Restaurants by Universal Studios Orlando
Family-owned Italian on I-Drive, 12 minutes from Universal. Since 1991.
10% OFF — Show Your Theme Park Ticket — SeaWorld, Aquatica, or Discovery Cove
Eat Outside the Universal Bubble
CityWalk is convenient, but the prices are steep and the restaurants are designed for volume. If you want a real dinner by Universal Studios Orlando, drive 12 minutes south on International Drive to Ciao Italia Ristorante.
The Navarra family has been making handmade pasta and sauces at 6149 Westwood Blvd since 1991. It is the kind of Italian restaurant that CityWalk cannot replicate: family-owned, made from scratch, and priced for people who just spent a fortune at the park.
Free parking. Walk-ins welcome. Open every night from 5 to 10 PM.
- 12 minutes from Universal Studios via I-Drive
- Homemade pasta, bread, and sauces daily
- Free parking lot right in front
- Kids menu $13, includes gelato
- Walk-ins welcome, open 7 nights
- Family-owned since 1991
- Private dining room for groups up to 60
- 10% off with SeaWorld, Aquatica, or Discovery Cove tickets
Worth the Drive
Twelve minutes. That is all it takes to go from CityWalk crowds to a quiet Italian dinner where the owner greets you at the door. The drive is straight down International Drive, no highways or tolls.
If you are staying at a Universal hotel — Cabana Bay, Aventura, Endless Summer, Helios Grand Hotel, Terra Luna, Stella Nova — the drive to Ciao Italia is 10 minutes or less.
Convention attendees at the OCCC, tourists at SeaWorld, and locals from Dr. Phillips all eat here too. The restaurant serves a wide crowd because the food is universally good.
Practical Details
Cuisine
Zagat-rated Italian. Handmade pastas, fresh seafood, veal, lamb, and classic preparations.
Hours
Open 7 days a week, 5 PM to 10 PM. Walk-ins welcome.
Parking
Free self-parking lot right in front. No meters or garages.
Location
6149 Westwood Blvd, Orlando, FL 32821. Near SeaWorld, I-Drive, and the Convention Center.
Reservations
Book online via OpenTable or call (407) 354-0770. Walk-ins always welcome.
Private Dining
Private room seats up to 60. Full venue buyout up to 110. Custom menus.
Dining by Universal Studios
Universal Studios Orlando sits on the north end of International Drive. CityWalk provides dining within the resort, but guests who want independent, locally-owned options venture down I-Drive to find them.
Ciao Italia sits in the heart of the I-Drive corridor, between Universal and SeaWorld. It is one of the few restaurants in the area that has been independently owned for over three decades.
How to Get to Ciao Italia from Universal
Head south on Universal Blvd / International Drive. Pass the Convention Center area. Turn right on Westwood Boulevard. Ciao Italia is on your left. 12 minutes, 7 miles. Address: 6149 Westwood Blvd, Orlando FL 32821.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are good restaurants by Universal Studios?
Ciao Italia Ristorante is a family-owned Italian restaurant 12 minutes south of Universal on I-Drive. Homemade pasta, fresh seafood, open nightly 5-10 PM.
Is CityWalk the only option for dinner near Universal?
No. International Drive has many independent restaurants. Ciao Italia is one of the most established, open since 1991 with over 4,000 reviews.
Just 7 miles from Universal Studios Florida
12 minutes drive via International Drive — free parking at the door
Get Directions from Universal Studios FloridaMore From Ciao Italia
Better Than CityWalk
Family-owned Italian. 12 minutes from Universal. Free parking.
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.