Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Denver by diners

Written by:
February 10, 2025
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Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Denver by diners

It's no surprise that, in most countries, traditional national cuisine is the most popular, according to a . But Italian food isn't just top-rated in Italy鈥攊t ranks as the second-most popular cuisine in Germany and France and takes the bronze spot in the U.K., Mexico, and India as well.

Of course, it's also among Americans' favorites鈥攁nd there's lots to love about it. Just thinking about dishes like chicken Parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs is enough to get your mouth watering, even though many of these world-famous dishes are actually more so than true Italian fare. Traditional Italian food embraces an assortment of sumptuous recipes that aren't dependent on fried breadcrumbs and red sauce鈥攖hink frittatas and focaccia, or carpaccio and panna cotta.

Italian immigrants have been weaving their cuisine into the fabric of the American food landscape for generations since they arrived in the United States nearly 150 years ago. And the cuisine, like the culture it hails from, tends to give off warm and fuzzy "family" feelings. For many people, the quintessential local Italian American restaurant鈥攃omplete with its red-and-white checkered tablecloths, pour bottles of olive oil, Parmesan cheese shakers, cute little jars of red pepper flakes, and wicker baskets of oven-fresh bread鈥攂rings back memories of special life moments, like first dates and milestone birthdays.

Luckily, today you don't need to be in a major metropolis like New York or Los Angeles or an area with a large Italian or Italian American community to score top-notch buon cibo. You can find excellent Italian offerings in almost every city from coast to coast. To celebrate all things mozzarella and marinara, compiled a list of the highest-rated Italian restaurants in Denver based on diners' reviews on as of January 2025.

Read on to see if your favorite is among the top-rated or to find a new spot in your neighborhood.

#30. Cattivella

- Rating: 4.0/5 (478 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10195 East 29th Drive Ste 110 Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cooking Classes
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#29. Trattoria Stella

- Rating: 4.0/5 (563 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3470 West 32nd Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
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#28. Mici Italian

- Rating: 4.0/5 (156 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 727 Colorado Blvd. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Gelato
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#27. Osteria Marco

- Rating: 4.1/5 (1898 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1453 Larimer St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, New American
-

#26. North Italia

- Rating: 4.1/5 (1111 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 190 Clayton Lane Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Cocktail Bars
-

#25. Gattara

- Rating: 4.2/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1776 Grant St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
-

#24. Bar Red

- Rating: 4.2/5 (157 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 437 West Colfax Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Bars, Italian
-

#23. Barolo Grill

- Rating: 4.2/5 (454 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3030 East 6th Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
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#22. Viale Pizza & Kitchen

- Rating: 4.2/5 (357 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1390 South Colorado Blvd. Ste 190 Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Bars
-

#21. Jovanina's Broken Italian

- Rating: 4.2/5 (456 reviews)
- Address: 1520 Blake St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
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#20. Marco's Coal Fired - Ballpark

- Rating: 4.2/5 (1455 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2129 Larimer St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Beer Bar
-

#19. Panzano

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1270 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 909 17th St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
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#18. Benzina

- Rating: 4.3/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4839 East Colfax Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Gluten-Free
-

#17. Bruno's Italian Bistro

- Rating: 4.3/5 (236 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 560 South Bdwy Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
-

#16. Odyssey Italian Restaurant

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1432 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 603 East 6th Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Sicilian, Seafood, Pasta Shops
-

#15. Spuntino

- Rating: 4.3/5 (514 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2639 West 32nd Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
-

#14. DiFranco's

- Rating: 4.4/5 (617 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 955 North Lincoln St. Unit D Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Delis, Italian, Mediterranean
-

#13. Voghera Apericena

- Rating: 4.4/5 (136 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3963 Tennyson St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
-

#12. The Greenwich Denver

- Rating: 4.4/5 (151 reviews)
- Address: 3258 Larimer St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Desserts, Cocktail Bars, Italian
-

#11. The Plimoth

- Rating: 4.4/5 (390 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2335 East 28th Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, French, New American
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#10. Cucina Bella

- Rating: 4.4/5 (142 reviews)
- Address: 9660 East Alameda Ave. Ste 104 Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
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#9. Blue Pan Pizza

- Rating: 4.4/5 (870 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3509 East 12th Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
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#8. Lou's Italian Specialties

- Rating: 4.4/5 (287 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3357 Downing St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Delis, Italian, Salad
-

#7. Bella Italia

- Rating: 4.4/5 (238 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5075 Leetsdale Drive Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Bars
-

#6. Brooklyn's Finest Pizza

- Rating: 4.4/5 (553 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5007 Lowell Blvd. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
-

#5. Angelo's Taverna

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1847 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 620 East 6th Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Bars
-

#4. Tavernetta

- Rating: 4.5/5 (805 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1889 16th St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian
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#3. Cart-Driver

- Rating: 4.5/5 (756 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2500 Larimer St. Ste 100 Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Bars
-

#2. Olivia

- Rating: 4.6/5 (251 reviews)
- Address: 290 South Downing St. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
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#1. Bettola Bistro

- Rating: 4.7/5 (362 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10253 East Iliff Ave. Denver, Colorado
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jennifer Huizen, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 290 metros.

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