Diners' Choice: Italian restaurants in East Bay

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Italian cuisine in East Bay? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Luna Ristorante - Concord

4.9

4.9 (483)

$30 and under

Italian

Concord

About the restaurant

“I’m the owner and the chef, so I’m always here,” he says in his lyrical Mediterranean accent. “It’s nice to do business with locals.”

Jacifi describes his menu as a blend of new and old: “You get old-school tastes with a modern presentation.” The restaurant specializes in northern and southern Italian standards like saltimbocca, chicken cacciatore, and risotto. But the eighteen-year-old Luna takes these familiar dishes very seriously. Redoune, partner and co-chef Hafid Tadri, and co-chef Habib Jacifi don’t so much replicate the old standards as define them.

Take the fettuccini with Bolognese sauce. Many restaurants make a Bolognese; few do it well. Like the sly smile on the lips of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous lady, this brick red sauce reveals a depth of character beyond its simple appearance. Carrots, celery, and onions add a layer of sweetness, while bacon contributes a sultry, meaty backbone.

Top review

Joseph

Dined 4 days ago

Great little Italian restaurant. Food was excellent, wine selection was great. A definite “Be Back again” restaurant

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4.9

4.9 (1255)

$30 and under

Italian

Berkeley

About the restaurant

a destination
… is really just a place you are going along your way. When you enter Via del Corso, you may feel as if you are in any trattoria in Florence, Rome, or any other place in Italy. In the heart of North Berkeley, we bring you a place to relax, restore, dine and have drinks with family and friends. Leave the outside world outside for a moment. It is our pleasure to welcome you to Via del Corso.

Top review

T.G.

Dined 2 days ago

Love this place… The menu looks amazing but we always order Lettuga Salads and then split the Steak… So freaking good!

De La Torre's Trattoria

4.8

4.8 (1423)

$30 and under

Italian

Pleasanton

About the restaurant

De La Torre's is a quintessential Italian trattoria. Our recipe is not a secret- we prepare and serve delicious food using quality ingredients. The menu is distinctly Italian offering trattoria classics and our hallmark special menu which changes daily to accentuate the freshness of locally grown produce, naturally raised meats and freshly caught fish presented in numerous creative dishes.

The wine list showcases exceptional and unusual varietals from small producers and family wineries in Italy and in California.

The service is friendly, efficient and professional.

Simply put, we feature delectable food at a fair price, food people want to eat everyday.

Top review

BarbaraVIP

Dined 2 days ago

The food was very delicious and the angel hair pasta with shrimp melted in my mouth. Service was great. Can’t wait to go back. Happy Holidays!

Marzano

4.8

4.8 (1048)

$30 and under

Italian

Oakland

About the restaurant

Just like the small family-owned trattorias of Italy, Marzano is simple, rustic, and generous in spirit. Executive Chef, Robert Holt, draws his inspiration from Southern-Italy, with an emphasis on wood-fired Neapolitan pizza.

Top review

Denise

Dined 6 days ago

We love the pizza and atmosphere at Marzanos. The food is good and the service is great

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Experience

25% OFF Bottles of Wine on Wednesday

Experience

Aperetivo O'Clock

Bellanico Restaurant and Wine Bar

4.8

4.8 (2067)

$30 and under

Italian

Oakland

About the restaurant

Bellanico Restaurant & Wine Bar saves some tables for walk-ins, please call Bellanico directly for large party reservations. Bellanico is a continuation of Chris Shepherd & Elizabeth Frumusa’s successful restaurant in San Francisco, Aperto in Potrero Hill. Bellanico is a neighborhood restaurant located in the Glenview district of Oakland. The name Bellanico is derived from their daughters’ nicknames, Bella & Nico. The Bellanico staff take great pride in food, service and wine. We serve rustic Italian cuisine that changes seasonally. We are dedicated to serving the best seasonal, local, sustainable and organic products that they can find. Bellanico features Pitman Farms Chicken, Prather Ranch Meat, Duroc Pork and only wild caught fish and seafood. It also features a wine bar offering Old World wines with an emphasis on Italian wines. There are more than 25 wines by the glass & 6 different flights of wine.

Top review

Jay

Dined on Dec 12, 2024

We had a second amazing dinner at Bellanico. Lovely ambience, welcoming and professional staff, and delicious and beautifully presented food. Will definitely be back!

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Popular dish

Fried Squash Blossoms

Montecatini Restaurant - Walnut Creek

4.8

4.8 (713)

$30 and under

Italian

Walnut Creek

About the restaurant

Montecatini is a stable for Walnut Creek as it opened October 17, 1989, the day of the Loma Prieta earthquake in California. Since then, Montecatini Ristorante has become a place for "regulars" to enjoy a true Italian dining experience. We are a loud and bustling environment where many have come to say we're like family. All our dishes are meticulously prepared with the finest and freshest ingredients. Our pastas and entrees are served piping hot from our kitchen to your table.

Montecatini has been awarded "Best of East Bay" for Best Italian Restaurant in the East Bay Area by Diablo Magazine for several years. As of January 2022 our chef, Ermes Paulin, has passed ownership down to two of Montecatini's long-time employees, Terrance and Taylor George. They plan to keep Montecatini thriving on its "old school" vibe while enhancing the cocktail and wine program. So come in and experience Montecatini for yourself and see what a true hidden gem we are!

Top review

Vince

Dined on Dec 12, 2024

Always great food and great service -fun place Have been there many times and keep going back so it must be good and it is

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Experience

Daily Happy Hour from Open - 6:30PM

Passione Emporio

4.8

4.8 (190)

$31 to $50

Italian

Berkeley

About the restaurant

What does Emporio mean? It’s market where you can get a variety of things you need. Today in small villages in Italy, the Emporio is the center of life. Villagers visit the Emporio daily to socialize, share local happenings, and get their local fresh goods, cheese, pasta, sandwiches, and bread.

Passione is bringing a little piece of Italian small village life to you, here in Berkley. Our mission at Passione Emporio is to create a neighborhood restaurant that has the same feel of community and quality as old village Emporios. We source only the best local ingredients and craft them with traditional Italian recipes to make delicious food, with vegan options, along with an authentic array of Italian and locally sourced food and wine.

Our rotating wine bar offers a selection of Italian, Californian and European wines and beers with Prosecco at the center of the list to accompany Italian salami and cheese plates during happy hour.

Top review

Katty

Dined 7 days ago

People were very kind, they did terrific recommendations, and the food was exquisite!

Massimo's - Fremont

4.8

4.8 (1807)

$31 to $50

Italian

Fremont

About the restaurant

Massimo's has been a Fremont destination and landmark since opening in 1976. The name Massimo's is not only the middle name of our late founder but also means “great”. The food, service and atmosphere is the passion of owner Bill Rinetti Jr. We strive to create a cuisine that is fresh, seasonal and prepared with great care and also include some of our classical preparations including our Caesar Salad which is made in the dining room. The fare is American with bits of Italian influences. We have been featured on KQED "Check Please Bay Area".

Be sure to save room for one of Massimo's Flaming Desserts that have become one of our signature preparations.

Top review

StaceyVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Fantastic meal. Great drinks. Server was exceptional. Made for a wonderful evening with my family.

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Experience

Live Music with Latin Guitarist "Rolando Morales"

Fiore

4.8

4.8 (1163)

$30 and under

Italian

Concord

About the restaurant

Fiore restaurant brings new life to the world of fine Italian cuisine. Opened on June 9th 2008 Fiore has risen to great success due to its savory cuisine and friendly service. Nestled on the outskirts of Concord Fiore caters to a sophisticated palate.

The warm atmosphere is inviting, with the aroma of the cuisine intoxicating and the decor enchanting. Whether the guests dine in the front to gaze out the large pristine windows or in the romantic red room that resembles a night in Paris you are sure to have the dinning experience of a lifetime.

Top review

John

Dined on Dec 8, 2024

Kudos to a small restaurant that was packed with happy people !! Excellent menu and service !!

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Popular dish

Tiramisu

Bella Siena

4.8

4.8 (4202)

$31 to $50

Italian

Benicia

About the restaurant

With gorgeous views of the Bay, Bella Siena offers a variety of unique and creative dishes drawn from
classic Italian and innovative Californian cuisine. The seasonally influenced menu
features fresh salads, savory pastas, hearty meat/seafood entrees and inventive daily specials.

Top review

Jerry

Dined 2 days ago

Food was delicious, waiter was the best that we have ever had, the noise level was bothersome (too loud), but the restraurant and view was beautiful.

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