Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Ocala 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 Ocala 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.
#27. Hungry Howie's Pizza & Subs
- Rating: 1.5/5 (7 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3435 North Pine St. Ste 203 Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Hungry Howie's Pizza & Subs
- Rating: 2.0/5 (18 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2701 Southwest College Road Ste 310 Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Hungry Howie's Pizza & Subs
- Rating: 2.5/5 (13 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 11115 Southwest 93rd Court Ste 400 Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Pronto Pizza
- Rating: 2.5/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 303 Southeast 17th St. Ste 104 Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Viola & Dot's Italian Kitchen & Pizzeria
- Rating: 3.0/5 (10 reviews)
- Address: 8235 Northwest 17th Place Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Carrabba's Italian Grill
- Rating: 3.0/5 (135 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2370 Southwest College Road Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3363 Southwest College Road Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Roma's Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (97 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2775 Northwest 49th Ave. Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#19. 484 New York Pizza
- Rating: 3.5/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1665 Southwest Hwy 484 Ste 102 Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Number One New York Pizza
- Rating: 3.5/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 184 Marion Oaks Blvd. Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Magnolia Bakery & Catering Deli
- Rating: 3.5/5 (19 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1412 North Magnolia Ave. Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Bakeries, Italian, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Hungry Howie's Pizza & Subs
- Rating: 4.0/5 (9 reviews)
- Address: 6853 Southeast Maricamp Road Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Zella's Pizzeria & Italian
- Rating: 4.0/5 (14 reviews)
- Address: 9360 North US Hwy 441 Frontier Plaza Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Little Joey's Pizza & Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8602 Southwest Hwy 200 Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Labellas Italian Piatto & Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (17 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3909 Southeast Lake Weir Ave. Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Lakis Greek Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: Colours Plaza 3405 Sw College Road Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Italian, Greek, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (134 reviews)
- Address: 8075 Southwest Hwy 200 Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (184 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2575 Southwest 42nd St. Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Formaggio Pizza & Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (71 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1053 Northeast 14th St. Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Fiore's Cafe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2327 South Pine Ave. Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Marcelina's Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (86 reviews)
- Address: 8810 Southwest Highway 200 Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Milano Italian Grille
- Rating: 4.0/5 (151 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5400 Southwest College Road Unit 104 Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Taverna Berrocal
- Rating: 4.5/5 (7 reviews)
- Address: 2515 Northeast 3rd St. Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Italian, French, Peruvian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Mesa de Notte
- Rating: 4.5/5 (271 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2436 East Silver Springs Blvd. Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Johnny's Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (14 reviews)
- Address: 9562 Southeast Maricamp Road Ste 3 Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Cristina's Subs & Suds
- Rating: 4.5/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9562 Southeast Maricamp Road Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Delis, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Sans Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 4953 Northwest Blitchton Road Ocala, Florida
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- 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.