Italian Restaurant Near Aquatica Orlando

Not Every Italian Restaurant Is the Same

Orlando has plenty of places that call themselves Italian. Most of them are chains that microwave pre-made sauces and boil dry pasta out of a box. There is a difference between that and what happens inside Ciao Italia, and you can taste it in the first bite.

The Navarra family moved to Orlando from Italy and opened Ciao Italia in 1991. They brought their recipes with them. The pasta is made fresh in-house every day. The sauces are built from scratch. The bread comes out warm. After 35 years and over 4,000 reviews, they are still doing it the same way.

If you are near Aquatica and looking for Italian food that is actually Italian, this is the place.

The Menu

Homemade Pasta

Lasagna with layers of fresh pasta, meat sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella. Fettuccine alfredo made to order. Penne alla vodka. Spaghetti and meatballs. Linguine with clams. Every pasta dish starts with dough made that morning.

Seafood and Meat

Seafood risotto with shrimp, mussels, clams, and calamari in a creamy Arborio rice. Veal piccata with lemon and capers. Grilled lamb chops with rosemary. Red wine braised short rib, slow-cooked until it falls apart. Chicken parmigiana hand-breaded and pan-fried to order.

Italian Desserts

Homemade gelato in rotating flavors. Classic tiramisu. Cannoli filled to order. These are not afterthoughts — they are made with the same care as everything else on the menu.

A Restaurant That Feels Like Italy

There is something about walking into Ciao Italia that immediately tells you this is not a corporate operation. The dining room is warm and comfortable. The servers know the menu and can walk you through wine pairings. The owner might come by your table. It is the kind of restaurant where you settle in, slow down, and actually enjoy dinner.

After spending a full day at Aquatica with crowds and noise and lines, that kind of atmosphere makes a real difference. Especially when the food matches it.