling the entire mall in & out of various stores and suddenly realize you're craving food, the foodcourt has a few options and Villa is available at this one.

Just like any location out there, there's gonna be mixed reviews typically over the quality of food and the service. Unless you're observing what's behind the counter and glass, the general dining area itself would be included with the atmosphere.

So when it comes to getting some good-tasting food that still may not be worth the high prices for many, it's basically a matter of timing when buying a pizza slice or stromboli when they first come out.

When anything has been sitting for a while and gets reheated for a minute or 2 in the oven, not gonna be as tasty compared to when it first came out. If you're lucky and do get a fresh slice or 2 with an empty stomach, sometimes that's the greatest pizza ever.

Customer service is usually about the same wherever you go. Especially when it's a Saturday or holiday sale weekend, you're always gonna see that employee standing to attention waiting to make that sale, otherwise the service has never been that bad for me.

With the climbing prices every year since the COVID crisis came and went, the unnecessary inflation and minimum wage hike; definitely one of many businesses with high-priced grub for the taste but then again I can only imagine what the rent costs for being in a busy mall.“

“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“

“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ What an incredible dining experience! From the moment we walked in, everything was exceptional. The wine selection was fantastic, and every dish we ordered exceeded our expectations. The eggplant appetizer was absolutely fabulous, and my stuffed filet was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. What impressed me most was that the kitchen customized my entrée on a busy Saturday night—something you rarely see, even at high-end restaurants. My best friend ordered the Frutti di Mare, and it was outstanding as well. The portion sizes were very generous, and we both left completely satisfied. What truly sets Safina apart is the ownership and service. Both owners came to our table multiple times throughout the evening to make sure everything was perfect. They were even helping bus tables and assisting the staff. That level of hands-on hospitality is something you simply don't see very often, even at many five-star restaurants. The food, service, atmosphere, and attention to detail were all top-notch. Safina has earned loyal customers in us, and we can't wait to come back! Bonus: Sal is awesome!!!!“

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

“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.“

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

“When visiting Milwaukee this is an iconic Italian restaurant I personally have been going here since the 80's. Best Italian food any where. My favorites are the garlic bread, Italian beef and sausage sandwiches, lasagna, and trimisu. Definately best garlic bread ever!!!! Large portions great prices courteous service.“

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

“One of Milwaukee’s better pizzas but the coldest dining room of all! I give the pizza an 8. Pizza flops, crust could be stiffer.“

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

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

“We had the best service with Lisa this past Wednesday late evening! She was excellent and recommended the best Swordfish Special and pizza for the picky! Go and see her and eat something special!“

“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,“

“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 🇮🇹“

“delicious food, large portions, friendly staff“

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

“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.“

“The overall experience is amazing. The waitstaff, chefs, owners, and sommeliers all make you feel welcome. Each make sure you have an experience to remember. We love sitting at the chef’s counter. Each visit is different and always a great time.“

“Excellent meal! So happy we tried this cute place! Highly recommend!“

“Delicious pizza with great service! Highly recommend!“

“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!“

“Nadi Plates came highly recommended on our venue's preferred vendor list, and after working with them, we would confidently recommend them to anyone getting married in the Milwaukee or Southeast Wisconsin area.

The team was wonderful to work with leading up to the big day. We met with them multiple times in Milwaukee to prepare, and they worked extensively with us to accommodate all of our guests' dietary restrictions, which gave us huge peace of mind.

The food itself tasted absolutely amazing, especially the Rigatoni Pasta course and the late-night pizza at the end of the evening. Because they made all the food fresh on the premises, they never ran out of a single thing and were able to remain completely responsive to our guests' tastes and preferences throughout the night.

If you want phenomenal wedding catering and a team that genuinely cares about your guests, please consider hiring them.“

“Absolutely great Italian market. I definitely love all their sandwiches and their pastries are phenomenal. I only wish it was closer to my house.“

“I was here today & had a fantastic Milwaukee pizza, garlic bread & a glass of wine! I was shocked to see how big it was inside! It’s also very nice & I can’t wait to use the outdoor patio when warmer! Rob was so accommodating & helped me to my car with my food as I’m disabled! Can’t say enough about this place!! The whole area has been revitalized & is really beautiful!! Thank you for an enjoyable dinner!!“

“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! ❤️“

“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!“

“We often dine at Olive Garden. We have always enjoyed the food and service. Today was somewhat disappointing. It was raining pretty hard outside and as I entered the foyer of course there is going to be a wet floor, I slipped and almost fell. Luckily I caught myself. Three hostesses look and never tried to help or ask me if I was okay. On that note they never even greeted us as they were too busy talking. I said maybe someone should wipe up the water on the floor or move the mats closer to the door. No response. When we were being seated I saw a manager and mentioned it to him. He was also very disinterested, also. I hope nobody falls, especially the few older people with canes and walkers who were dining. Thank goodness for our server Jason who made our dining experience very enjoyable. VERY disappointed with the rest of your staff!!!“

“We visited this time for tge happy hour specials, and they were special. Chicken over avacado, flaming greek cheese,calamari with two dips and of course, wine.
Our short waitress plus backup servers were all friendly,pleasant,kn owledgeable about the food and efficient.“

“Amazing staff and food!!!“

“I absolutely love Ann’s! Pizza, fettuccine, lasagna are all delicious. Last night I had Ann’s penne with chicken and it’s my new favorite! Our waiter, Logan, was amazing also! Definitely a must check out!“

“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. 🤌🏻🤌🏻“

“Expensive and delicious :-)“

“I grew up eating Pietro’s Pizza. It was the only place my family would eat pizza from. 30 years later I got to enjoy a delicious pizza. It was like taking a step back into my childhood. Love, love the pizza.“

“Juan our server did a great job. Excellent service and the food was delicious“

“Stella was great. It had been several years since I had been there, but I am very happy to see. They have continued quality food and service. I also appreciated the little touch by providing a small cake for my girlfriend whose birthday we were celebrating. “

“10/10 WILL GO AGAIN & AGAIN ‼️“

“I once owned an award-winning take & bake company on Hilton Head Island, so I am a self-admitted pizza snob. The take & bake pizza at Scardina Specialties is the only pizza I’ve found that is as good as the ones we made. Definitely give this one a try!“

“While I’ve been here before, this was my partners first time, this experience wouldn’t have been 5 billion stars without Hudson (the best server we’ve ever had). He made our anniversary special, engaging and attentive to us throughout the night.

We’ll definitely return!

Also - Hudson, thank you, and the Sala team, for the anniversary card. We have a card for you too (upright)!“

“I've been going to the Olive Garden for years. This particular location, I've always ordered Carside To Go for my family, but tonight I dined in with a special young lady who was celebrating her 8th birthday. From the start, this OG is different than others - it just has a more friendly and relaxed vibe (it's also roomier). We sit down and we are greeted by our server who, I will tell you, was hands down the BEST server I have ever had in my entire life (and I dine out a lot)! She was incredibly attentive, always ten steps ahead, friendly, she never missed a detail, and she made the birthday girl feel more special than ever!! Jalyna - I highly suggest you request her as your server - was truly extraordinary. And, I don't give out service compliments easily. This location is the #1 OG in all I've dined in across the US! Thanks for a wonderful experience and keep up the amazing work!!!“

“My daughter took me to lunch and we encountered the manager (Jason) who seated us. A very, very pleasant person! I ordered calamari and chicken Marsala, both so salty I couldn't eat it and I informed staff. I did bag it and bring it home. My daughter had the spinach artichoke dip and mushroom ravioli in which both were excellent. I wasn't looking for free food, I just wanted them to know how salty the food was. We paid for everything and then the manager came over a few minutes later and offered a gift card. That was so nice of him. I do want to give kudos to the manager (Jason) he has a great personality for the position he holds. I hope I have the manager's right name. I will visit again..“