Best Italian Restaurants In Detroit

Italians are one of Detroit's oldest and longest-thriving ethnic groups. For well over a century, Italians have been making their way from the sunny peninsula across the sea to begin a new life in a whole new peninsula in the Great Lakes! In all that time here, Italians have set up some of Detroit's best restaurants, including the city's oldest establishment, which just so happens to be a world-famous Italian restaurant that Detroiters and visitors alike flock to. Here are the best of the best when it comes to Italian food in Detroit.

Roma Cafe
3401 Riopelle St.
Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 831-5940
www.romacafe.com

As Detroit's oldest restaurant, the Roma Cafe has the distinguished honor of being one of the most well-loved places to get food in Detroit. The food is above average, but locals and visitors come by the Roma Cafe to see the over 100-year old surroundings and get a bit of that old world charm that the early years of Detroit had to offer. Since 1890, the Roma Cafe has been one of the epicenters of Italian culture for Detroit, and with over 80 different wines, great food, and classic charm, it will always remain one of the Motor City's top restaurants.

Giovanni's Ristorante
330 S. Oakwood Blvd.
Detroit, MI 48217
(313) 841-0122
www.giovannisristorante.com

Another one of the classic old Italian restaurants in Detroit that time has only come to cherish more and more. Frank Sinatra once dined in this little mom-and-son run ristorante and reportedly called it one of the best. Since then, Giovanni's has been one of the best-reviewed and most-respected restaurants in all of Detroit, let alone one of the best Italian restaurants. Tripadvisor.com users also voted Giovanni's as the No. 2 restaurant in all of Detroit.

Buddy's Pizza
17125 Conant St.
Detroit, MI 48212
(313) 892-9001
www.buddyspizza.com

It may not be completely fair to include a pizza restaurant among the best Italian food places in Detroit, but when it comes to sheer taste and notoriety, Buddy's Pizza is simply in a class all its own. For nearly 100 years, Buddy's has been making the best pizza in all of Detroit, and in the past few decades, national food competitions and publications started to realize that the best pizza wasn't just in New York and Chicago. With Buddy's Pizza, the square Sicilian-style came to prominence in the United States and these days, it's still being voted as the top pizza in the country's many competitions. No stop to Detroit for Italian food is complete without a trip to Buddy's.

Related: Best Hotels For Business Trips To Detroit

La Dolce Vita
17546 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48203
(313) 865-0331
www.ldvrestaurant.net

One of the "best-kept secrets in Detroit" is the La Dolce Vita Restaurant, though we're not sure if it's much of a secret anymore, since it's continuing to earn a huge amount of success and praise for their incredible Italian food. Right on famous Woodward Avenue in Detroit, La Dolce Vita takes advantage of its prime location with great outdoor seating that boasts and authentic old world charm, as well. Patrons claim that the food is some of the best in the city and that the chef's staff is one of the best around, known not just for their traditional Italian dishes, but also their more eclectic offerings, too.

Angelina Italian Bistro
1565 Broadway St.
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 962-1355
www.angelinadetroit.com

For a more modern Italian fare still centered in a classic old Detroit building, the Angelina Italian Bistro is one of the most popular locations in all of downtown Motown. Built into a 1917 former movie house, the massive open dining room comes complete with beautiful views of Grand Circus Park, Comerica Park, and the Detroit Opera House. All of the pasta is fresh and handcrafted with many items coming straight from the recipe books of the owner's Sicilian grandparents. Definitely a top Italian stop in the Motor City.

Related: Best Cocktail Happy Hours In Detroit

Michael Ferro is freelance writer and a graduate of Michigan State University where he majored in Creative Writing and received the Jim Cash Creative Writing Award. Born and bred in Detroit, he currently resides in Ypsilanti Township. Additional writing can be found at Examiner.com.