Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Hilton Head Island by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Hilton Head Island 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 Hilton Head Island 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.
#16. New York City Pizza
- Rating: 2.8/5 (351 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 81 Pope Ave. A Heritage Plaza Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#15. New York City Pizza
- Rating: 3.1/5 (90 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 45 Pembroke Drive Ste 105 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#14. IL Carpaccio
- Rating: 3.2/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 200A Museum St. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Giuseppi's Pizza
- Rating: 3.7/5 (203 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 71 Lighthouse Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Stellini
- Rating: 3.7/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 15 Executive Park Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Giuseppi's Pizza & Pasta House Shelter Cove
- Rating: 3.7/5 (959 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 50 Shelter Cove Lane Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Bella Italia
- Rating: 3.9/5 (174 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 95 Mathews Drive Ste D13 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Frankie Bones
- Rating: 4.0/5 (804 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1301 Main St. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Steakhouses, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Gusto Ristorante
- Rating: 4.3/5 (174 reviews)
- Address: 430 William Hilton Pkwy Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Coastal Capri Ristorante
- Rating: 4.3/5 (151 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 841 William Hilton Pky Unit GH Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#6. OMBRA Cucina Italiana
- Rating: 4.4/5 (340 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1000 William Hilton Pkwy Ste G2 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Pomodori
- Rating: 4.4/5 (573 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1 New Orleans Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Nunzio Restaurant + Bar
- Rating: 4.4/5 (369 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 18 New Orleans Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Michael Anthony's Cucina Italiana
- Rating: 4.5/5 (419 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 37 New Orleans Road Ste L Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cooking Schools
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Piatti
- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 33 Office Park Road Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Cafe Al Dente
- Rating: 4.8/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 1 North Forest Beach Unit A-5 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Pasta Shops
- 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.
