Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Tucson by diners
Italian food is the most popular cuisine in the world, according to a 2023 study by The Picky Eater that tallied up Instagram tags. It's no wonder why so many people love it. Just thinking about dishes like chicken parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs is enough to get your mouth watering—even though many of these world-famous dishes are actually Italian American creations more so than true Italian fare. Traditional Italian food embraces an assortment of sumptuous recipes that aren't dependent on fried breadcrumbs and red sauce—think frittatas and focaccia, or carpaccio and panna cotta.
Italian immigrants have been weaving their cuisine into the fabric of the American food landscape for generations since they arrived in the United States nearly 150 years ago. And the cuisine, like the culture it hails from, tends to give off warm and fuzzy "family" feels. For many people, the quintessential local Italian American restaurant—complete with its red-and-white checkered tablecloths, pour bottles of olive oil, parmesan cheese shakers, cute little jars of red pepper flakes, and wicker baskets of oven-fresh bread—brings back memories of special life moments, like first dates and milestone birthdays.
Luckily, today you don't need to be in a major metropolis like New York or Los Angeles or an area with a large Italian or Italian American community to score top-notch buon cibo. You can find excellent Italian offerings in almost every city from coast to coast. To celebrate all things mozzarella and marinara, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Italian restaurants in Tucson based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of January 2024.
Read on to see if your favorite is among the top-rated or to find a new spot in your neighborhood.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.
#30. NYPD New York Pizza Department
- Rating: 3.5/5 (347 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6546 East Tanque Verde Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Giuseppes Ristorante Italiano
- Rating: 4.0/5 (124 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9431 East 22nd St. Ste 157 Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Tavolino Ristorante Italiano
- Rating: 4.0/5 (462 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2890 East Skyline Drive Ste 100 Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Bellisimo at Casino del Sol
- Rating: 4.0/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 5655 West Valencia Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Rosati's Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (96 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2944 West Ina Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Jozarelli's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1001 South Tyndall Ave. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Food Trucks, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Proof Artisanal Pizza & Pasta
- Rating: 4.0/5 (227 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4340 North Campbell Ave. Ste 104 St. Philip's Plaza Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Pizza, Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#23. The Pastashopaz
- Rating: 4.0/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 3951 West Ina Road 155 Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Salad, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Vero Amore - Swan
- Rating: 4.0/5 (539 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2920 North Swan Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#21. North Italia
- Rating: 4.0/5 (1066 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2995 East Skyline Drive Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Trattoria Pina
- Rating: 4.0/5 (203 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5541 North Swan Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Scordato's Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (563 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4911 North Stone Ave. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Bacio Italiano
- Rating: 4.0/5 (214 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 943 East University Blvd. Ste 125 Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Alloro D.O.C.
- Rating: 4.0/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7600 East Broadway Blvd. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Italian, Steakhouses, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Dominick's Real Italian
- Rating: 4.0/5 (581 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8330 North Thornydale Road Ste 170 Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Fresco Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (279 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3011 East Speedway Blvd. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Bottega Michelangelo
- Rating: 4.0/5 (591 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 420 West Magee Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Reilly Craft Pizza & Drink
- Rating: 4.0/5 (767 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 101 East Pennington St. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Italian, Beer Gardens
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Zio Peppe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (212 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6502 East Tanque Verde Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Sauce Pizza & Wine
- Rating: 4.0/5 (250 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5285 East Broadway Blvd. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Dolce Vita Italian Bistro
- Rating: 4.0/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1800 East Fort Lowell Road Ste 168 Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Locale Neighborhood Italian
- Rating: 4.0/5 (462 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 60 North Alvernon Way Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Italian, Bakeries, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Vivace
- Rating: 4.0/5 (707 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 6440 North Campbell Ave. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Jimmy's Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (127 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5655 East River Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Renee's Tucson
- Rating: 4.5/5 (809 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7065 East Tanque Verde Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Perche' No Italian Bistro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 46 West Congress St. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Los Olivos
- Rating: 4.5/5 (209 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 937 West Congress St. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Roma Imports
- Rating: 4.5/5 (456 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 627 South Vine Ave. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Italian, Delis, Cheese Shops
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Nate's Italian Kitchen & CheeseSteaks
- Rating: 4.5/5 (260 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7074 East Golflinks Road Ste 50 Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Ciao Down
- Rating: 4.5/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Food Trucks, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jennifer Huizen, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 312 metros.