Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina 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 Charleston 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.
#27. New York City Pizza
- Rating: 3.1/5 (261 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 190 East Bay St. Ste 102 Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#26. La Fontana Authentic Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.2/5 (263 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1759 Savannah Hwy Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Pasta Shops
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Marco's Pizza
- Rating: 3.3/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 1319 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. Ste 105 Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Salad, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Vincent Chiccos
- Rating: 3.6/5 (277 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: Hutson Alley 39G John St. Ste G Hutson Alley Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Legami
- Rating: 3.6/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 492 King St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Pizzeria Di Giovanni
- Rating: 3.8/5 (324 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 40 North Market St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Famulari's Pizzaria
- Rating: 3.9/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 1721 Clements Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Yous Guys Sandwich Shop
- Rating: 4.0/5 (162 reviews)
- Address: 827 Folly Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Le Farfalle
- Rating: 4.0/5 (684 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 15 Beaufain St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Famulari's Pizzeria - West Ashley
- Rating: 4.1/5 (204 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2408 Ashley River Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Pizza a Modo Mio
- Rating: 4.1/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3125 Bees Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Melfi's
- Rating: 4.1/5 (339 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 721 King St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Mario's Italian Grill
- Rating: 4.2/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1300 Savannah Hwy Ste 4 Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Sorelle Mercato
- Rating: 4.2/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 88 Broad St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: New American, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Muse Restaurant & Wine Bar
- Rating: 4.2/5 (527 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 82 Society St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Mediterranean, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Crust Wood Fired Pizza
- Rating: 4.2/5 (299 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1956 B Maybank Hwy Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Chez Nous
- Rating: 4.3/5 (328 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 6 Payne Court Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: French, Spanish, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Indaco
- Rating: 4.3/5 (740 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 526 King St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Mondo's Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 4.3/5 (325 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 915 Folly Road Ste U Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Frannie & The Fox
- Rating: 4.3/5 (467 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 181 Church St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Costa
- Rating: 4.3/5 (66 reviews)
- Address: 320 Broad St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Orlando's Pizza
- Rating: 4.3/5 (192 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 295 Seven Farms Drive Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Renzo
- Rating: 4.4/5 (127 reviews)
- Address: 384 Huger St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Wine Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Sorelle
- Rating: 4.4/5 (297 reviews)
- Address: 88 Broad St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, New American, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Baker's Bar
- Rating: 4.4/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6 Windermere Blvd. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Bars, Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Fabio's Ristorante Italiano
- Rating: 4.4/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2578 Ashley River Road Ste J Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Mario's Italian Ristorante
- Rating: 4.5/5 (292 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 487 King St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, 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.
