8 Of The Tastiest Italian Restaurants In Omaha In 2024

“All in the Famiglia” can be the name of most Italian restaurants in the Omaha area. Locally-owned ristorantes seem to be family affairs, with everyone from Nonno or Nonna to children barely able to see over the counter. There’s a role for everyone in the family. And with that family connection comes some of the best Italian cuisine you will ever enjoy. We wanted to sample a bit of the menu in Omaha, and here are some of the best Italian restaurants in the Omaha Metro area.

UPDATED: This post was first published in 2020 and has been updated in January 2024 following the closure of Lo Sole Mio and Malara’s.

Roma Italian Restaurant

Where: Bellevue

Featuring homemade dishes from scratch, Roma Italian Restaurant has been serving huge portions of classic Italian dishes since 2016. From classics such as spaghetti with meatballs and chicken parmigiana to unique combinations such as shrimp and scallop alfredo, dinner at Roma can be shared with a dining partner or you’ll be guaranteed enough leftovers to have a meal or two afterward.

Located in a former La Mesa restaurant building, the Italian eatery is located along Fort Crook Road.

Mangia Italiana

Where: Irvington

You would think that with name like Mangia Italiana, the ristorante would feature an upscale menu with white table cloths and a wine list that may require a second mortgage. Instead, you’ll find a casual family restaurant high on serving great pizza and Italian classic entrees.

The combo pizza is considered the most popular pie, featuring sausage, beef, pepperoni, onion, mushrooms, and black olives. You can go with the specialty pizzas, which also include buffalo chicken and veggie, or you can create your own. No matter which route you choose, you’ll enjoy one of Omaha’s best pizzas.

Mangia Italiana’s classic dishes feature Italian and Sicilian traditions, which feature your choice of pasta (spaghetti, mostacciolli, fettucine, or bow tie) which a variety of sauces, including Sugo, an authentic Sicilian sweet and spicy tomato sauce with meat.

Orsi’s Italian Bakery and Pizzeria

Where: 621 Pacific St. in Little Italy

Omaha’s oldest Italian eatery, Orsi’s Italian Bakery and Pizzeria opened its doors as bakery in 1919. Now, more than 100 years old, Orsi’s may lay claim to “Omaha-style pizza,” with its rectangular pie featuring fresh toppings on top of special sauce.

Pizzas come in three sizes – quarter (six slices), half (12 slices) and full sheet (24 slices). Pizzas are ordered to go, as Orsi’s has little room for dine-in orders. The dough is made fresh daily and you can watch team members toss it as they prepare pizzas. Try the Goudarooni, a double-crusted pizza that will challenge your appetite.

The bakery also supplies fresh rolls to several Italian restaurants around the city. Orsi’s doesn’t use preservatives, so the bread is truly fresh and you won’t find day-old rolls in restaurants. Orsi’s also sells deli meat and a small section of Italian sweet peppers, and more.

The bakery also supplies fresh rolls to several Italian restaurants around the city. Orsi’s doesn’t use preservatives, so the bread is truly fresh and you won’t find day-old rolls in restaurants. Orsi’s also sells deli meat and a small section of Italian sweet peppers, and more.

Tip: This is the longest-running restaurant in Omaha! Find out more about Orsi’s and its history in this restaurant feature.

Vincenzo’s Ristorante

Where: 15701 Pacific St. in West Omaha

Offering the Omaha area great Italian cuisine for more than 25 years, Vincenzo’s Ristorante shares its heritage through dishes such as penne diavolo, with penne pasta, Italian sausage, onion, black olives, mushrooms, and sweet peppers tossed in a roasted red pepper cream sauce.

Baked pasta dishes include lasagna (meatless), ravioli, and manicotti. With a house wine available at each table, Vincenzo’s features a full bar, as well as non-alcoholic drinks. You may want to order cannoli for dessert.

Dante

Where: 16901 Wright Plaza suite 173 at Shops of Legacy

Nick Strawhecker rolled the dice and opened a wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzeria during the Great Recession. More than 10 years later, his concept not only succeeded but inspired a series of copycat restaurants. None of them came close to the originality, taste, and style that Strawhecker has created with Dante.

With a menu that focuses on farm-to-table options, Dante is considered one of the best pizzerias in Omaha. Besides the thin-crust pizzas that are ready within 90 seconds, as they’re baked in a wood-fired oven approaching 800 degrees Fahrenheit, Dante’s menu also features seasonal pasta and chicken dishes. The restaurant features a world-class wine list.

Related post: Looking for a date night restaurant? Dante is one of my top picks for West Omaha!

Via Farina

Where: 1108 S. 10th St. in Little Italy

Via Farina’s pizza dough is similar to a fine wine, it needs time to age. In this case, the chic pizzeria takes about three days to curate its pizza crust. Using a wood-fired oven, Via Farina bakes its pizza for less than two minutes in temperatures approaching 900 degrees.

Open for lunch and dinner, the restaurant on 10th Street features unique pizzas such as patata pizza, with potato confit, black pepper, and oregano, among other toppings, and pasta dishes such as ricotta cavatelli. Via Farina also delivers in the Little Italy via Vespa scooters.

Pasta Amore

Where: 11027 Prairie Brook Road in Rockbrook Village

Lillo “Leo” Fascianella immigrated to Omaha with his parents as a young boy. Calling Omaha home since 1972, the chef has created one of Omaha’s best-known Italian restaurants, opening Pasta Amore in 1986.

With a menu starring traditional Italian fare, such as eggplant parmigiana and lasagna, Chef Leo describes his work as edible paintings. With a wine list to complement each entrée, Pasta Amore ensures it challenges the most-finicky palate.

La Casa Pizzaria

Where: 4432 Leavenworth St. (now with more locations in Omaha)

From the day it opened in 1953, La Casa Pizzaria was popular with diners across Omaha. Using a square pan to make its pizza, La Casa developed its reputation as one of Omaha’s best Italian restaurants with its unique pizza that features a special sauce and Romano cheese. Its pasta dishes, such as spaghetti, lasagna, and mostaciolli, are topped with marinara or spicy rosa sauce.

A visit to La Casa is a throwback to the early days of Omaha’s classic Italian ristorantes.

Omaha’s Italian heritage shines through with its restaurants. From traditional fare to adding a twist to classic dishes, you can find an Italian restaurant that delivers a unique dining experience.

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