10 Of The Oldest Italian Restaurants In The US
Italian restaurants aren't hard to come by in the U.S. In fact, there are over 40,000 across the entire country — so if you're craving a slice of pizza, an indulgent bowl of pasta, or the type of stacked sandwich that leaves extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinaigrette dripping down your chin, you won't be short on options.
But if you want a slice of history with your meal, there are only a few Italian restaurants that can lay claim to being among the oldest in the U.S. The eateries below are living, breathing historical records. They feel like stepping into the set of "The Godfather," can tell you stories of the motherland and Prohibition, and set your taste buds ablaze with simple, fresh Italian recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.
Join us as we go from coast to coast, taking a closer look at 10 of the oldest Italian restaurants in the country. Just a warning, but by the end of this list, you'll probably want to jump in the car and try some of these out firsthand. To that we say: buon appetito.
Fior d'Italia
San Francisco institution Fior d'Italia is almost as old as Italy itself. Seriously: The Italian unification dates back to 1861, and Fior d'Italia opened its doors just over 20 years later, in 1886. To put it mildly, it's not been an easy ride for the restaurant over the last 140 years, but it has persevered. In fact, Fior d'Italia has been forced to relocate multiple times; it's weathered a fire, a catastrophic earthquake (it kept serving from an emergency tent), and brief closures amid financial troubles, but it's still standing.
Back in the 1880s, northern cuisine was on the menu, and you could indulge in a dish of veal scaloppine for less than 15 cents. The menu has evolved considerably since then, of course, but it's still rooted in northern Italian traditions. There's osso buco, for example, as well as ravioli de zucca and gnocchi alla Piemontese. Like many Italian-American restaurants, Fior d'Italia has also branched out to offer favorites from all over the region, including Roman minestrone and fettuccine ai tre latti (or fettuccine with three milks, also known as fettuccine Alfredo).
Since Fior d'Italia was first established, San Francisco's Italian dining scene has expanded to include more than 100 restaurants. But despite the competition, 140-year-old Fior d'Italia still comes highly recommended. "Fior D'Italia is so tasty, so reasonable, so homey, so historic," wrote one Redditor in the r/AskSF subreddit. "Just go. There's no occasion it's not perfect for."
(415) 986-1886
2237 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Dante & Luigi's
Just over a decade after Fior d'Italia opened its doors, Dante & Luigi's opened hundreds of miles away in Philadelphia. At the time, the aim was to provide a welcoming hub for Italian immigrants who were arriving in the city in droves. In fact, in the 30 years between 1890 and 1920, around 60,000 Italians would decide to call Philadelphia home. Dante & Luigi's, located in the Italian Market district, was one of many businesses to provide refuge for Italian immigrants, many of whom experienced anti-Italian prejudice and discrimination in the wider city.
Today, anti-Italian sentiment has cooled considerably across the U.S., but Dante & Luigi's is still serving up its classic cuisine to tourists and locals alike. Today, it's the kind of place you go if you want something a little special, with white tablecloths, authentic, scratch-made food, and an old-school ambiance that feels chic and fancy, with just the right touch of homeliness. According to fans, menu highlights include the baked lasagna with homemade gravy, the gnocchi Romano, and the baked rigatoni with ricotta and spinach. But whatever you do, don't skip the tiramisu. "I don't care what you get as an entree as long as you get the tiramisu," said one Redditor in the r/philadelphiaeats subreddit.
(215) 922-9501
762 S 10th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Ralph's Italian Restaurant
For obvious reasons (the wave of immigration we discussed earlier), Philadelphia is an Italian dining hub. There are dozens of spots to choose from across the city, but for many, it comes down to two destinations: Dante & Luigi's and Ralph's.
Ralph's Italian Restaurant opened in 1900 in South Philadelphia, just a few years after Dante & Luigi's. The restaurant has always been a family business, and today, it's still run by the grandchildren of Ralph, the restaurant's namesake and the son of the original owners, Francesco and Catherine Dispigno (according to the restaurant, this makes it the oldest family-run Italian eatery in the country). The couple moved from Sicily to Philadelphia in 1893, and today, there is still evidence of those Sicilian roots on the extensive menu. The most obvious, of course, is the Sicilian chicken or veal, served with balsamic reduction, olives, and long hot peppers, but there's also the Sicilian staple and Italian-American favorite, eggplant Parmigiana.
Whatever you choose, fans of this Philadelphian institution say you can't go wrong. The setting is intimate, the food is authentic and full of flavor, and the prices are a little more reasonable than some of the other older Italian establishments in the city (ahem, Dante & Luigi's).
(215) 627-6011
760 S 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Lombardi's
When they sailed across the Atlantic, millions of Italians brought the food of their homeland with them. One of those foods was pizza, and, of course, it was a hit. But let's rewind back to 1905. Back then, hundreds of thousands of Italians were landing in the U.S., settling in New York City, and setting up businesses.
One of those immigrants was Gennaro Lombardi, a Neapolitan baker who knew how to whip up a good pizza pie. He mastered the art of what we now know as New York-style, layering up rich, aromatic tomato sauce on a thin and crispy base with low-moisture, stringy mozzarella made with whole milk. He served the dish from his restaurant in Manhattan's Little Italy neighborhood — the first pizzeria in the entire city, and one of the oldest in the country.
Today, Lombardi's still keeps its pizza menu simple. You can go for the classic Margherita, or maybe meat, or eggplant, for example, which you can pair with rich pasta or follow up with a creamy cheesecake. It's been in business for over 100 years, but today, Lombardi's is just as beloved as ever. In fact, it has become a bit of a bucket list destination, so if you're hoping to visit soon, three words of advice: expect to queue.
(212) 941-7994
32 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
Gargiulos
In the 1910s, when many Italian immigrants decided to move away from the hustle and bustle of the city and head to Coney Island on the Brooklyn coast, Gargiulos was already there waiting for them. The restaurant was established by the Gargiulo family in 1907, and quickly became a beloved eatery and community hub. It would host weddings and other family celebrations in its grand ballroom, and make sure guests were fed well with its flavor-laden, scratch-made Neapolitan cuisine.
In the 1960s, another Italian family, the Russos from Sorrento, took over Gargiulos, but they didn't change the ethos. Today, the restaurant is still a cornerstone of the Coney Island dining scene and an Italian-American gem. For dinner, customers can choose from delights like spaghettini Sorrentina, penne marinara, and risotto ai funghi. The quality of the food, together with the old-school ambiance, is one of the key reasons it's still frequently recommended to today's Coney Island tourists.
(718) 266-4891
2911 W 15th St, Coney Island, NY 11224
John's of 12th Street
In the 1920s, when Prohibition was in full swing, many Italian restaurateurs saw an opportunity. They could transform their eateries into speakeasies and serve up wine and Italian food to people desperate to get out and let loose. In fact, these underground Italian bars were a huge part of what made the 1920s roaring in spite of the widespread alcohol bans. You guessed it: John's of 12th Street in New York City was one of those speakeasies. In fact, if you visit today, you'll see the same candles on the tables that were once lit to alert diners to the presence of police.
Today, John's of 12th Street, founded by Umbrian immigrant John Pucciatti in 1908, is like stepping into the past. It's not just the candles, but also the general decoration, atmosphere, ambiance, and, of course, the food. "You go to [John's] for the portions, the vibe, and because it's an institution (or need vegan options)," said one Redditor in r/FoodNYC, who admitted that the food can sometimes be average, but you can overlook this fact for everything else John's has to offer.
They're right on the vegan options, too. Despite its old-school reputation, John's of 12th Street has kept up with the times with its enviable plant-based menu. Think seitan Parmigiana, vegan ragu, and dairy-free cannoli. "As a vegetarian who cosplays a mob movie character, [it's] perfect," added another Reddit user.
(212) 475-9531
302 E 12th St, New York, NY 10003
DeFonte's
Sure, the Italians gave us delicious pasta, indulgent desserts, and incredible pizzas. But they're also really good at sandwiches. For proof, you need only head to DeFonte's in Brooklyn, which has been serving the Red Hook community its juicy, flavor-packed giant subs since 1922. Seriously: It's still run by the descendants of Nick DeFonte, who opened the deli after immigrating to the U.S. from Mola di Bari in southern Italy.
DeFonte's has built a strong following over the last century; it has legions of loyal followers, some of whom have frequented the sandwich shops their entire lives. As you'd expect, people have strong feelings about what to order. For some, the eggplant Parm is impossible to beat, for others, it's the steak pizzaiola or roast pork every time. Many also love to keep it simple, with potato, egg, and cheese. Yes, a potato sandwich. Don't knock it until you've tried it.
While preferences vary, most customers are united by one thing: the feeling that this institution is something special, to be cherished and valued for generations to come. "Enjoy places like Defonte's while they're still around," wrote one Redditor in the r/FoodNYC subreddit. "They don't make 'em like this anymore, and they never will."
(718) 625-8052
379 Columbia St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Totonno's
Lombardi's didn't just give New York pizza; it also helped to influence some of the region's oldest and most beloved Italian restaurants. Before he decided to branch out on his own and open Coney Island's Totonno's, for example, Neapolitan immigrant Anthony Pero worked at Lombardi's restaurant. In 1924, he took some of his learnings from the pizzeria south to Brooklyn's vacation hotspot and built a new family-owned pizzeria, which also specialized in classic New York pizza. Arguably, it's even better than Lombardi's now (although, of course, that's up for debate).
The secret to Totonno's pizza is the charred crust (the pies are coal-fired), which has a pleasantly chewy consistency, and the simplicity of the toppings. It's just really good tomato sauce, combined with fresh mozzarella. If you know what you're doing, that's all you need for an outstanding pizza. "It's definitely the most unique round pizza I've ever had," wrote one person in the r/Pizza subreddit. "The textures are amazing." Another added: "I'm from Brooklyn and it's crazy how many people I know have never even heard of Totonno's. It's easily in my top [three], if not the best."
(718) 372-8606
1524 Neptune Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224
Angelo's
It's not all that surprising that one of the oldest Italian restaurants in the U.S. is in Providence. From the late 1890s to the 1930s, tens of thousands of Italians decided to make this Rhode Island city their home. Some came to work in the textile mills, while others decided to set up restaurants to feed their fellow immigrants. In 1924, Angelo Mastrodicasa, an immigrant from Abruzzo, did just that, opening Angelo's Civita Farnese on Atwells Avenue.
At the time, Angelo's was nothing special. Likely influenced by Italy's cucina povera (kitchen of the poor), the food was basic, but the flavors were impressive. That's still the case today; menu options include Tuscan white bean pasta, spaghettini aglio olio (which is just pasta with oil, olives, and fresh garlic), and pesto gnocchi. They're simple, but full of fresh flavor, and people love them.
Diners also adore the old-school ambiance, which, like all of the restaurants on this list, Angelo's (still run by Mastrodicasa's relatives) has kept intact. "This place is a quintessential Italian place (or what I picture that to be)," reads one Yelp review. "I could imagine the deals and contracts being made in our little round booth so many years ago."
(401) 621-8171
141 Atwells Ave, Providence, RI 02903
The Village
Of course, we had to get to Chicago at some point. The city has a sizable Italian-American population, thanks to the many immigrants who chose it as their home back in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In fact, by 1930, there were nearly 74,000 Italian-born immigrants living in the Windy City. One of those immigrants was Alfredo Capitanini, who arrived in Chicago after moving from Tuscany in 1924. He immediately got to work washing dishes in local restaurants, and just three years after settling in the U.S., he opened his own restaurant, which he named The Village.
Today, the menu still reflects Capitanini's Tuscan roots, with dishes like bisteca alla Florentina and flavorful salads with kale, lemon, crispy chickpeas, and white anchovies. But there's also juicy sandwiches, pizzas, and a wide range of Italian and Italian-American pasta dishes, too, of course.
The Village is charming, full of history and cozy ambiance, thanks to the dim lighting and authentic Italian background music. "Stepping into The Village feels like walking straight into a piece of Chicago history," reads one Yelp review. "And the food lives up to every bit of it."
(312) 332-7005
71 W Monroe St, Chicago, IL 60603