35 Years • 4,000+ Reviews • 9 Awards
Best Restaurants Near Me in Orlando
Family-owned since 1991. Handmade everything. The kind of restaurant that earns 4,000+ reviews one plate at a time.
What Makes a Restaurant One of the Best
Anyone can call themselves the best. It is one of those words that shows up on every restaurant website. But there are things you cannot fake. You cannot fake 35 years in business. You cannot fake 4,000+ reviews from real people. You cannot fake a family that has been running the same kitchen, serving the same recipes, in the same location since 1991.
Ciao Italia Ristorante was opened by the Navarra family, who came to Orlando from southern Italy. They brought their recipes, their traditions, and their way of cooking. Everything on the menu is made from scratch. The pasta is handmade. The sauces are prepared fresh. Every dish is cooked to order by people who actually care whether your dinner is good.
That is what 4,000+ reviews look like. Not marketing. Not hype. Just 35 years of cooking real food for real people and earning their trust every single night.
Not a Chain. Not a Franchise. A Family.
Orlando has no shortage of chain restaurants. Olive Garden, Carrabba's, Maggiano's, Bonefish Grill. They all have locations here. And they all use corporate kitchens, standardized recipes, and ingredients that arrive pre-made from a warehouse. That is fine if consistency is all you care about. But if you want food that actually tastes like someone made it, you need a different kind of restaurant.
Ciao Italia is independently owned and operated by the same family that opened it. There is no corporate office. No franchise manual. No regional manager deciding what goes on the menu. The Navarras decide what to serve based on what is fresh, what is in season, and what their family has been cooking for generations.
The Menu That Earned Those Reviews
The Sacchetti are handmade pasta purses filled and finished with care. The Veal Piccata is tender, bright with capers and lemon. The Zuppa di Pesce is a seafood lover's dream, loaded with fresh shellfish in a rich tomato broth. The Pollo Marsala is one of those dishes that makes people come back again and again.
And every single dish is made to order. Not reheated. Not assembled. Made.
Families, Couples, Groups, Everyone
The kids menu is $13 with gelato. Private dining accommodates up to 60 guests. Full buyout for up to 110. Catering menus at $60, $70, and $80 per person for events and group dinners. This is a restaurant that works for everybody.
Open nightly 5 PM to 10 PM at 6149 Westwood Blvd, Orlando, FL 32821. Free self-parking. Call (407) 354-0770 or book through OpenTable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Ciao Italia considered one of the best restaurants near me in Orlando?
Ciao Italia has been family-owned and operated since 1991 with over 4,000 reviews and 9 awards. Every dish is handmade from scratch using traditional Italian recipes brought from southern Italy by the Navarra family. Unlike chain restaurants, the kitchen makes pasta fresh and cooks every order individually.
How does Ciao Italia compare to chain restaurants like Olive Garden or Carrabba's?
Ciao Italia is independently owned and makes everything from scratch. Chain restaurants typically use pre-made sauces and pre-packaged ingredients. At Ciao Italia, the pasta is handmade, the sauces are prepared daily, and every dish is cooked to order. The recipes come from southern Italy and have been used by the Navarra family for generations.
What awards has Ciao Italia won?
Ciao Italia has received 9 awards over its 35+ years, including recognition from Zagat. The restaurant consistently ranks as one of the top Italian dining experiences in the Orlando area based on guest reviews and industry recognition.
Is Ciao Italia expensive?
Ciao Italia is in the moderate to upper-moderate price range ($$-$$$). The kids menu is $13 and includes gelato. For the quality of handmade food, imported ingredients, and made-to-order preparation, guests consistently say the value is excellent. Free self-parking is included.
