Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Rochester 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 Rochester 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.

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#30. Delmonico's Italian Steak House

- Rating: 3.5/5 (315 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 125 White Spruce Blvd. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Steakhouses, Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 30

#29. Mr. Dominic's at the Lake

- Rating: 3.6/5 (208 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4699 Lake Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 30

#28. Tony D's

- Rating: 3.6/5 (420 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1290 University Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30

#27. Ricci's Family Restaurant

- Rating: 3.6/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3166 Latta Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 30

#26. Red Fedele's Brook House

- Rating: 3.6/5 (193 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 920 Elmridge Center Drive Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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6 / 30

#25. Nick's Pizza Subs And Pasta

- Rating: 3.7/5 (66 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1098 Chili Center Coldwater Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Delis, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 30

#24. La Famiglia Pizzeria

- Rating: 4.4/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3208 Latta Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30

#23. Agatina's

- Rating: 3.6/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2967 Buffalo Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 30

#22. Grappa

- Rating: 3.6/5 (344 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 30 Celebration Drive Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, New American
- Read more on Yelp

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#21. Papa Joe's Italian Eatery

- Rating: 3.7/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 485 Spencerport Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. ROAM Cafe

- Rating: 3.7/5 (321 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 260 Park Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 30

#19. Veneto Wood Fired Pizza & Pasta

- Rating: 3.8/5 (206 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 318 East Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 30

#18. Cotoletta

- Rating: 3.8/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 440 Elmridge Center Drive Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Pasta Shops
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 30

#17. Lamplighter Restaurant

- Rating: 3.8/5 (62 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 831 Fetzner Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. Pane Vino On the River

- Rating: 3.8/5 (257 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 175 North Water St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

16 / 30

#15. Giuseppe's

- Rating: 3.9/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 50 Spencerport Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Cheesesteaks
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 30

#14. Cerame's Italian Villa

- Rating: 3.9/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3450 Winton Place Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 30

#13. Rocco

- Rating: 3.9/5 (338 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 165 Monroe Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Pane Vino On The Avenue

- Rating: 4.0/5 (100 reviews)
- Address: 3400 Monroe Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. Branca Midtown

- Rating: 4.1/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 280 East Broad St. Ste 100 Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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21 / 30

#10. Oriens Cafe

- Rating: 4.1/5 (150 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1100 Long Pond Road Country Village Plaza Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Cafes, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Guido's Pasta Villa

- Rating: 4.2/5 (294 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1313 East Ridge Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Ristorante Lucano

- Rating: 4.2/5 (147 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1815 East Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 30

#7. Mamma G's

- Rating: 4.3/5 (388 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2133 East Henrietta Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Vern's

- Rating: 4.4/5 (248 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 696 Park Ave. Rochester, New York
- Categories: New American, Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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26 / 30

#5. Rocky's

- Rating: 4.4/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 190 Jay St. Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Sandwiches, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Fiorella

- Rating: 4.4/5 (250 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5 Public Market Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Calabresella Importers of Italian & Greek Food

- Rating: 4.5/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1386 Buffalo Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Delis, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 30

#2. Polizzi's

- Rating: 4.5/5 (159 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 274 Goodman St. North Ste D-108 Rochester, New York
- Categories: Italian, Greek, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Peels on Wheels

- Rating: 4.8/5 (78 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1157 Culver Road Rochester, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Vegan
- 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.

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