Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina 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 Charleston 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.
#30. Zeppelin Pizza - James Island
- Rating: 3.5/5 (13 reviews)
- Address: 1175 Folly Road Ste J Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Vincent Chiccos
- Rating: 3.5/5 (245 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: Hutson Alley 39G John St. Ste G Hutson Alley Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#28. PizzaVola Express
- Rating: 4.0/5 (6 reviews)
- Address: 1041 Folly Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Pizzeria Di Giovanni
- Rating: 4.0/5 (288 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 40 North Market St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Famulari's Pizzaria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 1721 Clements Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#25. PizzaVola
- Rating: 4.0/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 1041 Folly Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Pizza a Modo Mio
- Rating: 4.0/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3125 Bees Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Yous Guys Sandwich Shop
- Rating: 4.0/5 (132 reviews)
- Address: 827 Folly Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Le Farfalle
- Rating: 4.0/5 (588 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 15 Beaufain St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Famulari's Pizzeria - West Ashley
- Rating: 4.0/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2408 Ashley River Road Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Sorelle
- Rating: 4.0/5 (140 reviews)
- Address: 88 Broad St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Muse Restaurant & Wine Bar
- Rating: 4.0/5 (454 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 82 Society St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Mediterranean, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Melfi's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (271 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 721 King St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Mario's Italian Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1300 Savannah Hwy Ste 4 Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Crust Wood Fired Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (273 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1956 B Maybank Hwy Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Indaco
- Rating: 4.5/5 (638 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 526 King St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Chez Nous
- Rating: 4.5/5 (285 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 6 Payne Court Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: French, Spanish, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Mondo's Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (282 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 915 Folly Road Ste U Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Frannie & The Fox
- Rating: 4.5/5 (366 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 181 Church St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Orlando's Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (173 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 295 Seven Farms Drive Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Renzo
- Rating: 4.5/5 (99 reviews)
- Address: 384 Huger St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Wine Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Sorelle Mercato
- Rating: 4.5/5 (16 reviews)
- Address: 88 Broad St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: New American, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Baker's Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6 Windermere Blvd. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Bars, Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Fabio's Ristorante Italiano
- Rating: 4.5/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2457 Ashley River Road Ste 2 Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Drunk Tony's Food Truck
- Rating: 4.5/5 (10 reviews)
- Address: 1044 East Montague Ave. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Chow Bella Food Truck
- Rating: 4.5/5 (10 reviews)
- Address: Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Food Trucks, Italian, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Costa
- Rating: 4.5/5 (14 reviews)
- Address: 320 Broad St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Bella Roma Italian Food
- Rating: 4.5/5 (19 reviews)
- Address: 2070 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. Citadel Mall Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Mario's Italian Ristorante
- Rating: 4.5/5 (220 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 487 King St. Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Gale
- Rating: 4.5/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 601 Meeting St. Ste 140 Charleston, South Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Wine Bars, Italian
- 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.
