50 Best Italian Restaurants near Golden Valley

“Were running errands in the area and decided to stop by for a quick dinner. Hadn't been to this D'Amico location in a number of years. Just as I remembered it. Clean restaurant with friendly staff. THere is plenty of parking in the lot so easy to get in and out. They have a wide variety of Italian fare with some great salads and hot entrees. I ordered my standard of the Tuscan chicken soup with a side chicken Caesar salad. Wife ordered the Neapolitan pizza. The soup was hot and just as good as I remember it. It's their standard soup that's always available and I quite enjoy it. But in my opinion, the Caesar is the star of the show. Their dressing I believe is one of the best in the cities. The lettuce is crisp, the croutons are toasted perfect. And the right amount of dressing making it a great salad. My only gripe would be that I wish they tossed the chicken in with the salad instead of just putting it on the top. The pizza was also tasty. Simple pie with simple ingredients but it all worked together. The wood fired taste really comes through and the crust is thin and crispy with the right amount of sauce to not make it soggy. Overall a good meal that was tasty, quick and reasonably priced.“

“Visited 4/15/24. Back at BLG. As always, give yourself time (and money) for parking. I like the ramp across the street vs trying to find street parking. We got a reservation in advance which was good because this place was popping on a Monday night! To start, we split the garlic and EVOO and then the charred red onion with goat cheese bruschettas. My sister and I were partial to the goat cheese one but both were solid. I got the gnocchi with cauliflower and orange (my fave), my sister got the red wine with pine nut spaghetti, and my mom got the mushroom and taleggio agnolotti. I've had the gnocchi before and it was just as good this time. The sleeper hit of the night was as the red wine with pine nut spaghetti-honestly a good price for the portion size and the overall flavor. The agnolotti was rich but delicious. Honestly everything that I've had at BLG has been on the richer side but that's low key how I prefer my Italian food. I love this place and would recommend it to anyone. Old school Italian meets modern in a trendier place that still feels homestyle like my Italian grandma's kitchen.“

“The restaurant is very beautiful. The space is fairly large and there are different coves for seating. There's also a decent size bar area. The restaurant is also very aesthetically pleasing. Our server was great and explained everything to us. He was also very knowledgeable about the food choices. I would say the food was just okay. Nothing really to rave about. I don't think there was a single thing we had that I could say was phenomenal. The portion sizes are small, but it's definitely good for a tapas style meal if you get enough. I would give this place a four out of five stars more so because of the great service.“

“My husband and I chose to celebrate our one year anniversary here today. It was both of our first times dining at Broders’ and we enjoyed everything about this wonderful experience! Upon arriving we were attempting to take a selfie photo outside and one of the employees opened the front door and asked us if we would like him to take our photo. Tyson so kindly took several photo angles and opened up the door for us as we walked in. It truly felt like we were being welcomed into someone’s warm and inviting home. Our sweet waitress helped me select the most delectable glass of wine I have ever tasted. Words cannot explain how delicious the pasta was… we lapped up every single drop and were in absolute food heaven. To top it all off… we were treated to a free dessert of our choosing along with two chocolate cocoa truffles on the house!! After we finished our meal we went across the street to their storefront to purchase some pasta and sauce to enjoy at some point in the coming weeks. We will definitely be back for all special occasions and certainly for our two year anniversary. If you are looking for a once in a lifetime experience and meal this is the place!! Enjoy!“

“Such a great experience! I made reservations for my husband’s birthday on a Friday night. They sat us immediately and told us they saved us a booth. Then they made us a complimentary birthday drink. The food was delicious and drinks were good. Overall, we had a wonderful experience and will put this on our “restaurants list” for future fine dining options!“

“Simply wonderful !! Daughter picked it as our last dinner together for a while , leaving her in Minn, for a new job !! Everything was perfect , food, wine , dessert !! Sitting outside was wonderful, perfect lighting , and music ! Thank you for being the perfect ending to an amazing trip !! Definitely will be a new tradition , with each visit !!“

“Whoa, all those suggestions are weird. IE has been our favorite place since they opened. The service is always good, the food is always good. It’s a little bit upscale but we regularly bike there so I never particularly care what I wear. Cocktails are good. Amari is really good.“

“Stopped for dinner on our way into Minneapolis. No reservation so we sat at a high top in the bar next to the fireplace. We ordered a white sangria and a red sangria. Both were very good, but I preferred the white as it was light and peachy! The bacon wrapped dates as an appetizer were phenomenal! They were served in a maple syrup/balsamic sauce and could easily share with 4 as there were 12. The fresh bread and olive oil/parm cheese was incredible. Ordered lasagna and butter nut squash ravioli. Both were amazing! Cooked perfectly and flavor was spot on. No room for dessert, but the service was outstanding!“

“more of a classy ambiance - great for business meetings, team dinners, dinner with parents (which is what we did!) it's a solid spot, just misses with the "IT" factor. servers are very kind and had great recs we enjoyed. fav dishes: crab cakes, linguine, Rossa pasta & tres leches gelato skip on: risotto, tiramisu (very rummy, unless ur into that) , caramel custard (too sweet)“

“I had not been to Little T’s since the change in ownership and man was I blown way! We arrived around 7 pm with a large group and got a table right away. Our server, Sara, was super attentive, charming and very helpful. The drinks were delivered fast as was water for everyone. Our drinks were strong and delicious but the food is what really makes this place killer! We tried everything on the starters menu and each plate was flavorful with distinct and unique combinations. The cauliflower was incredible! The smash burger was so good that everyone at the table had to taste it. The atmosphere is delightful as well. I can’t rave enough about our experience at Little Tijuana’s!!!Vegetarian options: There is something for everyone!“

“I love Punch Pizza! It’s one of my absolute favorite pizza spots in the Twin Cities. Additionally, Nick the manager absolutely rocks! He took care of my family and made sure that our visit was happy and exceptional! Thank you Nick!Dietary restrictions: We had two gluten free people and one person with lactose intolerance. Their gluten free crust is delicious. It is cooked along with other flour pizzas, but that shouldn’t be a problem unless you are celiac. Their non-dairy cheese was delicious as well!“

“The best meal I’ve had in a long time! The polenta is life changing, and unexpected! Everything was perfect, generous servings at a very reasonable price given the very high quality of the food.The desserts are also exceptional- I can’t figure out why this place doesn’t have a line out the door every night. I will be back over and over and over again“

“Prima is one of our favorite date night spots. My husband and I always debate which is the best Italian restaurant in the Twin Cities because we have so many great ones. Prima is our favorite for: fresh seasonal food they grow at their own farm, long-standing servers who remember you each time, always seems to squeeze us in, curbside pickup.Parking: Parking lot is out back with a back entrance by Subway.“

“We’ve been here several times and it’s always excellent but this time was even better. JoJo, our server had great recommendations. The oysters were perfect, entrees were delicious as always, and the sticky toffee cake put it over the top along with the China China Amaro that JoJo recommended. Thank you to all who work so hard to continue to make Red Rabbit so excellent in the North Loop.“

“I brought my boss who was visiting Minneapolis for the first time to this place. The pizzas were absolutely delicious. Though for some reason we only ordered four items and ended up spending $150. I’m not saying this is a bad thing, because he paid for the meal. So I guess what I’m trying to say is thank you for making corporate spend money on me. The staff were great and again, the food was incredibly delicious.“

“Can I give EATO, ten stars? Food - the best I have had in years; the service - flawless, perfect mix of professional and friendly; the atmosphere - welcoming and casual. I would not have changed a thing! I had a large group of people coming into Minneapolis from all over the country and a few local friends recommended EATO for the group farewell dinner. A few weeks ago I stopped in and talked to the manager, Jason, and he suggested a half restaurant buyout for the group with tables over by the bar. (Excellent idea, it worked out great!) Then he connected me with Chloe who helped me pick menu items so my guests could choose a salad course and an entree course from five options, with optional protein additions, she also printed out custom menus to welcome my guests. Super easy process, and Chloe had great suggestions,. When we arrived Jesse, Connor, and Chloe were ready and waiting at the bar to handle the group of 30 people, serving them drinks with fresh flowers in them, special tap beers, and bubbly Prosecco. I think part of the group also had some killer Old Fashions they raved about. Connor and Jesse were our servers and they moved through the tables taking orders, delivering the food, filling water glasses, getting drinks, etc. The table service was impeccable, these guys know how to treat guests like honored family. (What more could you ask for?!) I don't know the chef's name, but kudos to the kitchen. The food came out quickly, and was plated beautifully. Without fail, every guest told me that their meal was fantastic. I personally had the beet salad (yum!) and the chicken Parmesan. It was the best chicken parm I have ever had, not kidding. Thank you, EATO, for helping me put on a wonderful event! - Libby Huebner, corporate event planner“

“We went to Pinoli for my bachelorette weekend and it was the perfect spot to celebrate! We made a reservation for brunch. There was plenty of seating for our large group. Our server was very polite and SO QUICK. To add on top of all of that- the food and drinks were top notch. I would 10/10 recommend going for an event or for a casual get together.“

“The seasonal touches on the menu are great. We went during morel season and had a crespelle with morels in a wine sauce that was incredible. There are a several different dish sizes to choose from which makes it easy to try a few different things. The pastas were made in house and top notch. The staff was also very friendly. It felt like having a delicious dinner at a friend’s house!“

“Had a great dinner on a Saturday night. The roasted beet salad was a perfect preparation - beet , citrus, ricotta - one of the best beet salads I have ever had. The parsnip ravioli was also a winner. My dining companion raved about his radiatori nero - had a nice spice!“

“Best pizza in town. Everything here is great though: the sammiches, the gelato, the staff, the cooks..Dining room is a bit tight when busy but you can always take it home.It's the only reason I go into murederapolis anymoreParking: Busy intersection and neighborhood, small lot, limited parking. you may walk a bit but it's worth it!“

“Incredible is the best word for this place, intimate, like exclusive, the service and attention was very good, and food, is delicious, the bread with the sauce of olive is a delirious, I just eat the gnocchi, and so Good, delicious, recommended ?%, come back for the Pizza,“

“I am a frequent customer. I have been going to the sweet taste of Italy for 5+ years. The location I originally went to was the one in Crystal, MN. It was 5 minutes away from my house (by vehicle) Dominic (Long ponytail), the owners nephew is just a magnificent human being.Parking: It is in an outside town center. There are plenty of spaces to park.Kid-friendliness: They have place mats and televisions that can entertain your child(ren).Wheelchair accessibility: There is a huge walkway that can comfortably fit a Honda Civic, so you know a wheelchair can fit.“

“Dropped in for pasta because wife wanted pasta for date night. Host put us by the front table on the right side of the restaurant. Lots of foot traffic. We had to ask to move to a booth. Waiters were busy so I used the device to order an app. You can’t order entrees off the app. The rest of the service and food was good.“

“This place is fantastic! The chefs know what they are doing! I strongly recommend the Braised Short Rib Pappardelle! It's very flavorful! The ribs literally melt in your mouth! Spaghetti and meatballs are super good! Huge meatballs! Lemonade is fresh squeezed and tasty! We will definitely come back again!“

“Nice classy ambiance. My boyfriend and I were served at the bar by Eric. We ordered 2 different cocktails, a Caesar salad, the filet mignon, the filet mignon sandwich, and a lemon blackberry dessert. Cocktails were wonderful, Eric was very knowledgeable about our drinks and the pairings with the food. Steak was served as ordered, very tasty. Everything tasted great and was locally sourced! Will definitely be back soon!“

“One of the best pizza spots in Minneapolis! I've never had a pizza I didn't enjoy but the meatball and mushroom versions are my go to. In the spring and summer when the garage doors are up I can't think of a nicer place to have a meal.“

“Celebrated my husband's birthday tonight. our waitress Casey was amazing. She was attentive and although very apologetic for how busy it was we felt very attended too. Food was fantastic. We had never been and portions were much larger than we expected. Tasted amazing. We left in a food coma. Highly recommend. And we wanted to give a huge shout out to Casey. I think a lot of wait staff feel pressure or are underappreciated.“

“Nice place! We’d never been here before, but looked for an Italian place Friday evening to break up the fish fry monotony. They seated us right away, service was great, the restaurant is clean, and the food was tasty! Great job Giuseppe’s! We’ll be back again!“

“I drove 7 hours to Minneapolis to see the twins play baseball on Friday May 3rd and stopped in for lunch before the game with my son. We ordered The Bear pizza. I got to say the food was worth the trip. Best pizza I have ever had. Sorry Casey's. My next trip to Minnesota I will be stopping there for sure. Make sure to stop at the downtown location. Hands down well worth it. Thank me later. Thank you Pizza Lucé downtown team for all that you do.“

“Checking out DeLeo Bros was one of the best surprises I've had in quite some time! The pizza is not pretentious, but it doesn't pretend to be either! Instead, it's exactly the way I remember as a kid! It's nostalgic in the best way possible! The food is great, the atmosphere is amazing, and the staff are spectacular!“

“Did an order ahead and ended up having to wait about 15 minutes past my pickup time, but honestly just watching how much fun the staff were having was worth the wait. They very clearly love their job and it made for a really warm environment. They also gave me $20 off for my next visit!“

“Stopped by for an early dinner, there was no wait, which was nice. Had the crab cake as a starter, and that was delicious. Our waitress was super helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. She had excellent timing - knew when to pop in for refills on drinks and waters and overall had a very positive attitude and vibe. We had the Burgers and fries for dinner, and they were amazing! The French Fries are addictive. The only bummer was the limited menu. Everything we had was great. We would have loved more food offerings. We will be back, we had an excellent experience.Parking: Street parking only, read the street signs so you don't get towed.“

“Our three days were just perfect. The staff is wonderful, friendly, and desperate to fulfill their goal of making everything about staying here ideal. Spotless facilities, quiet rooms, comfortable beds, good food… I’m not sure what more to say in order to make my point. One cannot go wrong staying at a Four Seasons!“

“Very good oven baked pizza, one of the best restaurants I've been to in this niche.Excellent selection/menu, very good quality ingredients. The crushed pepper and the oils are absolutely perfect to add to any pizza.The atmosphere is great, moderate to loud noise levels. The environment is on the brighter side with the exterior windows and hanging lights.Friendly and accommodating staff. The restaurant has limited seating, and it fills up fast. Clean, inviting, great place for groups.My gluten-free only friend told me their gluten-free crust was good! However, for those with a serious condition, they do prepare all of the pizzas on the same station. There may be cross contamination, becarful.Parking: There is a large parking lot that is free. This area does have a handful of punch pizza customer parking, only spots.Wheelchair accessibility: There are some handicap cap parking spots, and there are no automatic door accessibility buttons. It would be difficult to navigate the tight spaces and tables.“

“This location was hit or miss for a while a few years ago. I'm happy to say that lately this Gina Maria's location is consistently excellent! The pizza is phenomenal (we usually get the New York style pepperoni) and the service is first class! Living very close to this location we almost always get carry-out. The pie is always ready and hot at the time given upon ordering. It is an absolute luxury to have this pizza option so close in EP!“

“Excellent Pizza ? Always Great Service General Manager Mike Is A Great Guy if you haven't Been there or tried There Pizza Or Wings Check them Out Highly Recommend!!!!!Vegetarian options: Lasagna is Very Good they have Salads also , vegetarian options for Pizza and im sure more options I am not familiar with“

“Wonderful pie, infinitly better than previous pizza place I reviewed (shout out to Good Times), the woman working was nice and asked how I'd like the pizzas cut. She was a card. Thank you for the wonderful meal. We will be getting more next time we crave some tasty 'Za!!“

“I've seen dagwoods recommended on quite a few pages so I made my way in when i had a weekday downtown. It is good, but not outstanding. Friendly counter staff. Quick enough. I just expect a lot out of an Italian sandwich and I've had better. But it's worth a stop“

“This place has some of my favorite pizza, even if the ownership changed! Make sure to try it out especially if you like variety. They used to ship the water in from Jersey which made it delicious, can't tell if they still are but still tastes great.“

“Great traditional American Italian dishes, excellent people working there! Lots of cheese and delicious sauce. Super- duper warm, comfort food. Pricing has always been appreciated amongst locals. I wanna say, I think I it was 25 years ago that we tried this restaurant the first time and it's only gotten better with time.Kid-friendliness: Great family-friendly restaurant. They moved to a bigger, better location across the hwy from the original location. They used to play cartoons on a big screen for adults and big kids at heart! These days, you can't beat this restaurant for value and wonderful flavor. I really like their baked ravioli with a salad featuring yummy, made in house, ranch dressing. ?“

“I haven't been to Pizza Luce in years - and my kids 1st time. Our server Jamie was great. We had ordered stuffed shells for our kids and they came out cold. We mentined it to our server and she took them right away and got us a new order. At the end of the meal she told us she had taken the shells off the bill - which we thanked her for. Great service, kids loved it too. Will definitely be back.“

“family oriented and really great pizza ? old school pizza pallor feel with arcade 99% staff is consumer friendly out the couple years eating there just had couple staff that seem more like hurry go I am for a paycheck only l.Kid-friendliness: they have an arcade“

“You ever have a Frankies Special... We all know I'm a hoe for some good pizza and we all know I'll try alll the places... Tonight i popped into this place tucked into Maple Grove where i was met by super smiley staff ready to answer alll my questions about all the things... and tell me what they like cause i just am overall curious what they like!! Finding out one if the faves is the Frankies Special so did just that plus i stacked my boxes with pasta salad, tiramisu, carrot cake, chocolate cake and some ranch because ranch is life....especially on a pizza! Pasta salad I couldn't wait to dig into so my drive home was fork and steering wheel tandem down 610 hahahha and its fricken good! That dressing on it...drooling..like i am going to be so sad when i eat it all! Lets chat sweets. They have all the options Cheesecake, Carrot Cakes, Tiramisu, Chocolate Cake, Fudge Brownies, Rice crispy, Cookies... let's just say there are options and that is a beautiful thing! And the sizes..shareable unless you are Nate cause we all know. He loves his desserts! Let's get to what we all wanna know. Pizza...did i like it...more like loved it! Sausage, Pepperoni, Mushroom, Peppers sans onions (per Nates request tonight) dipped in their ranch with a bomb cheese pull! So it was loaded! Frankies does daily specials by the slice where i am just going to have to pop in while out and about cause YUM!“

“December 12 I went in for the very first time. I have to say, I love the service and the food. I ordered chicken fettuccine with cheesy bread with an extra side of sauce. The young gentleman was polite and got my food as I requested. Thank you so much for the amazing delicious dinner! I will be back“

“First timer. Pizza is one of my favorites. It was a little expensive but nowadays everything is, food prices have went up drastically so you can never blame the restaurant. The pizza was delicious, fresh ingredients & the salted caramel cheesecake? Don't pass it up! The driver was also super friendly, he called upon arrival as I was staying in a hotel. I was willing to meet him at the front desk but he was adamant to bring it to me. And he did with a smile, super friendly! Any time I'm in the area, I'll definitely order again.“

“We just moved here and Marino's is so far one of our favorite things about our neighborhood. We have been twice and everything we have tried has been fantastic. They are also very helpful and pleasant folks! It's our new regular spot for take out. The pizza sauce is some of the best I've had.“

“Great food, the best spaghetti sauce, best meatballs, the best caesar salad, good prices & portions, it's the best Italian I've found downtown Minneapolis! Every Monday all of the salads are on special for just under $6.50 (including tax). It's hard to find lunch downtown for that price!“

“Andrea Pizza has been a fixture in the Skyway for many years. At lunchtime, they crank out pizza by the slice for the hungry office workers in downtown Minneapolis - and it's really, really good. No frills - pick your slices, they put them in the oven to warm, put them on a paper plate and hand you a cup. Quick and easy. A handful of tables to sit at, or take it back to the office. My fave - the veggie artichoke and tomato slice.“

“Used to be 5 stars, but recently they have reduced amount of meat they put on pizza - pretty sure it is a deliberate cost-cutting measure. Have to order 'extra sausage' just to get an ok amount of meat. Still tasty, but reducing protein is the opposite of what restaurants should be doing for their customers.“

“I am just going to say if you have not been here, i would suggest you better give it a try. The family portions are perfect for a family or a large group. I was with a group of 12, and we ordered almost everything on the menu. I think ?. The shrimp linguini was ?. Or as the kids would say smackin ?. The service was very fast for the amount of food we ordered. We also ordered a couple of desserts that were just as ?. The brownie dessert was my favorite. The server Christy was was very good. Better get there and give it a try.“