50 Best Italian Restaurants near Rockaway Park

“Ate here with my family and everything was delicious. We did not have reservations, but the hostess Joann was very accommodating and found us a table. She was super kind and gave great recommendations. For apps we had calamari and meatballs. Both good, meatballs melts in your mouth with the perfect dab of fresh ricotta. It was pizza night for us, so we tried three: hot honey pepperoni, vodka sauce margarita, and spicy meatballs with peppers. I'm a pizza connoisseur and it hit all the right taste buds. We ate everything up, I almost forgot to take pics. Overall, I look forward to visiting again and trying other dishes.“

“Order: broccoli, brown butter, buffalo mozzarella, rigatoni, olive oil + pistachio ice creamVerdict: first and foremost, just an awesome waitstaff. Effortless but nice. The pastas are totally fine, but honestly one note. Felt similarly about Lilia so no real change. The gelato was Excellent though. Only thing I'd come back for is the desert.“

“Scottadito is a cozy restaurant with seating in the front and back of the restaurant. If you want a more intimate setting, opt for the front. If you're okay with a bigger room and dont mind some louder background conversation the back is a lovely choice to sit as well. My fiance and I started off complimentary bread and dipping sauce. We followed that up with the katerina salad which comes with a tart dressing and generous amount of cheese. My personal favorite of the night was the tagliatelle with speck and brie... absolutely cheesy, creamy, heaven. The saltiness from the speck balanced out the creaminess from the pasta sauce. The noodles were thin and almost reminded me of egg noodles. Definitely a one of a kind tagliatelle. My fiance ordered the penne with spicy vodka sauce and spicy sausage. The sausage was broken up into nice chunks and definitely came with a kick. The portions were generous and we left the restaurant stuffed. Scottadito also offers small backyard seating, which I can see it opening up to perhaps a micro wedding for the fall/summer. Will definitely be back for more pasta and to try more dishes. Yum!“

“Looking for some excellent classic southern Italian food? Old school, right out of a movie with waiters in tuxedos and decor from over 50 years ago. Fantastic chicken parm, mussels, eggplant rollatini. It’s been around since 1900 so they must be doing something right. Come down to Brooklyn and make sure you have a reservation. They do have valet parking too.#hollyshotspots“

“I grabbed dinner here and it did not disappoint. This was a cute and cozy spot just a few steps from the L train. For cocktails, I started with the Spicy Mezcal Marg. It wasn't my favorite, as I expected it to be spicier, since Szechuan peppercorn and Calabrian chili were some of the ingredients used. My next drink was the Hugo Spritz, which was amazing!! It made up for the first drink: it was refreshing and sweet (but not too sweet). For apps, we had the Rye Pita and hummus. Now let me just say, I am not a hummus girlie, but the hummus here was so flavorful and smooth. It wasn't gritty as I have experienced in the past. It definitely paired well with the pita. The star of the show was the Lahmajun, which is sort of like a pizza (without cheese) with lamb. I was pleasantly surprised. The lamb, the herbs & spices were just so delicious. Our server told us to dip it in the hummus and I had no regrets. We also had the braised chicken thigh, which felt very much like comfort food. The chicken was seasoned generously and cooked to perfection. We also had the lamb meatballs, which were so tender. The pairing with pomegranate really brought the flavors out. Overall, I definitely unlocked some new tastebuds here lol. I would return again for the Lahmajun alone! Service was exceptional as well :)“

“Had my first dining experience this evening. My friend and I split the tuna tartare - honestly I could easily ravage that plate solo and order another! Then I had the pappardelle….talk about scrumptious! Probably the best pasta dish I have ever had! Then the ricotta cheesecake for dessert. For my cocktail I sampled the Mercutio ( huge plus that they’ve all got Shakespeare names! Love love love ! ) I shall return!!!!!“

“I truly love this place. Everything is perfect there. Great food and atmosphere but mostly is the people. I always feel welcomed and appreciated. The biggest thanks to Andres who is always taking care of each customer making sure we are all feel good! Thank you guys and see you soon! You’re the best!“

“My wife and I went on a rare date to Fausto and it was honestly one of the BEST dining experiences I have had in a very long time. The food was excellent, the wine list was extensive, and the staff were so incredibly helpful, kind, and attentive without being overbearing. I would highly recommend!“

“i ordered their prosciutto and burrata (which comes with imported burrata and 24 Month prosciutto di parma), tonnarelli cacio e pepe (pasta with pecorino and black pepper), and infernetto pinsa (roman style pizza with tomato, mozzarella, spicy soppressata, and pecorino). all in all, every dish was made with fine ingredients and was cooked well. the burrata was very creamy and delicious, i would recommend it if you’re a fan of burrata cheese. the pizza had a good coal fire taste to it and came out hot and flavorful (the spicy soppressata was tasty, but i would like to try some of their other flavors eventually). the cacio e pepe was tasty and had a strong pecorino flavor (creamy, rich, slight cheesy musk to it). the pasta had good texture and mouthfeel (firm al dente noodles). all in all a decent spot for italian!“

“We stopped by Roberta's for dinner after a comedy show. It was pouring out but Roberta's was packed and required a bit of a wait. We were seated in the back area where there was ample seating. We ordered: + Stracciatella: we attacked this appetizer once it came to our table. This dish came with two slices of bread which was enough for the big blob of cheese. + Marinated Olives: these were delicious and were fun to eat with our drinks + Little Gem Salad: this salad was refreshing, crunchy, and delicious. + Margherita Pizza: a basic margherita pizza done well. The crusts were also divulged (that's when you can tell the pizza is good). +Ice Cream Sandwich: we ended our dessert with their recommended sticky bun and ice cream dish. This was delicious and well worth the try. They tried to market it as a cinnamon roll but it is definitely much better than that. The staff was fun. They came by often to check on us but let us alone to chill for as long a we wanted. Cheers.“

“Lovely little restaurant within walking distance of where we were staying. Service outstanding! Never felt rushed despite not having a reservation. The food was delicious. As with most restaurants these days, it’s a bit noisy but the music overhead was not overpowering.We will definitely return here when back in Brooklyn.“

“Thank you Luca and the entire team at LaRina for an amazing dinner. You exemplify the purpose of hospitality. The food is perfectly balanced and authentic. The atmosphere is fancy without the fuss. I will be back with friends and family. Keep up the great work.“

“While I love this place, for lunch or dinner. They should be embarrassed by the way they put their trash out and the condition of their sidewalk out front. There is grease and grime in layers on the sidewalk, beyond disgusting. That side walk should be hosed down EVERY morning after trash is picked up with hot water and scrubbed with soap. And this from a place that is looking for a star, a Michelin star. For this alone they shouldn't remotely consider it. I mean come on Sean and Misi, clean up your act.“

“We had a birthday table at Faun's and everyone had such an amazing time! The food was excellent and so was the service. Their amazing cocktails and wine selection went perfect with our meal. Great options for vegans as well (just let them know in advance).“

“Michael’s is my favorite Italian restaurant ever. There is nothing on the menu that I do not like. Their sauce is the best I have ever had, their pizza is amazing. Their lobster bisque is out of this world and their cookie skillet is the best cookie I have ever had. I will never stop coming here because this is my favorite restaurant ever. And the waiter Michael is the best!!“

“Incredible dining experience. I’ve been wanting to come here for some time and finally got reservations last night, did not disappoint! The space is comfortable and roomy. Service was welcoming and relaxed in the best way. We came at 5 and by 6:30 when we left the bar had slowly filled up so might be a good time to come if you’re walking in on a week night. I love that they switch their menu around weekly based off the seasons. We tried the fava bean puree, fried cauliflower, spaghetti with smoked mushrooms, the ragu, and panna cotta. Everything was delicious. The fava beans are not to be missed! Can’t wait to come back throughout the seasons and see what they have to offer!“

“I wanted to come to Ammazzacaffe for a while. One of my friend told me that they have a great wine list and authentic Italian food. Last night was a good day to go so because of they have a limit of seats I made a reservation before I go. I have a glass of Toscana Rosso and because it is happy hour I get two for one. That is awesome! I order pasta so I only have Sea Trout Tartare as an appetizer. I love that they make it sour and taste so delicious. Quadrotti and Reginette are very good and perfect cooked pasta. Service is nice and friendly. I enjoy so much of this meal. I will probably come back when the weather is warmer.“

“I ordered take out from here so I cannot comment about ambiance or service. I got the pasta with vodka sauce. It was good. Nice portion. Just needed more cheese. The arancini was really good but the sauce didn't go with it at all. I used the leftover vodka sauce instead.“

“Stopped by for aperitivo hour. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and helped us out with selections. The cauliflower bites were so good, and the homemade focaccia was so fresh and soft, I highly recommend! We also ordered the burrata that went great with the focaccia.“

“Shoutout to Niya for holding down the entire second floor on her own. She made sure we had all of our bottomless drinks and anticipated our orders, while making sure all other tables were ok. Awesome experience I’m always happy comig to Ainsle for brunch.“

“Awesome waiter. He was really friendly. The food took a little longer than is usual maybe but they only have 1 oven and that's part of the charm. It's good pizza good calzones. The oven is hot. People are happy. It's a loud family vibe kinda place. I'd take my kid here if I had a kid. I feel like a kid would love this place.“

“No indoor dining because Covid They have taken great care of making a lot of available tables and even have some enclosed outdoor booths. The use of space is pretty amazing and well adapted to the neighborhood They neighborhood is great I saw the prettiest dogs in Brooklyn all walking in full force The place has a friendly family-type vibe Th coworkers are all friendly with each other and warm to their clientele The food is impeccably well prepared, tasty and quite authentically Italian I doubt one could find anything more authentic with such fine ingredients and creatively presented anywhere other than Italy. If you do, let it be known and I’m sure the staff here would feel the kindred spirit of another fine cuisine It’s in the medium-high priced category but it lives up to the prices in its quality Wait staff is genuine and kind and do make a great effort to make one comfortable and enjoy their meal Highly recommend“

“Good food, good wine! Everything here is really fantastic. It's some of the best pasta I've ever had. I seriously have to question how Franklin Ave has such an outstanding restaurant, but I'm sure glad it does. They're even family friendly and did a spaghetti with butter sauce for my picky 3-year-old. The process are reasonable too, just beware that they do add a 20% gratuity automatically if there are 5 or more people in your party, which annoyed me quite a bit after tipping an additional 20% and not realizing it until after the fact.“

“Delicious pasta either great ambience in the backyard. We visited last year in the fall and I got demolished by mosquitoes. We got 2 pastas and a burrata. One pasta was delicious and the other felt a bit bland. Overall cute date place if you are craving Italian and it's close by, but not a place to go out of your way to visit from another area. It's good for the location and great addition to local addition to bedstuy Overall food was good but felt a bit overpriced. I think it's mostly because of location and lack of competition in the area. Burrata wasn't worth 17 dollars. And everything felt 1-3 dollars too expensive. Service was good and ambience was great. Not sure if I'll be visiting again but maybe if friends really want pasta.“

“No frills, no glam, just GOOD PIZZA. This is our absolute go to spot for pizza anywhere in there city. I am out in Queens and whenever me and my family want pizza, this is our go to place.We’ve had almost every type of slice at this point and none of them disappoint.“

“Just came back from Mother's Day Brunch with my sons and husband. Food was excellent as was the service! Beet salad was so good, burgers cooked to perfection, shakshuka with merguez sausage was delicious, the white truffles pizza with poached eggs was amazing!! Thank you Wild for a 100% gluten free restaurant with 100% great food!“

“Est. 2023Layout/atmosphere*Center bar with two TVs and tables around it; second dining room overlooking the bay; outdoor deck areaService*GoodFood/drink*Complimentary bread with dressing*Burrata Garlic Bread (Calabrian Chili Honey, Pepperoni Butter) - very good*Octopus (Butter Beans, Aioli, Burnt Orange Vinaigrette) - good*Chef A’s Rigatoni Bolognese (Whipped Ricotta, Grana Padano) - Good; tender pasta, fresh ricotta*OG Spaghetti & Clams (Preserved Lemon, Nduja Butter, Scallion, Pork Pangrattato) - Good; bit of a kick*Aunt Coll’s Cheesecake (Sea Salted Praline, Whipped Pistachio) - quite good; liked the pistachio flavor topping“

“Our local pizza gem!Shrimp / Clam / Vodka / Funghi are the mvp slices. Picante also good if you like the heat.Tried the burger today which really hit the spot.Owner / Staff are very friendly. Pizza chefs care a lot about their craft, down to the last basil theyre garnishing with.“

“The brioche French toast is otherworldly. We also got one of the testos and the eggs Benedict with prosciutto- all of it was so so good! Also got limoncello shots at the end which were delicious. Highly recommend! Aperol sprits was perfectly proportioned. Shocked it wasn’t packed for a 1:15 pm brunch!“

“Very wholesome, traditional Italian food. I've tried multiple of their pasta plates - which are always great. Personally, I love the Chicken Parm sandwich - perfect cutlets with red sauce, mozzarella, & basil. The full sandwich is a hefty meal, but if you're hungry you can add a side. The Fried Rice Balls (Arancini) are great, the Tiramisu is also worth trying. The service has always been great, with very friendly staff. Keep in mind they don't have a large dining space - so don't bring large groups. If you're in 3+ order takeout.“

“The menu is amazing, and the specials they are out of this world .....the chef will cook anything you want, the restaurant was very clean. the bartender Salvatore was professional and friendly ,very knowledge of mixology of any drinks ? that you want. I had excellent experience from management Nicholas and Joe to the Service, I recommend it 101%Vegetarian options: The chef cooks anything you want .“

“I finally returned for the first time in over ten years, and Il Passatorehas maintained its high quality and modest prices. Hope to return again sooner than in ten years. I dine at some of the best Italian spots in Brooklyn, including Lilia and Michaels of Brooklyn, but this place, in its own way, can hold its own.“

“Love this place, really a relatively hidden gem. Everything they do is pretty spot on. Focaccia is great, pastries are great, chicken cutlets are great. Underrated for sure - there quality indicates they’d be busy all the time but yet it seems slow when i’m there to pick up lunch or dinner. Really hoping they stick around.“

“I love this truck because it's independent individuals making quality, fresh, craft food. I actually get a hot dog more often than a sausage hero, but both are very good. They allegedly use a Sabrett's (skinless) dog just like everyone else, but their dogs are far plumper than you find from most other places and they use a Martin's potato roll. And they're grilled, which I prefer to the boiled dogs from the other truck up the street. When I get a sausage hero (which I just got myself in the mood for), I get it topped with marinara sauce. There's only one negative to this truck. They shut down at around 3:30pm each day and I don't think they're ever there on Sundays or holidays. In my perfect world, they'd be there practically 24 hours a day, so if I had a craving at 11pm, I could get my dog or sausage hero. Like everybody else, they've raised prices - dogs are $4 and I think the hero sandwiches are now $12, but still well worth it.“

“Our favorite pizza place in all of NYC (maybe the world), exceptional service, unbelievably tasty pizza, great beer selection. Try the montak IPA with your pizza, and follow it up with their delicious tiramisu desert, you won't regret it.“

“For an Italian spot in bushwick, this is the place. Looks can be deceiving and this place was packed on a Friday night. The vibes reminded me of a railroads style cozy apartment with a full kitchen and pizza oven. The hustle and bustle of the kitchen staff zooming by saying ‘corner’ just added the amusement. Perfect for dinner with small group of friends to catch up.The food was great. Brussel sprouts were charred nicely with a tomato paste type sauce. The crudo was flavorful, I just wished I had a a better fish to grape ratio (a little more fish, less grapes). The pizza was great (thin crust), but didn’t taste the garlic come thru as much as we’d like. Pasta was good but the sauce was amazing. The highlight was definitely the chocolate cake with olive oil, sea salt & cream. We got it with the honey ice cream and it was not too sweet or rich, flavor pairing was divine.Staff were friendly and bathrooms were clean. There menu does change every so often, so looking to be back when it does.“

“I've felt like I was in a little cafe in Italy in Brooklyn. I was surprised by how delicious and simple the pasta was delicious. The pork golden brown delicious fry was cooked perfectly. That's how you do simple at its finest. The pistachio cake yum is one of those bites you couldn't stop eating “

“What an incredible gem on Flatbush! I’ve been meaning to come here for a while, and finally decided to pop in for brunch, and I’m so glad we did. The food was incredible and the service was so friendly and hospitable! We got blueberry Pancakes, the scramble with mushroom that was soooo good, and my sister got the sausage sandwich! We also got pressed juice!“

“I have enjoyed eating at Aurora many times since 2010 with my wife, friends and family.The food and service is always consistently good. But when I went this week, I found myself disappointed that they did not serve bread. The waiter told be they do not do it anymore with no explanation. It may be a small thing, but it was significant for me.“

“I went to this restaurant for lunch and the food was A-MAZINGGGG!!! I would definitely recommend, I ordered the chicken francese, chicken was so flavorful and tender, pasta was Al dentè. I took my order to go, because I was pressed for time. The atmosphere in the restaurant was very nice next time I visit I will definitely dine in. The host was very nice service was exceptional. Food came quick and delicious“

“We recently took my mom here for her 80th birthday celebration. Our reservations was for 4:30 pm unfortunately due to traffic and we were coming from NJ and Connecticut, but they were so accommodating. My mom had a great time and our server Mario was extremely nice. My guest enjoyed the food. They made sure everyone was having a good time. Her 80th cake was ordered through the restaurant and was beautifully made. I would highly recommend Vetro, definitely planning to return. Thank you Vetro for making her 80th birthday extra special.“

“The restaurant has a very nice aesthetic. You walk in and right away are welcomed by an old timey 50s era-esque coca cola vending machine and the bar. It's a bit of a squeeze to get to the seating are but it's very pleasant to look at even from the outside. The brick wall full of pictures are fun to look at and see all the celebrity photos. The touch of actual small fire lamps on the tables is a very nice touch and reminiscent of camping lanterns from the olden days.We ordered the vegan veggie pizza and vegan bruschetta. I could eat the Bruschetta all day long if given the opportunity. The vegan pizza was delicious as well. My only gripe with the pizza was I would have left the eggplant and zucchini off of it because they didn't get cooked properly enough to fit with the mushrooms, peppers, and olives. They took away from the experience but not enough to make it bad.Overall great time and great attentive staff. Definitely worth checking out! I'll want to come back to try the vegan pastas next time!“

“Went for the eggs purgatory, was not a fan, it is essentially shakshuka, but was very tomato sauce-y and there was no flavor to it, and definitely no Parmigiano Reggiano on top. We also got the burger which was good and the French toast which were also good, the seasonal fruit was strawberry’s and mangos. For us personally the highlight were their drinks, we got the Irish lunch which was delicious, and the Illyia (with the flowers in the photo) also very good“

“Awesome cocktail bar in the back with delicious pizza up front. Went here for a friend's birthday last minute and Andrew was super nice and accommodating. The cocktails are super fun, especially the espresso martini and the pizza was sooo good and the slices are big! The potato + pesto was my favorite slice. Also it's super close to so many things. Can't wait to come back!“

“Della has a new owner and they recently renovated. It looks really nice inside. They have a new kitchen and chef. The menu is a bit heavy on the red meat side, but I had the salmon and it was quite good. Also, the bartender is very friendly.“

“A small group of co-workers enjoyed dinner there for the holidays and it was simply wonderful!The food is outstanding and can be prepared to your particular specifications if requested. Staff is courteous, accommodating, and so pleasant! Everyone in our group had drinks, appetizers, entrees plus dessert, and we were already saying we NEED to make plans to return soon, just chatting outside the restaurant after dinner!It was my first time at Dolce Vita and I've already recommended it to a number of friends. The single negative is that it's hard to find parking, but it's so worth the effort, as well as the trip from another neighborhood!“

“I've been coming here for years and I won't stop. When you want great Italian food and good service then you go to Joe's. Everything here is amazing, literally! I always start with a Caesar salad and I love me some fettuccini Alfredo so I always get that with breaded chicken cutlet. The penne ala vodka here is also delicious and pretty much everything else on the menu. You can't go wrong with this restaurant.“

“One of my favorite places in the city. Their pillowy gnocchi is incredible, and their wine list is superb. One of the servers remembered me and my brother six months later - including exactly what we ordered. And he wasn't even our server the past time. Great vibes, great spot.“

“My first time coming to Lenny's, and I'm so happy I did. The server was terrific. The food was delicious. The fried calamari/ shrimp was perfect; the lobster was tender and flavorful. I definitely will be back to try other dishes.“

“One of the best meals I have ever had.I came in solo on Christmas Eve. Everything was flawless— from the hostess who helped me get a seat at the bar when I called, to the comfortable waiting area (armchairs, fireplace, books to read), to the delicious food and friendly service.I had the pork belly, and brioche with chocolate sorbet for dessert. Cannot recommend highly enough.“