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Highest-rated Italian restaurants in Knoxville by diners

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Fusionstudio // Shutterstock
Fusionstudio // Shutterstock

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 Knoxville 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.

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1 / 26

#26. Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

- Rating: 3.0/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10923 Parkside Drive Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Soup
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2 / 26

#25. Louis Original

- Rating: 3.2/5 (126 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4661 North Broadway St. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
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3 / 26

#24. Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

- Rating: 3.2/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7206 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Salad, Soup
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4 / 26

#23. Wild Boar Tavern

- Rating: 3.3/5 (98 reviews)
- Address: 950 East Emory Road Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian
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6 / 26

#21. Gondolier Italian Restaurant & Pizza

- Rating: 3.4/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7644 Mountain Grove Drive Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
-

7 / 26

#20. Bravo! Italian Kitchen

- Rating: 3.5/5 (232 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 106 Major Reynolds Place Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars, Pizza
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8 / 26

#19. Gondolier Italian and Pizza

- Rating: 3.6/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6951 Maynardville Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian
-

9 / 26

#18. Carrabba's Italian Grill

- Rating: 3.7/5 (201 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 324 North Peters Road Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
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11 / 26

#16. Fazoli's

- Rating: 3.7/5 (55 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 9515 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, fast food, Pizza
-

12 / 26

#15. Little Joe's Pizza

- Rating: 3.8/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 13100 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
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13 / 26

#14. Gavino's Pizzeria & Restaurant

- Rating: 3.8/5 (216 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5211 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
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14 / 26

#13. Bella Roma Pizza

- Rating: 3.9/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7817 Oak Ridge Hwy Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian
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15 / 26

#12. Pizza Palace

- Rating: 3.9/5 (221 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3132 East Magnolia Ave. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Greek, Italian
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16 / 26

#11. Altruda's

- Rating: 3.9/5 (243 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 125 North Peters Road Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian
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17 / 26

#10. Sergeant pepperonis

- Rating: 4.0/5 (102 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4618 Kingston Pike Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
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18 / 26

#9. Osteria Stella

- Rating: 4.0/5 (104 reviews)
- Address: 108 West Jackson Ave. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
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19 / 26

#8. Pizza Inn

- Rating: 4.0/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5420 Clinton Hwy Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Buffets
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21 / 26

#6. Emilia

- Rating: 4.0/5 (338 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 16 Market Sq Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian
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22 / 26

#5. Brother Wolf

- Rating: 4.1/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 108 West Jackson Ave. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Wine Bars, Italian
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23 / 26

#4. Penne For Your Thoughts

- Rating: 4.6/5 (48 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 9430 South Northshore Drive Ste 104 Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Food Trucks, New American, Italian
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24 / 26

#3. Forno Grill

- Rating: 4.6/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 743 North Campbell Station Road Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Italian
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26 / 26

#1. A Dopo Sourdough Pizza

- Rating: 4.7/5 (539 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 516 Williams St. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
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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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