Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Charlotte by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Charlotte 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 Charlotte 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.
#30. Zinicola
- Rating: 3.9/5 (230 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 14835 Ballantyne Village Way Ste 140 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Alpha Omega Grill & Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.1/5 (119 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11524 North Tryon St. Ste 9 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Mediterranean, Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Pizzeria Sapienza CLT
- Rating: 4.1/5 (214 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 620 North Church St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Sandwiches, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Portofino's
- Rating: 3.9/5 (380 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5126 Park Road Ste 1c Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Dolce Osteria
- Rating: 3.9/5 (313 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1710 Kenilworth Ave. Ste 203 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, New American, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Toscana
- Rating: 3.9/5 (193 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 6401 Morrison Blvd. Ste 6B Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Dean's Italian Steakhouse
- Rating: 3.9/5 (235 reviews)
- Address: 600 South College St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Steakhouses, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Fiamma
- Rating: 4.0/5 (399 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2418 Park Road Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#22. OGGI Ristorante Italiano
- Rating: 4.0/5 (601 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 16646 Hawfield Way Drive Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Zio Casual Italian
- Rating: 4.0/5 (198 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 116 Middleton Drive Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Stagioni Four Seasons of Food
- Rating: 4.0/5 (325 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 715 Providence Road Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Via Roma
- Rating: 4.0/5 (122 reviews)
- Address: 7416 Waverly Walk Ave. Ste H-2 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Portofino's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (288 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3124 Eastway Drive Ste 510 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Capriccio
- Rating: 4.0/5 (257 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9611 Brookdale Drive Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Benny Pennello's
- Rating: 4.1/5 (529 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2909 North Davidson St. Ste 100 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Giacomo's Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 4.2/5 (356 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10230 Berkeley Place Drive Ste 160 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Mama Ricotta's
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1248 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 601 South Kings Drive AA Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Luce Restaurant & Bar
- Rating: 4.2/5 (296 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 214 North Tryon St. Ste J Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. North Italia
- Rating: 4.2/5 (779 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1414 South Tryon St. Ste 140 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Indaco
- Rating: 4.3/5 (320 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2046 South Blvd. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Little Mama's Italian
- Rating: 4.3/5 (113 reviews)
- Address: 9825 Sandy Rock Place Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#9. AQUA e VINO
- Rating: 4.3/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4219 Providence Road Ste 3 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Inizio Pizza Napoletana
- Rating: 4.3/5 (691 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10620 Providence Road Ste A Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Gelato
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Little Mama's
- Rating: 4.4/5 (615 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4521 Sharon Road Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Postino Ballantyne
- Rating: 4.4/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 15210 Bowl St. Ste 103 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Wine Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Capishe Real Italian Kitchen
- Rating: 4.4/5 (612 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 500 East Morehead St. Ste 100 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Osteria LuCa
- Rating: 4.4/5 (206 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4127 Park Road Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#3. The Fig Tree Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (643 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1601 East 7th St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: New American, French, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Pizzeria Omaggio
- Rating: 4.5/5 (439 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1055 Metropolitan Ave. Ste 130 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Ever Andalo
- Rating: 4.5/5 (205 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3116 North Davidson St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail 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.
