32 Best Italian Restaurants in New Haven

“This place is fantastic! We stopped in for dinner by chance with no reservations on a Saturday and were given a great table. The cocktails are amazing and they have a great wine selection, the food was delicious the service was great and the prices were not bad at all. This place is a definite yes.“

“Modern Apizza is our favorite pizza restaurant. Always a must when we are in New Haven. Nothing comes close in Florida“

“I came from Virginia to visit my sister and kept hearing about it and wanted to try it. The Fresh Tomatoes Pizza was excellent! The staff was very friendly. Loved it!!“

“Traveled from Scranton Pa to try the Pizza and it did not disappoint!“

“Waiters, food and atmosphere get five stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Very good spot to eat highly recommended“

“As always this is our favorite night out in New Haven. The food is always amazing and the service is the best. From the time we parked we were greeted with a smile and a friendly conversation. Love the patio on a beautiful summer night. Now better place to be .“

“Awesome hospitality - great people - excellent food and fantastic family!“

“Every bite was delicious!“

“We had a fantastic meal at Caffe Bravo! We ordered the arancini and buratta for appetizers. The arancini reminded me of what you get from an authentic, local Napolitan eatery in Italy. The buratta was creamy and super fresh. For dinner we had freshly made gnocchi , the linguine and vongole, and the grigliata di mare. The gnocchi were like fluffy pillows that were made moments before getting to our table. The homemade linguine was perfectly cooked with plenty of clams. And the seafood was grilled to perfection with a tasty farro rice as a side. And then for dessert we had the homemade tiramisu and chocolate lava cake that put us over the edge. Can’t wait to go back and bring friends so they can experience for themselves. 💯 🇮🇹 #caffebravo #forzanapoli“

“Excellent dinner and very friendly staff“

“First things first; Please understand that this is Strega’s fine dining experience. It’s a different vibe than the Milford location. A bright and modern aesthetic, no pizza, a few speciality mixed drinks and the restaurant holds 6 tables with 24 people max. Please don’t let the stark difference deter! It’s very intentional. The experience for us was truly special. The staff were top notch, and the food absolutely delivered on taste, presentation, quality and intrigue.

We did the chefs tasting menu. We were pleasantly surprised with plates we would have never ordered otherwise. An experimental dive into Italian cuisine, the chef plays with interesting pairings and bountiful ingredients, but absolutely sticks the landing.
Fettuccina Di Seppia - Cuttlefish Linguini, Orzo Alle Erbe Di Campo - Barley Risotto, and Trofie Al Pesto with Shrimp Tartare were among some of the offerings we enjoyed.

A few specialty cocktails were available. We were delighted with a Grapefruit and Rose libation, but all sounded tasty. I went with a wine - a couple wines-by-the-glass are available. I asked for a dealers choice, and it delivered. Tons of wines available by the bottle.

We wrapped it up with 2 small deserts; tiramisu and cannoli with freshly made cocoa whipped cream.

All and all, Strega New Haven did not disappoint. We knew the experience would be different compared to its Milford location, and we embraced it tenfold. Thank you to the chefs and staff - we’ll be back!

EDIT: 6/18/25 - We went back. It didn’t disappoint. More photos added!“

“The staff and owners are awesome. And the dessert was amazing.“

“Came here on a quiet weeknight and was amazed by the authentic Italian cuisine. Started off with a wonderful Burrata then I had the Rigatoni Bolgenese with was really good. We also bought a loaf of the Italian Bread to bring home. That bread with some Cabot butter and you are on to something!! Would visit again.“

“I give Villa Lulu a solid 4, bordering on 5, but I'm so fussy, it's probably a 5. I save 5's for something so amazing I just can't describe it. After a brief snafu with who our waiter was, the staff was super accomodating with everything. They kept their promise to get us to the show on time. So, service ended up a 5 but started as a 2 or 3. Food, we had a variety of salads and appetizers, two main courses for 4 of us. All were very good., to excellent Atmosphere, 4, and I only detract because we had to walk up a steep flight of stairs to the dining room, so if you are physically unable to make the stairs, your options will be limited. There is al fresco dining but it was too cold. I am sincerely looking forward to returning and trying more options at a more leisurely pace because it's the type of place where you can actually carry on a conversation without the clatter of dishes and the intrusion of others' conversations. It's very warm and cozy and would be good for a romantic dinner. Reminds me of "The Big Night" kind of vibe.“

“This place is the best restaurant outside of Naples Italy. My wife and I have been to Naples many times and Zenelli’d reminds us so much of the restaurants in Naples.“

“Great atmosphere, great wait staff and fantastic food. The portions are large too!“

“Yesterday, they were at ShopRite in Clinton. I’m so glad they were as it was truly the best Italian sausage I’ve ever had! Top notch ingredients and no corn syrup or preservatives like the others. The best!“

“The best Restaurant in CT. A combination of good food, price, and attention, among other things, the kindness of its Staff. A great experience. I recommend it, you won't regret it!!“

“Great squid among other foods“

“Amazing authentic Italian food; cozy & classy ambiance, private back room for parties & outdoor seating.“

“We had dinner tonight at Nikki and Frankie's on Route 80 on the recommendation of a friend.. the eggplant was fantastic and made the right way the good old-fashioned Italian way.. the meatballs were legit the sauce was delish and couldn't be any fresher... we were welcomed like we were walking into aunties dining room and the place was clean as a whistle.. A must go to !“

“Every single time we go to Encore the experience is impeccable. The food the service and the ambiance. Chef Gerry and Andrea thank you for your hospitality and always making the experience amazing .“

“Absolutely delicious! Wonderful food, drinks, and atmosphere. The margarita pizza was GREAT. I can’t wait to return to try out more items on the menu next time I’m in New Haven.“

“We had a wonderful dining experience at this restaurant. Food was excellent table was great facing the water. But the best part of our dining experience was our server. Her name Is LeeAnn and she was wonderful! So friendly, professional, caring and a beautiful smile. I would say that she was the BEST server that I have ever encountered and I have been to many different restaurants all over the world. We had a long day and a tough one and this wonderful person turned out day into a positive one. Thank you for your fab food and wonderful staff especially LeeAnn. See you again real soon!!“

“Excellent dining experience! Our waitress Paola S was fantastic. The food was delicious and the menu full of great selections. One dish needed to be sent back ( our fault) and replaced and it was handled quickly and without any fuss. We will definitely return when we come back to New Haven.“

“This is the best (if not only) place in the New Haven, CT area to get authentic Levantine food, including / especially toum. Eating here brings me back to past vacations in Lebanon and the incredible food and company I enjoyed there; for those that prefer other cuisines, this place has you covered as well! Pizza, pasta, the full gamut of Mediterranean food!“

“First time there. Wanted to try a different place than our usual couple of places. Very interesting menu with a huge variety, we had to bring home 3 different pies to try, and they were great! Can’t wait to go back and try more. 🍕❤️“

“we went today and of course I had to have the clam pizza. It was amazing! Our waitress Charlotte was so informative and had a great personality. She has been there for 33 years and was so fun to talk to. Can't wait to go back!!“

“Wow! awesome time, delicious food, and great service.“

“Excellent Pies👍👍👍great service and friendly service“

“Looking for food after a night at the toads place and came across this gem. Food was so good. Had the shrimp Cajun pasta and it was so satisfying. Salad delicious and calamari good. Not the biggest fan of the NY style tho. Garlic balls where fresh at 11 at night.“