Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Wilmington by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Wilmington 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 Wilmington 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. Carrabba's Italian Grill
- Rating: 3.5/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 15 Van Campen Blvd. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Michaelangelos Pizza
- Rating: 3.5/5 (89 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5617 Carolina Beach Road Unit 110 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Marabella Old World Pizza - Wilmington
- Rating: 3.5/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 6826 Market St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Ledo Pizza
- Rating: 3.5/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 6801 Parker Farm Drive Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Chicken Wings, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Antonio's Pizza & Pasta
- Rating: 3.5/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3501 Oleander Drive Ste 2 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Italian Bistro
- Rating: 4.0/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8211 Market St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Pie's On Pizzeria & Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (18 reviews)
- Address: 4107 Oleander Drive Ste F Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Mamma Lucia
- Rating: 4.0/5 (124 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 431 Eastwood Road Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Nicola's Italian
- Rating: 4.0/5 (138 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5704 Oleander Drive Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Antonio's Pizza Beau Rivage
- Rating: 4.0/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5932 Carolina Beach Road Ste 100 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Brooklyn Pizza Co.
- Rating: 4.0/5 (166 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6932 Market St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#19. PrimoHoagies
- Rating: 4.0/5 (14 reviews)
- Address: 3710 South College Road Unit 113 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Sandwiches, Italian, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Kornerstone Bistro
- Rating: 4.0/5 (132 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8262 Market St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Mediterranean, Italian, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Pizzetta's Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (199 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4107 Oleander Drive Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Osteria Cicchetti
- Rating: 4.0/5 (350 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1125 Military Cutoff Road Ste K Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Tarantelli's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (257 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 102 South 2nd St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Roko Italian Cuisine
- Rating: 4.0/5 (177 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6801-105 Parker Farm Drive Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Ciana Ristorante Italiano
- Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 4724 New Centre Drive Ste 3 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Breakfast & Brunch, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Benny's Big Time Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (359 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 206 Greenfield St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Olivero
- Rating: 4.5/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 522 South 3rd St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Spanish, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Floriana
- Rating: 4.5/5 (156 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2 Market St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Brooklyn Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 5327 Oleander Drive Ste 100 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Quanto Basta
- Rating: 4.5/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 107 North 2nd St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Venues & Event Spaces, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Rosalie's Trattoria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (263 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5031 Market St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Za Pie Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 6142 Carolina Beach Road Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Pizzeria Don Luca
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 1215 North 4th St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Tuscan
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Salita Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (8 reviews)
- Address: 615 South 16th St. Ste 130 Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#3. A Taste of Italy
- Rating: 4.5/5 (138 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1101 South College Road Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Delis, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Cousins Italian Deli
- Rating: 4.5/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7 North 3rd St. Wilmington, North Carolina
- Categories: Delis, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Mama's Italian Bistro
- Rating: 5.0/5 (9 reviews)
- Address: 2535 Castle Hayne Road Wilmington, North Carolina
- 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.
