The #1 Italian restaurant in Ithaca right now—and see the rest of the top 12, according to Yelp reviewers

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Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Ithaca 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 Ithaca 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.

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#12. Sicilian Delight

- Rating: 2.0/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 40 Catherwood Road Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. D P Dough

- Rating: 3.0/5 (89 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 408 College Ave. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Italian, Chicken Wings, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

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#10. Marrakech

- Rating: 3.5/5 (8 reviews)
- Address: 111 East State St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Mediterranean, Italian, Halal
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Ciao Wood-Fired Pizza & Pasta

- Rating: 3.5/5 (239 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2 Hickory Hollow Lane Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Taverna Banfi

- Rating: 3.5/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 130 Statler Drive Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Souvlaki House

- Rating: 3.5/5 (80 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 315 Eddy St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Greek
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. Ned's Pizza

- Rating: 4.0/5 (88 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 840 Hanshaw Road Ste 3 Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Sicilian, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. Gola Osteria

- Rating: 4.0/5 (163 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 115 South Quarry St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Italian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Italian Carry Out

- Rating: 4.0/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1070 Danby Road Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, American
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Mercato Bar & Kitchen

- Rating: 4.0/5 (167 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 108 North Aurora St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Thompson and Bleecker

- Rating: 4.5/5 (164 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 220 East State St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Pizza, Wine Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Franco's Pizzeria

- Rating: 4.5/5 (125 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 527 West State St. Ithaca, New York
- Categories: Pizza, 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.