The 15 Best Italian Restaurants in Orange County (2024)
Want to know where to find all the best Italian restaurants in Orange County? We’ve got you covered with all of our favorites!
Some of the most iconic Italian restaurants are right here in Orange County.
Orange County is home to world renowned chefs from all over.
The Italian cuisine here is authentic and representative of just about every culinary region of Italy.
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Best Italian Restaurants in Orange County
These are the best Italian restaurants in Orange County that you should try on your next visit.
1. The Anaheim White House Restaurant
Address: 887 S Anaheim Blvd, Unit B, Anaheim, CA 92805
The Anaheim White House Restaurant is a fine dining Italian Steakhouse.
Chef Bruno Serato has a regular presence at the restaurant, which has a rotating menu of daily specials.
We dined here for our 5th anniversary and it was an all-around wonderful experience.
For entrees we tried one of their specialty pastas of the day, shrimp and grits, and the Osso Bucco.
I highly recommend trying the soufflé for dessert.
I have a video of them pouring in the chocolate ganache, creme anglaise, and Chantilly cream, and it is my most viewed Instagram reel ever!
We were also gifted a special dessert trio and champagne for our anniversary.
2. Foretti’s
Address: 2929 E Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625
Foretti’s opened back in 2013, specializing in authentic Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana-certified wood-fired pizzas.
These pizzas are baked in a 900 degree oven with the same techniques and ingredients used in Naples, Italy.
They also feature house-made pastas and other authentic Italian favorites.
3. Rothschild’s Restaurant
Address: 2407 E Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625
Another Corona Del Mar favorite is Rothschild’s, which has been around since 1977.
This classic, Italian fine dining restaurant offers homemade pasta, locally sourced produce, and international award-winning wines.
4. Il Farro Caffe Trattoria
Address: 111 21st St Place, Newport Beach, CA 92663
Il Farro has been a Newport Beach staple since it opened its doors in 1993.
It’s located near the Newport Pier and has been described as “one of the best rustic Italian style restaurants that evokes images of summertime at the Italian seaside”.
Their specialty entrées include eight different farro pasta and farro risotto dishes.
5. Old Vine Kitchen & Bar
Address: 2937 Bristol St, Unit A-103, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
At Old Vine Kitchen & Bar you get to choose your own experience.
Enjoy a classic Italian dinner in the main restaurant or enjoy live music and bar bites at the roof bar.
Old Vine is located inside The Camp retail and entertainment center in Costa Mesa.
They opened back in 2007 as a cafe, and had a recent renovation in 2019 transforming Old Vine to what it is today.
6. Marri’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant
Address: 1194 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802
Marri’s Pizza has been a local and tourist favorite since 1957.
Their menu prices really can’t be beat by any other Italian restaurants in the area.
I highly recommend Marri’s if you’re visiting or staying near Disneyland and you’re looking for something off property.
They still make their meatballs, lasagna, spaghetti sauce, bread, and pizza dough homemade every day.
I love their fried zucchini as an appetizer.
My favorite entree is the fettuccine carbonara and my favorite dessert is tiramisu.
If you want some wine with your meal, their Riesling is really nice!
7. Mama D’s Italian Kitchen
Address: 3012 Newport Blvd, Newport Beach, CA 92663 and 3732 E Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625
Mama D’s was named America’s Best Italian Restaurant according to Yelp users!
They are known for their homemade ravioli and there are several kinds you can choose from.
There are also specialty dishes, oven baked pastas, specialty pizzas, and chicken and seafood dishes.
8. Baci de Firenze Trattoria
Address: 416 N Lakeview Ave, Anaheim, CA 92807
Baci is a family owned, fine dining Italian restaurant in Anaheim and has been around since 2008.
They are closed on Sundays, but they are open for lunch and dinner on Mondays-Fridays.
Saturdays are dinner only.
Many fine dining restaurants in Orange County are only open for dinner, so this is one of few options for lunch.
They are pretty flexible with their menu, so if they don’t seem to have something you’re looking for, just ask and they may be able to make it for you anyway!
Their menu has some of my favorite seafood dishes like Chilean Sea Bass and Swordfish.
9. Tocca Ferro Italian Chophouse
Address: 1775 S Clementine St, FL 2, Anaheim, CA 92802 (JW Marriott)
A cool feature of Tocca Ferro is their edible rooftop garden, which they use to inspire seasonal sauces and dishes.
This Italian Chophouse is located on the 2nd Floor of the JW Marriott in Anaheim near Disneyland.
What’s nice about the hotel location is that they are open for breakfast and dinner, which isn’t very common for Italian restaurants.
Unless you’re staying at the hotel, I recommend waiting to visit to enjoy the dinner experience.
10. Antonello Ristorante
Address: 3800 S Plaza Dr, Santa Ana, CA 92704
Antonello has been around since 1979 and has hosted tons of celebrities, foreign dignitaries, and food critics.
They are known for their expansive menu, a massive wine list, and they really prioritize the overall dining experience.
11. Carolina’s Italian Restaurant
Address: 12045 Chapman Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92840
The very first night when I moved to California I was in a hotel and came across Carolina’s as a delivery option.
I immediately ordered one of their creamy pastas with chicken, which came with garlic breadsticks.
Ever since, it’s been our favorite local place when we want to have food delivered or pickup food to take home.
We’ve dined in a few times too, which is also a great experience.
I highly recommend their house made Sangria and their tiramisu.
You definitely can’t go wrong with any of their pastas.
12. Oliver’s Osteria
Address: 853 Laguna Canyon Rd, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
The owner and executive chef here was born and raised in Italy, came to LA to learn from some chefs here, and later opened his own authentic Italian place in Laguna Beach.
The cuisine here is from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and they have all the best dishes you’d expect from any Italian restaurant.
13. Sapori
Address: 1080 Bayside Dr, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Sapori has been around since 1989 and has been named restaurant of the year by the OC Register (the local paper).
Being in Newport Beach, the vibe here is Mediterranean.
They also have a separate pizzeria.
Some of their signature dishes include penne otero, farfalle salmone, scalloppine gorgonzola, and some other pasta and meat dishes.
They also offer some traditional Italian favorites like calamari and tiramisu.
14. Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana
Address: 8573 Irvine Center Dr, Irvine, CA 92618
Angelina’s is a fine-casual Italian restaurant in Irvine.
They use a combination of locally produced ingredients and select ingredients imported from Italy.
Angelina’s offers a huge variety of pizza options and some of my favorite pasta dishes like bolognese!
15. Bruno’s Italian Kitchen
Address: 210 W Birch St, Brea, CA 92821
Bruno’s is open for dinner daily and is has been voted best Italian restaurant in the OC.
Their menu is inspired by comfort food the owner grew up with in his family’s home in Venice.
Seasonal and local ingredients inspire the dishes, as well as wine pairings
More Amazing Dining Experiences in Orange County
Orange County has just about every type of cuisine for just about every occasion you could imagine.
Here are some of our other favorite restaurants in Orange County.
✅ Best Romantic Restaurants in Orange County
Date nights in Orange County have endless possibilities whether it’s your first date or your 25th anniversary!
These are our favorite restaurants in Orange County for a romantic couples night out.
✅ Best Birthday Restaurants in Orange County
Being local, we’ve spent plenty of birthdays in Orange County.
These are the best restaurants for birthday celebrations.
✅ Best Mexican Restaurants in Orange County
From road side taco trucks to upscale fine dining, Orange County has some of the best Mexican food you can find outside of Mexico.
✅ Best Restaurants in Orange County With a View
Ocean views and mountain views can be found all over Orange County.
These are the best ones with the best restaurants.
✅ Best Steakhouses in Orange County
Orange County seems to have more world-class steakhouses than anywhere we’ve ever been.
There’s a little bit of everything from classic prime rib steakhouses to trendy beachfront steakhouses.
✅ Best Burgers In Anaheim
The best burgers in Anaheim are made with fresh, high-quality ingredients and are cooked to perfection.
Some of the best burger places are mom and pop shops and some local and regional chains.
✅ Best Chinese Restaurants In Anaheim
The best Chinese restaurants in Anaheim offer a wide variety of traditional and modern Chinese dishes.
There are so many great family owned businesses here that it was hard to narrow it down.
✅ Best Orange Circle Restaurants
Orange Circle, or Old Towne Orange is another historic district in Orange County with a variety of shops and restaurants.
These are the best restaurants you can find there.
✅ Best Downtown Fullerton Restaurants
Downtown Fullerton is a historic district with tons of shopping and dining options.
They offer a little bit of everything from sushi to hot dogs to dessert shops and even the finest underground speakeasies.
✅ Best Restaurants in Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach has more than just the touristy restaurants around the pier.
These are all of our favorites.
Fun Things To Do in Orange County
Looking for something fun to do before or after your authentic Italian meal?
There are our favorite things to do around Orange County.
☑️ Knott’s Berry Farm One Day Itinerary
Knott’s Berry Farm is America’s First Theme Park and it highlights the best of California’s history.
☑️ Unforgettable Weekend Getaways in Orange County
Why not stay for a couple of days or a long weekend?
These itineraries will help you discover all the best of Orange County by visiting the places that intrigue you the most.
☑️ Best Night Views in Orange County
Orange County has some amazing sunset views.
From the mountains to the ocean, you really can’t go wrong with any of these.
☑️ Best Hidden Gems in Orange County
Do you love searching for the best hidden gems?
These are the best hidden gems in Orange County that are really the best kept secrets here.
Conclusion: Best Italian Restaurants in Orange County
As you can see, there are so many great options to choose from.
I hope you were able to find your new favorite restaurant from our list of best Italian restaurants in Orange County.
