New Orleans, LA
Best Italian in New Orleans.
Harry's top 10 Italian spots in New Orleans score 75–91 on the Harry Score. 2 carry critic or guide backing. Prices run $ to $$$.
New Orleans didn't get an Italian neighborhood so much as a Sicilian one, and it shows. The blocks around the French Market were called Little Palermo a century ago, thick with Sicilian grocers and bakers — which is why the city's real Italian contribution isn't a red-sauce platter but a sandwich: cured meats, olive salad, provolone, muffuletta bread. Skip the rooms coasting on that legacy without earning it. Judge the red gravy itself, long-cooked and unsweetened, not the garlic bread, and not how many mob-movie posters are on the wall.
Ranked by Harry Score. The Harry Score is a weighted blend of Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor, and critic mentions. No paid placements. No affiliate links.
Scores last recomputed
Pulcinella!
italian
1300 St Bernard Ave First Floor, New Orleans
4.9 across 340 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; fairly priced for what it is.
$$
Harry
91
Worth It
80
Paladar
italian
511 Marigny St, New Orleans
4.7 across 1.6k Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; local & imported talent helm the kitchen at this sleek spot serving pizzas, pastas &….
$$$
Harry
86
Worth It
76
Irene's
italian
529 Bienville St, New Orleans
4.5 across 2.5k Tripadvisor reviews, and Google lands in the same place; praised by Travelers Choice (Tripadvisor Travelers Choice 2025).
$$$
Harry
86
Worth It
76
Vincent's Italian Cuisine
italian
7839 St Charles Ave, New Orleans
4.6 across 1.3k Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; southern Italian spot for red-sauce pastas, crab bisque & other classic fare in an….
Caveat: You're getting an experience. Whether you needed it is up to you.
$$$
Harry
83
Worth It
75
Sofia
italian · pizza
516 Julia St, New Orleans
4.6 across 1.3k Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; ranked #252 of 2,215 locally on Tripadvisor.
$$
Harry
82
Worth It
77
Cibo
italian · bagel-shop
1114 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans
4.6 across 299 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; punches well above its price point.
$
Harry
80
Worth It
78
Arabella Casa Di Pasta
italian
2258 St Claude Ave, New Orleans
4.6 across 658 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; laid-back Italian eatery specializing in build-your-own pasta dishes with various….
$$
Harry
79
Worth It
75
Rocky & Carlo's: Restaurant & Bar | Italian
italian · seafood
613 W St Bernard Hwy, Chalmette
4.6 across 2.6k Google reviews; big portions of down-home Creole-Italian fare like mac 'n' cheese in a retro….
$$
Harry
78
Worth It
76
Osteria Lupo
italian
4609 Magazine St, New Orleans
4.5 across 383 Google reviews; listed in the Michelin Guide.
$$
Harry
77
Worth It
74
Mona Lisa
italian · pizza
1212 Royal St, New Orleans
4.5 across 1.3k Google reviews, and Tripadvisor lands in the same place; simple Italian dishes & pizza in an intimate, laid-back space hung with "Mona Lisa"….
$$
Harry
75
Worth It
73
Italian in other cities
More cuisines in New Orleans
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Questions Harry gets about Italian in New Orleans
- What is the best Italian restaurant in New Orleans?
- Pulcinella! tops Harry's Italian list for New Orleans right now, with a Harry Score of 91/100.
- How does Harry Hungry score Italian restaurants in New Orleans?
- Harry Hungry blends ratings from Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor, and critic mentions into a weighted Harry Score (0–100). A separate Worth It Score ranks restaurants by value for money. No paid placements, no affiliate links — the ranking is built from public data only.
- Are there tourist-trap Italian restaurants in New Orleans to avoid?
- Harry Hungry flags restaurants where Tripadvisor ratings diverge significantly from local reviews — a common tourist-trap signal. See the tourist trap index for New Orleans on Harry Hungry for a full breakdown.