Creative Italian Restaurant Names

Italian cuisine is one of the most popular food types in the United States. In fact, according to National Geographic, out of 800,000 total restaurants in the U.S., a full 100,000 specialize in Italian food. In many ways, this cuisine has become as American as apple pie.

While this level of popularity is great, it can present some challenges for proprietors of Italian restaurants. If you own one of 8 or 10 Italian restaurants in your town, how can you make yours stand out from the crowd? Beyond offering great food and outstanding service, one way to achieve that goal is by picking a truly creative name.

At Budget Branders, we understand both the good and the bad of running your own business.

Our goal is to help our clients increase sales through marketing with custom-branded cups, bowls, bags, and more. Once you have your great restaurant name, we’ll help you make it known in your community with our high quality disposable products. 

Ready to get started? Check out our guide to the best Italian restaurant names!

When you decided to open your own restaurant, its name may have been an afterthought. With so much else on your plate – like picking a menu, finding the right space for your establishment, and figuring out how to pay for it all – you may have been tempted to just pick something easy. For example, if you come from an Italian-American family, you may have decided to just name your restaurant after your family name or even your grandma. 

There is nothing wrong with this – and there is actually a lot of benefit to naming your restaurant after yourself or your family! Famed Italian chef Lidia Bastianich named a number of her restaurants after herself, which was a great way to take advantage of her fame as a television star. Using a family name also allows you to tell a story, which can be compelling for guests.

But there are certain benefits to choosing a unique name. Not only will it help you stand out from a crowd, but it is often more memorable for guests. Having a fun or cool restaurant name can also play a role in marketing, allowing you to play around with colors, logos, and even your slogan.

So how exactly do you choose a unique restaurant name for your Italian joint? Below, we have come up with a list of more than 200 creative names for Italian restaurants. They should help you start to think outside of the box so that you can choose a name that truly reflects your mission and values as a business.

One of the easiest ways to make an impact is with a well-timed pun. A clever play on words will make customers remember your restaurant’s name – and can be a great way to advertise your business!

1. Tirami-Su
2. Pizza My Heart
3. Cheesy Does It
4. The Dairy Godmother
5. The Great Impasta
6. Basic Kneads Pizza
7. Wisepies
8. Bread Zeppelin
9. Pastabilities 
10. Planet of the Grapes
11. Meat & Greet
12. Rasta Pasta
13. The Cal Zone
14. TinyTalian
15. The Sunday Sauce
16. Ragu for You
17. Al Dente
18. Fatti a Mano
19. The Pope’s Pantry
20. In Vino Veritas
21. Pizza You

Italian culture is huge in our cultural landscape, from Rocky to the Godfather to the Soprano’s. If you’re a fan of a particular movie, TV show, or book, why not translate it to your restaurant? It’s a great way to build a theme – and to attract potential customers!

1. The Italian Stallion
2. Afternoon Delight
3. That’s A Spicy Meatball
4. That’s Amore Pasta
5. Tony’s Restaurant
6. Mystic Pizza
7. Gino’s Cafe
8. Sal’s Famous Pizzeria
9. Salerno’s Restaurant
10. Adrian’s
11. Soprano’s Italian Eatery
12. Louie’s Restaurant
13. Alcapone’s
14. The Godfather Restaurant
15. Casa Nostra
16. Mamma Mia Trattoria
17. Earth, Wind, & Flour
18. Power Puff Pasta
19. Carmine’s Pasta and More
20. Vito’s Pizzeria
21. The Codfather
22. Anthony and Cleopatra’s
23. Caesar’s Ghost
24. Goodfella’s Pizza
25. L’Ultima Cena

Making people laugh is always a good thing (as long as they aren’t laughing at your food!). If you can give people a chuckle when they see your restaurant’s name, that can be a great way to increase name recognition. It is also a good way to get customers to check in or tag your restaurant on social media, which is a tremendous source of free advertising for most businesses.

1. The P’sghetti Bar
2. House of Carbs
3. American Pie
4. Dishy Pizza
5. Garlic, Garlic, & More Garlic
6. Saucy Girls
7. Lucifer’s Pizza
8. Eat Some Ziti!
9. Incognito Bistro
10. The Crispy Crust
11. Crazy about Calories
12. Live to Eat
13. Skinny Cooks Can’t Be Trusted
14. Ti Amo, Pizza!
15. Meet the Sauces
16. The Baked Italian
17. The Tipsy Italian

Don’t want a punny or pop culture name for your Italian restaurant? You can still take advantage of these catchy names that will almost certainly stick in patrons’ minds – and stay top of mind when they’re deciding where to eat.

1. Pizza Perfection
2. Slice of Italy
3. Pizza Squad
4. Insta Italy
5. The Italian Affair
6. Bella Italia
7. House of Pasta
8. Capri Café
9. Pasta Romance
10. An Italian Affair
11. The Pasta Queen
12. Pasta Bella
13. The Italian Oven
14. Pasta-Roni
15. Lasagna Hut
16. Fettuccine Delight
17. The Spaghetti Shack
18. Anchovy and Meatballs
19. Restaurant Roma
20. Tuscan Oven
21. The Organic Pasta Co.
22. Delightfully Italian
23. Made in Italy
24. Spaghetti Warehouse
25. Bella Luna
26. Spaghetti Speciality 
27. Ciao! Caboose
28. Italia Mania
29. The Quick Bolognese
30. Pizza Passport
31. The Pasta People
32. Wine Me, Dine Me
33. The Tasty Tortellini
34. Ziti the Great
35. Pizza Pazza 
36. The Sardinian Sage
37. Bella Bella
38. Primi Piatti
39. The Tuscan Tomato
40. The Main Macaroni
41. Pasta Villa
42. Pipin’ Hot Pizza
43. Pizza Mania
44. Fresco del Forno
45. Bruschetta’s
46. Salami Bonanza
47. Neapolitan Nights

Italian food uses a number of core ingredients that most people absolutely adore (onions, garlic, and tomatoes, anyone?). Play off of this love with a name based on the type of food that you serve, and you can create great associations in your customers’ minds.

1. Cacio e Pepe
2. The Lasagna Lowdown
3. Penne The Pie
4. Zesty Pesto Italian Restaurant
5. Basil and Olives
6. Bella Oregano
7. Penne Magic
8. Noodle Nation
9. Oregano’s
10. Mozzarella Meals
11. Little Macaroni
12. Hot Tomatoes
13. Ribollita
14. Pappardelle’s
15. Penne with a Twist
16. The Butcher’s Ragu
17. The Saucy Affair
18. Asiago Italian
19. Luigi’s Lasagne
20. Rigatoni Flavors
21. On the Grapevine
22. Spaghetti & Meatballs
23. Sale e Pepe
24. Formaggio e Vino
25. Romano’s Pasto
26. Terra & Mare
27. Aroma Italiano
28. Bella Mozzarella
29. Penne with a Twist
30. The Pasta Emporium
31. Basil & Thyme
32. Bubbling Pizza
33. Truffled Up
34. The Sunday Gravy Spot
35. Anchovy and Meatballs
36. Tomatoes with a Twist
37. La Torta del Topo
38. Paninaro
39. Dolce
40. Uptown Olive
41. The Herbed Olive
42. Presto Pomodoro
43. Garlic & Love

If your restaurant is more of a white tablecloth type of place, then you may want to go a little more formal. The good news? Almost any name sounds fancier if you translate it to Italian. Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. Al Prato
2. Da Nella
3. Molto Italiano 
4. Al Postiglione
5. Zafferano
6. Primavera
7. Castello di Saraceno
8. Casa Oliva
9. La Villetta
10. La Fazenda
11. Ristorante L’Oso
12. La Bulesca
13. Tarantola
14. Giorgione Alla Villa
15. Sapori
16. Palazzina
17. Il Messaggero
18. Gustamente
19. Civita Nova
20. Il Latini
21. La Terrazze
22. Del Borgo
23. Il Portico
24. Osteria La Rocca
25. Basilico
26. Novelli
27. Bravo
28. Mangia Tutto
29. Gran Quadri
30. Della Porta
31. Vecchia Roma
32. Aglio
33. Papa Razzi
34. Gregorio de Ferrari
35. La Macina
36. Da Zero
37. Gandolfi
38. Bonsignori
39. Clemente da Urbino
40. Il Riccio
41. Mantegazza
42. Bellini
43. Spinelli
44. Baldovinetti
45. Toscanini
46. Busoni
47. Cosimo
48. Caldo del Forno
49. Asiago Italian
50. Asti Olives Italian Cuisine
51. La Dolce Vita
52. Aglio Olio

Now that you have some examples of creative Italian restaurant names, it is time to develop a name for your own place. Even with these lists as a starting point, it can be hard to come up with a name that is both memorable and unique. To help you along the way, we created a free restaurant name generator.

To use the generator, just input your location, name, cuisine type, and a signature dish. Then click the button and let the software do its magic! You can generate as many names as you would like until you find the perfect name for your Italian restaurant.

Try The Restaurant Name Generator

Whether you have a long-standing name for your restaurant or just came up with something new and exciting, one of the best ways to market your business is by using custom-printed disposable products. If you’re already using cups, bowls, and bags for your restaurant, adding your name and logo can increase your reach. Each time that your customers get take-out or take something home with them, they’ll be carrying around an advertisement for your restaurant – at little added cost to you!

Budget Branders understands the pressure that many restaurant owners face on a daily basis. Even as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, it can be challenging to stay profitable in such a competitive market. We offer a full range of custom branded disposable products for restaurants, bars, and coffee shops at prices and in quantities that make sense for independently-owned businesses.

To learn more about how we can help your business grow, submit a contact form or a quote request for one or more of our products. Our branding experts are always available to answer questions. Simply press the live chat button to get started.