Diners' Choice: Italian restaurants in Sarasota / Bradenton

OpenTable

Updated April 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Italian cuisine in Sarasota / Bradenton? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Dolce Italia

4.9

4.9 (661)

$31 to $50

Italian

Sarasota

About the restaurant

Dolce Italia was established in 2010 by Tiziana Di Costanzo who came from Ischia, an island in the Gulf of Naples. Using a combination of classic Italian dishes, family recipes passed down for generations, and warm hospitality, Dolce Italia has built a reputation in Sarasota as a destination for anyone seeking great food and ambiance. In 2015 Matthew joined as manager of the front of house and is now a managing partner of Dolce Italia. The kitchen staff trained by Tiziana from the beginning are still with the restaurant with Maria being the capocuoco.
Some of the specialities Dolce Italia has become famous for are the Napoletan Eggplant- a tender sautee eggplant with fresh tomatoes crowned with ricotte, the Trenne Dolce Italia- the signature pasta dish with creamy tomato sauce, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and mushroom.

Top review

SallyVIP

Dined 7 days ago

We went for my birthday as it is my favorite Italian restaurant! The food is always cooked perfectly, the ambiance is great and love the owner and staff! Thank you for my dessert which I gobbled up and my family loved it as well.

Pietro's Italian Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (729)

$31 to $50

Italian

Sarasota

About the restaurant

Italian Restaurant& wine bar in Sarasota. Where you are a stranger only once.
His philosophy served him well with his previous Sarasota businesses. Café Gabbiano located on Siesta Key was originated by the Migliaccio family in 2003 where is four sons grew in and out of the restaurant business.
A second venture in downtown Sarasota was opened and designed by Pietro in 2012 named Casantica, a small old house converted to a quaint homey restaurant. Both restaurants are now under new ownership.
Now, this small intimate place is where I can have fun serving and meeting new friends. Benvenuti.

Top review

ThomasVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Fantastic. Warm friendly just perfect Every thing served was superb Mmm

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La Dolce Vita Authentic Italian Cuisine

4.8

4.8 (418)

$31 to $50

Italian

Sarasota

About the restaurant

For Valentine’s Day, we are offering a special prix-fixe menu at $95 per person. You can see the menu in the appropriate section.

We welcome our guests to an authentic Italian restaurant: here we offer traditional cuisine, with a modern take on northern and southern Italian recipes. Mauro, the chef, and his wife Tina, have an huge amount of experience behind them.
Mauro is from Naples, Tina was born in a little sicilian town near by Enna.
He began to learn everything about the southern cuisine by his experience in Naples since he was a child, from “Polipetti alla Luciana” to “Paccheri ai frutti di mare”. Furthermore he moved in Milan and he had the chance to learn the northern cuisine, from “Risotto ai funghi porcini” to “Polenta grigliata”, one of his favourite specialties!
From an ancient sicilian tradition, Tina learnt everything about the desserts by her grandmother and her mother, from “Millefoglie” to “Cannoli cake”.
We hope you enjoyed reading about us.

Top review

Jean

Dined 5 days ago

As always the food is wonderful. The service is polite, swift and friendly.

Bruschetta Fine Italian Cuisine

4.6

4.6 (70)

$31 to $50

Italian

Gulf Gate Estates

About the restaurant

At Bruschetta Fine Italian Cuisine , our history is rooted in family and tradition. Our recipes have been passed down for generations, and we take great pride in using authentic ingredients and techniques to create the flavors of Italy. From our humble beginnings in a small kitchen in Rome to our bustling restaurant today, we've always stayed true to our roots.

Top review

Kurt

Dined on Feb 18, 2025

Amazing authentic Italian cuisine and atmosphere....

Cassariano Italian Eatery

4.7

4.7 (3975)

$31 to $50

Italian

Venice

About the restaurant

Contemporary Italian Cuisine in downtown Venice with a casual-elegant atmosphere. INSIDE AND OUTSIDE DINING

Top review

CarolVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Best time tonight at Cassarianos. Great service, food, drinks, ambience. My #1 place in Venice. Every single time it’s off the chart great! Thank you.

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Popular dish

Veal Chop alla Caprese

Popular dish

Pappardelle Bolognese

Popular dish

Sea Bass Piccata

Tiramisu

4.8

4.8 (786)

$30 and under

Italian

South Bradenton

About the restaurant

Owners, Luca and Monica, invite their patrons into Tiramisu of Bradenton as if welcoming them into their own home to enjoy these delicious, family recipes.

Tiramisu’s atmosphere is intimate and casual but ensures that you will have friendly, professional service and well-seasoned, authentic Italian dishes served with love upon every visit.

Family owned fine Italian dining in the heart of Bradenton. Classic dishes, specialty homemade pasta, great wine and intimate atmosphere at affordable prices.

Top review

Joe

Dined on Apr 22, 2025

Excellent service and food. Will definitely be back again.

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4.7

4.7 (192)

$30 and under

Italian

Sarasota

About the restaurant

Welcome to Andrea's Sarasota!

Top review

moiraVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Always consistently good Italian food Great grilled octopus appetizer. Enjoyed lamb shank and the pasta with pork. The servers are the chef’s sons and are friendly and helpful I always ask the chef for a decent red reasonably priced and he always delivers

Apulia Osteria Italiana

4.8

4.8 (412)

$31 to $50

Italian

Rotonda

About the restaurant

Apulia Osteria Italiana is located in Placida, Florida just a few miles away from the beautiful Island of Boca Grande and Manasota key just 20 minutes from Port Charlotte and Venice.
The warm hospitality and the professionalism you will receive at Apulia will make you feel welcome throuout your entire visit. Chef Dario Leo along with his staff will make sure you will be delighted with superb food and great service.
You will enjoy dishes from his native region " Apulia" also called "The hill of the boot", specialties such as Orecchiette with Rapini, Fritto misto di Paranza ( seafood) , Burrata, Baked Snapper, Beef Braciole, Pasticciotto Leccese and so many other dishes from all over Italy such as Ossobuco, Risotti, Gnocchi, Branzino, Ravioli, Tiramisu, Gelati and so much more......

Top review

Tom

Dined 4 days ago

The Romano salad is always a must. Dario's wonderfrl homemade lasagna always ells out early when it is a special. My wife loved it. My seafood medley (shrimp and calamari, salmon, swordfish and halibut — all grilled then served with a buttery sauce) was accompanied by prosciutto-wrapped asparagras and a potato-stuffed roasted tomato — was unique and amazing.

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Popular dish

Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

La Violetta Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (1193)

$30 and under

Italian

Sarasota

About the restaurant

Intimate and designed to provide a rustic Italian experience. Buonissimo!

Top review

CherylVIP

Dined 7 days ago

Wonderful homemade pasta and our awesome waiter Gregorio

Sardinia Sarasota

4.8

4.8 (1559)

$30 and under

Italian

Sarasota

About the restaurant

Chef Carta brings the authentic simple elegance of the Sardinian dining tradition to your table. Sardinian cuisine is known for the purity of food and flavors. To insure the authenticity of the dining experience Chef has imported an authentic hood wood-burning oven for the kitchen. The menu is focused on farm fresh and locally grown food. Chargrilled meats and local fish will be cooked in the oven as it is in Sardinia. Taste the Sardinia bread, know as Pane carasau, baked fresh daily which welcomes you at your table. The pasta dough is also made fresh daily. Revel in the authentic Sardinian paella made with fregola and enjoy the unique flavor of bottarga. To maximize the pleasure of sharing good food with good friends, Sardinia has 45 seats- 24 in the main dining room, a chefs table for 10 and 13 seats in the bar area. Good food-good conversation-good friends. A true Sardinia experience you will not forget.

Top review

Cynthia

Dined on Apr 21, 2025

Everything was absolutely incredible. The food was delicious and the service was great.

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