17 Essential Italian Restaurants You Should Know in Las Vegas

It was time for a change. Just last year, Bobby Flay turned his long-running Mesa Grill into Amalfi, where fresh seafood and coastal Italian cuisine is served within a dining room of gray stone walls and curtains to block out the chaos of the Caesars Palace casino floor. The restaurant welcomes up to five deliveries of fresh fish a week with the latest catch on display in the dining room. Branzino (a common sight on Las Vegas dinner menus) is the most popular, but the nuttiness of the golden snapper is a welcome change of pace. The fish is grilled whole or filleted with light seasoning and a choice of sauces on the side. Eight pasta dishes are robust in flavor with even the caramelle (stuffed with sweet potato and topped with brown butter) packing subtle heat. The squash blossoms are the most rewarding appetizer, balancing sweet ricotta with a salty anchovy sauce. The cocktail menu smartly avoids trying to cover too much ground—no Mules, for example—while focusing on Italian-inspired libations like two Negronis and five takes on a Spritz.
How to order: Book a reservation.

La Strega translates to "the witch" in Italian, following a theme that honors mystical female figures (so don't be surprised if you see a cocktail named after a Salem witch or maybe Sophia Loren). The cuisine is inspired by chef Gina Marinelli's affection for the varied regions of Italy, with recipes that allow simple ingredients to shine without being overwhelmed by house-made sauces. Welcome touches include the earthy dandelions in the pesto bucatini and subtle sweetness of honey in the pizza crust. Marinelli also ensures seafood is well represented on the menu, especially the evolving hamachi appetizers. The hard part is choosing between two distinctively different dining rooms: one is dark and seductive, the other is bright and open with the energy of an open kitchen on display.
How to book: Call 702-722-2099 or visit the website to book a reservation.

Ever since Al Solito Posto replaced Brio at Tivoli VIllage in early 2021, the space has only gotten better, striking the perfect balance between sophistication and warmth in a large dining room. The restaurant is part of James Trees' growing culinary empire, but operates under the day-to-day guidance of executive chef Steve Young. Familiar dishes are given fresh makeovers, from the minestrone (with the broth poured over other ingredients tableside) to the chicken parm (coated with house-made focaccia bread crumbs). Even the seafood cioppino was given a recent upgrade with Maine lobster added to the mix of mussels, clams, scallop, and shrimp. You may spot a few bonus items when enjoying happy hour in the bar area, although it's hard to resist the spacious outdoor patio overlooking the Tivoli Village fountain.
How to book: Place a reservation online.

Brezza follows the vision of executive chef Nicole Brisson, whose pursuit of fresh local and regional ingredients is rare for a restaurant inside a big new hotel like Resorts World. The salads are uniquely flavorful and pastas are prepared with a delicate touch, including a perfectly cooked al dente squash ravioli brightened by a restrained sage and brown butter sauce. And you won't find an Italian restaurant with better steaks in Las Vegas. Brisson oversees her own dry-aging program with Creekstone Farms cuts grilled over wood and served with a sprig of rosemary. The lineup of negronis is intriguing, but don't hesitate to discuss the Old World wines (with a remarkable selection available by the glass) with the somm on duty. The dining room is complemented by a spacious outdoor patio, framed by the glow of mid-Strip marquees.
How to book: Book a reservation via Seven Rooms.

Scarpetta's combination of Italian cuisine and killer Strip views has only gotten better under the direction of executive chef Michael Vitangeli. The main dining room has a sleek and contemporary design that matches the stylish image of the Cosmopolitan, but the best experience is at the Chef's Table—a quiet, private dining room in the corner of the restaurant. Watch the kitchen team in action through a large window or just keep your eyes on the Bellagio fountains next door. The best part—you get a ridiculous amount of food inspired by the Italian family dinners Vitangeli enjoyed from his grandmother growing up. The "Sunday Gravy" of pasta (with meatballs, sausage, and even pork ribs) buried in a date and pine nut tomato sauce is the main course, but the parade of seafood is the most welcome surprise. Between prawn scampi, baked whole branzino, octopus, and mussels, the hard part is finding room for it all.
How to book: Book a reservation online via Seven Rooms or call 877-893-2001 to inquire about the Chef's Table experience.

Piero Broglia was born in Rome, but has been a Las Vegas favorite for decades, earning praise from Frank Sinatra and Steve Wynn while running kitchens at iconic restaurants like Pasta Mia and Piero's (which still bears his name, if not his presence). He's now running his own small operation in Henderson with the same recipes that helped define Italian dining on the Strip. Broglia tends to favor pomodoro in his pasta dishes, although he'll whip out a spicy marinara for the rigatoni puttanesca and even a few fish entrees. Ask about the semoi-regular rack of lamb special, served Roman-style with garlic, red wine vinegar, and anchovies.
How to book: Call 702-331-6300 to inquire about reservations or pickup orders.

Brera Osteria takes its name and inspiration from a Milan neighborhood known for popularizing the aperitivo hour (and true to form, a lively happy hour runs seven days a week from 3-5 pm with a menu of small bites and drink discounts). There's no real dining room; just an expanded indoor patio that takes advantage of the scenery and spectacle of St. Mark's Square inside the Grand Canal Shoppes. However, the main reason you're here is chef Angelo Auriana's enthusiastic take on Italian cuisine, including perfectly prepped pastas (especially a light and easy potato gnocchi with pesto) and pizzas that cook in just 90 seconds inside a custom-designed volcanic brick oven. Auriana and restaurateur Matteo Ferdinandi also run Matteo's Ristorante, a more formal environment for Italian dining just steps away in the Venetian casino.
How to book: Book a reservation via Seven Rooms.

Casa di Amore feels like a throwback to a different era, even if it hasn't been around quite as long as some of the more enduring old-school restaurants in Las Vegas. The place is loaded with charm and character, underneath a ceiling of square tin tiles. The menu is huge—sometimes overwhelming—but as long as your table starts with the stuffed pepper appetizer and orders at least one dish from the baked pasta section (with the lasagna or manicotti stuffed with fluffy ricotta cheese being the most recommended), you're heading in the right direction. The spicy "gypsy sauce" is a closely guarded house recipe, but adds serious heat to any meal. Casa di Amore even manages to make Fernet Branca taste good in a modified Manhattan. Want more cocktails? The restaurant has a tiki bar on the back patio… just because.
How to book: Book a reservation online.

When Vetri Cucina was forced to suspend operations at the (still temporarily closed) Palms resort during the pandemic, Marc Vetri regrouped and reinvented his Vegas restaurant at the Red Rock Resort. The menu is similar, but the dining room is more contemporary with a reserved environment and outdoor patio that better suits the Summerlin crowd. With executive chef Joel Myers in charge of the kitchen, Vetri's recipes are given a fresh spin with perfectly rolled gnocchi, wood-fired pizzas, and expertly prepared seafood recipes. Play it cool and order the off-menu Cacio e Pepe pizza or just come by for the weekend brunch when the same dish is topped with egg and bacon.
How to book: Book a reservation online.

Cipriani is a brand as much as a restaurant. Its lineage dates back to Giuseppe Cipriani's historic Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy, where as legend goes (and customers are frequently reminded), both the bellini and beef carpaccio were invented. The legacy spread with Cipriani restaurants around the world and the Las Vegas version anchors the relatively secluded Wynn Plaza collection of shops. The dining room has something of a vintage yacht club vibe and the menu finds success with simple recipes: an endive and avocado salad tossed in red and white vinegar, baked artichokes sourced from the restaurant's own Venice gardens, and housemade ice cream whipped to order for dessert. The famous bellinis, served in something similar to a large shot glass, pair well with anything... so keep 'em coming.
How to book: Book a reservation online.

The newly opened Dough House is off to a good start, thanks to an inspired menu by consulting chef Carla Pellegrino that adds French and Mediterranean elements to Italian cuisine. The space, formerly the Go Vegan Cafe, was totally revamped with bright modern decor while wisely repurposing an indoor fountain as the centerpiece of an expanded dining area. Yet the best thing about Dough House is the food. You can taste the freshness and quality in the ingredients, especially the vegetables and gorgonzola cheese in the beets and mache salad, the soft feta inside the placinte pastry appetizer, and the arugula stacked atop the thin-pounded, breaded Milanese-style chicken.
How to book: Call 702-485-2744 to book a reservation.

New Jersey? Fuhgeddaboudit. Buddy Valastro chose Las Vegas to be the home of his very first restaurant, and it has quietly lived up to the hype, with a diverse menu that includes a hearty bone-in Milanese veal chop and some fantastic meatballs, crafted with beef, pork, and veal. Of course, a dessert from the "Cake Boss" is required. If you don’t have room for a zeppole, cannoli, or lobster tail after dinner, pick one up to-go from Carlo’s Bakery across the hall, one of the best bakeries in Las Vegas.
How to book: Make a reservation via Seven Rooms.

Here's a reason to visit Downtown and skip Fremont Street altogether. Turn down 4th St and keep your eyes peeled for Chicago Joe's, an old brick home that was transformed into a cozy Italian joint four decades ago. It's been drawing loyal regulars, including members of the mob, ever since. And if mobsters know anything, it's choosing Italian restaurants. The Christmas lights stay up in a corner year-round, giving you a clear but colorful look at the baked rigatoni and other traditional favorites on the menu. Chicago Joe's suspended lunch service during the pandemic and worker shortage, but remains open for dinner five days a week.
How to book: Call 702-382-JOES to secure a reservation.

Family-owned and operated since 1985, Ferraro’s started as a small deli and pizzeria, but shifted focus to its food menu and grew from there. Today, the restaurant is east of the Strip, across the street from Virgin Hotels with several large dining rooms (making it easy to host regular special event dinners) and an outdoor patio. Ferraro's strictly avoids "Americanizing" its Italian food, sticking to authentic recipes and using oregano and garlic with a refreshing degree of restraint. The spicy tripe is an experience in itself, as is the coniglio brasato (braised rabbit). Both tend to sell out nightly. Owner Gino Ferraro has curated one of the best wine lists in the country with rare and unique Italian bottles well represented.
How to book: Book a table online.

An example of vintage Las Vegas for more than 30 years, Piero’s continues to be a regular spot for authentic Italian-American dishes, romantic dinners, and power lunch meetings near the convention center. A long list of celebrities, including at least two US presidents, have stopped by over the years. Regulars love the osso bucco (slow-braised veal with egg fettuccine on the side) and La Zuppa di Pesce (a soup loaded with lobster, clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops, and calamari) but just make sure to order the meatballs on the side. Parking is valet-only and between six separate dining rooms, Piero's is a perfect restaurant for hosting large parties.
How to book: Book a reservation via the restaurant's website.

Originally just 12 seats when it opened back in 1991, this longtime locals' favorite has expanded in dramatic fashion to a two-story location just west of the Strip on Flamingo Road. The menu has grown over the years as well, with more than 70 dishes in play—many taking inspiration from the owners' Sicilian lineage—with a reputation for large portions and reasonable prices. Favorites include the wild boar pappardelle and a lineup of 11 pizzas (four of which are "white" without tomato sauce). The cocktail program gets plenty of attention, but you'll also find some rewarding picks on the wine menu.
How to book: Call 702-873-8990 to make a reservation or order online.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Esther's Kitchen one of the most influential restaurants in Las Vegas. Since opening in early 2018, James Trees' signature concept proved that destination dining could thrive off the Strip with affordable prices and ingredients sourced from local farmers markets. It also helped accelerate the growth of the Arts District. A climate-controlled room is dedicated to hand-making the restaurant's staples: artisan breads and pasta. The former arrives with a serving of addictive anchovy butter. The latter in a series of evolving recipes that change with the season, along with an engaging wine and cocktails list that doesn't break the bank. Esther's Kitchen is named in honor of Trees' late great aunt who financed his way through school.
How to book: Book a reservation on the restaurant's website.