Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Waco by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Waco 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 Waco 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.
#14. Fazoli's
- Rating: 2.5/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5201 W. Waco Drive Waco, Texas
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 2.5/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5921 West Waco Drive Waco, Texas
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Marco's Pizza
- Rating: 3.0/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 10324-A China Spring Road Waco, Texas
- Categories: Pizza, Chicken Wings, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Italia Express Waco
- Rating: 3.0/5 (9 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6001 West Waco Drive Ste 109 Waco, Texas
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Oakley's Texas Bar and Grill
- Rating: 3.0/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 816 North Valley Mills Drive Waco, Texas
- Categories: Italian, Sports Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Poppa Rollo's Pizza
- Rating: 3.5/5 (68 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1201 Hewitt Drive Ste 214 Waco, Texas
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Diners
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Fazoli's
- Rating: 3.5/5 (86 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 919 South 6th St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Portofino's
- Rating: 3.5/5 (192 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 725 Austin Ave. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Pignetti's Waco
- Rating: 4.0/5 (65 reviews)
- Address: 401 South 3rd St. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Baris
- Rating: 4.0/5 (509 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 904 North Valley Mills Drive Waco, Texas
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. The Village Pizzaria Slice House & Gelato Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (19 reviews)
- Address: 720 Franklin Ave. Ste 200 Union Food Hall Waco, Texas
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Gelato
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Portofino's of China Spring
- Rating: 4.5/5 (11 reviews)
- Address: 10207 China Spring Road Waco, Texas
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Moroso Wood Fired Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (494 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4700 Bosque Blvd. Waco, Texas
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Di Campli's Italian Ristorante
- Rating: 4.5/5 (284 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6500 Woodway Drive Ste 121 Waco, Texas
- Categories: 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.
