Review Ciao Italia Ristorante - Orlando

The food and the service were extraordinary. You get a higher value than the what you pay for. They can work with you if you have dietary issues (gluten-free). Note that gratuities are added if there are more than 4, and there is a split charge per menu item, so just make it easy and pick up the tab.

Best real Italian in Orlando! This was nostalgic and reminded me of Italy. Delicioso. I will come here everytime I visit. Worth every penny.

Finally tried this restaurant after living in Orlando for 30 years. My wife and I could not have been any happier with our experience. I had the lobster ravioli and she had the chicken Parmesan, split a salad and shared a dessert. Everything was amazing. So fresh and flavorful. Service was refreshingly quaint and well timed. Atmosphere was cozy. We can’t wait to come back. Bravo Ciao Italia!!

Wonderful Italian food and atmosphere. We had a great dinner with friends and the starters were delicious. Our main dishes were prepared perfectly and presented beautifully. Our waiter was good and not pushy. We will go back again to try other dishes.

Beautiful restaurant and the food was delicious! We also ordered the cheesecake for dessert but it didn't last long enough for a picture. It was sooo good! One of the servers was so nice and was playing along with my son's silliness!

Excellent choice. Locally and family owned. The salad was bright and fresh, bread warm and homemade. The lobster linquine was so rich and depth of flavor but very light. Lobster bits were throughout. The shrimp and scallops were perfectly cooked. The tiramisu was light and full of flavor.

While visiting Orlando from Canada - our Canadian Italian family was missing an authentic home cooked meal. After some research I came across Ciao Italia; and boy were we ever happy we did. The atmosphere is quaint and elegant. The service is perfection. Carmelo our waiter was attentive and enjoyed some Italian trivia from my 10 year old daughter. The portions are generous and the food is absolutely delicious. A hidden gem and so worth it.

It was very good. Took them a few moments to realize that I was there. After that, the entire wait staff was very attentive. The meat tray was fantastic, I ordered the lasagna with the meat sauce. It was definitely fantastic, though it got lost with all of the meat sauce. I'd recommend less of theeat sauce. I ordered the tiramisu to go. I will definitely be eating it shortly. Definitely a great spot for date nights. Very quiet and romantic.

You would never expect a little restaurant in the corner of a shopping center located behind SeaWorld would be so good, but you'd be wrong. This place quite possibly fed me the best meal of my year. I went for Magical Dining and got this truffle satchel pasta. It was mind blowing. The portions were huge and barely had room for dessert. Great wine selection too.

Absolutely AUTHENTIC, made from scratch, soul soothing food NOT from a chain restaurant! This family owned and operated restaurant has been my go-to for Italian food when I'm in the area! It is the epitome of a hidden gem I have been enjoying for YEARS! I love that the second generation has taken the helm and is continuing the tradition of this fantastic restaurant! This is Italian food like Nonna would make and will not disappoint! DO NOT miss this place!

I am so glad I was able to experience Ciao during my Orlando trip. Every single thing we ordered was fantastic. The appetizers, bread and oil, and my Caesar salad were great. The main, course, however (seafood pasta) was absolutely delicious! I think the scallops were the best I’ve had in my entire life.

We ate here by happenstance on a Saturday night and were pleasantly surprised. It was the best Italian food that we have eaten in Orlando. The ambiance was great, certainly not matching the plaza that it is located. The wait staff were friendly and prompt. Overall, it was a great meal. I almost wanted to tell people that were walking into Del Monicos Steakhouse to go to Ciao Italia instead!

A hidden gem! Family owned restaurant. Some of the best Italian food ever, including in Italy. Will definitely be back when we are in the area!

Had an excellent dinner here with a group of ten people, and the service was wonderful. Every dish we had was great. The veal special was a real showstopper.

Don't let the storefront location dissuade you from enjoying a fantastic meal with exceptional service.

From the parking lot I expected typical Americanized Italian food....but walking in the doorway like stepping into a neighborhood restaurant in Rome/Sorrento! The service was outstanding, the bread is staight out of Italy - warm, crisp crust, and a light soft middle. I had linguine Al fruitti de mare, my wife the chicken marsala. Both entres were well prepared and presented. The meals we're excellent. We did plan on dessert but the first item on the menu was limon ice in the limon shell - we hadn't had that since our last trip to Rome.<br/><br/>A great meal, excellent service and reasonable prices - worth the 3 hour drive to visit again and again.

This place is a gem! Amazing staff and food. Support local farms and food raised as it was intended. Best Italian ever!!!! I would recommend to anyone in the area that enjoys great Italian food!

One of the best restaurants I have ever been to!!! Excellent food and amazing service! We felt like we were in a five star restaurant. But it is very affordable. Dominic makes you feel right at home in Italy, such a nice guy. Can't wait to go back!

Wish we had gone elsewhere.. Positive reviews motivated us to try this place. Was sooooo disappointed. Food was Terrible. Was expecting so much more for the price point and the quality was just poor. Wait staff is very arrogant. Would not return and wish we had selected another restaurant instead.

Excellent

Lobster bisque, Grouper, meat ravioli and delicious Tartuffo... A perfect dinner. Good service, excellent food.

Great food and Franco took great care of us.

This is a hidden gem you must try. A true hole in the wall in an old strip mall but THE BEST Italian you will find. Seafood awesome. Huge wine selection. AWESOME!

Great local family fun restaurant. Visiting from Michigan and loved that we found a great restaurant that is family run, not a chain, with great food! I would definitely go back

Excellent service and food!. Second visit for us. Terrific service. We were taken without a reservation- happily. <br/>The food was excellent, from the Black grouper to the chicken parm. A bit pricey but well worth it. Don't be fooled by the strip mall location. Inside is great food and a warm, friendly atmosphere.

Fantastic service. Just like Italy and worth the price!

Took my family of 9 there. Very hospital staff, food is hands down the best Italian I've ever experienced. Great job to the staff and chef!

Food was good service was absolutely abysmal. Most of the party wanted pizza and hand to ask for the menus and from then on it went downhill cutlery was verging on being just being flung on the table. We felt very unwelcome. Guess we wee not eating or drinking expensive enough!!! Shame really as the food was very good but no way good enough to forgive the service. You would be best going 50 yards along to the Italian steakhouse were not only the food was excellent the service was superb nothing was too much trouble.

Service was lousy. We didn't mind the strip mall location and the 80's feel of the place. The food was good but the service was poor. We orderd two filets ,medium well an both were raw inside. We sent them back and they came out and were bright red and still bloody in the middle . The waitress brought it out for the third time and had an attitude like it was our fault. The overall experience was lousy and they charged for water. If you order a glass of water tell them you want the free water. We paid enough for the wine!

Refined Classic Italian! Love and aytention is put into the food...what more do I need to say. Eat there!

Had dinner here with the family and just loved the food. Don't let the strip mall scare you away as its everything an Italian place is supposed to be. The marinara sauce was excellent and the Linguini w Alfredo sauce was perfectly prepared - light and a wonderful cheese flavor. Service was also very good and the owner, who is from Sicily, was a sweetheart.

Great service and great food!

We read the reviews and decided to give this place a try. OMG, is all I can say. This was the worst Italian meal my family has ever eaten. The atmosphere is out dated and depressing. Veal pram was wet, soaked with oil, and covered with 99 cent Del Monte tomato sauce. We don't eat pasta and asked about a side of vegetables. The waiter told us it was a couple of dollars more for broccoli rabe. He ended up charging us EACH $8.00 for a side of broccoli rabe. That is $16.00 for two side orders of broccoli rabe. Are you kidding me. We had a garden salad that was $7.00 for two leaves of green lettuce and two small wedges of tomato. Over priced and WAY,WAY,WAY OVER RATED on the reviews.

Best Caprese this side of Italy!!!!. I haven't had mozzarella this good since I was in Italy last year! My husband and I are Italian food snobs (mostly cause his family is Italian and he lived there for 4 years), so when we find a good place we know it! We just got back from Ciao Italiano so the food is still fresh on my mind and tongue! My husband and I are just visiting and wanted a good meal close to our hotel. So I got onto urbanspoon to check out ratings and locations and found Ciao Italia. After looking at their menu I was sold.....I had looked at a bunch of other restaurants and to my surprise none of them offered Caprese...an Italian staple in my opinion! As soon as I saw that on the menu I knew this was the place for us! <br/><br/>As we drove up and I saw that it was located in a strip mall near a liquor store I started to worry that I had made a mistake and I was about to force my husband to eat "American Italian food" like olive garden. But all my fears were swept away as soon as we stepped inside. On their website it says "fine dining" and the decor and ambiance fit that description to a T. We had dressed up in our best travel clothes, which wasn't that great of course, but we were glad we did just so we could give the place and food the kind of respect it deserved. We were there at 9 pm on a Monday so the place was empty, we were the only guests, which was really nice for a special dinner but it also made us worried this place would be gone soon. Since we were the only guests we got the best service of our lives, water glass never got below half full, food was punctual, and the waiter's knowledge and recommendations were perfect. <br/><br/>Since my husband and I are Italian food snobs we have a few items we can always judge a restaurant by: Caprese, Alfredo sauce, bread, and if they have Carbonara. Let's start backwards on this list. Carbonara wasn't on the menu but it is my husbands favorite Italian dish so he asked if they made one and without hesitation the waiter said they could make it. Being able to order something not even on the menu is a sign of their culinary abilities and customer service. Next the bread: Italian bread should be really crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside...the bread was definitely that, my husband loved it! Next the Alfredo sauce: I had my choice narrowed down to the chicken Alfredo or the cheese ravioli so I asked the waiter and he recommended the cheese ravioli...so I didn't actually try the Alfredo sauce, but I'm sure it is just as good as my ravioli was. Very delicious! The pasta was al dente just like real Italian food! Last, but of course not least, is the Caprese. I've always like Caprese but didn't really understand quality till I went to Italy last year and learned the difference between mozzarella, fresh mozzarella, and bufala "buffalo" mozzarella. The texture and flavor of bufala mozzarella is firm on the out side and soft almost melt in your mouth on the inside, with a nice slightly salty, super moist and indescribable smooth mozzarella flavor. So when I saw that the mozzarella used in the Caprese was bufala I knew it would be amazing and it was! When it was brought to the table in individual portions, rather than family style like I've always had, I was impressed with the presentation. The thing that really hit it home for me was the fact that the mozzarella juices were visibly cascading down the tomato it was so fresh and moist! Just like the quality you'd get in Italy. It was so amazing that we ordered one to go so we could eat it again tomorrow. I would absolutely go to Ciao Italia again!

This is an establishment where you wish your stomach is twice its size. The food is beyond good, the service was bar none. I highly recomend this place.

Great Italian hidden find!. Often, I have commented to my girlfriend that we don't have a favorite Italian place in Orlando. It might be because the most popular Italian chains have done such a poor job at promoting the flavors of the Italian cuisine.<br/><br/>Anyway, I came across the opportunity to try out Ciao Italia, and I saw the reviews were good enough so we went.<br/><br/>This restaurant is almost hidden in that plaza. There's a bigger Italian restaurant in that same plaza named DelMonico's or something like that, which is facing the street and practically grabbing the spotlight. Never mind, let's support the underdog.<br/><br/>When we went, right after work, about 5:30, we were the only ones there. I was self-conscious because I had regular work clothes and the restaurant was a small place, full of tables dressed in white tablecloths anchored with wine glasses. I felt like a fish out of water. I cannot even distinguish the different types of wine. Never mind that, once the food rolled out, I was comfortable.<br/><br/>I ordered the wild boar pasta (I'm not a gastronomic connoisseur, so if I can't remember the proper Italian dish name, I'm sorry, I won't pretend I know it) and my girlfriend ordered the chicken dish with white wine.<br/><br/>Wow. Talk about a kick to the palate (Italy looks like a boot after all). I have never tasted any Italian dish like the ones we ordered. I have never had the opportunity for the wide-range of Italian cuisine to assault my senses. These two plates opened my eyes to how good Italian food can get.<br/><br/>So, why is this place not a 5? Because it doesn't provide the full elegance. Yes, you get the tables and the wine glasses and the Italian music (at least I think they had it), but the rest is just normal-looking. No candles or chandeliers or a piano or anything else that we normally associate with an elegant restaurant. It just looks like a mom-and-pop place with tables. Maybe a bodega with tables. I don't know. Maybe what I'm trying to say is that the outside and inside of this restaurant does not properly evoke the great quality of the food they offer. <br/><br/>Anyway, if you happen to be around the SeaWorld area and want to try some great Italian food, then drop by Ciao Italia. I recommend it.

An Experience, not just a meal. When entering an Italian restaurant what are the first 3 things that come to mind? Good food, a welcoming environment and the best bang for your buck-right? At Ciao Italia you get the best all of worlds. Upon arriving I was greeted by not only a very pleasant staff member but also by the owners themselves. The feeling was as if I had been there before and was coming to a place that knew me already. The restaurant interiors were very warm and inviting as well as upscale with a romantic, old world feel. The staff member that was attending me was very professional and smooth. He knew the menu from memory from start to finish. Being that I have traveled all around the world I have come to the conclusion that good restaurants make what is already listed, but great restaurants go above and beyond and will make you something that may not be listed but you have requested. This means [to me] that they are in the business of creating an overall experience and not just one you chalk up to just being satisfactory. And now for what you have been waiting for... the food. Tantalizing aromas, Culinary displays and delectable flavors... need I say more? Over all this is a great place to take a first date, bring the family for an intimate dinner or just to enjoy the fantastic atmosphere only Ciao Italia can provide.

Not a fan. The bread was too dry, the pasta was overcooked, and the sauce was runny and not very good. I should have just stayed at my hotel.

Outstanding! 10 out of ten stars!! Haven't had food this incredible since I was in Italy. Inside is lovely, classy and the service is impeccable. Second time dining here of our six nights here. Happy random find for out of towners. We normally don't get this lucky!!!

Outstanding. Not cheap but, quality never is. If you want to dine where the owners care what you are served this is the palce for you. Me (rest aurant consultant), my wife (picky), my 16 year old (very picky) and my 6 year old (beyond picky) all were full and happy. The wine list was bland but well priced. Alas a sign of the times.

Looks can be deceiving!. I decided to take my girlfriend to Ciao Italia for Valentines Day dinner. Leading up to our reservation I stayed in constant contact with the manager via email because I had flowers delivered to the restaurant for my girlfriend. First let me say that they care about their customers before they even set foot in the resturant. The manager promptly replied whenever I sent an email and even kept me informed all throughout Valentines Day about the status of my flowers.<br/><br/>Once we got to the resturant we were both a little surprised by the location. It is located in an old shopping center that looks a bit run down. Once we opened the door to Ciao Italia we were pleasantly surprised. The inside is very romantic and relaxing, with very beautiful, classic decor. There was a candle and a rose on every table, making for a perfect romantic date spot. As the title of theme review says, looks can be deceiving.<br/><br/>The food itself was absoutely spectacular. My girlfriend had the chicken parm and I had the chicken Alfredo and both dishes were great. The only recommendation I could make is that they need to change there dessert menu, because nothing really seemed to catch our eye.<br/><br/>Overall Ciao Italia is a must for anyone visiting Orlando. it was easily one of the best dining experiences I've had anywhere!

Awesome, awesome! We loved it....the food was as super as the service! This is for "real Italian" food lovers......not just average American Italian! A +

Fabulous. Everything was beyond our expectations. Lazagne and the pasta with wild boar were both amazing. Kids meals were properly sized and wonderful. The bread was better than any I have had in years....crispy crust and wonderfully tender. Most highly recommended.

Found treasure.... My wife and I were staying at the DoubleTree in Orlando and we didn't want to take a bus or taxi to find dinner so we walked across the street to Ciao Italia. What a hidden gem. My lobster bisque was great, it had a smooth cheese and wine taste with large pieces of lobster meat throughout. It came out hot, but not boiling, so I could eat it almost immediately. My wifes salad was also well prepared and had a nice variety of greens. We then split the best veal dish I've ever eaten. The chop was butterflied, pounded, and then layered with prosciutto and mozzarella cheese. they then roll it up and fry it. I'm hungry just thinking about it. We had a nice super tuscan, called the drunken goose, that went well with the meal. While stuffed, we had to try the homeade tiramisu, we were not disappointed. While not cheap, we felt we got our moneys worth as we enjoyed a table and conversation for approx 2 hours and never felt rushed. To top it all off, the waiter was fantastic and made us feel like the only customers in the place, even though it was doing a brisk business for a weekday night.

Great Flavor. Went on a Friday night and was a little dismayed at the dearth of diners but decided to go for it anyway. The bread dipping oils/spices were very strong and unusual, the bread itself was a little plain. I am vegetarian so there were not a lot of entry choices but I made a delightful meal of appetizers. I enjoyed the caprese salad, bruschetta and the stuffed mushroom. I would have liked a little more balsamic on the salad and perhaps heirloom tomatoes for the salad and bruschetta would have given the dishes even more depth than the bland, modern hybrids. The portobello was perfectly cooked and just exploded with succulent juices. The blend of spices and quality of the cheeses was delightful in all the dishes and would get them all again...and perhaps try the eggplant as well. Finished off with the lemon sorbet...perfect consistency and presentation, left my palette cleansed. A good benchmark for service is whether my water glass stays full and that was done admirably. But as there were only three other occupied tables it is hard to judge how they may perform with a crowd. I will definitely return and bring friends.

From the oh so beautiful young lady who was my server, to the understated simplicity of preparation of the food that yields delicious Italian dishes, you will love the food and atmosphere of this restaurant. I visit Orlando a couple times a year and I know I will dine at Ciao several times each trip. It is fabulous!

Decent. Lasagna was great but then got overwhelming towards the end. The Strozzapreti, Gamberi E Capesante All 'Arancia had good flavor but I didn't like the pasta. I've never had cannoli but after this one, I doubt I'll ever want to try it again.

Buonissimo!. The food is outstanding and the service is just right. The wait staff know when to attend to you and when to leave you alone. Portion sizes are just right and everything seems to flow with the ambiance. if you're tired of the oversized chain looking restaurants, this little place has a really warm feeling. Highly recommended and great spot for a romantic dinner

Orlando Vacation Dinner. The place doesn't seem very appealing at first because of it's location, inside a strip of stores.<br/>The door on the outside and the decor on the inside are very quaint and make up for the location. <br/>The waitors|waitresses here all work together. This means that at any given time someone new will pop up at your table. At first this seems fun, but it's not. <br/>We had a total of 5 for the night. The 5th one was the most pleasant and accomidating, The others walked around and never came to the table for 45 minutes.<br/>The food is yummy but waiting an hour for it is not.<br/>Overall, I would not reccomend this place. The place may be cute and the food not so bad but bad service and a big bill make this not worth it.

The veal was luke warm and bland. Caeser salad was warm and bland...

Bad Experience. We were in Orlando, FL and were a few blocks away from Ciao, so we were in the mood for Italian Food and ordered here for takeout since we had two little kids that needed to go to bed and we didn't want to take them to a restaurant. We were told it would take 15 minutes for our order so that is when we showed up to pick it up. When we got there, the hostess was nowhere to be found and when we finally got her, she told us our food would be ready in a couple minutes. 20 minutes later she was nowhere to be found, and the patrons that wanted to dine in in back of us were getting upset. When she finally appeared she told me my take out meal would take another 10-15 mintues. Needless to say, I wasn't to thrilled about this since I had a family at home that needed to be fed. When I expressed my displeasure, the hostess said..."what can I do"? All the people that I came across in the restuarant were not happy with the service, I definetely don't recomend going here.

QUACK Throwback in time QUACK. SO close to the convention center and in early 70's shopping center that needs to be torn down. These folks do a very very limited menu of just home style farm fresh food. The long ago awards are as dated as the "romantic" dining experience of 30 years ago. Our waiter Hernando Luigi had 2 tables. Our deuce (no drinks) and a 6 top. Guess who saw more of him? Our app's took 15 minutes and eggplant rolled around some cheese oozed on the plate with a flavorful Marinara. Lasagna portion was small and darkened on top (burnt?). Alfredo was so Salty its a good thing I had a cold or it would have been impossible to eat.<br/>Fly right by this place. Unless you need a dose of 90's elegance with "authentic Italian Cuisine" Christini's has nothing to worry about.(never did)

Speedy & very pleasant service, with fantastic home recipe lasagne. other great dishes too. highly recommended.

Tonight was a date night for wifey and I. I had read about Ciao and had been wanting to try this place for about two weeks now. Chef Vincenzo is in the back cooking up some great Italian dishes. A 2nd generation run business for the Navarras family. They have been here since 1991. I love when the business stays in the family. While entering you hear the classical Italian music playing. The ambience is romantic, which was perfect for @tarajroth and I. I started my dinner with a Cappuccino. Just the way I like it. Bruno was the one serving us tonight. A perfect gentleman every time he spoke. Bruschetta. Toasted Crostini topped with a blend of Tomatoes, Garlic, Onions and Basil in E.V.O.O. @Tarajroth wanted this appetizer and it looked great. We took a few bites and it was good. we had to bring two of them to go. They were rather filling. Rigatoni Con Salsiccia E Rapini. Rigatoni pasta, house sausage, broccoli rabe in garlic-Pinot Grigio reduction. Nice. Flavorful. The Parmesan cheese on