If you’re craving authentic Italian in Tallahassee, you’ve found your guide. These spots range from cozy trattorias where you can wear jeans to upscale destinations that imported their pasta flour from Italy this week. While we kept the ultra-exclusive tasting menus off this list—we have another guide for those—you’ll find options here that won’t require a month’s notice.
Little Italy
$ | (850) 878-7781 | WEBSITE
The praise for this family-run Italian spot is understandable, because—in addition to other solid dishes—they’re serving some of the best pizza and pasta in Tallahassee. The margherita pizza and spaghetti are both highlights, and you can expect to probably spend around $25–$35 per person if you order an entrée and a drink. But you can also just share a few plates. The menu is modest, but certain items here are truly memorable, from the extraordinary mahi piccata to the calamari and tiramisu.
Little Italy is more of a casual, cute spot, good for friends or date nights of all kinds. Just know that the atmosphere here isn’t designed to be pristine, so don’t expect a flawless dining environment.
Riccardo’s Restaurant
$ | (850) 386-3988 | WEBSITE
Riccardo’s Restaurant in Tallahassee is a solid choice if you want to enjoy Italian cuisine without breaking the bank. They offer classic dishes ranging from about $18 for pasta plates to $35 for heartier entrees. Don’t expect a bustling trattoria with loud music and dramatic flair. It’s a quiet, cozy spot here, and you won’t find any flashy open kitchens.
But the food is quite tasty and the $25 pesto penne with goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes—which comes with a generous portion and rich flavors—should be enough to satisfy your appetite.
Mimi’s Table
$$$ | (850) 999-8406 | WEBSITE
Oh, look, another Italian spot. This charming restaurant is more intimate than its competitors and slightly tucked away in a quiet corner of Tallahassee. But it’s great for all of the same reasons. Inside, there’s warm wood furniture, soft lighting that creates an upscale vibe, and a few cozy tables near the kitchen. But what you really need to know about Mimi’s Table is that you can come here for exceptional Italian food and not spend more than $35 on a satisfying entrée like the Trout Almodine.
If you’re willing to spend a bit more, we love the filet—each cut cooked to perfection and served with thoughtful attention from the chef/owner who checks on guests throughout the meal.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill
$$ | (850) 297-1100 | WEBSITE
An outstanding Italian spot that’s popular, accommodating, and consistently improving is rare in Tallahassee. But Carrabba’s Italian Grill is exactly that kind of restaurant, which is probably why you will absolutely have to wait for a table at this classic local favorite. It will, however, be very worth it. If you’re here with a group, get the Garlic Bread Scampi for the table. It’s a platter of warm, garlicky bread paired with perfectly cooked shrimp and scallops.
Bagigio’s
$ | (850) 329-2970 | WEBSITE
No one seems to notice Bagigio’s. With little to no internet footprint (and not even a sign on the door), this Tallahassee restaurant feels like it was built during the pizza prohibition era, which actually was a thing in early 20th-century America. Thankfully, pizza makes up pretty much the entire menu here in the form of thin, oven-baked pies, including the superb white pepperoni pizza. They have a la carte pizzas and family options under $30.
To start, order the Italian bruschetta bread, which comes with generous toppings, a few slivers of garlic, and olive oil drizzle—an unexpectedly delightful trifecta right up there with the Three Tenors. Then please, for the love of all things with dough, order at least one Stromboli. You’ll be fork fencing with your family for the last slice.
Hungry Howie’s Pizza & Subs
$ | (850) 671-3400 | WEBSITE
Hungry Howie’s Pizza & Subs sits right in the heart of Tallahassee’s bustling food scene, with a cozy space that feels about the size of a college dorm room (we’re estimating, but it fits the vibe). The counter area, staffed by the friendly day shift team, handles orders with genuine warmth, and they offer a straightforward menu of delicious options including the highly-recommended Mac and cheese pizza and Meatball sub. The crust flavors and cheese bread are all excellent and satisfyingly simple.
Plus, this spot is right in the thick of Tallahassee’s energy, so it’s a treat to watch the local hustle through the window while enjoying a hearty, uncomplicated meal here.
Black Radish Bar and Restaurant
$$ | (850) 825-1973 | WEBSITE
We said we’d try to keep Italian spots off this guide, but we’re making an exception for Black Radish Bar and Restaurant. Like Goldilocks and her porridge, it can be hard to find an Italian restaurant that’s ‘just right’—one that hits that sweet spot between formal and informal, suspiciously cheap and give-your-accountant-a-heart-attack expensive.
But Black Radish Bar and Restaurant in Tallahassee walks that line perfectly, and the chef’s table experience comes in under $100 (at least before service, taxes, and wine). The price point isn’t why we love Black Radish, though. The dinner here is an unforgettable blur of farm-to-table dishes so perfectly presented you barely have to think about it.
Mom & Dad’s Italian Restaurant
$$ | (850) 877-4518 | WEBSITE
Mom & Dad’s is a delight, even if it can be a restaurant that requires patience. There is almost always (especially on weekends) a long wait to eat here because the restaurant is popular and it’s a classic Italian experience, in which you slowly savor passing plates of lasagna and manicotti while sipping Chianti. Also, they don’t take reservations. But the tradition of hearty Italian dishes isn’t what makes Mom & Dad’s great.
It’s because the food coming from that kitchen is actually good—and you can eat a decent amount of it without blowing through your monthly dining budget. They also have a brunch menu with items like French toast and pepper crusted bacon that has received positive feedback. There’s usually less of a wait during brunch hours.
Milano Pizza
$ | (850) 320-6772 | WEBSITE
Milano Pizza is a Tallahassee pizza joint that wins the award we just made up for ‘Most Delicious Cheese Pull In Town.’ But, stringy cheese aside, Milano Pizza is also just a tremendous pizzeria. You’re going to spend about $15 to $25 here, especially if you want to try the classic cheese pizza with its tangy and sweet sauce. If you’re going with the vegetarian options, the Margarita pizza with pineapple is a must-order. The crust should be on your mind as well.
You can get it chewy or crispy, but the blend of both textures makes life easier on you.
Pizza Hut
$ | (850) 942-2265 | WEBSITE
Pizza Hut delivers the kind of reliably affordable pizza Tallahassee counts on. The restaurant operates out of a familiar red-roofed building on a busy corner, but it’s traded in generic chain vibes for genuinely warm service that keeps regulars coming back. Order a large pie to get the best of their offerings, which arrives fresh and hot whether you’re picking up or having it delivered. Their family combo for four ($35) comes with two medium pizzas, breadsticks, and a pitcher of soda.
But if you’re looking for a quick lunch or an easy weeknight dinner, their personal pan pizzas and pasta bowls are all dependable, too. Sit inside for the bustling atmosphere and a chat with the friendly staff, who might share stories from their busiest delivery days.