In Grand Rapids, Italian dining tells a story that stretches from Old World family recipes to game‑day pies and polished coastal plates.

Independent stalwarts like Amore Trattoria Italiana, Russo’s, and Pietro’s keep red‑sauce tradition alive, while newer restaurants such as Allora and Palio refresh the scene with seafood‑forward menus and stone‑oven craft, plus a familiar constellation of long‑time local chains and pizzerias that have fed West Michigan for generations.

A little Italian history

Italians began their emigration to the United States back in the late 1800s, many from Southern Italy and Sicily, and once settled in their American city of choice, they created dense enclaves complete with plenty of spots to pick up their favorites. It took until post-World War II for Italian food, like many other cuisines from Europe, to enter the mainstream. However, that brought a pull to American tastes, which differs from Italy’s tendency to focus on regional, seasonal and light fare.

Italian American cuisine often centers heavily around tomato sauce, cheese and meat. The new “red sauce” joints often melded Italian influences into their own adaptations, creating “classic Italian dishes” like chicken parmesan, spaghetti with meatballs, baked ziti and chicken alfredo. That’s not counting the American innovations around the beautifully, light and minimalist pizza pies from Naples, with pizzerias often built for delivery and takeout business, or sports bars, with various styles across the U.S.

And with all Americanization, Italian remains one of the most popular cuisines for American palates, with more than 130,000 Italian restaurants and pizzerias in the United States, an industry worth approximately $100 billion, according to some estimates.

With all that said, more independent restaurants have in recent history begun to focus on regional Italian cuisines truer to their origin.

Downtown charmers

For nearly 30 years, Bistro Bella Vita, 44 Cesar E. Chavez Ave. SW, has anchored downtown in its looming position next to Van Andel Arena, and while it highlights itself as a Mediterranean restaurant specializing in French and Italian, the pizza and pasta, which is made in house, have long been the cornerstone of the menu. Open seven days a week, including lunch during the week, Bistro Bella Vita keeps its long-standing favorites, like Rotini Con Pollo and Pizza Rustica, in the rotation, but it’s never afraid to keep things fresh and innovative.

The newest addition to the Grand Rapids Italian scene is Allora, 201 Monroe Ave. NW, replacing the stalwart Reserve next to DeVos Place.

Allora focuses on Italian coastal fare, like this crudo di ricciola, a popular appetizer. Courtesy photo.

Its coastal Italian flair is evident on the menu, with plenty of bright, citrusy punch on fresh seafood. A yellowfin crudo, Caesar salad and the whole roasted sea bream is a wonderful path to follow at Allora. But it’s not all seafood, as the restaurant also serves up steak and pastas like a traditional Roman style bucatini all‘amatriciana.

Neighborhood gems

Palio, 545 Michigan St. NE, is named after the historic Palio di Siena horse race, which runs through Siena, Italy, twice a year. The Grand Rapids location is an offshoot of an Ann Arbor staple, which has been open since 1991, and serves up plenty of dishes one would expect at a “traditional Italian” restaurant, including spaghetti and meatballs, shrimp scampi, chicken parmesan and chicken Milanese, lasagna and an assortment of pizzas.

Chef Jenna Arcidiacono is nearly a household name in West Michigan at the helm of Amore Trattoria, 5080 Alpine Ave. NW. The restaurant blends Arcidiacono’s long cooking background with an Italian husband and mother-in-law to help bring innovative Italian cuisine to Grand Rapids. Dishes range from a classic Amtriciana to wild boar pappardelle to the simple, yet delicious cacio e pepe, and of course, arancini— seen in the photo at the top of this article.

Gilmore Collection’s Mangiamo, 1033 Lake Drive SE, calls itself classic Italian cuisine with modern sophistication. The menu reads as a cross between an Italian restaurant and a steakhouse, in a beautiful mansion in the East Hills neighborhood. It also has Mo’s Lounge, a cool nearly speakeasy type bar.

Testa Rossa, 1017 Wealthy St. SE, opened up in 2023 by the owners of Uncle Cheetah’s, Electric Cheetah and The Old Goat. It’s a place for crispy pizzas, pastas and sandwiches. Its menu features antipasti like bruschetta, garlic knots, calamari and baked meatballs, a huge assortment of pizzas and pastas and some nice entrée selections like Sicilian pot roast and sausage and peppers.

Licari’s Sicilian Pizza Kitchen first opened in 2012 near Knapp’s Corner, but last year it opened up a new larger space at 3123 Leonard St. NE.

Ricotta Salsiccia at Licari’s Sicilian Pizza Kitchen. Photo by Amanda Kamppinen.

Along with its pizza and pasta centric menu, the Leonard Street location also features a bocce court and four-season patio. There is also a Licari’s location in Hudsonville, 3627 Baldwin St.

Noto’s Old World Italian Dining dates back to 1982 and settled into its present, big location at 6600 28th St. SE in 1997. Along with a menu featuring family recipes from Italy and local products, Noto’s also prides itself on its massive Italian wine cellar and its bocce courts. Noto’s also has a location in Grand Haven, Noto’s at the Bil-Mar, 1223 S. Harbor Drive.

Family staples across Grand Rapids

On the West Side, Salvatore’s, 654 Stocking Ave. NW, has loomed heavy since 1976. The menu highlights including old Sicilian family recipes from Salvatore and Vincenza Tinervia. Like many of the family restaurants, it’s a large menu that features a variety of classic Italian American dishes that diners would expect to find at an Italian restaurant.

Russo Italian Restaurant and Market dates to a 1902 kiosk and progressing through several retail storefronts until a long-time location of GB Russo and Son was found on 29th Street. The six-generation family business has since reopened out in the Tanger Outlets, 350 84th St. SW, with plenty of the same charm it has in the past. Unlike other family joints, Russo’s has an extensive market with Italian products ready to take home. The family also has Russo’s Pizza at 1760 44th St, dating back to 1953.

In 1980, Peter Secchia opened Pietro’s Italian Restaurant, 2780 Birchcrest Drive SE, named after Peter’s grandfather Pietro, who left Italy in 1906 and brought recipes with his wife Regina. The menu continues the traditions set up by the Secchias and offers several options on the menus, including family-style dinners, four- and five-course menu selections and classic plated dinners.

Italian sports bars 

With roots back to 1971, Florentines Sports Lounge 4261 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, has more than 40 screens to watch sports with a menu spanning classic Italian American dishes and pizzas to a slate of burgers and sandwiches. Meanwhile Florentine Ristorante & Sports Bar, 3245 28th St. SW, dates to 1970 and is a more traditional Italian American menu, along with a Mexican section.

Since 1966, the Vitale family has served up pizza to West Michigan, starting with the location at Leonard St. NE. Since then, members of the family have spread out across the region, and building it into a local pizza legend and sports haven. Vitale’s and its extensive sports bar menus with an Italian American tilt are also at

Vitale’s Ada, 400 Ada Drive SEVitale’s Comstock Park, 3868 West River Drive NEVitale’s Zeeland, 59 W. Washington Ave.Vitale’s Hudsonville, 5779 Balsam Drive

Like the Vitale family, the Uccello Family has expanded throughout the region with six Uccello’s Ristorante locations all rooted in Faro Uccello’s first pizza shop in 1978 – which still exists in the form of two Faro’s Italian Pizza. Faro moved back to Sicily in 1990, selling the pizza business he built, but ultimately moved back in 1996 and opened Uccello’s Ristorante Pizzeria & Sports Lounge, 2630 East Beltline Ave. SE. The family has also jumped into the fast casual pizza realm with Herb & Fire Pizzeria, 3180 44th St. SW in Grandville & 2121 Celebration Drive NE.

Uccello’s Downtown Grand Rapids, 122 Monroe Center St. NWUccello’s Caledonia, 8256 Broadmoor Ave. SEUccello’s Grandville, 3940 Rivertown Pkwy SWUccello’s Rockford, 19 N. Main St.Uccello’s Standale/Walker, 4787 Lake Michigan Drive

Another pizza chain and sports bar empire popped up in 1976 when Joe “Peppino” Adelfio and Carlo DiLeonardo opened Peppino’s Pizza in Standale. It has slowly grown, under the guidance of Carlo’s son, Joe DiLeonardo, who formed Peppino’s Hospitality Group in 2004. The business now spans four sports grilles, nine pizzerias, including two in Pennsylvania, and Westside Social Tavern, 2802 Lake Michigan Drive NW.

Peppino’s Sports Grille locations:

130 Ionia Ave SW in Grand Rapids135 Chicago Drive in Jenison5065 Lake Michigan Drive in Allendale1515 Eastport Drive in South Kentwood

Grand Rapids’ Italian American story runs deeper than menus and neon pizza signs. A century ago, Italian families built a Little Italy near Division Avenue. Those roots still show up in the city’s red sauce comfort, family dining rooms and sports bar pizzerias that grew from humble slice shops into game-day institutions across the region.

This roundup isn’t exhaustive. The region’s heritage still thrives in small kitchens, church basements, club halls and smaller pizza joints. Those spots and these big names all keep West Michigan’s Italian tradition alive.