Highest-rated Italian restaurants in New Haven by diners
It's no surprise that, in most countries, traditional national cuisine is the most popular, according to a . But Italian food isn't just top-rated in Italy鈥攊t 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鈥攁nd 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 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鈥攖hink 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鈥攃omplete 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鈥攂rings 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, compiled a list of the highest-rated Italian restaurants in New Haven based on diners' reviews on 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.
#25. Sbarro
- Rating: 2.7/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 50 Union Ave. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
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#24. Marco Polo
- Rating: 3.3/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 55 Crown St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Gluten-Free
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#23. IL Gabbiano
- Rating: 3.5/5 (134 reviews)
- Address: 501 Long Wharf Drive New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Bars, Salad
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#22. Tre Scalini Restaurant
- Rating: 3.6/5 (179 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 100 Wooster St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian
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#21. Portofino
- Rating: 3.7/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 937 State St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian
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#20. Brazi's Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.7/5 (236 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 201 Food Terminal Plz New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian
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#19. Dayton Street Apizza
- Rating: 3.7/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 60 Dayton St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
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#18. Sally's Apizza
- Rating: 3.8/5 (1533 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 237 Wooster St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Cocktail Bars
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#17. Olives and Oil
- Rating: 3.8/5 (418 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 124 Temple St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Wine Bars, Italian, Cocktail Bars
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#16. Family Mediterranean Pizza
- Rating: 3.8/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 45 York St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Halal
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#15. L'Orcio
- Rating: 3.8/5 (286 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 806 State St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian
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#14. Encore by Goodfellas
- Rating: 3.8/5 (487 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 702 State St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Cocktail Bars
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#13. NOLO
- Rating: 3.9/5 (170 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 687 State St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates, Italian, Pizza
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#12. Michelina's
- Rating: 3.9/5 (42 reviews)
- Address: 858 State St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
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#11. Caffe Bravo
- Rating: 4.0/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 794 Orange St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian
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#10. Adriana's Italian Restaurant & Catering
- Rating: 4.1/5 (305 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 771 Grand Ave. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Diners, American
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#9. Villa Lulu
- Rating: 4.1/5 (134 reviews)
- Address: 230 College St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian
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#8. Carmines Di Vega
- Rating: 4.1/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1500 Whalley Ave. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian
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#7. Consiglio's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.2/5 (217 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 165 Wooster St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian
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#6. Gioia Cafe & Bar
- Rating: 4.2/5 (102 reviews)
- Address: 150 Wooster St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Cafes, Gelato
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#5. Modern Apizza
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1800 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 874 State St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
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#4. Skappo
- Rating: 4.3/5 (205 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 59 Crown St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
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#3. One 6 Three
- Rating: 4.4/5 (297 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 163 Foster St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
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#2. Pasta Eataliana
- Rating: 4.5/5 (102 reviews)
- Address: 127 Wooster St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian
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#1. Zeneli Pizzeria & Cucina Napoletana
- Rating: 4.8/5 (595 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 138 Wooster St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Wine Bars
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jennifer Huizen, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 290 metros.