Nevada's Best Italian Restaurant Is This 41-Year-Old Family-Owned Staple In Las Vegas

Restaurants in Las Vegas abound, some glitzy and over-the-top, others elegant, themed, nestled inside casinos, or harboring a vintage vibe. Regardless of what each brings to the culinary scene, only one eatery in Vegas claims the top spot on our Tasting Table list of the best Italian restaurant in every U.S. state. It's the always-classic Ferraro's Ristorante on Paradise Road. Dishing out Italian cuisine since 1985, it's about as authentic and creative as you'll find anywhere in the state of Nevada, according to our reviewer. 

We're not the only one taking notice of this beloved fine-dining gem; it consistently gets nods from the Gambero Rosso Top Italian Restaurants Guide, a known authority on worldwide Italian fare. It considers Ferraro's one of the world's best Italian dining spots, bestowing prestigious awards for its culinary and wine programs. It's not the kind of place you find by chance when roaming the famous or not-so-famous streets of Vegas. It's more about being in-the-know about legendary Italian dining, where family-owned Ferraro dishes out region-specific Italian foods far from gastronomic hubs of Rome, Tuscany, Milan, Florence, or Naples. 

Ristorante Ferraro came to life at the hands of Gino and Rosalba Ferraro more than 40 years ago, beginning as a small deli and pizza shop before evolving into today's full-scale dining destination. Its staying power is legendary, even as other dining spots wax, wane, or circle the drain. The ambiance is white-tablecloth elegant, yet lively and warm — but it's really the food that carries the torch.

In keeping with modest beginnings, the now-famous, fine-dining Ristorante Ferraro still honors an identity rooted in family recipes and Italian heritage — evidenced by who's cooking in the kitchen. The family-led commitment remains with Executive Chef Mimmo Ferraro, son of the original owners, dishing out traditional Italian meals using seasonal ingredients, hand-rolled pasta, all-natural meats, fresh seafood, and wild-caught fish. 

Deep-diving into signature dishes, a good place to start is Osso Buco, the house specialty featuring veal shank cooked slowly in a red-wine reduction. It's accompanied by a saffron-based risotto, reflecting Italy's commitment to growing and hand-harvesting delicate saffron pistils.  More dinner-menu items represent regional dishes such as Coniglio Brasato with braised rabbit or a honeycomb-braised Trippa Satriano with Calabrese peppers. You'll also find things like acorn-fed Iberian Spanish pork, Australian Waygu striploin, plenty of pastas and risottos, and fish plates ranging from Holland dover sole to hazelnut-crusted branzino. 

One of Ferraro's most acclaimed features is its wine program. It emphasizes a deep Italian focus in its collection, with wines from Tuscany and Piedmont getting focus. Major producers and regions represented include Barolo, Barbaresco, and Brunello, plus dozens more from deeply held collections, including an Angelo Gaja grouping of 40-plus selections. If that's a bit overwhelming, dining guests can request a guided tasting menu with food and wine pairings. For more excellent dining options in Nevada, check out these hidden-gem restaurants in Las Vegas that only locals know about and these 30 best restaurants in Las Vegas.