Top 9 Italian Restaurants in Tucson, Arizona

If you’re planning on making a trip to the sunniest city in the United States, chances are you’ll need to know a few good places to stop and eat. And everyone loves Italian food, whether it’s a quick takeout pizza or sitting down to dine on a fancy pasta dish.

Whatever it is that you want to eat, there are plenty of restaurant options in Tucson, and all of the Italian restaurants on this list also happen to be supported by GiftYa, a company that allows you to send virtual gift cards to friends via an app!

So, if you’re looking for Italian restaurants in Tucson, you’ve come to the right place. And if you’re looking to do something nice for someone you care about, you can kill two birds with one stone!

Caruso’s

A family-owned restaurant that’s been in Tucson since the 1930s!

What would an Italian restaurant be without its pasta? Caruso’s has plenty of different pastas to choose from. Image courtesy of Instagram.

434 N 4th Ave | Tucson | carusositalian.com 

Caruso’s was first opened in the 1930s by Nicasio Zargona, and the restaurant has been passed down throughout the generations. Though the original first location was destroyed by a flood, this restaurant has been going strong at its current location for seventy years.

This restaurant has a very extensive menu, with separate selections of starters, pizzas, favorites, and desserts. Whether you want a fancy Italian dish or just a slice of delicious pizza, Caruso’s has you covered.

While Caruso’s may be closed on Mondays, hours are from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11:30 am until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 11:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Sundays.

“This is a great mom and pop Italian restaurant in the heart of tucson! Great music, great service, great price and authentic Italian food is what keep us coming back again and again year after year!” - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa for Caruso’s

Mama Louisa’s Italian Restaurant & Catering

Food and drink both made with a special attention  to detail!

You might not think of Ramen when you picture Italian food, but it just goes to show how much variety Mama Louisa’s has on the menu! Image courtesy of Instagram.

2041 S Craycroft Rd | Tucson | mamalouisas.com

Mama Louisa’s recipes also come from long held family traditions, and they always keep quality and customer service in mind. Every dish is handled with care and precision here!

And there are certainly quite a lot of dishes to choose from! Whether you’re coming for lunch, dinner, dessert, or even just a drink at happy hour, you can be sure that Mama Louisa’s will prepare your order as best as it can be!

Hours are from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays, and from 12 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Sundays.

“I have found my new favorite Italian spot in town. My husband and I recently ordered take out from Mama Louisa's and we were amazed by the freshness of the handmade pastas and sauces.” - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa for Mama’s Louisa’s

Reilly Craft Pizza & Drink

A location right in downtown Tucson, and another location opening soon!

Even if you’re looking for great Italian food, you’ll also have to grab a great drink while dining at Reilly’s! Image courtesy of Instagram.

101 E Pennington St | Tucson | reillypizza.com 

With a location in downtown Tucson and one soon opening in the northwest area of the city, Reilly Craft & Pizza is definitely a restaurant on the rise despite all the difficulties businesses faced in the past year.

Despite the name, they serve far more than just pizzas and beers at this restaurant— side dishes, salads, pastas, and desserts are all on the dinner menu, and the drink menu serves house cocktails, wines, and bubbly drinks.

On Tuesdays through Thursdays and Sundays Reilly Craft & Pizza is open from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m., while it remains open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

“Top notch pizza and pasta in addition to some great small plates and drinks. Had a stellar dinner experience here, their wait staff was wonderful, didn't miss a beat.” - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa for Reilly Craft & Pizza

Zona 78

Delicious Italian-inspired dishes made from scratch!

One of Zona 78’s most popular dishes is the lasagna and garlic bread! Image courtesy of Instagram.

7301 E Tanque Verde Rd | Tucson | zona78.com 

Zona 78 takes pride in the Italian-inspired foods they make from scratch, such as their hand-tossed pizza! Every item on the menu is made with care, and if you don’t want to dine-in you can order takeout to pick up right on their website.

There are a variety of options at Zona 78, including starters, salads, sandwiches, pasta, and entrees for lunch and all the same dishes for dinner along with hand-tossed pizza!

On Sundays through Thursdays the hours are from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on Fridays and Saturdays Zona 78 is open from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.

“I haven't eaten at a lot of restaurants since covid, but the experience inside made me feel at ease. All the customers were seated at every other table, so all patrons had plenty of room.” - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa for Zona 78

Vero Amore

Sit-down dining both indoors and outdoors, as well as takeout, delivery, and catering!

Not only does this restaurant have great options for dinner, they also sell delicious desserts! Image courtesy of Instagram.

2920 N Swan Rd | Tucson | veroamorepizza.com 

The founders of Vero Amore— Aric and Josh Mussman —opened this restaurant in 2006 after a trip to Seattle during which they tried Neapolitan pizza! They brought that delicious style of pizza to Tucson, as well as plenty of other dishes!

Vero Amore also serves appetizers, pasta, salads, paninis, specialty dishes, and desserts! And if all the food options aren’t enough, take a look at their happy hour menu for great drinks at great prices!

Happy hour is from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. every day, and the restaurant is open from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays. On Fridays and Saturdays the hours are from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

“I visited a few weeks ago and am still dreaming about the roasted garlic and tomato pasta with shrimp. It was so so good! There was no wait on the Sunday night we visited and we were sat outside.” - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa for Vero Amore

Fresco Pizzeria & Pastaria

Two locations in Tucson— both serving delicious, fresh food!

The pizza at Fresco is fresh, of course, which only makes it extra delicious! Their take on Margherita pizza is one of the most popular items on the menu! Image courtesy of Instagram.

3011 E Speedway Blvd | Tucson | frescopizzeria.com 

Just as the name of this restaurant implies, Fresco Pizzeria & Pastaria serves everything fresh! It’s not just their pizza and pasta, either— there’s fresh-baked bread, sausage made from scratch, and all of the meats are smoked in-house!

In addition to the pizza, pasta, salads, stromboli, calzones, subs, desserts, and extras that are served here, this restaurant also has 16 craft beers on tap and soft drinks for sale, too!

Mondays through Thursdays Fresco Pizzeria & Pastaria is open from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., and on Fridays and Saturdays it’s open from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.

“My kids and I love Fresco. Pizza, bread, pasta, salad, wings, and drinks. We love it all! We also appreciate the meatless and dairy-free options. I never order pizza from anywhere else since I moved into Fresco's delivery area a year ago.” - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa for Fresco Pizzeria & Pastaria

Vivace Restaurant

Fine Italian dining to sit-down or take out!

In addition to fine dining, Vivace offers a wide variety of wines for you to have with your meal if you so choose. Image courtesy of Instagram.

6440 N Campbell Ave | Tucson | vivacetucson.com 

Open for both indoor dining and curbside takeout, Vivace has been serving fine Italian food since 1993. They specialize in Northern Italian cuisine made with fresh ingredients, and the restaurant is located on one of the most popular streets in the city.

Vivace has extensive menus for both lunch and dinner— the latter of which is divided into courses. However, they also serve desserts and a large selection of wines to add to your dining experience.

While Vivace is closed on Sundays, the hours are from 11:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays and from 11:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

“To say this place was amazing is simply an understatement. From the time we arrived at the door up until our very last goodbye to the amazing server, this experience was above and beyond anything I've ever experienced.” - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa for Vivace

Bianchi’s

Great dining atmosphere, but several different options for takeout, too!

Specialty pizzas like you’ve never seen them before at Bianchi’s, with all the toppings you could want!  Image courtesy of Instagram.

1110 Silverbell Rd | Tucson | bianchisitalian.com

Family owned and operated since 1977, Bianchi’s is available for pick-up, delivery, and drive-thru takeout, as well as catering if you want to just grab and go, but they’ve also taken a lot of care in ensuring that you have a pleasant atmosphere to dine-in.

With televisions for sporting events, a full bar, and an outdoor patio, Bianchi’s is definitely worth a visit for a lunch or dinner. They have appetizers, salads, pizza, pastas, subs, burgers, calzones, specials, desserts, and a gluten-free/vegan menu,

Sundays through Thursdays Bianchi’s is open from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m., and on Fridays and Saturdays the hours are 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. 

“I went there early evening and it wasn't very crowded. This was a great time, because it provided us with great service. Like usual, I ate too much, but that just tells me that the food here is great.” - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa for Bianchi’s

Sauce Pizza & Wine

A popular Italian restaurant chain in Arizona!

Sit down for a drink at Sauce Pizza & Wine, because they’re just as good as the dishes! Image courtesy of Instagram.

2990 N Campbell Ave Ste 110 | Tucson | saucepizzaandwine.com 

Sauce Pizza & Wine is a very popular chain throughout Arizona, and it’s no different in Tucson— there are four different locations in the area! This particular one is located in Campbell Plaza, a popular shopping center.

The menu is made up of soups, sides, salads, pizzas, paninis, pasta, house-made meatballs, desserts, and drinks— such as beer and wine. There’s also a kid’s menu, so this restaurant is definitely one for the whole family.

Sauce Pizza & Wine is open from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

“We placed our orders inside and found a table outside on their patio and it was perfect! Our food arrived really quickly and the servers working made sure we had everything we needed.” - Yelp Review

Buy a GiftYa Sauce Pizza & Wine

If you’re going to be in Tucson for a little while in the near future— or even if you live in the area already — you should definitely look into visiting all these Italian restaurants there! 

And while you’re looking into doing that, also consider buying a GiftYa for someone you know! The recipient can set it up via the app with their credit or debit card so that it will automatically use the gift card balance at participating locations, and all of the Italian restaurants on this list are supported!