Real Italian Since 1991
Authentic Italian Food in Orlando
Traditional recipes from southern Italy. Handmade pasta. Fresh seafood. Every dish made from scratch by a family that knows the difference.
What Authentic Italian Actually Means
The word authentic gets thrown around a lot in the restaurant world. Every Italian place in Orlando claims to be authentic. But there is a real difference between a restaurant that uses the word and a restaurant that lives it.
At Ciao Italia Ristorante, authentic means the recipes came from southern Italy with the Navarra family when they immigrated to America. It means the pasta is made fresh. It means the sauces are prepared in-house from real ingredients, not poured from a bag. It means every dish is cooked to order by people who learned these recipes from their parents, who learned them from theirs.
If you are searching for a real Italian food experience in Orlando, this is where the search ends.
The Food That Sets Ciao Italia Apart
The menu at Ciao Italia reads like a tour of traditional Italian cooking. The Risotto alla Pescatora is a classic seafood risotto made with fresh shrimp, mussels, and clams, cooked slowly until the rice is creamy and the flavors are layered. This is not a quick dish. It takes time and attention, which is why most chain restaurants do not attempt it.
The Linguine alle Vongole is another standout. Fresh clams tossed with linguine in a sauce that lets the seafood speak for itself. The Pappardelle with Wild Boar is a slow-cooked ragu that develops its depth over hours. The Vitello Piccata is finished with capers and artichokes in a way that balances richness with brightness.
These are not Americanized Italian dishes. They are traditional preparations made the way they would be in Italy, by people who grew up eating this food.
The Difference Between Fresh and Frozen
At most Italian restaurants in the Orlando tourist area, the pasta arrives in boxes, the sauces come premade, and the kitchen is essentially an assembly line. At Ciao Italia, the kitchen is a kitchen. Sauces are made daily. Pasta is prepared fresh. Proteins are cooked to order. There is no microwave involved.
You can taste the difference in the first bite. The textures are different. The flavors are more complex. The food feels like it was made for you, because it was. That is what traditional Italian cooking in Orlando looks like when it is done right.
A Family That Knows the Tradition
Josie and Antonio Navarra came from southern Italy. They did not learn Italian cooking from a culinary school or a corporate training program. They grew up with it. It was in their homes, their families, their daily lives. When they opened Ciao Italia in 1991, they brought that tradition to Orlando and it has not changed since.
Their children have continued the work, running the restaurant with the same commitment to quality that their parents established. The wine list features Italian and California wines chosen to pair with the menu. The atmosphere reflects a Mediterranean warmth that feels natural, not forced.
Open seven days a week, 5 PM to 10 PM at 6149 Westwood Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32821. Free self-parking. Call (407) 354-0770 or book through OpenTable.
