Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Grand Rapids by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Grand Rapids 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 Grand Rapids 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. Flo's Pizzeria
- Rating: 3.5/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4494 Plainfield Ave. Northeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Florentine Pizzeria Ristorante & Sports Lounge
- Rating: 3.5/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4261 Kalamazoo Ave. Southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Lounges
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Faro's Italian Pizza
- Rating: 3.5/5 (71 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3963 28th St. Southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Peppino's Pizzeria & Sports Grille
- Rating: 3.5/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1515 Eastport Drive Southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Sports Bars, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Vitale's
- Rating: 3.5/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 834 Leonard St. Northeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Uccello's Ristorante - East Beltline
- Rating: 3.5/5 (163 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2630 East Beltline Southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Pietro's Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (144 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2780 Birchcrest Drive Southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Testa Rossa Pizzeria
- Rating: 3.5/5 (18 reviews)
- Address: 1017 Wealthy St. Southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Desserts, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Alfano's Pub & Ristorante
- Rating: 3.5/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1389 Walker Village Drive Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Salvatore's Italian Restaurant & Pizza
- Rating: 3.5/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 654 Stocking Ave. Northwest Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3883 28th St. Southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (66 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3030 Alpine Ave. Northwest Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#18. The Kitchen By Wolfgang Puck
- Rating: 3.5/5 (231 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 187 Monroe Ave. Northwest Amway Grand Plz Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Thai, American
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Fred's Sports Bar and Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3619 Plainfield Ave. Northeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Noto's Old World Italian Dining
- Rating: 4.0/5 (96 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 6600 28th St. Southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Joe's Pizza King
- Rating: 4.0/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 27 44th St. Southwest Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Fratelli's Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (126 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 435 Bridge St. Northwest Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Big O Pizza & Booze
- Rating: 4.0/5 (132 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 80 Ottawa Ave. Northwest Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Herb & Fire Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (55 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2121 Celebration Drive Northeast Ste 250 Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Licari's Sicilian Pizza Kitchen
- Rating: 4.0/5 (284 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2869 Knapp St. Northeast Ste B Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Buddy's Pizza - Grand Rapids
- Rating: 4.0/5 (207 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4061 28th St. Southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Uccello's Ristorante - Downtown
- Rating: 4.0/5 (135 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 122 Monroe Center St. Northwest Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Sports Bars, Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. JT's Pizza & Spirits
- Rating: 4.0/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6716 Old 28th St. Southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sports Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Big Bob's Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 661 Croswell Ave. Southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Palio - Grand Rapids
- Rating: 4.0/5 (238 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 545 Michigan St. Northeast Ste 102 Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Fratelli's Kitchen & Bar
- Rating: 4.0/5 (74 reviews)
- Address: 443 Bridge St. Northwest Unit 2 Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Carlos Italian Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3150 Plainfield Ave. Northeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Bistro Bella Vita
- Rating: 4.5/5 (486 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 44 Cesar East Chavez Ave. Southwest Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Modern European, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Greco's Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5380 Division Ave. South Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Chicago Beef Joint
- Rating: 4.5/5 (18 reviews)
- Address: 822 Ottawa Ave. Northwest Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Sandwiches, 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.