Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Ann Arbor by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Ann Arbor by diners
It's no surprise that, in most countries, traditional national cuisine is the most popular, according to a 2024 report by Statista. But Italian food isn't just top-rated in Italy—it ranks as the second-most popular cuisine in Germany and France and takes the bronze spot in the U.K., Mexico, and India as well.
Of course, it's also among Americans' favorites—and there's lots to love about 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" feelings. 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 Ann Arbor based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of January 2025.
Read on to see if your favorite is among the top-rated or to find a new spot in your neighborhood.
#14. Cottage Inn Pizza
- Rating: 2.7/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2715 Plymouth Road Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Gluten-Free, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Zola Bistro
- Rating: 2.8/5 (467 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3030 Washtenaw Ave. Ste 101 Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Categories: French, Turkish, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Palio
- Rating: 3.1/5 (442 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 347 South Main St. Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.2/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 445 East Eisenhower Pkwy Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Pizza House
- Rating: 3.2/5 (568 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 618 Church St. Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#9. New York Pizza Depot
- Rating: 3.3/5 (377 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 605 East William St. Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Bigalora Wood Fired Cucina
- Rating: 3.5/5 (460 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3050 Washtenaw Ave. Ste 112 Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Paesano Restaurant & Wine Bar
- Rating: 3.5/5 (318 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3411 Washtenaw Ave. Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Dominick's
- Rating: 3.6/5 (244 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 812 Monroe St. Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Lounges
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Detroit Pizza Pub
- Rating: 3.8/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 207 North Main St. Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Categories: Bars, Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. The Earle Restaurant
- Rating: 3.8/5 (404 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 121 West Washington St. Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Categories: Wine Bars, French, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Buddy's Pizza - Ann Arbor
- Rating: 3.9/5 (263 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3153 Ann Arbor-Saline Road Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Mani Osteria & Bar
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1063 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 341 East Liberty St. Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Joe's Pizza
- Rating: 4.3/5 (208 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1107 South University Ave. Ste B Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, fast food, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jennifer Huizen, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 290 metros.
