# 7 Best Italian Restaurants in Tampa Bay (2026) Handmade pasta, wood-fired ovens, and recipes from Rimini. From a Michelin-starred pasta kitchen to a 36-year South Tampa fixture, Tampa Bay's Italian restaurants lean on fresh pasta and wood-fired ovens. Most picks come from Tampa Magazine's 2025 essential Italian list. Menus and details change, so confirm with each restaurant before you go. Spots are numbered for easy browsing, not as a strict ranking. Updated: October 2026. Source: Real Tampa Bay Media, https://realtampabay.com/guides/best-italian-food-in-tampa-bay ## Spots ### 1. Rocca Michelin-starred handmade pasta. - Neighborhood: Tampa Heights - Address: 323 W Palm Ave, Tampa, FL Rocca is known for house-made pasta and mozzarella pulled by hand at the table. Herbs, edible flowers and vegetables come in part from the chef's mother's garden. Highlights: Michelin one star; Tableside mozzarella; Handmade pasta ### 2. Il Ritorno Pasta, focaccia and nduja made on-site. - Neighborhood: Downtown St. Petersburg - Address: 449 Central Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL Il Ritorno makes pasta, focaccia, ciabatta and nduja on-site daily. Signature dishes include squash blossoms stuffed with steak tartare and squid ink tagliatelle, and it is on the MICHELIN Guide's Recommended list. Highlights: Everything made on-site; Squid ink tagliatelle; Michelin Recommended ### 3. Osteria Natalina Recipes from Rimini. - Neighborhood: South Tampa - Address: 3215 S MacDill Ave, Tampa, FL Osteria Natalina is a family-owned restaurant using recipes from Rimini, Italy. Seafood is its specialty, and it imports Italian wines directly from wineries. Highlights: Family recipes from Rimini; Seafood specialty; Direct-import wines ### 4. Bella's Italian Café A South Tampa fixture for 36 years. - Neighborhood: South Tampa - Address: 1413 S Howard Ave, Ste 100, Tampa, FL Bella's has been a South Tampa fixture for 36 years. Pasta is made fresh daily and pizza is baked in an oak-fired oven. Highlights: 36 years; Fresh pasta daily; Oak-fired pizza ### 5. Forbici Modern Italian Roman pizza and pasta in Hyde Park Village. - Neighborhood: Hyde Park - Address: 1633 W Snow Ave, Tampa, FL Forbici makes its mozzarella and its Roman-style dough in-house, with the dough fermented for 72 hours. It also serves Italian tapas, grain bowls and craft cocktails. Highlights: 72-hour dough; House-made mozzarella; Hyde Park Village ### 6. BellaBrava New World Trattoria Tuscany-inspired with Woodstone ovens. - Neighborhood: Downtown St. Petersburg - Address: 204 Beach Dr NE, St. Petersburg, FL BellaBrava was inspired by the owners' trip through Tuscany, with pizzas and crostata cooked in Woodstone ovens. The original opened in downtown St. Petersburg and there is a Tampa location. Highlights: Woodstone ovens; Tuscany-inspired; St. Pete and Tampa ### 7. Noble Crust "Deep South Italian". - Neighborhood: Tampa Bay Noble Crust blends Italian cooking with Southern ingredients in a style it calls Deep South Italian, with a seasonal menu. It has locations in Carrollwood, Wesley Chapel and St. Petersburg. Highlights: Deep South Italian; Seasonal menu; Three locations ## About this guide Picks are compiled from local publications and public sources and are not a paid ranking. Spots are numbered for browsing, not as a strict ranking. Hours and prices are intentionally omitted because they change; confirm details with each venue. All guides: https://realtampabay.com/guides Header photo: Deepsleep12, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Italian_restaurant_.jpg).