Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Buffalo 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 Buffalo 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.

JT's Restaurant

1 / 23

#23. JT's Restaurant

- Rating: 3.5/5 (237 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 905 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Faso's Italian Restaurant

2 / 23

#22. Faso's Italian Restaurant

- Rating: 3.6/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2126 Niagara St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian, American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Pasquale's

3 / 23

#21. Pasquale's

- Rating: 3.6/5 (182 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3720 Seneca St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Jovi's Italian Grille & Bistro

4 / 23

#20. Jovi's Italian Grille & Bistro

- Rating: 3.6/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2795 Delaware Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

Chef's Restaurant

5 / 23

#19. Chef's Restaurant

- Rating: 3.7/5 (556 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 291 Seneca St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

Sinatra's

6 / 23

#18. Sinatra's

- Rating: 3.8/5 (178 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 945 Kenmore Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

Bada Bing

7 / 23

#17. Bada Bing

- Rating: 3.8/5 (238 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 42 West Chippewa St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Sports Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

Marco's Italian Restaurant

8 / 23

#16. Marco's Italian Restaurant

- Rating: 3.8/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1085 Niagara St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

Aroma On Bryant

9 / 23

#15. Aroma On Bryant

- Rating: 3.9/5 (312 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 307 Bryant St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Tappo

10 / 23

#14. Tappo

- Rating: 3.9/5 (721 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 338 Ellicott St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Wine Bars, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

DiTondo

11 / 23

#13. DiTondo

- Rating: 3.9/5 (80 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 370 Seneca St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

Romeo & Juliet Cafe

12 / 23

#12. Romeo & Juliet Cafe

- Rating: 4.0/5 (113 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5199 Sheridan Drive Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp

Romeo & Juliet's Cafe

13 / 23

#11. Romeo & Juliet's Cafe

- Rating: 4.1/5 (221 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1292 Hertel Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian, Bakeries, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

Frankie Primo's +39

14 / 23

#10. Frankie Primo's +39

- Rating: 4.1/5 (293 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 51 West Chippewa St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Giacobbi's Cucina Citta

15 / 23

#9. Giacobbi's Cucina Citta

- Rating: 4.2/5 (190 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 59 Allen St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Osteria 166

16 / 23

#8. Osteria 166

- Rating: 4.2/5 (657 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 166 Franklin St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

Bobby J's Italian American Grille

17 / 23

#7. Bobby J's Italian American Grille

- Rating: 4.3/5 (138 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 204 Como Park Blvd. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian, American, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

Bella Ciao

18 / 23

#6. Bella Ciao

- Rating: 4.3/5 (105 reviews)
- Address: 200 Delaware Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

San Marco Restaurant

19 / 23

#5. San Marco Restaurant

- Rating: 4.3/5 (184 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2082 Kensington Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Ristorante Lombardo

20 / 23

#4. Ristorante Lombardo

- Rating: 4.3/5 (285 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1198 Hertel Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

Blue Cave Restaurant

21 / 23

#3. Blue Cave Restaurant

- Rating: 4.3/5 (57 reviews)
- Address: 128 Genesee St. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Sicilian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Inizio

22 / 23

#2. Inizio

- Rating: 4.4/5 (210 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 534 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

Daniela

23 / 23

#1. Daniela

- Rating: 4.6/5 (193 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 387 Forest Ave. Buffalo, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Wine Bars
- 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.