Diners' Choice: Italian restaurants in Orange County

OpenTable

Updated May 05, 2026

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Italian cuisine in Orange County? 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!

Da Bianca Trattoria

4.9

4.9 (2079)

$30 and under

Italian

Orange

About the restaurant

For over 35 years, Da Bianca Trattoria has earned a reputation as a beloved local restaurant serving authentic Italian cuisine. Founded by Bianca Cangelosi Bavand, Da Bianca was a dream come true for the Sicilian native. Her inspiration and the secret to the restaurant's continued success is serving simple food using only the freshest ingredients-- just like the food she served her family. Daughter Marjan Bavand Dunn continues the family legacy of welcoming our neighbors, as they celebrate milestones, meet friends and share family dinners.

Top review

eric

Dined 6 days ago

We always have a great experience at Da Bianca’s, every one from the hostess to the guy serving bread is friendly, nice and knowledgeable about the restaurant. I would highly recommend checking this amazing restaurant out. Can’t wait for the next visit!

Antonello Ristorante

4.9

4.9 (1839)

$50 and over

Italian

Santa Ana

About the restaurant

At Antonello Ristorante, we transport you to not just another place, but to another time. As you walk into Antonello's Main Dining Room, a typical scene from the streets of Bistango, Italy comes alive.

Top review

Jewels

Dined 6 days ago

The food at this restaurant was truly amazing, with the bread perfectly complemented by their delicious pesto butter. The service was impeccable, ensuring a seamless dining experience. Additionally, the restaurant’s ambiance was beautiful and perfectly lit, creating a delightful atmosphere.

Il Dolce

4.8

4.8 (482)

$31 to $50

Italian

Costa Mesa

About the restaurant

Known for using only natural, fresh ingredients, Il Dolce specializes in Italian cuisine. Along with a variety of pastas, salads, patrons can select from a number of pizza menu options. Inspired by authentic pies made in Naples, each pizza at Il Dolce is prepared in a wood-fire oven, giving it an authentic, smoky flavor.Family owned and operated, this award-winning restaurant provides a cozy, comfortable environment where pizza enthusiasts can watch their pies being prepared. Guests dining at Il Dolce can also enjoy a glass of wine, beer or a cocktail. Dessert items along with a special gluten-free menu are also available.

Top review

StevenGold

Dined 1 day ago

Always amazing food, great service, with a warm Italian ambiance.

Bricco Cucina and Wine Bar

4.8

4.8 (159)

$30 and under

Italian

Aliso Viejo / Laguna Niguel

About the restaurant

Owners Jordan and Creig Mullikin love to eat delicious food, drink great wine and be treated like family. They want every bite, every sip, every visit to be delicious and a treat. Our goal is to serve you fresh, homemade, and thoughtful dishes focused on our family's heritage and our customers' needs to make everyone feel like family at our neighborhood spot which sports a modern yet vintage vibe. We have a large outdoor patio that is both heated and covered. One of the more popular things here at Bricco is our live music Friday's and Saturday's with very talented singers and performers.

Top review

Chris

Dined 4 days ago

The food is fantastic, great music, very nice family environment. My favorite restaurant in Laguna Niguel.

Ruscello - Nordstrom South Coast Plaza

4.8

4.8 (246)

$30 and under

Italian

Costa Mesa

About the restaurant

Enjoy a delightful dining experience at Nordstrom restaurants, where you can savor chef inspired dishes, using locally sourced and sustainable ingredients. Come and try our signature handcrafted soups, entrees and desserts and pair it with a Nordstrom crafted cocktail, wine or beer. Call (714) 850-2510 to place your order or get delivery via DoorDash or Uber Eats. Thank You.

Top review

Linda

Dined 1 day ago

The usual Ruscello/Nordstrom experience -- high quality and well prepared food at moderate prices. The servers are always friendly and helpful.

Capone’s Italian Cucina

4.8

4.8 (2293)

$30 and under

Italian

Huntington Beach

About the restaurant

Capone's Italian Cucina is a family-owned restaurant located conveniently in Huntington Beach on Beach Blvd. Chef Dino's experience and mastery in the kitchen take your palette on a journey to exquisite flavors. The only thing that may outdo his passion for cooking is his creativity. A true artist when it comes to creating dishes and blending flavors. Come and join countless others who have already discovered the tastes of Capone's Italian Cucina!

Top review

Erin

Dined 2 days ago

Capone’s Italian Cucina was excellent all around! The food was absolutely delicious, the service was friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. You can really tell they care about quality and customer experience. Highly recommend for a great Italian dinner — we’ll definitely be back!

Discover more

$12 Martini Thursdays ALL DAY!

Rothschild's Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (1895)

$30 and under

Italian

Corona del Mar

About the restaurant

Rothschild's has been the cornerstone of Corona Del Mar for over 40 years. It has been family owned since early conception and has become a place where our customers and staff have come to call home.

Top review

GaryGold

Dined 2 days ago

Lobster Ravioli and house made pasta side dish are exceptional!

Discover more

4.8

4.8 (2308)

$31 to $50

Italian

Mission Viejo / Rancho Santa Margarita

About the restaurant

A Sicilian by way of Chicago, from a family of Sicilian chefs and restaurateurs. He made a name for himself, serving Orange County for 30 years. Piccolino serves some of the best Italian inspirations in Orange County. Piccolino retains its Sicilian philosophy and passion for food by combining traditional old-world flavors and contemporary infusions. When Salvatore Faso opened Piccolino Ristorante in 2007, his goal was simple: to combine his lifelong experiences in the finest Italian restaurants with the finest ingredients, authenticity, preparation, and his passion for the Canyon and its surrounding communities. Piccolino Ristorante serves regional Italian cuisine, including artisan-made pasta, fresh wild-caught fish, and the finest meats and poultry on the market daily. Vintage décor, white tablecloths, and candlelit tables provide a romantic dining experience.

"Chi mangia bene, Vive bene!"

"La buona cucina rende allegria!"

Buon Appetito & Mille Grazie, ci si vede presto!

Top review

TonyGold

Dined 4 days ago

Excellent experience from start to finish I highly recommend this Italian restaurant.

Discover more

4.8

4.8 (2148)

$30 and under

Italian

Corona del Mar

About the restaurant

Foretti’s CDM established itself as a highlight of the Newport Beach dining scene when it opened in 2013. Operating under the new ownership of longtime Restaurateur and Level 1 Sommelier Thaddeus Foret, we continue to prepare our signature recipes, created by the restaurant’s namesake chef and his culinary team—many of whom remain in our kitchen today.

Foretti’s is a celebration of Italian traditions, specializing in authentic Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana-certified wood-fired pizzas baked in a 900 degree oven with the same techniques and ingredients used in Naples, Italy.

We also feature house made pastas and favorite dishes from across Italy, expertly paired with craft cocktails and a curated selection of Italian and California Wines; several from Orange County wine owners.

Thad Foret brings more than 30 years of experience in hospitality to Corona del Mar, and has been a standard bearer for restaurant operations in the region.

Top review

RitaGold

Dined 7 days ago

We been visiting Corona del Mar for a week and have dined here twice. It’s excellent Italian food, with a great vibe and outstanding service. Had Rudy as our server twice and he was fantastic!

Ini Ristorante

4.8

4.8 (328)

$30 and under

Italian

Fountain Valley

About the restaurant

Leave your assumptions at the door and come experience our Japanese-Italian interpretation through unique culinary offerings, hospitality, and fine-casual ambiance. A restaurant by Kei Concepts.

Top review

Linh

Dined 4 days ago

Amicable ambience! We ordered calamari fritti, squid Ink INI paste are perfect to our taste. Duck ragu also has good taste, one note is few noodles are not soft enough. My niece ordered chicken katsu Parmesan, and she loved it. Don’t forget the dessert. We love the pitaschio tiramisu. It is light and not too sweet. LOVED it!!!

Discover more

Explore Diners' Choice best of Orange County