Top 5 Italian Restaurants in Lafayette, Louisiana According to Yelp

(Lafayette, Louisiana)- Lafayette is a hub for amazing cuisine. Whether that's Japanese, Vietnamese, Jamaican, Mediterranean, or Mexican, this city has a wealth of different cuisines.

One culture's cuisine that Lafayette has in abundance is Italian food. Lafayette has a multitude of restaurants that serve Italian-inspired offerings. Here are the top five Italian restaurants according to Yelp.

5. Alesi's Pizza House

At the number five spot, we have Alesi's Pizza House. Don't be fooled by the name they are more than a pizza house. From their 5-star lasagna to the fried ravioli to their stuffed manicotti to their pizza Alesi's is Italian through and through. They even have the classic Italian neon-colored sign. And if you have room after the amazing meal you have to try their authentic and incredible cannoli. Alesi's is located at 4110 Johnston St Lafayette, LA 70503

Local Review: The BEST Lasagna and Cannolis. I have only eaten inside the restaurant 1 or 2 times but order delivery about once a month. I usually get 2 meals out of the Lasagna that's how large it is. Prices are good would recommend this restaurant to anyone wanting a good Italian food feast

4. Marcello's Wine Market Cafe

Marcello's Wine Market Cafe is more than a liquor and wine store, it is a legitimate Italian restaurant. That is why it made the list at number four. They offer some of the appetizers in town, but their pork cheek marsala is to die for. Also what makes Marcello's spectacular is that you can pair their amazing Italian cuisine with some equally incredible wine. Marcello's is located at 340 Kaliste Saloom Rd Ste C Lafayette, LA 70508

Local Review: Outstanding food and service. We arrived for our Anniversary, sat promptly with a happy anniversary card on our table, ordered 2 mock cocktails recommended by our great waitress, and the evening went upwards from their warm crisp bread, which got us through to the appetizers, and wow it was delicious, the sauce on the mussels over the top, and the calamari was perfect. The entrees, Linguini, and the Pollo were great, but the Risotto I repeat the Risotto was out of this world, the creamy texture matched with the walnuts was a divine experience. For dessert our gracious waitress recommended the Panna Cotta with caramel this ended an amazing meal what great flavor. Definitely top 2 best Anniversary meals.

3. Cafe Bella

Coming in at the number three spot we have Cafe Bella. Cafe Bella is a great local lunch spot as well as a good dinner location. Bella offers amazing Italian classics from their amazing bruschetta to their veal parmesan. They also offer some Louisiana-inspired Italian dishes like their crackling-crusted pork chops. Bella deserves this number three spot for sure and it's a great date location. Cafe Bella is located at 301 Heymann Blvd Lafayette, LA 70503.

Local Review: Went in for supper and left full like a tick. The pork shank with polenta was awesome. The pork was fork tender and cooked to perfection but it was overshadowed by the polenta and the jus. Creamy and packed with flavor. Will be back soon.

2. Imonelli

At number two we have Imonelli's. Imonelli's is a traditional Italian restaurant. Personally, I would have Imonelli as number two. Whether it's the pasta or the grilled meats, this restaurant is amazing. Also if you're looking to go on a date, Imonelli's is a great date location. Location: 4017 Johnston St Lafayette, LA 70503

Local Review: Had a fantastic time here tonight. The food was superb, the ambiance was excellent, and the waitstaff was attentive and friendly. We started the evening off with the artichoke and crab appetizers from the menu, and added the quail appetizer from the specials. For the entree, we had the veal italiano and one of the specials which was a seafood dish, all of which tasted fantastic, and was presented simply but wonderfully. I do believe this has made my top 10 list of restaurants in the area.

1. Antoni's Italian Cafe

And finally, at our number one spot, we have Antoni's Italian Cafe. This is perfect because this would've been my personal number one. The pasta, pizza, calzone, and the appetizers are all amazing. If you want a classic Italian feel then Antoni's is your place. They are a great location for a date as well. Perfect place to recreate the iconic Lady & The Tramp scene. Location: 1118 Coolidge Blvd Ste A Lafayette, LA 70503

Local Review: The scene- from the outside, it perfectly resembles the classic "Italian bistro" anyone can imagine. It's quite charming and the lighting is well done. Inside, it's a white tablecloth... but don't let that scare you. We were informed that the idea is to align the experience to the customers, not to confirm the customers to the standard (white tablecloth traditionally equals fancy). They were, in fact, right. I wouldn't show up in basketball shorts and a T-shirt, but by no means do you have to dress up. The experience is for you. 10/10 The service- first class. Our server, Brian, was absolutely amazing. Warm, inviting, funny, and very service-forward. We noticed the other servers reacting the same way to their tables, and the hostess was hustling around as well. Even the owner was around, lending a hand and checking in on tables. Together they all operated as a well-practiced team, which made everything that much special. 10/10 The food- easily the best Italian dining in Lafayette, and would compete with some of the stuff up north. I ordered simple, as a test. Eggplant parm, if you can't get that right, nothing else is worth trying. No need, it blew us away. The eggplant was cooked perfectly, the Pecorino Romano cream was indulgently rich, and the marinara paired perfectly to help cut through that richness. The icing on the cake was that the portion was more than generous, and I expected quite a bit. The free focaccia appetizer is very thoughtful. It's all too easy for an Italian joint to throw out some toasted baguette with butter, but this was a step above. Served with olive tapenade butter, it's a great start to the meal. 10/10. One thing that's worth noting: the pricing is WAY under what you would expect from this level of dining. They could easily charge $25 or more for the eggplant parmesan dish, but it was priced at $18. Basically, the experience is 5-star dining, but the bill comes out to what I would spend at a Chilis, for a lack of better explanation.