Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Milwaukee by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee 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. Pizza Man Milwaukee
- Rating: 3.4/5 (438 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2597 North Downer Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Wine Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Sammy's Taste of Chicago
- Rating: 3.7/5 (89 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1234 South 108th St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Burgers, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Filippo's Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.6/5 (154 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6915 West Lincoln Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Caterina's
- Rating: 3.7/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9104 West Oklahoma Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Balistreri's Bluemound Inn
- Rating: 3.8/5 (240 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6501 West Bluemound Road Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Barbiere's Italian Inn
- Rating: 3.8/5 (153 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5844 West Bluemound Road Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Zaffiro's Pizza
- Rating: 3.8/5 (398 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1724 North Farwell Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Wine Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Maria's Pizza
- Rating: 3.9/5 (189 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5025 West Forest Home Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Tanino's Italian & Amer Restaurant
- Rating: 3.9/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3525 South 76th St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Il Cervo
- Rating: 3.9/5 (146 reviews)
- Address: 420 West Juneau Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Calderone Club
- Rating: 3.9/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8001 North Port Washington Road Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Lisa's Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (171 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2961 North Oakland Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Sandwiches, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Calderone Club
- Rating: 4.0/5 (433 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 842 North Old World 3rd St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Sala Modern Sicilian Dining
- Rating: 4.0/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2613 East Hampshire St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Onesto
- Rating: 4.1/5 (636 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 221 North Broadway Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Venues & Event Spaces, Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Transfer Pizzeria Café
- Rating: 4.1/5 (546 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 101 West Mitchell St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Dorsia
- Rating: 4.1/5 (557 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1301-07 East Brady St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Stella Van Buren
- Rating: 4.1/5 (235 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 550 North Van Buren St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Steakhouses, American
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Egg & Flour Pasta Bar
- Rating: 4.1/5 (99 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2273 South Howell Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Carini's La Conca D'Oro
- Rating: 4.1/5 (175 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3468 North Oakland Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Tenuta's Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 4.2/5 (426 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2995 South Clement Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Marco's World Famous Pizza
- Rating: 4.2/5 (68 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8411 West Lisbon Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Centro Café
- Rating: 4.2/5 (283 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 808 East Center St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Zarletti
- Rating: 4.3/5 (320 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 741 North Milwaukee St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Lupi & Iris
- Rating: 4.4/5 (212 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 777 North Van Buren St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mediterranean, Wine Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Sorella
- Rating: 4.4/5 (153 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2535 South Kinnickinnic Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Nessun Dorma
- Rating: 4.4/5 (209 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2778 North Weil St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Glorioso's Italian Market
- Rating: 4.6/5 (598 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1011 East Brady St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Delis, Italian, International Grocery
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Tauro Cocina
- Rating: 4.6/5 (155 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1758 North Water St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Santino's Little Italy
- Rating: 4.7/5 (387 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 352 East Stewart St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, 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.
