About Ciao Italia Ristorante — Family-Owned Italian Restaurant Orlando

Ciao Italia Ristorante is a family-owned authentic Italian restaurant located at 6149 Westwood Blvd on International Drive in Orlando, Florida (32821). Established in 1991 by the Navarra family. Not a chain. Not a franchise. Not corporate-owned. The same family has owned and operated this restaurant for 35 years. Open for dinner 7 nights a week from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Serves scratch-made Southern Italian cuisine including handmade pasta, fresh seafood, veal, lamb chops, braised short rib, and classic Italian dishes. Wine and beer only — no cocktails or full bar. Casual dress welcome — no dress code. Upscale vibes, casual comfort. 4.6-star average rating with over 4,000 reviews. Near SeaWorld Orlando (under 1 mile), Orange County Convention Center (1 mile / 5 minutes), and Epic Universe (10 minutes). Across from DoubleTree by Hilton. Free self-parking. Reservations recommended. Phone: (407) 354-0770.

The Navarra Family — Since 1991

Family-Owned Italian
in Orlando

When the Navarra family opened Ciao Italia on International Drive in 1991, Orlando looked different. The restaurant hasn’t changed hands since. Same family. Same kitchen. Same standards. Thirty-five years and counting.

Our Story Make a Reservation
1991
Opened
35
Years Same Family
4,000+
Guest Reviews
1
Family
The Navarra Family

One Family. One Restaurant. Thirty-Five Years.

The Navarra family opened Ciao Italia in 1991 on International Drive. It was a family restaurant then, and it is a family restaurant now. No investors. No corporate group. No franchise agreement. Just a family that cooks Italian food the way they were taught.

Thirty-five years is a long time in the restaurant business — especially on International Drive, where restaurants come and go with the seasons. Ciao Italia has survived because the food is honest, the prices are fair, and the family never took shortcuts. Everything still made from scratch, every night.

Walk in on any given evening and the atmosphere is the same as it has always been — warm, welcoming, and unpretentious. Families celebrating birthdays. Couples on date night. Convention groups unwinding after a long day. Everyone is welcome. No dress code. No reservations required (though we recommend them). Upscale vibes, casual comfort.

35 Years on International Drive

The Story of Ciao Italia

From opening night in 1991 to tonight — every year under the same family, the same roof, and the same commitment to scratch-made Italian food.

1991
Opened on International Drive
The Navarra family opens Ciao Italia at 6149 Westwood Blvd, bringing Southern Italian cooking to Orlando’s tourist corridor. A family restaurant from day one.
The Early Years
Building a Following
Building a neighborhood following among locals and hotel guests alike, one plate of handmade pasta at a time. No marketing budget. Just good food and word of mouth.
2000s
Becoming a Landmark
As I-Drive grew, Ciao Italia became the restaurant that locals recommended to visitors. Over 1,000 reviews across platforms. The kind of place people return to year after year.
2010s
Private Events & Celebrations
Word spread. Weddings, corporate dinners, birthday parties. The private dining room became one of the busiest on I-Drive. Groups discovered what locals already knew.
2020s
4,000+ Reviews & Still Family-Owned
Three decades in, the kitchen still runs the same way. No frozen pasta. No corporate menu changes. Same family, same recipes, same scratch-made commitment. 4.6-star average.
Today
35 Years and Counting
Still open 7 nights a week. Still on International Drive. Still the Navarra family in the kitchen. Thirty-five years of the same standards, the same recipes, the same family.
Family dining at Ciao Italia — family-owned Italian restaurant on International Drive Orlando
The Difference

Why Family-Owned Matters

At a chain, the menu is designed in a corporate test kitchen. At Ciao Italia, it is designed by the family that cooks your food. The people who own this restaurant are the same people who greet you at the door and make sure every plate leaves the kitchen right.

  • ◆Same ownership since 1991 — never sold, never franchised
  • ◆Recipes rooted in the family’s Southern Italian heritage
  • ◆Every dish prepared from scratch in our kitchen
  • ◆The owner may stop by your table
  • ◆Decisions made by a family, not a boardroom
  • ◆4.6-star average across 4,000+ reviews built over 35 years
Our Full Story
The Difference

Chains Replicate. Families Create.

There is a reason family-owned restaurants taste different. Here is what that looks like in practice.

🏭
The Chain Experience
Chain Italian
Frozen pasta reheated. Pre-portioned sauces from a bag. Menu designed in a test kitchen 1,000 miles away. Turnover means your server started last week. Every location looks the same because every location is the same.
🍝
The Ciao Italia Experience
Ciao Italia
Pasta rolled by hand. Sauces simmered from scratch. Menu created by the same family that has been cooking here since 1991. Your server has been here for years. One location, one family, one kitchen — doing it right every single night.
⭐
The Result
The Result
4.6 stars. 4,000+ reviews. Guests who come back year after year. A restaurant that has lasted 35 years on the most competitive strip in Orlando — not because of marketing, but because the food is real.
From Our Kitchen

Scratch-Made Every Night

These are the dishes that keep guests coming back — made from scratch by the same family kitchen since 1991.

Sacchetti al Filetto — handmade truffle pasta purses at Ciao Italia family-owned Italian restaurant Orlando
Sacchetti al Filetto
Signature — Handmade Pasta
Handmade pasta purses stuffed with filet mignon, finished in a black truffle cream sauce. The dish that makes guests stop mid-conversation. You will not find this at a chain.
Brasato — braised short rib in Barolo wine at Ciao Italia family-owned restaurant Orlando
Brasato
Signature — Slow-Braised
Bone-in short rib braised low and slow in Barolo wine until it falls apart at the touch of a fork. A centerpiece dish that only a kitchen with patience and pride can pull off.
Linguine Vongole — fresh clam pasta at Ciao Italia Italian restaurant Orlando
Linguine Vongole
Classic — Fresh Seafood
Fresh littleneck clams tossed with linguine in a white wine, garlic, and olive oil sauce. Simple, honest, and impossible to fake. This is what scratch-made Italian tastes like.
Common Questions

Family-Owned Restaurant FAQ

Is Ciao Italia a family-owned restaurant?

Yes. Ciao Italia Ristorante has been owned and operated by the Navarra family since 1991. It has never been sold, never been franchised, and never been part of a corporate group. The same family that opened the doors 35 years ago still runs the kitchen and the dining room today.

How long has Ciao Italia been open in Orlando?

Ciao Italia opened in 1991 on International Drive in Orlando, Florida. That is 35 years of continuous operation under the same family ownership — one of the longest-running independent Italian restaurants on I-Drive.

Who owns Ciao Italia Ristorante?

The Navarra family owns and operates Ciao Italia Ristorante. The restaurant has been in the family since it opened in 1991. There are no outside investors, no franchise agreement, and no corporate parent company. It is a fully independent, family-owned Italian restaurant.

Is Ciao Italia a chain restaurant?

No. Ciao Italia is not a chain. It is a single, independently owned Italian restaurant operated by the Navarra family since 1991. There is only one Ciao Italia, located at 6149 Westwood Blvd on International Drive in Orlando. Every dish is made from scratch in their kitchen — no corporate menu, no frozen pasta, no pre-portioned sauces.

What kind of food does Ciao Italia serve?

Ciao Italia serves scratch-made Southern Italian cuisine. Handmade pasta, fresh seafood, slow-braised meats like short rib and veal, imported Italian ingredients, and sauces simmered from scratch daily. They are not a steakhouse, not a banquet hall, and not a seafood restaurant — they are a casual Italian restaurant with upscale vibes. Wine and beer only, no cocktails.

Does Ciao Italia have a dress code?

No. Ciao Italia has no dress code. The restaurant looks elegant but is genuinely casual — shorts, sandals, and flip-flops are all welcome. The Navarra family wants every guest to feel comfortable. Upscale vibes, casual comfort.

Where is Ciao Italia located?

Ciao Italia is located at 6149 Westwood Blvd on International Drive in Orlando, FL 32821. It is across from the DoubleTree by Hilton, under 1 mile from SeaWorld Orlando, 1 mile (5 minutes) from the Orange County Convention Center, and about 10 minutes from Epic Universe. Free self-parking is available.

What are Ciao Italia’s hours?

Ciao Italia is open for dinner 7 nights a week from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Reservations are recommended but not required. Private luncheons are available by special arrangement for groups of 15 or more. Call (407) 354-0770 for reservations or inquiries.

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Taste 35 Years of Family Cooking

One family. One kitchen. Scratch-made Southern Italian food, served the same way since 1991. Your table is waiting.

Reserve a Table (407) 354-0770
Family-Owned
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