Italian Restaurant Near DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Theme Park Resort

The Real Italian Restaurant Across the Street

This is not a chain pretending to be Italian. The Navarra family has been cooking Southern Italian food at 6149 Westwood Blvd since 1991. The recipes are from Italy. The pasta is handmade every day in the kitchen. The sauces simmer for hours before they ever reach a plate. And it is right across the street from the DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Theme Park Resort.

There is a difference between Italian food and real Italian food. The difference is in the details — the way the dough is kneaded, the quality of the tomatoes, the amount of time a ragu spends on the stove. At Ciao Italia, those details have been guarded and refined for 35 years by the same family. You can taste it in every bite.

Walk across the street from the DoubleTree. Two minutes. No reservation required, though you can call (407) 354-0770 if you want one. Open every night from 5 to 10 PM.

Southern Italian, Made the Right Way

The menu reads like a trip through Southern Italy. These are not Americanized versions with heavy cream on everything. These are dishes made the way they are supposed to be made, with ingredients that matter and techniques that take time.

• Pappardelle al Cinghiale ($26) — Wide ribbons of handmade pasta in a wild boar ragu with porcini mushrooms and pecorino. The ragu alone takes hours.
• Tortellini Brasato e Tartufo ($27) — Handmade tortellini filled and tossed with braised beef in a truffle cream sauce. Rich, layered, unforgettable.
• Linguine alle Vongole ($25) — Fresh clams, white wine, garlic, and olive oil over linguine. The way it is done on the Amalfi Coast.
• Risotto alla Pescatora ($36) — Arborio rice cooked to order with clams, mussels, shrimp, and sautéed calamari.
• Carpaccio di Manzo ($19) — Paper-thin raw beef with capers, mushrooms, red onion, and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Italian wine and beer are available to pair with every course. The wine list focuses on Italian producers that complement the food — ask your server for a pairing suggestion.

How to Walk Over

Exit the DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Theme Park Resort through the main entrance. Look across Westwood Blvd — Ciao Italia is right there. Cross the street and walk in. Two minutes from your hotel room to an Italian table set with cloth napkins and a wine list.

Free parking is available in front of the restaurant if you want to drive, but walking is the easiest option. No traffic, no navigation, no parking lot to find. Just cross the street.

Ciao Italia is at 6149 Westwood Blvd, Orlando, FL 32821. On International Drive and Westwood Blvd. Open nightly 5 PM to 10 PM. Walk-ins welcome or call (407) 354-0770.