Mom-and-Pop Italian in Orlando
The Navarra family has been cooking authentic Italian here since 1991.
What a Mom and Pop Italian Restaurant Actually Looks Like
The phrase gets thrown around a lot, but most people know the difference the second they walk through the door. A mom and pop Italian restaurant in Orlando is not a place with laminated menus and a heat lamp over the bread station. It is a place where the owner greets you, the recipes have a story behind them, and the food tastes like someone actually cared about making it.
Ciao Italia Ristorante has been that place since 1991. The restaurant sits on Westwood Boulevard, a few 3 minutes from SeaWorld and the Convention Center, and it has been run by the same family for over 35 years. No investors. No management company. Just a family that came from southern Italy and opened a restaurant the only way they knew how.
The Neighborhood Spot Orlando Needed
Orlando has no shortage of Italian restaurants. The tourist corridor is lined with them. But most of those places are designed to serve volume, not to build a following. Ciao Italia was built to be the opposite. It is a neighborhood Italian restaurant in Orlando where locals come back week after week because the food is consistently excellent and the atmosphere feels personal.
The dining room is warm without being stuffy. The tables are well-spaced. The lighting is low enough to feel intimate but bright enough to read the menu. It is the kind of place where couples celebrate anniversaries and families gather for birthdays, not because of some marketing campaign, but because the experience earns that kind of loyalty.
Scratch-Made Everything
At a mom and pop restaurant, the kitchen is not reheating things that arrived on a truck. At Ciao Italia, the pasta is handmade. The sauces are prepared daily. The bread comes out warm. The Risotto alla Pescatora is built from fresh seafood. The Pappardelle with Wild Boar simmers in a slow-cooked ragu. The tiramisu is made in-house, not pulled from a freezer.
These are the details that separate a real independent restaurant from one that just looks the part. When every dish is made from scratch using recipes the family brought from Italy, the food has a depth and consistency that corporate kitchens simply cannot replicate.
Why It Has Lasted 35 Years
Restaurants fail. That is the industry. The ones that survive in Orlando's competitive dining scene do so because they deliver something worth coming back for. Ciao Italia has earned Zagat ratings, OpenTable Diners' Choice awards, and over 3,000 guest reviews because it has never stopped doing the work.
The restaurant is open seven days a week from 5 PM to 10 PM at 6149 Westwood Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32821. Free self-parking is available. Reservations can be made by calling (407) 354-0770 or through OpenTable.
Practical Details
Cuisine
Zagat-rated Italian. Handmade pastas, fresh seafood, veal, lamb, and classic preparations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ciao Italia a mom and pop restaurant?
Yes. Ciao Italia Ristorante is a family-owned, independently operated Italian restaurant that has been on Westwood Boulevard in Orlando since 1991. It is not part of any chain or corporate group.
What kind of food does this mom and pop Italian restaurant serve?
Ciao Italia serves authentic Italian cuisine made from scratch using family recipes brought from southern Italy. The menu includes handmade pasta, risotto, veal, seafood, chicken, and homemade desserts like tiramisu.
Where is this neighborhood Italian restaurant located?
Ciao Italia is located at 6149 Westwood Blvd, Orlando, FL 32821, near SeaWorld, Aquatica, and the Orange County Convention Center. Free self-parking is available.
Do I need a reservation at Ciao Italia?
Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends. You can call (407) 354-0770 or book through OpenTable. Walk-ins are welcome when tables are available.
Does Ciao Italia have a curated wine and beer selection?
Ciao Italia offers an Italian wine list and beer selection. Wine and beer only — no cocktails or curated wine and beer selection.
More From Ciao Italia
The Real Family Restaurant
One family. One kitchen. 35 years. Open tonight, 5–10 PM.
Published by Ciao Italia Ristorante, family-owned by the Navarra family on Westwood Boulevard since 1991. Over 35 years of authentic Italian hospitality in Orlando, Florida.