13 Best Italian Restaurants in Fort Worth

Piatello Italian Kitchen is a family-friendly restaurant from the same From Scratch restaurant group behind Clay Pigeon and Walloon’s. Chef Marcus Pasley puts a premium on ingredients, service, and presentation. The house ricotta with sourdough is a reminder of how satisfying simple dishes can be when they’re crafted with care, while their pizzas — hand-tossed and made for sharing — are always perfectly baked, delivering the right blend of crispy and chewy dough. Throw in a glass of vino or an Aperol spritz, and you have the makings of a sublimely enjoyable dinner out.

The former Funky Picnic Brewery and Cafe space turned out to be the perfect home for Felina, the pizza-focused restaurant by the team behind Bocca Osteria Romana (also on this list). The Margherita sticks to the essentials with San Marzano tomato, fior di latte, basil, and pecorino. Another popular option, The Hot Mess, leans bold with soppressata, whipped ricotta, and hot honey. One quality that sets Felina’s pies apart is the super-thin crust that still holds up to hefty ingredients. Since recently opening, the Near Southside restaurant has already built a following of pizza-savvy customers. 

Bocca Osteria Romana’s menu is grounded in Roman tradition, and their focaccia is made daily after a 48-hour fermentation. Popular starters include the polpette al sugo (seasonal melon, prosciutto, wild rocket), while the carbonara pasta eschews butter and cream in lieu of egg yolks, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper. There are also heavier entrées, like their bistecca topped with a rich mushroom sauce. This family-run neighborhood restaurant skips the flash and focuses on well-executed dishes.

Headed by the same acclaimed chef behind Grace and Little Red Wasp, 61 Osteria leans more upscale, both in its menu and its setting. The beautiful dining room, with merigold seats and a lavish hanging chain chandelier, was featured on Landman: Season 2. The masterfully plated rosemary focaccia with nduja and ricotta, tagliatelle Bolognese, and wild boar pappardelle are just two highlights of the bold menu crafted by Executive Chef Blaine Staniford.

Since 2006, Donatella Trotti and her team have made guests feel welcome at her cozy trattoria, where fresh pasta is never in short supply. Armed with recipes from her mother and grandparents, Trotti has built one of the most recognizable Italian restaurants in the city, with bruschetta, lentil soup, Limone e Spinaci pasta, and other delights that bring regulars back week after week. The patio is also one of the best perches for people watching along West Magnolia while enjoying a glass of wine and a carefully prepared bowl of pasta.

With exposed brick and worn plaster walls, Chef Tim Love’s Caterina’s brings a refined yet unpretentious feel to the local Italian dining scene. Start with an avocado, Calabrian chili, and citrus granita crudo or tuna topped with caper berries and fresh lemon before moving into heavier options like veal cheek agnolotti with sage brown butter or a premium wagyu New York strip. There’s also a prix fixe lunch menu for $39, available Friday through Sunday.

Buonissimo arrived downtown last fall, filling a need for Italian dining options in the area. The space is polished but approachable, with a clean, modern feel. Lunch covers pasta, pizza, salads, and sandwiches, while dinner brings heartier options like grilled octopus with pumpkin cream, mussels, and a range of pizzas. We recently enjoyed the burrata with cherry tomatoes, finished with olive oil and basil, along with the chicken Parmesan.

North Fort Worth has picked up a new Italian option with a concept rooted in Sicilian cooking. The Sicilian Butcher centers its menu on housemade pastas, meatballs, and a mix of familiar dishes shaped by family recipes. Plates like tagliatelle, gnocchi, and build-your-own meatball combinations keep things flexible, while the in-house bakery turns out pastries, gelato, and a cannoli program that nods directly to Sicily.

Bella Gente sits in downtown Fort Worth, offering a more casual take on Italian dining built around pizza, focaccia, and sandwiches. The dough is long-fermented, giving the pizzas a crisp bite, while the focaccia and panini pull from classic Italian street food. Popular favorites include the spaghetti meatballs, pasta alla bolognese, and several pizzas served on their aforementioned famous focaccia.

Aventino’s Italian Restaurant has been part of the west side for decades, serving classic Italian dishes in a relaxed, no-frills setting. The menu sticks to familiar territory, with plates like chicken parmigiana, fettuccine Alfredo, and baked pastas that come out in generous portions. Originally opened in 1982 and revived by the family in 2012, the restaurant remains a local family-run staple built on consistency and a commitment to delivering the highest quality customer service.

Il Modo sits inside The Kimpton Harper Hotel, offering a more refined take on Italian dining in downtown Fort Worth. The menu centers on housemade pastas, with dishes like focaccia with spicy pomodoro and Boursin butter, along with a popular rigatoni made with dry-aged beef and seasonal variations. Wood-fired pizzas are a popular draw. The room is polished and built for a slower dinner, with a bar that serves Italian cocktails like an Italian margarita or a Pirlo made with white wine, Campari, and sparkling water.

Chef Tim Love’s Gemelle sits along the Trinity River, offering a casual, outdoor-friendly take on Italian dining. The menu keeps things simple, with wood-fired pizzas, housemade pastas, and a few shareable plates that work well for groups. The large patio draws crowds on fair-weather days, with bocce ball courts and a nearby Aperol spritz bar providing drinks and entertainment.

Set inside a restored 1930s cottage near the Cultural District, Piola Italian Restaurant & Garden feels more like someone’s home than a traditional restaurant, with a garden patio that fills up on good nights. Chef Bobby Albanese builds the menu around family recipes and a mix of classic Italian staples and lighter, seasonal dishes. The watermelon salad with cherry tomatoes, feta, and balsamic has become a regular, and richer plates like lobster ravioli in vodka sauce and chicken involtini keep things familiar.