Italian Restaurants Near Me International Drive

The Real Italian Restaurant on I-Drive

There are Italian restaurants on International Drive, and then there is Ciao Italia. The difference is who is in the kitchen. At Ciao Italia, it is the Navarra family — the same family that opened the restaurant in 1991 and still makes every sauce, every pasta, and every loaf of bread from scratch.

This is not Olive Garden. It is not a chain that calls itself Italian. It is a real Italian family cooking real Italian food at 6149 Westwood Blvd, one block west of International Drive.

If you are craving authentic Italian on I-Drive, this is it.

• One block off International Drive
• Family-owned by the Navarra family since 1991
• Handmade pasta, fresh bread, homemade sauces
• Zagat rated, 4,000+ reviews
• Free parking, walk-ins welcome
• Open 7 nights, 5-10 PM
• Kids menu $13 with gelato
• 10% off with park tickets

What Authentic Italian Tastes Like

The pasta is made fresh every morning. Fettuccine, linguine, pappardelle, ravioli — all handmade. The bolognese simmers for hours. The bread comes out of the oven warm and never stops coming to your table.

The menu goes beyond pasta. Fresh seafood, veal piccata, Australian lamb chops, chicken marsala, risotto alla pescatora. Desserts include homemade tiramisu and gelato.

Wine and beer available. The wine list features Italian and California options by the glass and bottle.

Italian Restaurants on International Drive

International Drive has a few Italian restaurant options, but most are chains with standardized recipes. Ciao Italia is the independently owned alternative — the one where the chef is the owner and the recipe is the family's.

For over three decades, Ciao Italia has been the Italian restaurant that locals recommend to visitors. That reputation was not built overnight.

Getting Here

One block west of I-Drive on Westwood Boulevard. Free parking lot in front. Address: 6149 Westwood Blvd, Orlando FL 32821.