50 Best Italian Restaurants near Laguna Woods

“This place serves the best pizza I've ever tasted, hands down. The flavors, the crust, the toppings - everything is just perfect. I find myself craving their pizza constantly! Not only is the food incredible, but the staff are also top-notch. They are friendly, attentive, and always make you feel welcome.“

“The food is amazing. Very authentic pizza and the homemade pastas are unique and flavorful. The only downside on the menu is dessert. There is a hazelnut chocolate torte that tastes waxy, the panna cotta is good but not great and they add a lot of unnecessary toppings like black sesame seeds, and finally the gelato was icy, not creamy. I won't stop coming here because of the dessert but just be forewarned. If it's your birthday just hope they have tiramisu which is often the dessert of the day and quite good. Also, I don't understand the need for club music. It takes away from the ambiance. We always opt to sit outside where we can hear one another and they are more than accommodating.“

“As someone who moved to California from New Jersey, I have pretty high pizza standards and have had a tough time finding a go-to spot that tastes like home….until NOW!!! One bite of the cheese pizza transported me back to NY. I live in LA and will happily make the 1.5 hour trip back to Brooklyn City Market any time, it’s really that worth it!!!“

“The food and ambiance was amazing , the food was flavorful and the atmosphere was great but felt very crowded in the small space . Only one gender nurtural bathroom so at times there was a long line . Our server seemed to give decent service to everyone but our table , she gave every other table touches and only checked in once after we had already finished our food . We felt very rushed. Overall I would recommend this place for the food and if you're in a hurry for table service food.“

“Pizza Amore Cafe is our new favorite pizza! I can't have gluten and their Gluten-free is absolutely yummy!! I also can't have garlic so that means no sauce and each time they have made my pizza perfectly!! I highly recommend them for tasty pizza ( Gluten-free & regular) and outstanding customer service!!!!Dietary restrictions: Gluten-free & garlic allergy“

“Vegetarian options: I can't honestly speak to this since I don't pay attention to it.Dietary restrictions: I asked about ingredients that my guests couldn't have and was graciously accommodated.Wheelchair accessibility: Wheelchair accessibility from the front patio, through the restaurant to the back patio and at least the one bathroom I used.“

“I never leave reviews ….From out of town & not only is this the best pizza I’ve had but the fact that we got gluten free crust and I didn’t believe them that it was Gf.Seriously blew my mind! Got sausage & margarita with pepperoni. House salad was AMAZING!!“

“One of my favorite local spots. The food is always on point and fresh. The service is always great. Go for breakfast and get some incredible pastries. They’re delicious and they rotate the selection constantly which makes it fun. Their pasta is made in house, so we love going for dinner as well. I’ve tried several of the pasta dishes and I’ve never been disappointed. I could ramble on forever. Just make reservations (you have to call at least 24 hours in advance) and leave a little extra time to park. The lot in the back is small and if you can’t find a spot there, you’ll need to street park.“

“You need to come here! I have now been here 3 times and every time the experience is better than the last. The lasagna could be my last meal and I would die a happy man. I have never tasted a bread like their homemade focaccia, and if you do not add the imported fresh burrata cheese then you should slap yourself. And do not let the description deceive you, the savory pecorino doughnuts are the lightest, fluffiest, little taste of heaven that I almost asked for a few orders to go, but I held back as to know I would always return for more. Do yourself a favor and make sure to plan a dinner or lunch to come and do not plan on leaving quickly as you will keep ordering more.“

“Incredible ragu! Meatballs; soft, cooked perfect…Only not nice thing was the toilets… the place of it, I could see some dirty areas close to the kitchen… the cabinet was dripping water..They were too busy I can understand that.Still really good and I recommend!“

“Excellent meal and service! Ordered the Parlor salad, Bucatini all Amatriciana, and Guanciale pizza. Salad- great assortment of greens with fresh mozzarella and salami calabrese Bucatini- Pasta was cooked al dente with loads of Guanciale and pomodoro to make the dish extra special Pizza- Love the San Marzano tomatoes and the Fresno Chile/olive combination. Great crust with that char fired crust“

“My family and I have been coming to peppinoes and then here for over 20 hours and I can't tell you enough how amazing the food is and how amazing the owners are! I get the pasta fajole soup and it always makes me better when I'm sick and or when I'm in any type of pain. It's my miracle soup. Now that I am keto they make it for me without the pasta so I can still enjoy my favorite stuff. My daughter loves the Alfredo pizza and everything is homemade and so fresh! I love love this place and you won't be disappointed. What are you waiting for go put in an order, I know I am! ? ?????“

“Been coming to Mama D's for years. Both this and in Newport - both have the absolute BEST service. Voted most friendly staff for a reason. It really makes the experience. The food is unbelievably good. Fresh, comfort food. If you have not been, put this at the top of your list “

“What a wonderful evening at Piccolino. We were greeted by Aiden and McKenna and taken to a wonderful booth. Shelby was our amazing server. We also chatted with Sal, Jeff, and Devore. All wonderful people. We started with Patron Silver with three limes muddled and mint mixed with Pelligrino and the eggplant souffle. The drinks and appetizer were fantastic. We also had the bruscheta, which was quite tasty. Shelby stopped back by, and we ordered the main entrees. My wife ordered the Dover sole special, and I had the pasta wrapped lobster and crab. Juan Carlos delivered our entrees and de-boned the Dover sole tableside. The entrees were prepared and presented exquisitely and tasted amazing. We finished the evening with coffee and spumoni. Jeff stopped back by, and we had a wonderful conversation and appreciated his hospitality and kindness. We had a wonderful time and highly recommend this fine establishment.“

“its been a year and a half since I have been here yet their food still tastes excellent! The calamari is the best appetizer you can get in my opinion. I loved the marinara sauce that came with it. I ordered some type of truffle pasta and they did not skip out on the truffle!! Biggest amount of truffle I have seen a restaurant give. My dad ordered a shrimp type of pasta and that was also delectable. For a dessert, we ordered the chocolate tart and it was so good!! This restaurant is on the pricer side yet still amazing!!“

“If you have not made your way to this local Italian Bistro, put it on your bucket list. I had the Turkey Panini. Easily the best Panini in Mission Viejo. As far as I've had, it's the best Panini in Orange County. There were thin slices of pear that were delicious. I came at lunch and had to take a salad to go for dinner.“

“Yummy! I ordered their Margarita pizza, light on the cheese, extra basil. I phoned ahead, and it was just out of the oven when I arrived. The pizza was just as I ordered it, and it was delicious. My hairdresser is just across the street, so I will make this my monthly pizza fix.“

“We really enjoyed our dinner at the macaroni Grill. We enjoyed our server, Bryce, he did a good job taking care of us. Our food was really delicious! Bryce told us some of the recipes had been updated recently. My wife and I both felt our dishes were extremely tasty. We are looking forward to returning for another enjoyable meal.“

“The food was delicious, friendly, good service, and even deserts and coffee was great. We will be back even if I usually don't come out this way bumped into it doing an errand. What a blessing. Do try won't regret it. Thank you Loved it!“

“Met a friend for happy hour at the bar. The female bartender was very friendly and acknowledged my presence immediately. Since the restaurant wasn't busy, my drink was made quickly. The happy hour menu has a nice selection of food choices to choose from and I ordered the cheese pizza which was excellent. Just the right amount of sauce and cheese on top of a delicious thin crust. As for the ambiance, it's a fairly typical bar with at least 8 seats at the bar and enough tables to seat multiple parties. If you're looking for good food, a cold drink and a local place to meet a friend, give Antonucci's a try.“

“Got my food to go during lunch. The pics don’t do justice as it’s in to go containers, but the taste…. Oh my, the flavor! They treated me real nice and albeit small the restaurant was very nice. If I was a local, this would be a date night special for certain.“

“Good selection of sandwich choices but the highlight of this deli is definitely their bread. The only small complaint I have is they pre slice their meat (which is not a problem) but this means they will put the sauce and veggies on the sandwich first and as a result, the meat has a tendency to slide out as you can see from my picture.“

“Wow, we're so glad there's an Oliver's location in Irvine now! The food was incredibly delicious and flavorful, and the service was fantastic. You know how sometimes you get the feeling that the staff don't really want to be there? Everyone we interacted with seemed like they were happy to be there. Makes such a huge difference in someone's dining experience! Ambiance was upscale but not stuffy or stiff. Very fun and delicious place to enjoy a meal with friends or family, or even a business lunch. The complimentary house bread was so yummy, especially when paired with their savory olive tapenade. It's hard to resist filling up on bread. We started with a beet salad which was an amazing blend of flavors and textures, thanks to the thinly sliced beets, creamy cheese, and slightly candied walnuts. Fantastic salad that I would order again and again. For mains, we shared: Hokkaido Scallops from Oliver's Trattoria's Truffle Menu: shockingly delicious! The sweetness of the Hokkaido Scallops played perfectly with the truffle (not overpowered at all) and creamy sauce. The sauce was soooo tasty, we dipped pizza crust into it to make sure we didn't waste any of it, lol. A pricey dish but so well-executed and worth every penny. Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese: delicious savory meat sauce that covers nice al dente pasta. Sooo good and a must for Bolognese lovers. Chitarra Pomodoro: a signature for a reason and you can really taste the difference with fresh pasta. Margherita Pizza: sometimes the simple classics are the best, and this Margherita is no exception. Perfect pillowy crust texture on the edges, and a nice thin crust throughout most of the pizza. So delicious and we'll be ordering this whenever we crave pizza! For desserts, we shared 3, and each of us had a different favorite even though we agreed all of them were delicious, so you know they were all good in their own ways! Tiramisu: so creamy and decadent without being too sweet! Probably the best version of a classic Tiramisu I've had. Cheesecake: also not too sweet! Lovely flavors and crust. Tortino di Cioccolato: a chocolate lover's dream! And the gelato is a delicious complement as well. We can't wait to come back!“

“OC Pizza was always a place I saw near by when I would do my laundry at the laundry mat next over. Let me just say I hate doing laundry, but the best part is coming to get good pizza and amazing secret sauce. I may not be a sports fan but I am a fan of this establishment. I saw they sell fried zucchini and that's on my next try for the following visit. The young lady that works there is really polite!!! Thank you!!!“

“Angelina's is absolutely delightful and delicious! There's a lot of good food in Irvine, but this is a spot I definitely want to go back to. My chicken entree was some of the best cooked chicken I've ever had; it was a huge cut that was succulent and juicy. I was a bit worried about it being flavorless since I got the Calabrese sauce on the side, but even without it the taste was decadent. The salumi board and cheeses were also a hit, as was the burrata. I definitely stuffed myself with cheese and do not regret it in the slightest. I will say my drink wasn't the most exciting, but for one drink I definitely felt like there was a good amount of alcohol in it. Service, especially with drunks was also a little bit slow and they were bringing out drinks 1-2 at a time, but we had a large party on a week night and it looked like the bar only had one worker so it wasn't a big deal, I am understanding of that! All in all I really liked this spot and want to try more of their menu.“

“Small coffee shop within high rise business building. Lots of sitting outside and parking is 2 hour complimentary with validation. Tried instant tiramisu and ice americano. Liked both and instant tiramisu is more lukewarm desert than coffee. Like this “

“Love this place. Very cozy and comfortable. They have the best Martini selection. Thursday night martini night is the best deal. Very popular. Come early at 5 when they open cause they are always busy. Food is delicious. Their seafood pasta selection is awesome. The staff are attentive and courteous. Great place for a good meal and drink.“

“Ambience was wonderful, our waiter suburb, my lamb rack , above and beyond. My husband ordered ravioli with lobster scallops, shrimp. Really. 5 star meal and service,feel fortunate that they are here in Mission Viejo!! Love this restaurant ❤️“

“Went to Casa D’Oro during a lunch date with my son and I should say I’m pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere and the overall experience.Prices are very reasonable and food was amazing.Best part was the Tiramisu cake which is splendid and a must try.“

“Beautiful Italian menu with lots of variety. No beach view but still close to the shore. Service was really nice... polite, engaging, attentive. We had the meatball sandwich, three pizzas, the bread, chicken parmesan and the ravioli. Everyone enjoyed their meals, although there was agreement that the food was just slightly under seasoned. Great spot for a quick lunch. The favorite was the chicken parmesan.“

“Craving lasagna but not keen on a long drive, I turned to local reviews and found my way to Roma D’ Italia. The promise of good food just a short distance away was too tempting to resist.Upon arrival, I was seated promptly—a pleasant surprise that set the tone for a delightful dining experience.Without a doubt, the lasagna. It was a rich, flavorful dish that lived up to my cravings and then some. The layers of pasta, cheese, and sauce. Creating a comforting and satisfying meal.Old Town Tustin has its own unique charm, and Roma D’ Italia fits right in. The restaurant’s vibe is warm and inviting, making it a perfect spot for both casual diners and those looking for a more intimate setting.Convenient parking options were a bonus, with both on-site and street parking readily available. This made the visit hassle-free and added to the overall positive experience.“

“Absolutely love Tutto Fresco! I am a regular here and every visit is a delight. The variety of dishes is amazing, making it a challenge to choose just one. The quality of the food is consistently excellent, and I always leave satisfied. Service is great too. Highly recommend trying out this gem!“

“I almost don’t want to leave a review because it will inevitably mean more people come to the restaurant, but there simply is no better New York style pizza in Southern California that I’ve been able to find. The owner is great, the value is good, the pizza is amazing. Be sure and come for the lunch special, and make sure one of your slices is the house pizza. You won’t regret it. Just please don’t come too often, I don’t want a long line when I come here twice a week.“

“GG’s Bistro is a rare find: excellent food in a tourist town. I went today and loved it! If you’re willing to walk just a block up from the tourist traps, GG’s offers a clean and spacious new outdoor patio, as well as a nicely decorated indoor dining room. Service is very pleasant. They offered me a taste of Turkish Raki, and gave me good advice over all.I recommend the Meze Platter. And I loved the blackened salmon sandwich, which I ordered today for lunch.Parking: There is ample parking in the paid public parking lot behind the establishment.“

“Great food, great service, and the waiters really wait on you. The team takes great pride in the details. We felt like part of their family from the moment you walked in.Thank you for the great memory! I love this Italian restaurant.(part of our 35year anniversary / road trip)“

“It's hard to imagine finding an Italian restaurant of this caliber in an outdoor mall, but here it is. With a cozy atmosphere, excellent food, great service, and reasonable prices, you can't go wrong. We have been going there for years and have never been disappointed!“

“After a day of bar hopping at the Swallows Parade, I stumbled upon this gem. Craving carbs, this place delivered exactly what I needed! The food was incredibly flavorful, hitting the spot just right. Despite its location along the main road, parking was surprisingly easy to find. The staff was fantastic, especially dealing with a crowd of tipsy customers. The outdoor area was a pleasant surprise--clean and inviting. A great spot to refuel after a fun-filled day!“

“I have a picky palate, and Sal's is my new favorite pizza restaurant. I just wish they were more conveniently located, because at this time, I must park one or two floors down and finding parking is not so friendly. They do have nice table seating inside. I also buy pizza here and take it into the movie theater next door, because they allow it. Better and cheaper food, why not?Kid-friendliness: The place is PG.“

“Convenient place for a good sandwich or slice of pizza.They have a free trivia night on Thursdays at 7.Clean restaurant and restrooms.Dietary restrictions: There are Gluten Free pizza crusts available. Not sure about prevention practices regarding cross-contamination for celiacs.“

“Wow! This little gem in Lake Forest. We were running errands and it was cold and cloud day so we pulled into this cozy Italian restaurant! We were greeted by Zachary. He was incredible! He has THE BEST customer service. I knew I was going to leave a 5 star review before we even ordered. My husband wanted a Bloody Mary but can't handled spicy ones. Zachary offered to bring a sample of the base and the bartender even came over to chat about it. Btw if you like a little spice in your bloody, order it! It had the best flavor and was handmade. The food was amazing, the restaurant was clean and charming and Zachary was just so good at his job! We stayed way longer than we normally would because it was so comfortable and a place where you just want to take your time. We will absolutely will be back and look forward to another perfect experience! Portions were generous, the pizza was so good, as well as the pasta fazool, amazing! Super fresh salad, bread was fresh and warm. Go here! Ask for Zachary and enjoy a cocktail by an exceptional bartender!!“

“First time here, and WOW, the food is delicious!! I have a feeling that everything on the menu is fantastic. I appreciate the free bread (a lot of restaurants make you ask or even charge these days). Some improvements to be made: 1. Some artwork on the walls. This spot is so cute. I love the chairs on the patio and I think there's so much potential with just a few small touches. 2. The flies. I really don't understand the flies out front and the few inside. Maybe they know how good the food is too?? Maybe a couple small fly traps would be beneficial. Either way, I'll still be back regardless, but just wanted to add my two cents, whatever it's worth. Last thing to add, our server was very kind and competent. She was alone and managing a few large parties, and yet we barely had to wait and she was very attentive. Thank you for great food and wonderful service!“

“We love Briccio! They have live entertainment, the owner goes around to say hi to everyone, they remember their customers and the food is great. We just had their butter cake - the most delicious butter cake I ever had. Definitely a neighborhood gem.“

“Sarah is very sweet and welcoming. She’s the reason I keep going. Their food is a hit or miss unfortunately. They have happy hour which is nice. Definitely try their mystery flight, you might find a new favorite wine. ? Wine, dine and bring a book. There’s a seat here for everyone.“

“Rays Pizza in the University Town Center isn't just about pizza .The real highlight was the hidden gem tucked away in the dining area: a classic Street Fighter arcade game! While we waited for our pizza, my son and I got into an epic battle.The staff at Rays were friendly and of course, the pizza lived up to its reputation – cheesy, saucy, and perfectly cooked.“

“We were passing through Irvine and looked for good "homemade" food. It was delicious, Greek salad was fresh and tasty, Alfredo pasta with chicken, spaghetti Parmesan was also delicious and freshly made. Philly steak was decent, my husband was not fan of the bread used. Pizza was also good and tasty. Service was great, friendly. Nice and clean restaurant. We were there Friday around 5:30pm sitting alone but people coming in and out like crazy for pick ups, that tells you how good this place is! Love to find places like this on our travels! Highly recommend!“

“Came in here on a Wednesday evening, it wasn't busy. We were helped right away and the girl helpinng was friendly. Ordered a large pizza and garlic knots, was told it would take about 15 mins.Pizza was super good, reminded me of pizza shack. Garlic knots were amazing. Super garlicly and fluffy. They were a little oily but I didn't mind.“

“This place is so special!! The food is amazing, atmosphere is great, the owners are the kindest people you will ever meet. I ordered catering from here for my college graduation and engagement party and everyone was complimenting the food for days! You are seriously missing out if you haven’t tried Sabatinos!!!“

“Driving home and wanted to try a new spot and was in the mood for either a good small Pizza or Pizza by the slice. Ended up getting a few slices for the family and Mozzarella Sticks. The Mozzarella Sticks were the perfect balance of breading and cheese. 5/5. The pizza is slightly thicker than traditional New York but the ingredients and preparation were fantastic. It's a small place so pizza on the go hits the spot. Service was good too! Sometimes big taste comes out of small shops!“

“Best pasta place ever! The garlic cheese balls are to die for. Only 3 or 4 tables, but it reminds me of the Italian restaurant s back in the day. With red table cloths and food cooked to order. We ordered our go to Penne Bella Roma with extra sauce, so creamy, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes and chicken. Been going there for years quality unchanged. Wanted the antipasto salad, but weren’t sure if we’d have room. Food was served PDQ with crusty garlic bread and excellent service. Sandwiches and pizza is great too. Recommend this place for lunch or even an early dinner since they are open until 9;30.“

“Love their lunch special (personal 1 topping pizza, salad and drink). Not only was it delicious, but the service was excellent. Great food & price. Shout out to Cody who was very friendly and attentive to our needs. I will definitely be back!“