From romantic restaurants straight out of Lady and the Tramp to casual red sauce joints, Atlanta has no shortage of options when it comes to heaping bowls of pasta. Between newcomers shaking the scene up and classics worth a regular visit, here are 13
options to consider.
In this latest update, Forza Storico joins the list with a menu of big Roman flavors and a space lined with graffiti murals; Füm brings Miami vibes to the Atlanta’s Italian food roster; Pendolino proves the cover is not the book; and Novo Cucina impresses with upbeat, family-friendly vibes. Restaurants are listed geographically from south to north. Don’t see a favorite restaurant for pasta listed?
Send Eater Atlanta the details via the tipline.BoccaLupo
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753 Edgewood Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307, USA
(404) 577-2332
BoccaLupo, set in a former bungalow, quickly became both a neighborhood favorite and a destination restaurant when it opened in 2013 on Edgewood Avenue. Order any of the fresh pasta dishes on the menu (the black spaghetti and the 20-yolk tagliatelle are now considered Atlanta classics). Make sure to check out the tight wine list — full of small production Italian regional varietals and a rotating selection of skin-contact wines — and cocktails too. While the restaurant books up quickly, walk-ins are welcome at the bar.
a mano
587 Ralph McGill Blvd NE, Atlanta, GA 30312, USA
(404) 549-7727
An Atlanta staple, this cozy, wood-laden neighborhood bistro in Old Fourth Ward serves pasta with a bit of Southern flare alongside lots of in-season vegetables. Order a classic pasta dish like the bucatini alla Bolognese or a seasonally-inspired dish like pecan-crusted red trout. Be sure to check out the extensive amari list, which can be enjoyed before or after a meal. At lunch, A Mano fills with natural light and the menu becomes more sandwich-focused with options like the Italian with prosciutto, mortadella, and salami.
Gigi's Italian Kitchen & Restaurant
1660 McLendon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307, USA
(404) 371-0889
This cozy Italian bistro comes complete with red-checkered tablecloths and candlelight. Located in the Candler Park neighborhood, Gigi’s serves super-fresh takes on classic red sauce dishes made with in-season produce and house-made pasta. The menu changes often, but you can expect everything from beef carpaccio and mafaldine pasta to chicken parmesan. Dessert features Gigi’s popular tiramisu. Cocktails, wine, beer, and amaro round out the beverage list, which includes the Dirty Gigi martini made with house-made olive brine.
Lyla Lila
693 Peachtree St NE Suite 118, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA
(404) 963-2637
Lyla Lila feels cosmopolitan with its location in the heart of Midtown, right across the street from the Fox Theatre’s glittering marquee. Chef Craig Richards’s menu spotlights flavors and dishes found throughout Italy and southern Spain (and some house-made pastas), as well as dishes that pair Italian techniques with Georgia-grown ingredients (like charred okra with pecorino romano fonduta). The crispy duck lasagna is a cult favorite.
no. 246
129 E Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030, USA
(678) 399-8246
Ford Fry retooled the menu at his popular Decatur Italian restaurant in 2021, successfully transforming it into an old-school red sauce joint. The atmosphere remains cozy with a modern farmhouse aesthetic (take a peek at the quirky sheep portraits). Look for classics like spaghetti and meatballs, cacio e pepe, and rigatoni with vodka sauce, along with pizzas (including a clam pie), shrimp scampi, and chicken scallopini.
La Tavola
992 Virginia Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306, USA
(404) 873-5430
Tucked inside a cozy, narrow dining room off of Virginia Avenue, La Tavola in Virginia-Highland is a neighborhood trattoria in every sense of the word. Keep it simple with a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs or get a bit fancy with squid ink spaghetti made with calamari, Calabrian chiles, and Thai basil pesto. All pastas come in appetizer and entree sizes. La Tavola does not accept cash.
Füm
660 11th Street Northwest, Atlanta, Georgia 30318, United States
(404) 975-0969
Owned by Miami’s Grassfed Culture Hospitality, Füm brings Miami flair to Atlanta’s West Midtown. The beautifully designed restaurant, with an open kitchen and red accents, creates a stylish backdrop for house-made pasta (like agnolotti stuffed with crab and smoked corn or pappardelle with beef ragu). Balance the carbs with the bone-in pork chop with smoked tomato sauce.
Forza Storico
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1198 Howell Mill Rd @ Home Park, Atlanta, GA, 30318, US
(404) 464-8096
Forza Storico (a sister restaurant to Storico Fresco and Yeppa) is the coolest of Atlanta’s Italian restaurants with a secluded ground-floor locale just off the courtyard in Westside Provisions District. You can hear it before you see it — the patio usually buzzes in the evenings, with Aperol spritzes dotting the tables. Inside, the restaurant feels subterranean with low wood ceilings and graffiti murals lending a modern edge. The restaurant’s focus is Roman fare, with boldly flavored dishes like carbonara and amatriciana (chitarra pasta, guanciale, pomodoro sauce, and pecorino). Round out the meal with sautéed spinach with garlic and tiramisu, and you’ll be all set.
Nino's Italian Restaurant
1931 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324, USA
(404) 874-6505
Located on Cheshire Bridge Road, Nino’s has been doling out old-school red sauce pasta dishes in Atlanta for over 50 years. Keep it simple with the spaghetti and meatballs or lasagna, or order the fettucine with shrimp and scallops tossed in Pernod and saffron cream sauce. There’s also a classic veal parmesan. Reservations are highly encouraged.
La Grotta Ristorante
2637 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305, USA
(404) 231-1368
A beloved Atlanta classic, this white tablecloth, fine dining Italian restaurant located off of Buckhead’s busy Peachtree Road includes a secret garden. The kitchen dishes decadent pasta dishes like sacchetti (“beggar’s purses”) stuffed with fontina and black truffles dressed in marsala wine sauce or pappardelle with lobster and shallots in a rosemary and white wine cream sauce. Be sure to peruse the extensive Italian wine list filled with regional rarities. Do note that La Grotta enforces a dress code.
Pendolino
4600 Roswell Rd, Sandy Springs, GA, 30342, US
404-937-3057
Bright and inviting with lots of natural light and green subway tiles, Pendolino feels more special than its shopping center location. Chef Kevin Maxey puts a creative spin on classic Italian dishes like the chicory salad carbonara, which combines greens with crispy pancetta, a farm egg, and pecorino. When it comes to handmade pasta, expect ravioli with fillings that rotate with the season alongside Italian mainstays like rigatoni with vodka sauce and spaghetti with pesto. The chicken al limone makes a great accompaniment to either.
Novo Cucina
5592 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody, GA, 30338, US
(470) 275-3000
Near the Perimeter, Novo Cucina is the place to go for well-executed Italian classics and gelato. The family-friendly restaurant has a cheery vibe with Spanish tile flooring and French doors along the backside of the patio (in the cooler months, they remain open). Highlights include the lasagnette (a deconstructed lasagna with pappardelle, beef Bolognese, and béchamel sauce) and the tagliatelle with wild mushrooms. Elsewhere on the menu, the chef’s salad adds something fresh to the meal, while the meatballs are delightfully savory. There’s a second location near Toco Hills with a more modern setting but equally great menu.
Osteria Mattone
1095 Canton St, Roswell, GA 30075, USA
(678) 878-3378
Osteria Mattone from restaurateur Ryan Pernice (Table & Main) and sommelier Dan Pernice brings Rome to the heart of Roswell’s historic district. The restaurant offers two experiences in one: the osteria, a lively bar where guests can walk in for drinks and pizza, and the trattoria, a more subdued room with exposed brick and white tablecloths. The restaurant also has a garden patio for those crisp Atlanta evenings. Try the classic and simple meatballs with pomodoro with tomato, basil, garlic, and parmesan or the hearty tagliolini Bolognese with beef ragu and ricotta salata.
