Italian Restaurants in Berkeley (2025)

A D’Alo family project devoted to Palermo-style cooking—anchovies, sardines, branzino, and pastas made from family recipes. Praised by the San Francisco Chronicle and covered by Berkeleyside, it’s a neighborhood fixture with occasional live jazz and a lively bar.

Hailed by The New York Times as one of America’s best pizza spots and celebrated by the San Francisco Chronicle, Rose turns California flour and thoughtful toppings into deeply satisfying pies. The back patio and natural-wine list add to the charm.

An Italian ristorante and pizzeria known for outstanding gluten-free Neapolitan pies—spotlighted by the San Francisco Chronicle—and for careful cross-contact practices. Beyond pizza, you’ll find classic pastas, cicchetti, and Italian wines in a relaxed, downtown setting.

Northern Italian chefs Donato Scotti and Gianluca Guglielmi channel regional traditions—housemade pastas, live-fire meats, and a serious Italian wine list—in Elmwood’s handsome dining room. Noted by Sunset Magazine and kept current by local tourism listings.

Family-run since 1983, this North Shattuck stalwart serves Sicilian-leaning pastas and pizzas to generations of locals. Long respected by Bay Area critics over the years, it remains an essential neighborhood Italian experience.

A one-man, pre-order-only pie shop revered by local critics; the San Francisco Chronicle profiled its singular approach and included it among the Bay Area’s standout pizzas. Expect 18-inch pies with char, chew, and personality—plan ahead.

A neighborhood California-Italian spot with wood-fired pizzas, handmade pastas, and brunch. Covered by regional press like East Bay Express and listed by Visit Berkeley and OpenTable, it’s a friendly, independent go-to in South Berkeley.

Beloved by students for generous, affordable pastas and calzones, this late-night institution appears on Eater SF’s late-night maps and in Berkeleyside’s campus dining guides. It’s fast, unfussy Italian-American with a loyal following.