Antonio’s Barolo Braised Short Rib

ORLANDO’S DINING SCENE is filled with standout Italian restaurants, from old-school neighborhood institutions to elegant resort dining rooms serving handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza. In the 2025 Orlando magazine Dining Awards, readers cast thousands of votes to crown their favorites, celebrating the places they return to for anniversary dinners, family gatherings and plates of comforting Italian classics done right.

The results showcase just how broad Orlando’s Italian food landscape has become. Some winners have been part of Central Florida’s culinary identity for decades, while others are newer additions quickly building devoted followings. Together, these five restaurants represent a mix of tradition, hospitality and evolving culinary creativity that keeps locals coming back for another reservation.

Here’s a closer look at the top five Italian restaurants selected by Orlando magazine readers in the 2025 Dining Awards.

Antonio’s Maitland—611 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland, FL 32751

For many longtime Orlando residents, Antonio’s isn’t simply a restaurant. It’s part of the fabric of growing up in Central Florida.

Located along U.S. 17-92 in Maitland, Antonio’s has been serving Italian cuisine for generations, earning a fiercely loyal customer base through consistency, atmosphere and a distinctly old-world approach to hospitality. A recent purchase by a new owner included assurances many of the favorite dishes would remain the same. The restaurant’s dual-concept setup gives diners two different experiences under one roof. Downstairs, Antonio’s Market & Cafe offers a bustling, casual atmosphere where guests can enjoy wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, salads and housemade pasta while browsing imported goods and wines in the adjoining market. Upstairs, the experience transforms into something more intimate and refined, complete with white tablecloths, dim lighting and classic Italian elegance.

That balance between comfort and sophistication has helped Antonio’s endure while many restaurants around it have come and gone.

For locals, the nostalgia factor runs deep. Families have celebrated birthdays and graduations there for decades. First dates have turned into marriage proposals. Children who once visited with their parents now bring their own kids. Few restaurants in Orlando carry that kind of emotional connection.

The menu leans heavily into Italian-American favorites while still embracing elevated preparations and daily chef specials. The upstairs dining room is especially known for seafood dishes, Black Angus steaks and rich pasta offerings that feel indulgent without losing their traditional roots.

Antonio’s also benefits from something increasingly difficult to manufacture in modern dining: authenticity. Nothing about the restaurant feels overly polished or trend-chasing. Instead, it succeeds by remaining steadfastly itself. The servers move with confidence. Regulars greet each other by name. The smell of garlic, wine sauce and fresh bread drifts through the building almost immediately after guests walk inside.

That timelessness helped Antonio’s secure the top position among Orlando magazine readers.

Calamari (clockwise from front), Pollo di Stefano, Tiramasu, Zuppa di Mare, Cannoli, Lasagna, Eggplant Parmesan from Nonno’s Italian Restaurant.

Nonno’s Italian Restaurant—1140 E. Altamonte Drive, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701

If hospitality is the defining ingredient of great Italian dining, Nonno’s may embody it better than any restaurant on this list.

Founded by Sicilian-born chef Stefano, Nonno’s built its reputation through deeply personal cooking and family-centered service rooted in generations of Italian culinary tradition.

Stefano’s culinary journey began in Marsala, Sicily, before eventually leading him to Brooklyn kitchens and later Central Florida. Over decades in Orlando’s restaurant scene, he established a loyal following through earlier ventures including Il Pescatore and Stefano’s Trattoria before ultimately creating Nonno’s.

What separates Nonno’s from many competitors is the intensely personal nature of the experience. Stefano still arrives early to prepare sauces and soups and routinely walks table to table greeting guests personally. That level of hands-on involvement gives the restaurant a warmth that diners immediately recognize.

The menu celebrates traditional Sicilian flavors through dishes like Pollo di Stefano, Tortellini di Leo and seafood entrées prepared with housemade sauces and family recipes. Nothing feels mass-produced. The focus remains on craftsmanship, consistency and comfort.

Nonno’s has also expanded its reach through Simply Nonno’s Sauces, allowing guests to purchase signature sauces, including Stefano’s creamy basil pesto, to enjoy at home.

In many ways, Nonno’s reflects the enduring appeal of family-owned Italian restaurants. While Orlando’s dining scene continues evolving with luxury concepts and celebrity-chef ventures, there remains enormous affection for places where guests are treated like relatives rather than customers.

That emotional connection clearly resonated with Orlando magazine readers.

Orlando’s Italian dining scene continues to thrive because it offers something for nearly every type of diner. There are family-run neighborhood institutions where recipes have been passed down through generations. There are sleek resort restaurants introducing modern interpretations of Italian classics. And there are romantic lakeside dining rooms where celebrations become lifelong memories.

Interior view of Sophia’s Trattoria.

Sophia’s Trattoria at Conrad Orlando—1500 Eastbeach Way, Orlando, FL 32836

While Antonio’s represents old-school Orlando dining tradition, Sophia’s Trattoria reflects the city’s newer era of luxury hospitality and destination dining.

Located inside the sprawling Conrad Orlando at Evermore Orlando Resort, Sophia’s has quickly become one of the area’s most talked-about Italian restaurants despite being relatively new to the scene.

Sophia’s embraces the atmosphere of a coastal Southern Italian trattoria, pairing handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza with dramatic waterfront views overlooking Evermore Bay. The restaurant’s design plays a major role in the experience. The open kitchen allows diners to watch chefs at work, while the indoor-outdoor layout creates a breezy, resort-style energy that feels distinctly different from many traditional Italian dining rooms around Orlando.

One reason Sophia’s has resonated so quickly with diners is its willingness to blend elevated hotel dining with approachable comfort food. The menu doesn’t try to reinvent Italian cuisine. Instead, it focuses on executing familiar dishes at a high level while leaning into fresh ingredients and wood-fired cooking techniques.

The restaurant has also gained attention for its flexibility and playful touches. Orlando magazine contributor Brendan O’Connor recently highlighted the restaurant’s wood-fired cacio e pepe pizza, noting that the kitchen would happily top it with an over-easy egg for a breakfast-inspired spin. The fig and ricotta crostino has similarly become a standout item for diners looking for lighter, Mediterranean-inspired flavors.

Because Sophia’s is attached to a luxury resort, the restaurant benefits from a built-in audience of visitors. But its inclusion among the Dining Awards winners shows it has already succeeded in attracting locals as well, no small feat in a tourism-heavy market where hotel restaurants sometimes struggle to establish local credibility.

Its popularity also reflects Orlando’s continued culinary evolution. As the region grows more sophisticated as a food city, restaurants like Sophia’s are proving there’s strong demand for elevated dining experiences that still feel warm and welcoming rather than formal or intimidating.

Enzo’s on the Lake—1130 S. U.S. Highway 17-92, Longwood, FL 32750

For more than four decades, Enzo’s on the Lake has represented one of Central Florida’s classic special-occasion dining destinations.

Originally opened in 1980 by Jo Anne and Enzo Perlini, the restaurant transformed a house on the lake into an elegant Italian dining experience known for romantic ambiance, polished service and timeless cuisine.

The setting remains one of the restaurant’s greatest strengths. Overlooking the water in Longwood, Enzo’s feels secluded and intimate despite being located near a busy highway corridor. The lakeside atmosphere, mature landscaping and softly lit dining rooms create a sense of occasion from the moment guests arrive.

Over the years, Enzo’s became a fixture for anniversaries, engagement dinners and milestone celebrations. That longevity speaks to how consistently the restaurant has delivered its experience through changing culinary trends and ownership transitions.

In 2022, ownership changed hands when Dr. John Khalil and Logan Berkowitz took over operations. Rather than dramatically reinventing the restaurant, the new owners focused on enhancing the menu, expanding the cocktail and wine offerings and improving the outdoor space while preserving the traditions longtime guests loved.

That balance between preservation and modernization appears to be working.

Enzo’s still delivers the classic fine-dining Italian atmosphere many Orlando diners crave, but with refreshed energy that helps it remain relevant to newer audiences as well.

In an era when many beloved legacy restaurants struggle to survive ownership changes, Enzo’s has managed to continue evolving without losing its identity. Its placement among Orlando magazine readers’ top five Italian restaurants suggests the formula is still resonating strongly.

Some of the incredible dishes you can find at La Luce.

La Luce—14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando, FL 32821

Tucked inside Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, La Luce has quietly built one of the strongest reputations for upscale Italian dining near Walt Disney World.

The restaurant takes a “from scratch” approach inspired by Napa Valley chef and restaurateur Donna Scala, blending classic Italian techniques with modern presentations and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.

La Luce’s menu centers on handmade pastas, Neapolitan pizza and carefully prepared entrées that lean into bold but balanced flavors. Unlike some Italian restaurants that focus heavily on heavy cream sauces and oversized portions, La Luce tends to emphasize freshness and restraint. Dishes feel polished without becoming overly precious.

The open, contemporary dining room gives the restaurant a distinctly modern feel compared to more traditional Italian establishments around Orlando. Large windows and a screened outdoor patio add to the airy atmosphere, making it especially popular for date nights and convention dinners.

Another major draw is the beverage program. La Luce’s extensive wine list and cocktail offerings help position it as more than just a hotel restaurant. The mixology menu complements the food with Italian-inspired cocktails that showcase citrus, herbs and amaro-forward flavor profiles.

For visitors attending conventions or staying near Disney, La Luce offers an elevated Italian dining option without requiring a drive into downtown Orlando or Winter Park. For locals, it provides a polished evening out that still feels accessible.