Italian restaurants in Knoxville offer the best pizza, pasta and wine in East Tennessee

Whether you're craving carbs or simply looking to "wine" down, Knoxville has plenty of Italian food and drink options to satisfy your stomach.

From downtown Knoxville and the Strip to West Knoxville and beyond, we have you covered with a list of favorites compiled by our newsroom staff of longtime East Tennesseans and Knoxville newcomers.

But for the sake of supporting local, you won't find any Olive Gardens, Carrabba's Italian Grills or CiCi's Pizzas on this list − though Knoxville has plenty of chains to choose from, as well.

Dear locals: Did we miss your favorite spot? We can't include them all, but please send an email to ryan.wilusz@knoxnews.com if you think a restaurant should be added to the list.

Prices and specials could change.

Italian restaurants in downtown Knoxville and the Strip

These are some of the most popular Italian restaurants in the center of the Scruffy City.

A Dopo Sourdough Pizza

This restaurant is a Knoxville favorite, but don't take our word for it. A Dopo was named one of the top 20 best places for pizza in the U.S. and Canada in 2023. Be sure to make a reservation!

Address: 516 Williams St.

Phone: 865-321-1297

Grub Scout: A Dopo Sourdough Pizza is the 'local craft beer' of pizzerias

Brother Wolf and Osteria Stella

Esquire named Brother Wolf one of the best bars in America, and the accompanying Osteria Stella is equally delicious. The authentic food menu is written in Italian, but don't be afraid to seek help from co-owner Aaron Thompson, who's also a sommelier.

Address: 108 W. Jackson Ave.

Phone: 865-247-4729

Grub Scout: Osteria Stella: An elegant star is born on Knoxville's restaurant scene

Da Vinci's Pizzeria & Calzones

Da Vinci's is known as the place you stumble into after a few drinks in the Old City, but it's also a great place if you're craving just a single slice. Sit down or take a slice to go on your walk to the next bar.

Address: 113 S. Central St.

Phone: 865-637-5040

Dazzo's Pizzeria

With homemade dough, sauces, mozzarella and meatballs, Dazzo's is great for dine-in or takeout. Don't worry about parking; even though it's located on Gay Street, designated to-go spots are available out front.

Address: 710 S. Gay St.

Phone: 865-525-2105

Emilia

The only Italian restaurant on Market Square, Emilia offers "simple, seasonal Italian cuisine made by hand." This popular spot is owned by locally renowned chef Matt Gallaher, who served as the personal tour chef for Kings of Leon before transitioning to the state governor's mansion.

Address: 16 Market Square

Phone: 865-313-2472

Grub Scout: Emilia’s dishes a delight from start to finish

Oscar's Restaurant

Oscar's has a little bit of everything, and the food is refreshingly simple. This restaurant remains a favorite for college students, despite all the change happening on the Strip near the University of Tennessee at Knoxville campus.

Address: 1840 Cumberland Ave.

Phone: 865-524-3663

Italian restaurants in West Knoxville

Just head west down Cumberland Avenue and Kingston Pike to find even more Italian food.

Altruda's

This restaurant has been around since 1988 and is named after the owner Paul Meyer's mother, Geraldine Ida Altruda, who was born in 1925 and came to the United States from Italy at age 12. She taught her five boys how to cook, and the authentic taste lives on at Altruda's.

Address: 125 N. Peters Road

Phone: 865-690-6144

Cappuccino's

Cappuccino's is part of the Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants, one of the most notable restaurant groups in Knoxville. The menu includes traditional Italian dishes, as well as some unique items, like the "orange and white" scallops.

Address: 7316 Kingston Pike

Phone: 865-673-3422

Forno Grill

With the heartbreaking closure of Naples Italian Restaurant, a Knoxville fixture for more than 30 years, Forno Grill stepped up to fill a West Knoxville void. As described in a Shopper News story, "Forno Grill doesn’t have the 1970s atmosphere of Naples, but the food quality and preparation more than justify a visit."

Address: 743 N. Campbell Station Road

Phone: 865-218-8300

Grub Scout: Forno Grill feeds Farragut appetite for Italian fare

Gavino's Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant

The Turkey Creek location of Gavino's is no longer open, according to its website, but the store in Bearden is still going strong. Catch this restaurant during its weekday happy hour 3-6 p.m. for $2 off appetizers, $1 off beer, $4 house wines and more.

Address: 5211 Kingston Pike

Phone: 865-200-5571

Hard Knox Pizza

In 2014, owners Dimpal Patel and Alexa Sponcia bought the popular Hard Knox brand, which now has three locations and a menu of pizzas named after boxers and fighting terms. The newest location shares a building with Ebony & Ivory Brewing, Knoxville's first and only Black-owned brewery.

Bearden address and phone: 4437 Kingston Pike, 865-602-2114

Central address and phone: 2300 North Central St., 865-263-2633

Hardin Valley address and phone: 10847 Hardin Valley Road, 865-896-3760

Grub Scout: Five great pizzerias in Knoxville

Penne for Your Thoughts

Penne for Your Thoughts has tasty food with clever names, from the Sweet Dreams Made Of Brie to the Pesto Both Worlds. This local brand started as a food truck and opened in Knoxville's first food hall before moving to its own brick-and-mortar location.

Address: 9430 S. Northshore Drive

Phone: 865-766-5817

Grub Scout: Burger and pasta highlight fourth Marble City Market visit

Red Onion Pizza

Far from a traditional pizzeria, Red Onion is a must-try due to its interesting fusion of Italian and Indian flavors.

Address: 3625 Sutherland Ave.

Phone: 865-584-7445

Savelli's Italian Restaurant

Small in size but filled with flavor! This neighborhood restaurant has all the traditional Italian dishes you would expect, according to the Savelli's website, as well as "coastal seafood favorites" that include Maryland-style crab cakes and Grouper Piccata.

Address: 3055 Sutherland Ave.

Phone: 865-521-9085

Sergeant Pepperoni's Pizzeria

This pizzeria is not Beatles-themed, though that would be awesome. But the important thing at a restaurant is flavor, and Sergeant Pepperoni's seems to have a lot of it, with its Pop-Eye Pizza among the most popular items ordered.

Address: 4618 Kingston Pike

Phone: 865-247-0380

Italian restaurants in other Knoxville neighborhoods

Downtown and West Knoxville have the most Italian restaurants we could find, but there are other options scattered throughout the city.

Bella Roma Pizza

Ten pieces of cinnamon bread as an appetizer for $6.99? Count me in! The Bella Roma menu has everything you would expect from an Italian restaurant − at an affordable price − as well as the choice of creating your own pizza or calzone.

Address: 7817 Oak Ridge Highway

Phone: 865-692-4224

Elidios Pizza

Elidios has pizza by the slice, which is too rare of an offering these days. The restaurant also has a small selection of non-pizza items, including a meatball parmigiana hero and baked ziti.

Address: 6714 Central Avenue Pike

Phone: 865-687-1002

Harby's Pizza & Deli

While any Harby's menu item can be enjoyed any day of the week, the specials offer some great deals. These include 6-inch pizza subs for $6 on Tuesdays and $10 large cheese pizzas on Fridays. Also, the building is kind of an icon in North Knoxville.

Address: 3718 Walker Blvd.

Phone: 865-688-5657

Little Nicky's New York Pizza

Knox News checked in with the owners of Little Nicky's in 2022 after Hurricane Ian destroyed their home-away-from-home in Fort Myers, Florida. After evacuating, the owners decided to "put our 100% focus and attention on Tennessee." And the attention to flavor is evident.

Address: 8917 Oak Ridge Highway

Phone: 865-896-0125

The Original Louis Drive in Restaurant

The origins date back to 1958, when The Original Louis' Restaurant opened its doors, and the restaurant still prides itself on consistency. "When you come in today, the spaghetti tastes just like it did in 1991. And that's no joke," owner Jimmy Brinias told Knox News in 2018.

Address: 4661 Old Broadway

Phone: 865-688-4121

Pizza Palace

It's built right into the name: Pizza Palace is considered Knoxville royalty. The restaurant has been featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," as well as other food-focused TV shows, and has been in operation for more than 50 years. Its marquee alone is considered a landmark in the Scruffy City.

Address: 3132 E. Magnolia Ave.

Phone: 865-524-4388

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Super Mario's Pizza

Still craving carbs after all this? That's nothing a pizza and seasoned French fries can't handle. Super Mario's offers classic pies, as well as modern options, like the buffalo chicken pizza. The menu also includes seafood, pasta, sandwiches and more.

Address: 736 N. Broadway

Phone: 865-525-3010

Ryan Wilusz is a downtown growth and development reporter. Phone 865-317-5138. Email ryan.wilusz@knoxnews.com. Instagram @knoxscruff. 

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Italian restaurants in Knoxville with the best pizza, pasta and wine