Who doesn't love a big bowl of perfectly prepared pasta? Whether it's a creamy carbonara or spaghetti in silky red sauce, or inventive creations and new takes on the classics, there are times when nothing else will do. We've found the best places around the US for a comforting, flavor-packed bowl of pasta. Read on to find out the best in your state, and just what's so special about it.
Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.
The menu changes often at this top-notch Italian restaurant, which is often cited as Alabama's best. But you'll always find a bolognese on the menu. Their version is made with braised venison, tomatoes, carrots and red wine, paired with delicate pappardelle. One thing's for sure: it's incredibly delicious and indulgent. Reservations are recommended for the dining room, open evenings, while the adjacent café serving a more relaxed menu of pizzas, salads, pastas and ristottos is open all day with no booking needed.
It's all about the seafood in Alaska, so it's no surprise that the best pasta dish in the state incorporates just that. At Louie's Steak and Seafood, halibut, salmon, shrimp, and scallops are sautéed in your choice of a zesty garlic herb butter or homemade alfredo sauce, and served with perfectly cooked pasta. It's a hearty dish that seafood fans absolutely love.
Better known for his Italian pizzas, chef Chris Bianco also knows how to serve up a mean plate of pasta. Available at the Town and Country location of Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, the house-made pappardelle pairs wonderfully with the rich grass-fed beef bolognese (pictured right). It might seem simple, but this dish is packed with unbelievable flavor – a true joy for the senses.
Famous for its red sauce, Bruno's has been serving customers brilliant Italian-American dishes since 1949. Rated as one of the best Italian restaurants in Arkansas, the menu is full of delicious options, but the lasagna imbotito is legendary. Layers of ricotta, mozzarella and romano cheese are stacked with Italian sausage, meatballs, and various cured meats. It's nothing short of genius.
A wonderful medley of Japanese and Italian flavors, this fusion dish at Marugame Monzo shouldn't work, but it does. The thick udon noodles are perfect for absorbing all of the creamy carbonara sauce, that's spiked with a little miso. It's unlike any other carbonara dish you've ever tasted – yet when you've tried it once, you'll want to eat it again and again.
The beautiful flavors of sweet Maine lobster and spicy Calabrian chili are a match made in heaven in this tagliatelle dish from Tavernetta. The dish is bright and light thanks to the addition of celery and preserved tomato, while the pasta is handmade and cooked flawlessly. Booking is recommended but there is patio, lounge, and bar seating available for walk-ins.
An old-timey Italian joint open since 1938, Consiglio's has countless excellent pasta dishes on the menu, yet it's the classic lasagna that diners can't get enough of. Decadent layers of minced beef, ricotta, and pasta sheets are baked with their famous red sauce and mozzarella. It's indulgent, it's hearty, and it's cheesy – lasagna perfection.
Open for nearly 80 years, Mrs. Robino's is a longtime local favorite. The menu is filled with delightful options, such as cannelloni florentine and veal and chicken parmigiana. But if you come here just once, your choice has to be the Tour of Italy pasta. A mountain of spaghetti and ravioli is topped with a huge homemade meatball and sausage, then smothered in a secret red sauce.
Consistently rated one of the best Italian restaurants in the state, Cafe Prima Pasta delivers delicious homemade pasta and has been doing so for the past couple of decades. Their crab raviolotti (a miniature version of ravioli) is the star of the menu, though. It's filled with deliciously sweet crab meat and served in a creamy lobster sauce, so every bite is a perfect morsel of seafood flavor.
A recipe developed by BoccaLupo's chef Bruce Logue, the black spaghetti dish is unlike any other pasta you've tried before. The intense black color comes from squid ink and the sauce is a real treat, made with hot Calabrian sausage for a hint of heat and spice, red shrimp, and scallions. Customers say it's a winning combination.
Although you'll find carbonara dishes all over the world, the one at Fête Hawaii is a slight deviation from the classic which, according to diners, only makes it even better. The silky-smooth sauce incorporates two cheeses, Parmesan, and pecorino, and is tossed with perfectly al dente spaghetti and a mix of salty cubes of bacon and pieces of Portuguese sausage.
Àlavita's striking black ravioli are stuffed with butter-poached shrimp and fontina cheese before they're tossed in a cream sauce that's infused with lobster, lime, fennel, and thyme. The heavy cream sauce carries the delicate flavors beautifully – the result is a light pasta dish that's still full of indulgent flavor.
You might think there's no need to reimagine a classic like carbonara, because what could possibly make it better? But you'll change your mind once you visit Formento's. Here, bucatini (thick spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the center) is topped with a perfectly runny egg yolk, crispy pancetta, and fresh cracked black pepper, which come together to create a sensational dish.
If you're after hearty servings of the best Italian-American dishes in Indiana, look no further than Mama Carolla's. The restaurant's rosemary chicken lasagna is a very special dish – slices of roasted chicken are layered with a mixture of wild mushrooms, spinach, ricotta, fresh mozzarella, and spices, as well as fresh pasta sheets, and baked to perfection. The lasagna is finished with a pool of tomato butter sauce too.
With several brilliant pasta options on the menu, it's not easy to single out the best dish at this top Italian restaurant in Iowa. However, the handmade cavatelli is a strong favorite among diners. The fresh pasta is doused in a stunning marinara sauce that incorporates the hearty flavors of Italian sausage and the cheesy goodness of mozzarella. One thing is guaranteed here – you won't leave hungry.
There's no way of describing the homemade pesto at Albero Cafe other than 'genius'. It's wonderfully garlicky with just the right amount of fragrant basil and plenty of salty Parmesan. The fresh penne pasta is then tossed in the pesto along with pine nuts, Parmesan cream sauce, and fresh basil. Delicious.
Something of a signature dish at Vincenzo's, the lobster tail spaghetti is a long-time favorite of customers, available only on the dinner menu. It's a relatively simple dish that relies on the freshness and flavor of the ingredients to make it so irresistible: spaghetti is tossed with shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, rocket, olive oil, parsley, and garlic.
Recognized as one of the best Italian restaurants in the state, Vincent's Italian Cuisine is a Metairie staple that's been serving huge portions of superb Italian food since 1989. The best dish you can order here is the house special cannelloni. The feather-light pasta is stuffed with veal and spinach, and cooked in both red and alfredo cream sauces. The dish is also served at the sister restaurant in Uptown.
Could it be anything other than fresh Maine lobster? We think not. At Street and Co., a Mediterraen seafood restaurant opened in 1989, it's served in a heady seafood stew of mussels, clams, and calamari that's mixed with garlicky, buttery linguine. Scoop the lobster meat out, mix into the pasta, and enjoy total food heaven.
At Grano Pasta Bar in Baltimore you can expect to find a menu of traditional pasta dishes as well as more modern takes on Italian cuisine but it's the simple, yet delicious, linguine mussels order that has customers coming back for more. A circle of Prince Edward mussels surrounds perfectly cooked linguine tossed in olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, wine, butter, and herbs in this classic dish.
A beloved small-plates Italian restaurant in Boston, Coppa is perfect for a laid-back meal, and everyone will tell you to order the carbonara. Made the traditional way with pancetta, egg yolk, and Parmesan, the dish is taken to new heights with the addition of sea urchin, or uni. The saltiness from the pancetta complements the uni's creaminess.
You can't go wrong with any pasta order at top Italian restaurant Bacco in Detroit's suburbs. However, it's the strozzapreti norcina you'll really want to try. The long delicate tubes of pasta are tossed with a buttery sauce of house sausage, tomato, cream, and a touch of truffle oil, making for a simply exquisite dish.
Pasta lovers in Minneapolis are already familiar with Molly and Tom Broder's casual pasta bar, which has been delighting diners with fresh handmade pasta in delicious Italian-inspired sauces for years. With nearly 30 pastas and risottos on the menu it might be difficult to choose, but you've got to go for the tagliarini. Served in a light truffle cream sauce with Prosciutto di Parma, it's the restaurant's best dish. Only curbside pick-up is available.
Although the angel hair pastas are exceptional at BRAVO!, in the heart of Jackson, it's the lasagna that regulars say is the dish to order. Classic and cooked to perfection, the dish sees pasta layers stacked with ricotta, house-minced beef, spectacular marinara sauce, and gooey mozzarella. It's utterly irresistible.
A St Louis specialty, you'll find toasted ravioli on pretty much all the menus across the city. If you're looking for the best, though, head straight for the cozy, family-run Anthonino's Taverna, which serves a mix of Italian and Greek cuisine. Crispy on the outside and filled with delicious meat inside, the toasted ravioli come with a marinara sauce for dipping too.
You might be surprised to see a seafood dish topping the charts in Montana, but you simply can't deny the amazing flavors of Ciao Mambo's linguini alle vongole served in their Whitefish, Billings, and Missoula locations. The baby clams are tossed with perfectly made pasta and a white or red sauce, depending on your preference. As the restaurant modestly states on their menu – it's one of the best.
Although better known for its steaks, Spezia's pasta offerings are excellent too. A standout dish, the giglio with chicken and asparagus combines the twisty pasta shapes with a creamy pesto sauce, grilled chicken pieces, toasted yellow peppers, asparagus, and tomato basil relish. It's as colorful as it is delicious.
When craving a proper pasta dish in Nevada, there's only one answer – pappardelle bolognese at Chef Marc's Trattoria. Cooking with Tuscan flare, chef Marc Sgrizzi brings a taste of Italy to Las Vegas and the bolognese is hands down the best dish to try. Slowly stewed with vegetables, wild boar meat, and tomatoes, the sauce is then tossed with plenty of pappardelle. It's not always on the menu but, when it is, you're in luck.
This cozy Italian restaurant serves up a long list of delicious pasta dishes where you can take your pick from spaghetti, linguine or penne with your sauce of choice but it's the chicken carbonara that diners especially love. Succulent pieces of chicken are complemented by the sauteed pancetta, onions, and mushrooms, and creamy egg Parmigiana sauce. The carbonara can also be served with veal.
Offering a range of northern and southern Italian dishes, Paisano's always serves up something delicious. The standout, however, is the pappardelle rustica. The pasta is light and perfectly al dente, while the hearty old-style bolognese sauce with a touch of cream has a wonderful depth of flavor. It's the ultimate comfort food.
Serving recipes straight from the owner's Italian grandmother's kitchen, Joe's Pasta House is a classic red-sauce restaurant. The Italian-American spot's best creation is a wonderful fusion dish incorporating New Mexico green chiles. The cheese ravioli are topped with sautéed chicken and the signature green chile alfredo sauce.
Italian-Amercian restaurant Carbone is a star of the New York food scene, with customers loving its elegant surroundings and the classic dishes with an extra-special twist. The specialty is the spicy rigatoni vodka, which receives rave reviews. House-made pasta is tossed in a delicious take on vodka sauce that incorporates onions, tomatoes, and cream, and the taste is nothing short of luxurious.
A strong favorite among locals, the penne alla vodka is the best pasta dish you'll find on Mama Ricotta's menu. With high-quality ingredients and attention to detail, it's the restaurant's most famous offering too. The penne is al dente, the spicy tomato cream sauce is spiked with pepper vodka and the dish is finished with some sautéed salty pancetta.
Butterhorn specializes in showcasing the best seasonal ingredients sourced from all over the Midwest. Fresh pasta is made in-house daily with the menu changing with the seasons, and customers say whatever is on offer will be the pasta pasta you've ever tasted. Pictured is the spaghetti with fresh shrimp and scampi, but other recent popular pastas include cavatelli alla vodka with house-made fennel sausage and tortellini with charred cabbage and toasted garlic breadcrumbs.
You'll find that quite often the simplest pasta dishes are the most effective and Sotto's cappellacci with short rib is no exception. Similar to ravioli, cappellacci is a type of filled pasta that, in this instance, is served in a light cream sauce with shallots and thyme. One of the original Sotto dishes, it's been on the menu since the restaurant opened in 2013 and remains a strong customer favorite.
The humble Italian sausage pasta at Stella is simply delicious. The pasta is tossed with sautéed mushrooms and sausage in a red wine sauce, and finished with Parmesan shavings on top. It's a wonderfully comforting dish and customers can't get enough if it.
A dish not for the faint-hearted or small of appetite, Grassa's mac 'n' cheese is topped with a generous helping of sticky barbecue pork belly bites. The handmade macaroni are hugged by an incredibly cheesy cream sauce that's spiked with jalapeño and topped with cornbread crumble. This is comfort food at its very best.
The incredible skills of Le Virtù's chefs are best displayed in their signature maccheroni alla mugnaia dish. A long, single strand of hand-pulled pasta is dressed with garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, pecorino cheese, and hot peppers. The dish comes with more hot peppers and chili on the side, should you want to add more spice, but satisfied customers say the pasta is already seasoned to perfection.
One of the best baked pasta dishes out there, Al Forno's pasta shells are baked to absolute perfection in a delicious tomato, cream, and five-cheese sauce. The dish is cooked until the cheese on top is bubbly and golden – but arguably the best bit is the edges, where the pasta turns deliciously crispy.
More famous for its wood-fired pizzas, Renzo also always has a perfect pasta dish or two on its ever-changing menu. These receive regular praise from loyal customers. The wood-fired lasagna is said to be out-of-this-world. The dish combines bolognese di testa with provolone piccante, pecorino, parsely, mint, and 'grandma's special sauce'.
Baked cheese tortellini is about as comforting as pasta can get. The cheese-stuffed pasta pillows at Johnny Carino's, loved for its warming pasta dishes and exceptional cocktails, are mixed with a creamy cheese sauce before being baked with mozzarella and Parmesan on top. If you love cheese and you love pasta, this is quite possibly the best dish ever.
An incredibly simple yet delicious dish from The Bar-B-Q Shop, this BBQ spaghetti combines the best of Italian food with Memphis' signature barbecue flavor. The dish pairs pasta with chopped onions and green bell peppers, and is topped with barbecued pulled pork, drenched in the restaurant's signature Dancing Pigs Bar-B-Que Sauce.
Another excellent ravioli dish on the list, the offering at Bludorn is somewhat unexpected but much-loved by the customers. Perfectly formed ravioli are stuffed with the softest short rib and served with the unusual combination of blue cheese, figs, and red onion. We guarantee you'll want to lick your plate clean.
Anyone familiar with the restaurant scene in Salt Lake City will know about Valter's Osteria and its late, legendary owner Valter Nassi, who died in 2022. His menu lives on, filled with Tuscan classics inspired by his mother. But the one you'll want to order is the rigatoni dish, slathered in a sauce based on a family recipe. The rigatoni is soft and chewy and its tube shape is perfect for carrying as much of the tomato-based porcini and meat sauce as possible.
A great traditional Italian trattoria that's been going for more than 20 years, Trattoria Delia knows a thing or two about pasta. The house-made spaghetti is combined with lobster claws, broccoli rabe, tomatoes, and Calabrian chilies in a lobster fra diavolo dish that's utterly irresistible.
The selection at Dal Grano might be large but there's only one pasta and sauce combination you'll want to get. The bucatini all'amatriciana combines fresh bucatini pasta with a rich, traditional amatriciana sauce made of tomato, pancetta, onion, and pecorino cheese. Can't get enough of it? They sell raw pasta for cooking at home as well.
This traditional Italian restaurant uses locally sourced ingredients and offers a daily changing menu, which is small but perfectly formed. San Fermo's selection of pasta dishes is superb, but it's the saffron spaghetti bolognese, which customers say is truly something very special. The sauce blends pork and veal with rosemary, fennel and parmigiano reggiano. Delicious!
It doesn't really get any more Italian-American than Muriale's, which has been serving up traditional dishes since 1969. Customers say the manicotti dish here is simply divine. The tube-shaped pasta shells are stuffed with ricotta cheese and smothered in a rich meat sauce. If that wasn't enough, it's also served with one of Muriale's famous meatballs.
Owned by renowned chef Paul Bartolotta, Ristorante Bartolotta serves some exceptional pasta. His signature uovo in raviolo dish is only on the menu during the truffle season, but it's well worth seeking out. The large raviolo is filled with spinach, ricotta and egg yolk, cooked to a runny consistency. Finished with Parmesan and brown butter, it's indulgent and rich, just like pasta should be.
Glorietta is a definite must-visit for any pasta lover, with a seasonally changing menu of delicious dishes. A classic that remains on the menu is the meatballs alla nonna, which customers say are a must-have addition to your meal, whether you choose the dish as an appetizer or main. Served on a heap of spaghetti pomodoro, topped with cheese and parsley, this classic and comforting choice is super tasty.