Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Denver by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Denver 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 Denver 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. Viale Pizza & Kitchen
- Rating: 4.0/5 (317 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1390 South Colorado Blvd. Ste 190 Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Barolo Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (411 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3030 East 6th Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Benzina
- Rating: 4.0/5 (113 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4839 East Colfax Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Marco's Coal Fired-Ballpark
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1384 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2129 Larimer St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Brooklyn's Finest Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (240 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 825 16th St. Mall Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Panzano
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1206 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 909 17th St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Jovanina's Broken Italian
- Rating: 4.5/5 (392 reviews)
- Address: 1520 Blake St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Bruno's Italian Bistro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (220 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 560 South Bdwy Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Spuntino
- Rating: 4.5/5 (462 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2639 West 32nd Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Indian
- Read more on Yelp
#21. La Piccola Venezia
- Rating: 4.5/5 (15 reviews)
- Address: 250 Steele St. Ste 200 Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Arts & Crafts, Italian, Party & Event Planning
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Red Tops Rendezvous
- Rating: 4.5/5 (48 reviews)
- Address: 2917 West 25th Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Odyssey Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1311 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 603 East 6th Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Sicilian, Seafood, Pasta Shops
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Blue Pan Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (747 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3509 East 12th Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#17. The Plimoth
- Rating: 4.5/5 (367 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2335 East 28th Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, French, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Lou's Italian Specialties
- Rating: 4.5/5 (235 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3357 Downing St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Delis, Italian, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#15. DiFranco's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (582 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 955 Lincoln St. Unit D Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Delis, Italian, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Bella Italia
- Rating: 4.5/5 (190 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5075 Leetsdale Drive Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Brooklyn's Finest Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (525 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5007 Lowell Blvd. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Angelo's Taverna
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1673 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 620 East 6th Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Voghera Apericena
- Rating: 4.5/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3963 Tennyson St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Cody's Cafe and Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (377 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10203 East Iliff Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Tavernetta
- Rating: 4.5/5 (656 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1889 16th St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Cart-Driver
- Rating: 4.5/5 (677 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2500 Larimer St. Ste 100 Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Pizza Pasta Villa
- Rating: 4.5/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2740 South Wadsworth Blvd. Unit A Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pasta Shops, Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Cucina Bella
- Rating: 4.5/5 (85 reviews)
- Address: 9660 East Alameda Ave. Ste 104 Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#5. The Well Pizza & Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (288 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3210 Wyandot St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Bars, Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Olivia
- Rating: 4.5/5 (196 reviews)
- Address: 290 South Downing St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Bettola Bistro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (326 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10253 East Iliff Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Meadow Lark Farm Dinners
- Rating: 5.0/5 (8 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Vinny and Marie's Italian Street Food
- Rating: 5.0/5 (6 reviews)
- Address: Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Food Trucks, Food Stands, 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.
