Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Hartford by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Hartford by diners
Italian food is the most popular cuisine in the world, according to a 2023 study by The Picky Eater that tallied up Instagram tags. It's no wonder why so many people love it. Just thinking about dishes like chicken parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs is enough to get your mouth watering—even though many of these world-famous dishes are actually Italian American creations more so than true Italian fare. Traditional Italian food embraces an assortment of sumptuous recipes that aren't dependent on fried breadcrumbs and red sauce—think frittatas and focaccia, or carpaccio and panna cotta.
Italian immigrants have been weaving their cuisine into the fabric of the American food landscape for generations since they arrived in the United States nearly 150 years ago. And the cuisine, like the culture it hails from, tends to give off warm and fuzzy "family" feels. For many people, the quintessential local Italian American restaurant—complete with its red-and-white checkered tablecloths, pour bottles of olive oil, parmesan cheese shakers, cute little jars of red pepper flakes, and wicker baskets of oven-fresh bread—brings back memories of special life moments, like first dates and milestone birthdays.
Luckily, today you don't need to be in a major metropolis like New York or Los Angeles or an area with a large Italian or Italian American community to score top-notch buon cibo. You can find excellent Italian offerings in almost every city from coast to coast. To celebrate all things mozzarella and marinara, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Italian restaurants in Hartford based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of January 2024.
Read on to see if your favorite is among the top-rated or to find a new spot in your neighborhood.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.
#22. Sisson Avenue Pizza
- Rating: 2.5/5 (140 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 495 Farmington Ave. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Sandwiches, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#21. South End Pizza
- Rating: 2.5/5 (14 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 888 Maple Ave. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, American
- Read more on Yelp
#20. South Whitney Pizza & Bar
- Rating: 2.5/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 264 South Whitney St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, fast food, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#19. A-1 Pizza
- Rating: 3.0/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 274 Farmington Ave. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Buon Appetito Food Truck
- Rating: 3.0/5 (5 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 500 Statehouse Square Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Food Stands, Street Vendors
- Read more on Yelp
#17. NY - NY Pizza Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 520 Franklin Ave. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Vivo Seasonal Trattoria
- Rating: 3.5/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 200 Columbus Blvd. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Mr Pizza
- Rating: 3.5/5 (17 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 671 Blue Hills Ave. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Chicken Wings, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Pietro's Pizza
- Rating: 3.5/5 (121 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 942 Main St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Franklin Giant Grinders
- Rating: 3.5/5 (116 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 464 Franklin Ave. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Sandwiches, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. First and Last Tavern Hartford
- Rating: 3.5/5 (157 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 939 Maple Ave. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Peppercorn's Grill
- Rating: 3.5/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 357 Main St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Arena Patio Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (6 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 873 Wethersfield Ave. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Sorella
- Rating: 3.5/5 (253 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 901 Main St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. J Restaurant Bar
- Rating: 4.0/5 (149 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 297 Washington St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Alfresco Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1111 Burnside Ave. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Allegro Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 347 Franklin Ave. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Diners, Italian, American
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Salute
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1449 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 100 Trumbull St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#4. La Rosa's Marketplace
- Rating: 4.5/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 94 Brown St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Sandwiches, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Adriatic Restaurant
- Rating: 5.0/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 577 Franklin Ave. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Mediterranean, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Oc 2 Go
- Rating: 5.0/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 221 Asylum St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Twisted Italian Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1400 Park St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jennifer Huizen, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 312 metros.
