Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Kansas City by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Kansas City 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 Kansas City 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. Minsky's Pizza
- Rating: 3.5/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3063 Southwest Blvd. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Pizza, Sandwiches, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Carmen's Cafe
- Rating: 3.5/5 (181 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6307 Brookside Plz Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian, Spanish, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Johnny C's Deli & Pasta
- Rating: 4.0/5 (18 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1111 Main St. Ste 115 Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Delis, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Anthony's Restaurant & Lounge
- Rating: 4.0/5 (249 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 701 Grand Blvd. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian, Lounges
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Trezo Mare Restaurant and Lounge
- Rating: 4.0/5 (412 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4105 North Mulberry Drive Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Seafood, Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Mamma Leone's Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 650 East Red Bridge Road Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Marco Polo's Italian Market
- Rating: 4.0/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1201 West 103rd St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian, Sandwiches, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Giovanni's Italian Deli and Pasta
- Rating: 4.0/5 (102 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6100 Northeast Antioch Road Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian, Delis, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#22. SPIN! Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (228 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4950 Main St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Bella Napoli
- Rating: 4.0/5 (335 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6229 Brookside Blvd. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian, Delis, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Lazia
- Rating: 4.0/5 (104 reviews)
- Address: 2101 Central St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Big Belly's Italian-American Kitchen
- Rating: 4.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 8940 Wornall Road Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, American
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Peter Piper Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 8809 State Line Road Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Jasper's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (450 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1201 West 103rd St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian, Desserts, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Dominic's Casual Italian
- Rating: 4.0/5 (191 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6209 Northwest 63rd Ter Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Plate
- Rating: 4.0/5 (226 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 701 East 63rd St. Ste 100 Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Osteria Il Centro
- Rating: 4.0/5 (198 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5101 Main St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. SPIN! Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6100 Northwest 63rd Ter Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. KC Mac N' Co.
- Rating: 4.0/5 (87 reviews)
- Address: 1111 Main St. Ste 155 Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: New American, Comfort Food, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Cascone's Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (345 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3733 North Oak Trafficway Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian, American
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Cupini's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (467 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1809 Westport Road Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian, Delis, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Garozzo's Ristorante
- Rating: 4.5/5 (670 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 526 Harrison St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Johnny Jo's Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (269 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1209 West 47th St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Ragazza Food & Wine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (463 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4301 Main St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Wine Bars, Italian, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Gianni's Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (13 reviews)
- Address: 13135 State Line Road Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Jovito's Italian Café & Deli
- Rating: 4.5/5 (149 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7408 Wornall Road Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. BC Bistro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (254 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7749 Northwest Prairie View Road Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Johnny C's Deli & Pasta of Kansas City
- Rating: 4.5/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7012 Universal Ave. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Delis, Italian, Pasta Shops
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Farina
- Rating: 4.5/5 (229 reviews)
- Address: 19 West 19th St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Bacaro Primo
- Rating: 5.0/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 323 East 55th St. Kansas City, Missouri
- Categories: 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.
