Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Milwaukee by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee 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. Balistreri's Bluemound Inn
- Rating: 4.0/5 (204 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6501 West Bluemound Road Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Barbiere's Italian Inn
- Rating: 4.0/5 (139 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5844 West Bluemound Road Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Zaffiro's Pizza
- Rating: 4.0/5 (359 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1724 North Farwell Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Wine Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Tanino's Italian & Amer Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3525 South 76th St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Lisa's Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (141 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2961 North Oakland Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Sandwiches, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Marsel's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 4252 South Howell Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Il Cervo
- Rating: 4.0/5 (97 reviews)
- Address: 420 West Juneau Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Calderone Club
- Rating: 4.0/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8001 North Port Washington Road Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Egg & Flour Pasta Bar
- Rating: 4.0/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2273 South Howell Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Calderone Club
- Rating: 4.0/5 (387 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 842 North Old World 3rd St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Sala Modern Sicilian Dining
- Rating: 4.0/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2613 East Hampshire St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Transfer Pizzeria Café
- Rating: 4.0/5 (524 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 101 West Mitchell St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Onesto
- Rating: 4.0/5 (554 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 221 North Broadway Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Venues & Event Spaces, Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Dorsia
- Rating: 4.0/5 (464 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1301-07 East Brady St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Marco's World Famous Pizza - Milwaukee
- Rating: 4.0/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8411 West Lisbon Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Tenuta's Italian Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (386 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2995 South Clement Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Carini's La Conca D'Oro
- Rating: 4.0/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3468 North Oakland Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Stella Van Buren
- Rating: 4.0/5 (215 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 550 North Van Buren St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Steakhouses, American
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Centro Café
- Rating: 4.0/5 (267 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 808 East Center St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Zarletti
- Rating: 4.5/5 (285 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 741 North Milwaukee St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Tavolino
- Rating: 4.5/5 (90 reviews)
- Address: 2315 North Murray Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Lupi & Iris
- Rating: 4.5/5 (151 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 777 North Van Buren St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mediterranean, Wine Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Di Stefano's Pizza Palace
- Rating: 4.5/5 (27 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4630 West Forest Home Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Nessun Dorma
- Rating: 4.5/5 (200 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2778 North Weil St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Cataro's Italian Villa
- Rating: 4.5/5 (19 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5641 West Beloit Road Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Tauro Cocina
- Rating: 4.5/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1758 North Water St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Safina
- Rating: 4.5/5 (18 reviews)
- Address: 785 North Jefferson St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Sicilian, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Sorella
- Rating: 4.5/5 (124 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2535 South Kinnickinnic Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Glorioso's Italian Market
- Rating: 4.5/5 (555 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1011 East Brady St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Delis, Italian, International Grocery
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Santino's Little Italy
- Rating: 4.5/5 (336 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 352 East Stewart St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Wine Bars
- 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.
