Orlando’s Best Italian Dining

By Susan & Simon Veness

New York is often thought of as the spiritual home of iconic Italian food in America, but it has a growing rival right here in Central Florida, as Orlando has quietly become a great place for Che Buono dining.

In fact, The City Beautiful – to give Orlando its proper nickname – is actually home to one of America’s biggest recent success stories in the Italian culinary stakes, as the well-known Olive Garden chain was born here in December, 1982, providing a nationwide home for pasta-lovers of all kinds.

Olive Garden has also had its national imitators over the years, notably Carrabba’s, Macaroni Grill, Maggiano’s and Buca di Beppo, who have all traded on the formula of extensive pasta bowls and other obvious Italian touches, like breadsticks, salads and cream-and-cheese sauces.

You’ll find multiple examples of most of these in the greater Orlando area, including the villa communities in Clermont and Davenport, and they are generally fairly moderately priced, hence they make good choices when you need to fill up without breaking the bank. But they are certainly not the only Italian game in town these days, and you can find quite a variety, especially if you’re looking for the one-off specialists and date-night stylists.

Here are our top choices for some guaranteed Italian delights:

Olive Garden: We have to start with the obvious, simply because it is the most numerous in Central Florida, with no fewer than 16 restaurants. Yes, it is an Americanised version of Italian cuisine, with the biggest accent on generic pasta dishes, but it is a reliable “old faithful” and wonderfully consistent, highlighted by their unlimited breadsticks and house salad dishes.

Maggiano’s Little Italy: Originating in Chicago in 1991, Maggiano’s opened its Pointe Orlando outlet in 2007 and is another highly consistent operator, again in the Italian-American genre. Their menu includes all the classic dishes you’d expect of the cuisine, plus several vegetarian options and the undoubted highlight of their Rigatoni G, Herb-Roasted Chicken with roasted mushrooms, caramelised onion and Marsala cream, all served family style (for the whole table).

Luca Turci: For the true bistro style, head to Winter Park, where this original chef-driven venue features beautiful décor and a thoughtful menu. Traditional freshly-made pastas sit alongside creative contemporary versions of other well-known dishes like Beef Wellington, Lasagna and Lamb with Saffron Risotto, all delivered with high-quality service and a genuine love for the Italian way of doing things.

Prato: This hugely popular Winter Park venue is rightly famous for its pizza but also offers a wide-ranging menu that features outstanding pasta creations and sumptuous fish, chicken and New York Strip plates that are ideal for that special night out. Vegetarians are well catered for here, too, and the rustic interior is warm and welcoming.

Vito’s Chop House: Back on International Drive, Vito’s goes for the extravagant and flamboyant, with a classic steak house approach served up with plenty of Italian flair. Vito’s definitely caters to the sophisticated diner, with a speciality martini list, 850 wine selections and a variety of cigars on display. The food is as good as the exquisite setting, but expect to pay top dollar here.

Mia’s Italian Kitchen: A guaranteed hit with us since it opened in 2019, Mia’s serves up plenty of hearty family style in an energetic dining room that boasts high ceilings, custom art and a lively bar. Sicilian style pizza and pasta are their stock in trade, but don’t sleep on the zesty salads, magnificent meatballs and roasted mushroom lasagna. The desserts are top drawer, too.

Bella Tuscany: Nicely off the beaten tourist track but relatively easy to find (just off state road 535 in Windermere, north of Disney), this locals’ hangout is a true original, with less of the high-quality price tag you’ll find elsewhere. Excellent pizza, risotto and carbonara rub shoulders with primo chicken, steak and veal dishes, while the seafood is also a good choice, especially the Sicilian snapper and shrimp.

Mangoni: For truly authentic artisan pizza, you’ll be hard-pressed to do better in Winter Garden than Mangoni’s, which prides itself on dough made in-house daily with Italian olive oil, premium flour, sea salt and yeast. The tomato sauce is prepared from scratch with top-quality fresh produce and no shortcuts or additives. Not a pizza lover? Try the classic pasta dishes and focaccia tartines.

Enzo’s On The Lake: This long-time Orlando stand-out benefits from its idyllic lake setting and super-cute dining room, which was formerly a house in the Longwood suburb north of downtown. The menu is as good as it comes in Italian terms, while the old-fashioned hospitality is perfectly genuine and family-inspired. The antipasti are worth coming in for on their own while the bucatini is just sensational.

Via Napoli: Disney has served up genuine Italian cuisine since the EPCOT park opened in 1982, with the L’Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante providing five-star fare. This changed to Tuto Italia in 2007 and was joined by the separate Via Napoli in 2010, and you simply won’t find better pizza west of Naples than this. The specially-imported Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza ovens are named after Italian volcanoes and deliver every mighty morsel of authentic flavours.

Terralina Crafted Italian: Continuing Disney’s love affair with Italian offerings, this Disney Springs stalwart used to be Portobello’s and underwent a modest transformation in 2018 with an all-new menu inspired by Italy’s Lake District. Classics like Chicken Parmesan and Potato Gnocchi are house specialities, while the Brunch menu (Sat & Sun 11.30am-3pm) is a fabulous change-up. For dessert, don’t miss the heavenly Tiramisu.

Maria & Enzo’s: Moving to the other end of The Landing section at Disney Springs, this cavernous restaurant offers spectacular views as well as excellent Italian food. Originally themed as a 1930s airport terminal, its menu features Sicilian-inspired dishes and knockout cocktails, sangria and craft beers (as well as alcohol-free versions). The lunch menu is a touch on the cheaper side but is just as satisfying.

Christini’s: For old-school charm, Christini’s is Orlando’s most distinguished Italian offering. Dating back to 1984 in the Dr Phillips shopping and dining plaza just off Sand Lake Road, its upscale style is firmly in Special Night Out territory, but it delivers a classy experience, from the moment you enter. The multi-award-winning menu is a classical interpretation of northern Italian cuisine, with fine pasta and seafood aplenty, but the veal dishes are other-worldly good.

Fresco Cucina Italiana: Staying in the Dr Phillips plaza, but without the formality (or price tag), Fresco’s is another family-owned setting for traditional Italian comfort food given a bit of a contemporary twist. The handmade pastas and wood-fired pizzas are all well worth trying, as are the paninis in the lunch menu for something different. Veggie choices are another highlight.

Simon & Susan’s “Don’t Miss” suggestion: The beef and pork ragu of the Rigatoni Bolognese at Terralina Crafted Italian is simply superb. Ciao bella!

Simon and Susan Veness are Orlando-based travel experts and guidebook authors writing exclusively for Debbie’s Villas.