Best Italian Restaurants in Manchester
Discover Manchester's best Italian restaurants for an authentic taste of the Mediterranean with our guide to the best pasta joints in town.
There's a reason why authentic Italian dishes taste so good and you feel an inner sense of comfort when you dream about them. They're cooked with love, using the freshest ingredients and a dedication that’s been passed down through generations.
So, we've sieved through our favourites to serve up the most noteworthy. Those that will transport you to the Mediterranean and almost certainly leave you with a craving to go back for more. Here's our low-down of the best Italians across Manchester.
San Carlo
42 King St W, Manchester M3 2WY
Located in the heart of the city centre, San Carlo Manchester has long been one of the city’s most iconic dining destinations, known for exceptional Italian cuisine, elegant interiors and vibrant atmosphere. Combining authentic Italian heritage with contemporary style, the restaurant continues to welcome generations of guests for everything from business lunches to celebrations and evening dining in Manchester.
The menu celebrates the very best of regional Italian cuisine, crafted using premium seasonal ingredients sourced from Italy and beyond. From handmade pasta and fresh seafood to expertly prepared meats and signature Italian classics, every dish reflects San Carlo’s commitment to quality, flavour and hospitality.
Their much-loved lunch menus are also back, available Monday to Friday from 12pm – 4pm. Guests can choose from two or three courses featuring a carefully curated selection of antipasti, pasta, seafood, Italian classics and desserts - 2 Courses £22.95 | 3 Courses £28.95.
Whether you’re planning a celebration, entertaining clients or enjoying dinner with friends, San Carlo Manchester provides a refined and welcoming setting in the heart of the city.
Opening hours: Monday – Sunday 12:00 – 23:00 BOOK HERE
Rudy’s
Check here for your local restaurant
At Ruby’s it’s all about the pizza. They follow the true Neapolitan traditions of making pizza, inspired by a local style, dating back to late 1500s called Ruota di Carro, meaning the wheel of a cart. The difference is in the dough. Each pizzeria makes their dough fresh every day, using Caputo flour and then double ferment it for 24 hours. creating pizzas are so incredibly fluffy and light and are way too big for the plate!
All the pizzas are made with authentic Neapolitan ingredients, using 00 Caputo flour, the gold standard of flour in Naples, San Marzano tomatoes from the foot of Mount Vesuvius intense, fleshy and unforgettable, and Fior di Latte, a creamy mozzarella made from cow’s milk, all creating the perfect balance of flavours. One of our favourites is the Salsiccia which is loaded with Grana Padano, smoked mozzarella, fennel sausage with caramelised red onions and basil, which immediately transports you to a blistering hot summer’s day in Italy especially if you’ve got a glass of red on the go.
Rudy’s also offers ‘Back at Home’ delivery service and you can you have great fun making your own pizzas using Rudy’s special dough.
Tre Ciccio
4a Moss Lane, Altrincham, WA14 1BA
Tre Ciccio is a real hidden gem in the trendy market town of Altrincham. It doesn’t look much from the roadside but descend the steps to the basement and a buzzing trattoria opens up. At Tre Ciccio, they believe great food brings people together. Founded by three friends who all fell in love with the rustic simplicity and warmth of Italy’s finest dishes, Tre Ciccio is a celebration of family, friendship, and the joy of eating well.
The name, meaning “Three Chubby Friends” in Italian, reflects the fun and lively spirit the restaurants. They use only the freshest ingredients and time-honoured techniques passed down through generations. Whether it’s the signature wood-fired pizzas, handmade pastas, or seasonal specials, every dish tells a story of love, care, and a passion for flavours that transport you to Italy.
The Campania inspired menu caters for all the family and serves a good selection of antipasti, pasta and Tre Ciccio’s infamous main – Pollo Scucchito. A slow roasted chicken dish that heralds from southern Italy, where the chicken is coated in their own secret marinade to give it a delicious flavour whilst retaining all the tenderness and moisture. Traditionally served 'ON THE BONE' with potatoes for two to share.
MON – WED: 12-2.30 4.30-9 | THU: 12 – 9 | FRI – SAT: 12 – 10 | SUN: 12 – 8 BOOK HERE
The pasta Factory
77 Shudehill, Manchester M4 4AN
Located near the rising NOMA district about a 5-minute walk from Manchester’s city centre and The Pasta Factory serves up proper Italian cooking. Founded by a group of friends from Turin, all the dishes are created daily using fresh ingredients and that pinch of Italian love. Their target audience is everyone: whether you are there to buy or for a sit-down meal they want this restaurant to be your place, where you are comfortable, happy, and satisfied by every visit. As you’d expect the dishes taste divine.
There is something for everyone’s taste on the menu, we love the Ravioli del Plin – little parcels of pasta with beef and pork ragu with parmesan cheese. If you’re dropping in for a quick bite and a glass of red, there’s a good selection of anitipasta including the delicious Gnocco Fritto – fried dough, pecorino cheese, caramelised onions and porchetta.
Opening hours
Tuesday to Friday: 5.00pm – 10.00pm | Saturday & Sunday: 12.00 – 10.00pm BOOK HERE
Double Zero
368 Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton, M21 8AZ
55 Spring Gardens, Manchester M2 2BY
Double Zero is a legendary pizza heaven in the cool South Manchester district of Didsbury and in the city centre and is known for its excellent value. It claims to be the home of ‘authentic, handmade Neopolitan pizza’ and all our tastebuds agree; we think it’s one of the best. Neapolitan Pizza has a softer style to it’s flatter, crispier cousins, and is loved for it’s chewy crusts and delicious flavour.
Their dough is made on site daily and fermented for a minimum of 48 hours. It is then stretched by hand, topped with authentic Italian ingredients and cooked for less than 90 seconds at 450c in wood-fired ovens all the way from Naples, the home of pizza.
You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to ordering as there is a huge menu of signature Neapolitan pizzas, with toppings like a truffle mushroom cream base with Italian ham and artichoke; a Miele Sizzler loaded with hot honey, ‘nduja, pepperoni, and chorizo; and the Partenopea, featuring a whole burrata as well as heirloom tomatoes and parma ham.
Gusto
4 Lloyd Street, Manchester, M2 5AB
Born in Cheshire in 2005, Gusto have grown to seven beautiful restaurants across the UK with more than 200 family members, many of whom have been there since day one. From city centres to typical English villages, Gusto Italian is all about making the most out of life: celebrating life’s little moments, making every day extraordinary, and making the everyday exquisite.
Their menus take fresh, carefully selected, simple ingredients to create the best tasting food and drink around. Theres an A La Carte menu, Brunch, Lunch, Dessert and a great kids menu with two courses for £8. From tasty bread and nibbles to delicious mains including the fabulous Seafood Risotto with hand-picked fresh crab and lobster bisque risotto with burnt butter king prawns. Theres also a full line-up of sourdough pizzas, risottos, fresh salads and steaks on the menu.
Opening hours: Sunday-Thursday: 12pm-10pm | Friday-Saturday: 12pm-11pm BOOK HERE
Cibus
847 – 849 Stockport Road, Manchester M19 3PW
Cibus is a small but very much loved Italian restaurant on Manchester road in Levenshulme and it’s easy to see why. Run by Giorgio Fontana and Marco Bracchitta, the restaurant started life just a couple of units down the road with a pop-up at Fred’s Ale House and at Levenshulme Market. Turning to a pizza delivery business during the lockdown and surpassing demand, the duo saw potential for their own spot - and they’ve been there since 2021.
The menu is hefty - but it doesn’t feel overcomplicated and using locally sourced and seasonal ingredients, there is a world of flavour to be had in each dish - and a guaranteed warm welcome. It’s essentially pasta, pizza, meat, or fish, with a few vegan options thrown in here and there. It serves delightful small plates of ‘cicchetti’ including zuchinni fritti and parmesan and Polpette, slow cooked beef & veal meatballs in tomato sauce, served with bread. Of course, there’s a whole gamut of freshly baked pizzas made daily which are super tasty and will leave you wondering why you’ve only just discovered Cibus.
Opening hours: Tue – Thu: 17.00 - 21.00 | Fri: 16.00 - 22.00 | Sat: 13.00 - 22.00 | Sun: 13.00 - 20.30