“Digiorno!”
-Arnold Baumheiser, Master of None [2015]
If there’s one thing every city needs, it’s a great Italian restaurant (and probably some up-to-date infrastructure and a manufacturing core). That must make SLC one of the great cities in the world because we have enough amazing Italian restaurants to necessitate a Best Italian Restaurants in Salt Lake City list. Whether it’s a fancy, elegant dining experience or down-home, family-style Italian restaurant with plastic red-checkered tablecloths, Italian food makes a night special.
In this list, we list out the Best Italian Restaurants in Salt Lake City we’ve had the joy of experiencing.
Didn’t see your favorite SLC Italian restaurant? Our list is living and always growing, so tell us your favorite Italian restaurant in Salt Lake City in the comments section.
Stanza
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Neighborhood: Central City
Address: 454 E 300 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
On the more elegant end of Italian Food sits Stanza Italian Bistro & Wine Bar in the Central City area of Salt Lake City. Stanza is the perfect date night Italian restaurant as it’s formal enough to make the night feel special with top-notch service and wonderfully presented courses but not so much you need to extend your credit card limit and steam your tuxedo (and also buy a tuxedo). Featuring an impressive wine list and seriously (seriously) attentive wait staff, Stanza’s pasta brings variety at every corner.
On our latest visit, we started with the Fritto Misto and a generous carafe of wine, then moved into vigorous, actually-spicy Rigatoni Fra Diavolo with a hot Pomodoro sauce and house-made Italian sausage. I’m so tired of ‘spicy’ and ‘5 chili peppers’ descriptors for food that doesn’t make you sweat. I had to take a break twice to cool off eating this. We also ordered the Bucatini Alla Carbonara because, even when it isn’t made in a FLAMING CHEESE WHEEL (see above), you still have to order it.
We finished the night with the Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta and already made up our minds that we would be back ASAP.
Valter’s Osteria
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Neighborhood: Downtown Salt Lake City
Address: 173 Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
There is nothing I can write here about Valter’s Osteria that hasn’t been echoed by more important food reviewers across the country. Trust them. Trust me. The praise is entirely earned. Valter’s is THE fine-dining Italian restaurant in Salt Lake City.
Caffé Molise
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Neighborhood: Downtown Salt Lake City
Address: 404 S W Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Caffé Molise recently moved , but two things have remained consistent between locations:
- The food remains remarkable
- The patio remains one of the best in SLC
Fratelli Ristorante
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Neighborhood: Sandy
Address: 8612 1300 E, Sandy, UT 84094
Fratelli Ristorante sits a little South of Salt Lake City in the suburbs of Sandy, but it’s worth the trip. Treat yourself to the Daily Bruschetta and/or the Burrata Caprese with fresh mozzarella, roasted yellow tomatoes, and fresh basil as appetizers. Find yourself exploring each layer of the Lasagna with house-made spicy Italian sausage, or the five-cheese Fettuccine Alfredo.
Celeste Ristorante
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Neighborhood: Murray
Address: 5468 900 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84117
So many people ask us about our favorite local restaurants, the real hole in the wall spots that no one is talking about. One of our favorite Italian restaurants in Salt Lake City is Celeste Ristorante. Located in the most random strip mall in Murray, Celeste Ristorante offers authentic Italian food and the most decadent house-made desserts. Chef Paolo Celeste and his team create delicious house-made pastas and use the freshest ingredients in every dish the serve, they truly have brought authentic Italian dining to our great state. If you’re looking for amazing Italian food, give our friends at Celeste Ristorante a try… it’s delizioso!
La Trattoria Di Francesco
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Neighborhood: 15th & 15th
Address: 1500 S 1500 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84105
Sicilia Mia’s newest venture breaks from it’s delicious cheese wheel carbonara mold and brings an elegant, fine-dining experience to the 15th & 15th neighborhood. La Trattoria di Francesco takes you on a culinary tour of Italy, with region-specific dishes that are true to their origins and traditions. It may not come prepared in a cheese wheel, but the Carbonara della Trattoria is made fresh with sheet of pasta in an egg sauce with guanciale. And if you are still hoping for that table side show, their Fettuccine Alfredo di Francesco is prepared at your table with homemade fettuccine tossed in a butter with shaved truffles.
Carmine’s Italian Restaurant
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Neighborhood: Cottonwood Heights
Address: 2477 Fort Union Blvd, Salt Lake City, UT 84121
Carmine’s Italian Restaurant is located in Cottonwood Heights and is run by Chef Carmine and his family. We can’t wait to go back to Carmine’s and explore more of their menu. Can we just start off by saying that the presentation is unbelievably extra and my foodie heart loved it! The carbonara was hearty, the portion size was bigger than expected and we loved the amount of bacon they added to this dish. Also, be sure to request a table on their lovely outdoor dining patio.
Osteria Amore
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Neighborhood: University
Address: 224 1300 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84102
Located near the University of Utah, Osteria Amore is bringing upscale Italian food steeped in tradition but with a modern flair to the Federal Heights area of SLC. This is the SLC Italian restaurant you go to when you’ve had your fix of standard pastas and want to explore the different regions and culinary traditions of Italy.
Sicilia Mia
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Neighborhood: Millcreek
Address: 4536 Highland Dr, Millcreek, UT 84117
The Silicia Family of Italian Restaurants have expanded throughout Salt Lake City based on great authentic Italian food, great service, casual atmosphere, and a heavenly carbonara. Whether you are visiting the Original Sicilia Mia in Holladay, Sicilia Mia in Farmington, Sicilia Mia in Downtown SLC, Sicilia Mia in Cottonwood Heights, or Antica Sicilia in Millcreek, get ready for an incredible culinary experience.
I can’t get enough of their cheesy Homemade Lasagna, or Gnocchi Quattro Formaggi which, after a quick Google Translate visit, means it has a blend of FOUR kinds of cheese. That’s value. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you about the most important dish at any Sicilia Italian Restaurant: the Spaghetti Alla Carbonara is served tableside after LIGHTING A CHEESE WHEEL ON FIRE. It’s delicious and might actually be required for a first-time guest.
Café Trio
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Neighborhood: East Central
Address: 680 900 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84102
The biggest decision you have to make with Café Trio is whether you want to go for dinner or brunch. The good news is you can’t go wrong at this modern Italian bistro.
Siragusa’s Taste of Italy
Neighborhood: Taylorsville
Address: 4115 S Redwood Rd, Taylorsville, UT 84123
I mentioned red-checkered plastic tablecloths in the intro to this list. Siragusa’s has green-checkered plastic tablecloths. So I guess Green > Red. Just like Power Rangers. Siragusa’s is that Italian restaurant that feels like family. Big portions. Big flavor. No fuss. Get yourself a Combination Plate with two half orders of any pasta with garlic bread. Or I guess you could just order two full orders at full price.
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