What is the best italian restaurant in New Orleans?

According to Harry Hungry's ranking, Pulcinella! is currently the top-rated italian restaurant in New Orleans 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.

New Orleans, LA

Best Italian in New Orleans.

Harry currently ranks 10 italian spots in New Orleans, scoring 78–91 on the Harry Score. One carries critic or guide backing. Prices run $ to $$$.

Shortcuts show. Italian cooking is the hardest to fake because it has nowhere to hide — no sauce heavy enough, no portion large enough to disguise mediocre pasta. Harry cares whether it was made in-house. The red-checked tablecloth is irrelevant.

Ranked by the Harry Score — a weighted blend of Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor, and critic mentions. No paid placements. No affiliate links.

Scores last recomputed 3 August 2026

Pulcinella!

wine-bar · 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

Worth It

Margot’s

pizza · cocktail-bar

1243 Frenchmen St, New Orleans

4.7 across 236 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; unusually good for what you'll pay.

Harry

Worth It

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

Worth It

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

Worth It

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

Worth It

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

Worth It

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

Worth It

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

Worth It

Pizza Delicious

pizza · italian

617 Piety, New Orleans

4.6 across 2.2k Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; casual, counter-serve restaurant featuring thin-crust pizza & pastas, plus beer & wine.

Harry

Worth It

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

Worth It

Best Italian in every city All New Orleans guides

Italian in other cities

More cuisines in New Orleans

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More New Orleans guides

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Questions Harry gets about italian in New Orleans

What is the best italian restaurant in New Orleans?: According to Harry Hungry's ranking, Pulcinella! is currently the top-rated italian restaurant in New Orleans 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.

Best Italian in New Orleans.

Harry currently ranks 10 italian spots in New Orleans, scoring 78–91 on the Harry Score. One carries critic or guide backing. Prices run $ to $$$.

Ranked by the Harry Score — a weighted blend of Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor, and critic mentions. No paid placements. No affiliate links.

Scores last recomputed 3 August 2026

Pulcinella!

wine-bar · 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

Worth It

Margot’s

pizza · cocktail-bar

1243 Frenchmen St, New Orleans

4.7 across 236 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; unusually good for what you'll pay.

Harry

Worth It

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

Worth It

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

Worth It

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

Worth It

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

Worth It

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

Worth It

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

Worth It

Pizza Delicious

pizza · italian

617 Piety, New Orleans

4.6 across 2.2k Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; casual, counter-serve restaurant featuring thin-crust pizza & pastas, plus beer & wine.

Harry

Worth It

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

Worth It

Questions Harry gets about italian in New Orleans

What is the best italian restaurant in New Orleans?: According to Harry Hungry's ranking, Pulcinella! is currently the top-rated italian restaurant in New Orleans 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.