Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Asheville 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 Asheville 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.
#21. Olive Garden Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 3.2/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 121 Tunnel Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Soup
-
#20. Bellagio Bistro
- Rating: 3.5/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 133 Weaverville Hwy Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Greek, American
-
#19. Carrabba's Italian Grill
- Rating: 3.6/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10 Buckstone Place Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
-
#18. Apollo Flame Bistro - Hendersonville
- Rating: 3.6/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 485 Hendersonville Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean, Italian
-
#17. Modesto
- Rating: 3.7/5 (380 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1 Page Ave. Ste 138 Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
-
#16. Pomodoros Greek & Italian Cafe
- Rating: 3.7/5 (203 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1070 Tunnel Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Greek
-
#15. Del Vecchios - Asheville
- Rating: 3.8/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1854 Hendersonville Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Salad, Italian
-
#14. Del Vecchios
- Rating: 3.9/5 (238 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 333 Merrimon Ave. Ste B Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
-
#13. Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville
- Rating: 3.9/5 (556 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 130 College St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Bars, New American, Italian
-
#12. Strada Italiano
- Rating: 3.9/5 (967 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 27 Broadway St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
-
#11. Gemelli Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 70 Westgate Pkwy Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
-
#10. Apollo Flame Bistro - Brevard Rd
- Rating: 4.0/5 (307 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1025 Brevard Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean, Italian
-
#9. Cucina 24
- Rating: 4.1/5 (475 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 24 Wall St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Cocktail Bars
-
#8. Manicomio Pizza
- Rating: 4.1/5 (289 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 27 Biltmore Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Salad
-
#7. Piazza
- Rating: 4.1/5 (124 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4 Olde Eastwood Village Blvd. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
-
#6. 828 Family Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.3/5 (224 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 946 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
-
#5. Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian - South Asheville
- Rating: 4.3/5 (126 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1981 Hendersonville Road Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
-
#4. Luminosa
- Rating: 4.3/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 20 Battery Park Ave. Floor 1 Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Venues & Event Spaces, Pizza
-
#3. Vinnie's Neighborhood Italian
- Rating: 4.4/5 (892 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 641 Merrimon Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
-
#2. Bargello
- Rating: 4.4/5 (121 reviews)
- Address: 7 Patton Ave. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Mediterranean, Italian, Desserts
-
#1. Contrada
- Rating: 4.6/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 28 Wall St. Asheville, North Carolina
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Italian, Tapas Bars
-
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jennifer Huizen, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 290 metros.
