Best Italian on International Drive

I-Drive Has Quantity. We Have Quality.

International Drive is fourteen miles of restaurants, and most of them are designed to process tourists as efficiently as possible. The Italian options on I-Drive serve breadsticks from a bag, pasta from a box, and sauce from a can. They seat four hundred people and treat your dinner like a transaction. If that is what you want, you have plenty of choices. If you want something better, you drive five minutes to Ciao Italia.

The Navarra family opened Ciao Italia in 1991, not on International Drive, but on Westwood Boulevard, where serious restaurants do not need foot traffic to survive. They need regulars. They need word of mouth. They need 4,000+ reviews from people who drove past a dozen chains to get here. Ciao Italia is the best Italian on International Drive for the simple reason that it is better than everything on International Drive.

The I-Drive Alternative

At Ciao Italia, the Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragu is slow-cooked from family recipes. The Risotto alla Pescatora features fresh seafood, not frozen. The Lobster Ravioli is hand-filled. The Vitello Piccata is pounded and prepared to order. The wine list is entirely Italian, curated by people who know what they are pouring. The tiramisu is made in-house every day. Nothing on the menu was designed by a corporate committee.

The atmosphere is the opposite of I-Drive. It is quiet. The tables are spaced for conversation. The lighting is warm. The staff knows your name if you have been here before, and they treat you like a regular even if you have not. After the noise and neon of International Drive, Ciao Italia is where Orlando's dining actually happens.

Getting Here from I-Drive

Ciao Italia is located at 6149 Westwood Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32821, 2 minutes from International Drive. Whether you are staying at a hotel on I-Drive, visiting the theme parks, or attending a convention, the restaurant is easily accessible. Free self-parking is available for all guests.

Open seven days a week from 5 PM to 10 PM. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak tourist season. Call (407) 354-0770 or book through OpenTable.

About Dining Near I-Drive

International Drive runs through the center of Orlando's tourism district. It connects SeaWorld, Aquatica, ICON Park, the Orange County Convention Center, and dozens of hotels. Every night, thousands of visitors walk the strip looking for dinner.

Most of what they find are chain restaurants with corporate menus and frozen ingredients. The Italian restaurants on I-Drive tend to be the usual suspects: Olive Garden, Carrabba's, Buca di Beppo. They are fine for what they are, but they are not authentic Italian cooking.

Ciao Italia is different. Located on Westwood Boulevard just off International Drive, it is a family-owned restaurant where the Navarra family has been making everything from scratch for over 35 years. The sauteed calamari, the handmade pasta, the Risotto alla Pescatora, the Australian lamb chops — this is real Italian food, not a chain interpretation.

The restaurant is casual and welcoming, perfect for families, couples, and groups. The kids menu is $13 and includes gelato. Beer and wine are available to pair with dinner. Reservations are recommended but walk-ins are always welcome.

How to Get to Ciao Italia from I-Drive

From International Drive, take Westwood Boulevard south. Ciao Italia is at 6149 Westwood Blvd, on the right side, with a free parking lot directly in front. It is 2 minutes from I-Drive and on the same road as SeaWorld's main entrance.

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