The Ultimate Guide to Italian Restaurants in Atlanta (2024)

Because of its culinary experience and diverse population, Atlanta remains a good food city. While the city has its own award-winning food and restaurant choices, Italian cuisine isn’t something that immediately strikes the mind. However, on a visit to Georgia’s capital, one of your major food focus should be to cover the Italian delicacies in those Atlanta Restaurants. From spaghetti and tagliatelle to orecchiette and farfalle, the Italian Restaurants in Atlanta satisfy all your cravings in the best possible way.

Atlanta’s choices of Italian food are anything but limited. You can wish to try the freshest seafood, go for impeccable fine dining, or try their home-style neighbourhood trattoria; options here will never truly come to an end. No, the city doesn’t have a historic Little Italy, but its food game is nowhere behind when it comes to serving the best. With that said, here is the guide to the best Italian Restaurants in Atlanta City. Have a look:

The Ultimate Guide to Italian Restaurants in Atlanta

1. BoccaLupo

The ultimate neighbourhood Italian restaurant, BoccaLupo, serves the best Italian food in Atlanta. The restaurant is located in the heart of Inman Park and is popular for its Italian American cooking. The chef here mixes traditional flavours and techniques with contemporary style. Their menu includes everything from pasta, a range of antipasti platters, beverages, and desserts. One of the must-try is their extruded pasta that includes black spaghetti with hot calabrese sausage, red shrimp, and scallion. Options like crispy brussels sprouts with blood orange, soppressata, and chicory too will leave your taste buds excited and satisfied. BoccaLupo keeps changing its menu based on the freshest ingredients available during the season.

2. a mano

Italian as its name, a mano is perfect for a date night or a friend’s night out in Atlanta. This cosy, wood-laden neighbourhood bistro is located in the Old Fourth Ward and is popular for its creative takes on traditional Italian cuisine. For lunch, their menu includes the scrumptious chef salad that includes tomato, onion, cucumber, fried prosciutto, greens, mode hard-boiled egg, and basil buttermilk dressing. The options also expand to a meatball parmesan sandwich with Pomodoro sauce and provolone, which undoubtedly is a must-try. And for dinner, try their cacio e Pepe and bucatini a la Bolognese, which definitely are the classics. A mano offers multiple vegan entrée options as well. To pair with your meal, be sure to order a wine or a cocktail. A mono operates Tuesday through Saturday, and while visiting during peak hours, reservations are recommended.

3. Amalfi Cucina + Mercato

Amalfi Cucina + Mercato operates under two outlets in Atlanta in Buckhead and Midtown. They offer authentic, delicious Italian cuisine in the name of appetisers, salads, entrée and pasta, pizzas, dulces, a kids menu, and more. From their extensive menu, do try Nonna’s Spaghetti and Meatballs, Sun-dried Tomato Shrimp Alfredo, Quaranta Pepperoni, and Quattro Formaggio. Amalfi’s downtown outlet also offers draft beer and their very own special cocktails. Amalfi Frosé and Hibiscus Fiore are some of the specialities and must-try ones. What makes Amalfi Cucina popular is the fact that they use the best ingredients, directly imported from Italy. Besides eating at their Atlanta outlets, do check out their Mercato. You may find sauces, pasta, seasonings, wine and other sourced Italian provisions.

4. Nino’s

Perfect for family gatherings and other large social meetings, Nino’s is the longest-operating Italian restaurant in Atlanta. The restaurant has been operating since 1968 and is owned and operated by Antonio Noviello (Nino). The owner hails from the Amalfi Coast of Southern Italy and is known for sourcing traditional ingredients directly from the country for that authentic Italian taste. Since the time of its early operations, Nino’s has gained immense love and popularity from local diners and celebrities (and publications). Some of its specialities and standouts include Peperoncino Eva, a delicious red pepper-infused spaghetti tossed with fresh shrimp and artichokes in a garlic and olive oil sauce and Fettuccine Alla Michela with fresh sautéed shrimp.

5. No. 246

Another popular Italian Restaurant in Atlanta, No 246, is definitely a must-try. The restaurant dishes out inventive Italian fare that is packed with authentic flavours and local ingredients. From fired wood oven-baked pizzas to pasta, to classics like spaghetti and meatballs, cacio e Pepe, and rigatoni, everything on their menu is a must-try. To pair along with their delicious food, No. 246 also serve Cocktails. Some of their standouts include Garibaldi (a combination of Campari and fluffy orange juice), Tiny Negroni (a small pour of a perfect classic), Palermo (a combination of bourbon, overproof rye, marsala, bitters), and BRUT FRANCIACORTA, CA DEL BOSCO NV which is a light-hearted green apple sparkling wine. They also have a dessert menu that includes both desert wine and eatables.

6. Sotto Sotto Restaurant

Sotto Sotto has been a popular spot for Italian cuisine in Atlanta for the past two decades. The restaurant is located in the heart of the Inman Quarter and is owned by the famous chef Riccardo Ullio. Earning several awards, this cosy, authentic Italian restaurant has grabbed the title of best by Bon Appetit, AOL Cityguide, and many more. Though the restaurant has an extensive menu, some of its standouts include tortelli di Michelangelo Buonarroti, spinach and ricotta gnocchi, cacio pepe to fettuccine Alfredo, and carpaccio di manzo. Individuals can also try a plate of assorted Italian meats, cheeses, olives, and mushrooms. To pair with that, Sotto Sotto offers an extensive list of wine varietals both locally grown and sourced from different parts of the US. Falanghina Irpinia ‘Corte di Giso’, Terredora di Paolo 2020 and Barbera d’Asti ‘Ca’ di Pian’, La Spinetta 2018 are some of their must try.

7. Villa Christina

Villa Christina is a premier Italian Restaurant in Atlanta. It is a part of Hyatt Regency and is popular for infusing the juiciest Italian flavours in Atlanta. The contemporary elegance of Villa Christina is surrounded by several beautiful acres of landscape, whereas, from the inside, it serves some of the finest dishes to complete every single taste pallet. The restaurant offers a breakfast and lunch buffet along with an ala carte menu. Some of their best offerings include jumbo lump crab cakes, shrimp and calamari all olio, and lemon-crusted sea bass. They even serve vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options ensuring every single guest is left with a meal that is incomparable to anything else. The restaurant allows dining in their private dining space or the outdoor terrace with gorgeous views of the seasonal gardens and acres of resort greenery.