Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Rochester by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Rochester 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 Rochester 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. Veneto Wood Fired Pizza & Pasta
- Rating: 4.0/5 (184 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 318 East Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Nick's Pizza Subs And Pasta
- Rating: 4.0/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1098 Chili Center Coldwater Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Delis, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Lamplighter Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 831 Fetzner Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Ciaccia's Delicatessen and Eatery
- Rating: 4.0/5 (11 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 183 Lee Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Rob's Kabobs
- Rating: 4.0/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 2 Public Market Rochester, New York
- Categories: Food Trucks, Caribbean, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Pane Vino On the River
- Rating: 4.0/5 (229 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 175 North Water St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Giuseppe's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (84 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 50 Spencerport Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Cheesesteaks
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Cerame's Italian Villa
- Rating: 4.0/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3450 Winton Place Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Rocco
- Rating: 4.0/5 (304 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 165 Monroe Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Wilshire Restaurant & Catering
- Rating: 4.0/5 (7 reviews)
- Address: 1245 Lyell Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Ezzy's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 885 Buffalo Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Breakfast & Brunch, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Branca Midtown
- Rating: 4.0/5 (170 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 280 East Broad St. Ste 100 Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Cucina 120
- Rating: 4.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 120 Pixley Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Pane Vino On The Avenue
- Rating: 4.0/5 (87 reviews)
- Address: 3400 Monroe Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Ristorante Lucano
- Rating: 4.0/5 (135 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1815 East Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Guido's Pasta Villa
- Rating: 4.0/5 (261 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1313 East Ridge Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Benito's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (5 reviews)
- Address: 4410 Lake Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Sandwiches, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Oriens Cafe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1100 Long Pond Road Country Village Plaza Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Cafes, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Capri
- Rating: 4.0/5 (14 reviews)
- Address: 130 East Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Mamma G's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (326 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2133 East Henrietta Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Rocky's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (113 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 190 Jay St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Sandwiches, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Vern's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (202 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 696 Park Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Fiorella
- Rating: 4.5/5 (220 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5 Public Market Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#7. La Famiglia Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3208 Latta Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Calabresella Importers of Italian & Greek Food
- Rating: 4.5/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1386 Buffalo Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Delis, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#5. The Pizza Shoppe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (16 reviews)
- Address: 1601 Penfield Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Pasta Shops, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Polizzi's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (129 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 274 Goodman St. North Ste D-108 Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Greek, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Park Ave Paninoteca
- Rating: 4.5/5 (11 reviews)
- Address: 370 East Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Pasta Shops, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Peels on Wheels
- Rating: 5.0/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1157 Culver Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Mama Napoli Foods
- Rating: 5.0/5 (6 reviews)
- Address: 485 Spencerport Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
- 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.
