Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Nashville by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Nashville by diners
Italian food is the most popular cuisine in the world, according to a 2023 study by The Picky Eater that tallied up Instagram tags. It's no wonder why so many people love 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" feels. 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 Nashville based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of January 2024.
Read on to see if your favorite is among the top-rated or to find a new spot in your neighborhood.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.
#30. Bella Napoli Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (499 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1200 Villa Place Ste 206 Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#29. North Italia- Nashville
- Rating: 4.0/5 (360 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2159 Green Hills Village Drive Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Il Forno
- Rating: 4.0/5 (149 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1414 3rd Ave. South Ste 104 Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Pastaria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (481 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8 City Blvd. Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Carne Mare
- Rating: 4.0/5 (112 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 300 12th Ave. South Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Steakhouses, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Frankies 925
- Rating: 4.0/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 925 Cherokee Ave. Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Caffé Nonna
- Rating: 4.0/5 (299 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4427 Murphy Road Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Sal's Family Pizza of Brentwood
- Rating: 4.0/5 (223 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5545 Edmondson Pike Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Nicoletto's Italian Kitchen
- Rating: 4.0/5 (303 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2905 Gallatin Pike Ste A Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Pasta Shops
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Nicky's Coal Fired
- Rating: 4.0/5 (302 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5026 Centennial Blvd. Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Bagels
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Moto Cucina + Enoteca
- Rating: 4.0/5 (491 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1120 McGavock St. Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Maggiano's Little Italy
- Rating: 4.0/5 (707 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3106 West End Ave. Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Pizza Perfect Bellevue
- Rating: 4.0/5 (159 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 357 Clofton Drive Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Valentino's Ristorante
- Rating: 4.0/5 (216 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1808 Hayes St. Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Lounges
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Margherita Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (17 reviews)
- Address: 1128 Murfreesboro Pike Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Yolan
- Rating: 4.0/5 (177 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 403 4th Ave. South Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Mangia Nashville
- Rating: 4.0/5 (238 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 701 Craighead St. Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Makeready L&L
- Rating: 4.0/5 (260 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 200 4th Ave. North Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Wine Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Le Vera Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (122 reviews)
- Address: 4806 Charlotte Pike Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Varallo's Restaurants
- Rating: 4.0/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 239 4th Ave. North Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, American, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#10. St. Vito Focacceria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (39 reviews)
- Address: 605 Mansion St. Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Sicilian
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Pelato
- Rating: 4.5/5 (120 reviews)
- Address: 1300 3rd Ave. North Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Ella's on 2nd
- Rating: 4.5/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 210 Molloy St. Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Margot Cafe & Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (440 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1017 Woodland St. Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Bars, French, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Luogo
- Rating: 4.5/5 (196 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 211 12th Ave. South Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Ophelia's Pizza + Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (59 reviews)
- Address: 401 Church St. Ste 100 Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Kebab Gyros Greek & Italian Food
- Rating: 4.5/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 389 Murfreesboro Pike Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Greek
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Five Points Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1544 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1012 Woodland St. Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. PennePazze
- Rating: 4.5/5 (402 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3826 Charlotte Ave. Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. A Little Italian
- Rating: 5.0/5 (5 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: Nashville, Tennessee
- Categories: Food Trucks, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jennifer Huizen, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 312 metros.
