Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Cleveland by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Cleveland 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 Cleveland 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. Maxi's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (250 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 12113 Mayfield Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Osteria Italian
- Rating: 4.0/5 (157 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1801 East 9th St. Floor 1 Ohio Savings Plaza Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#25. LaRich's Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 797 Bishop Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Michaelangelo's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (147 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2198 Murray Hill Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Angelo's Nido Italia
- Rating: 4.0/5 (171 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 12020 Mayfield Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Papa Joe's Subs & Pasta
- Rating: 4.0/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 564 East 200th St. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Cheesesteaks, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Congin's Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 18812 Nottingham Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Dante
- Rating: 4.0/5 (415 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2247 Professor Ave. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: New American, Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Etna Restaurant & Wine Bar
- Rating: 4.0/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 11919 Mayfield Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Johnny's Bar
- Rating: 4.0/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3164 Fulton Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Caffe Roma
- Rating: 4.0/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 13000 Lorain Ave. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Bruno's Ristorante
- Rating: 4.0/5 (274 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2644 West 41st St. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Dante Next Door
- Rating: 4.0/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2247 Professor Ave. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Crust
- Rating: 4.0/5 (283 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2258 Professor Ave. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Scotti's Italian Eatery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 882 East 185th St. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Zeppe's Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5559 Wilson Mills Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Wraps
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Valerio's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 12405 Mayfield Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Luca Italian Cuisine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (415 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2100 Superior Viaduct Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Bars, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Mia Bella Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (946 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 12200 Mayfield Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Mediterranean, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. DP Dough
- Rating: 4.5/5 (9 reviews)
- Address: 230 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Pizza, fast food, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Mirabile's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (7 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1025 Ivanhoe Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Il Venetian
- Rating: 4.5/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 100 St. Clair Ave. Northeast Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Athens Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4341 Rocky River Drive Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Tripi
- Rating: 4.5/5 (11 reviews)
- Address: 3928 Lorain Ave. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Il Rione
- Rating: 4.5/5 (342 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1303 West 65th St. Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Pizza, Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Borgata Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (12 reviews)
- Address: 12501 Mayfield Road Cleveland, Ohio
- Categories: Italian, Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp
#1. The Palazzo Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (88 reviews)
- Address: 10031 Detroit Ave. Cleveland, Ohio
- 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.
