Best Italian in Jacksonville, GO!

[JECJAX]

There's a new place that opened over on University in the old Angelos restaurant called Roberto's.  Their lasagne is awesome !

[coredumped]

In fact my go to for decent, vaguely Italian dining is the Regency Carrabas, which has consistently wonderful food

WHAT? From the same people who brought us outback steakhouse during the australian invasion? I don't know, "italian food" from a sysco truck doesn't sound very good to me.

Stephen, I highly suggest you give a some of these restaurants in this thread  a try, you won't want to drive near carrabba's again.

[ben says]

I like Carraba's, because it's delicious stoner food, but it's no more Italian than the places you're decrying.

Having spent considerable time in Italy - I was just there for 2 weeks, and my mother-in-law lives there - I think JAX has some very serviceable Italian food.

[exnewsman]

When I go to Casa Dora for dinner, Freddie will gladly make something off the menu. But I've never had a bad meal there - lunch or dinner. Pizza's good too. I mean its not like the food I had when I worked in Italy years ago (hard to beat "real" Italian food) - but it's still good.

[taylormiller]

It's not even close - Sorrento is the best hands down.
Luciano, the chef, is phenomenal. When they do their fresh catch cooked positano, there's just nothing better. Their pasta is always al dente and who could forget the rolls?

[fieldafm]

I really like Enza's in Mandarin and Taverna in San Marco (which I would referance as having a hybrd Italian/Mediterranean-inspired menu).

Will have to try Santioni's. Always drive past it going to my mom's house, never had the urge to go in.

[AuditoreEnterprise]

When I go to Casa Dora for dinner, Freddie will gladly make something off the menu. But I've never had a bad meal there - lunch or dinner. Pizza's good too. I mean its not like the food I had when I worked in Italy years ago (hard to beat "real" Italian food) - but it's still good.

I just really enjoy the service there, but maybe it's an Italian thing. Freddy all around is a great guy though.

[ben says]

I really like Enza's in Mandarin and Taverna in San Marco (which I would referance as having a hybrd Italian/Mediterranean-inspired menu).

Will have to try Santioni's. Always drive past it going to my mom's house, never had the urge to go in.

Speaking of Mediterranean, anyone try Chef Howard's risotto? (13 Gypsies.) if someone can find me better, anywhere, I'll treat you to a meal of your choice. (I've literally had three born and raised Italians tell me it was the best they've ever had.)

[downtownbrown]

There isn't a single place in Jacksonville that I would go to for authentic Italian.  Most of it is crap.

There are a couple of very serviceable italo american menus in the city and some decent traditional Italian offerings, but nothing for haute cuisine italian worth mentioning.

In fact my go to for decent, vaguely Italian dining is the Regency Carrabas, which has consistently wonderful food and if you sit at the chefs table, wonderful presentation.  And Im not really a corporate chain kind of guy, but when it comes to Italian food, most of the stuff served in the city is an insult to the idea of 'cuisine'.

That said, its still pretty yummy for americanized food.

Crazy talk.  Mamma Lucia's, corner of St. John's Bluff and Beach, is real Italian food made by real Italians.  I mean, Carrabas???  La Cena is good if you have half a lifetime to wait for your dinner.

[coredumped]

With all these self-proclaimed italians/italian experts it makes me wonder why we have no good italian shops in town.

[ben says]

With all these self-proclaimed italians/italian experts it makes me wonder why we have no good italian shops in town.

I don't claim to be an Italian expert. I do think I have an above average IQ when it comes to Italian food/culture, though. FWIW, I don't think we have any real Italian import businesses here (the kind you'd find in Brooklyn/Queens/Long Island NY) because those are "by Italians, for Italians" - we may have some Italians here, but not enough to keep a salumeria running. If someone wants to open one, by all means, I'll frequent it often! (I'm not saying it WONT work here, just saying nobody has done it and the clientele will be largely non-Italian, so the proprietor has to be pretty dedicated to keep it on point).

Just because this conversation has made me hungry, here are some foodie pictures from my trip to Sicily (went for 13 days, a few weeks ago):

Fresh stuffed zucchini blossoms (stuffed with homemade ricotta and fried):



Two of Sicily's most famous foods:

1: brioche and granita



2: arancini, fried rice balls typically stuffed with ragu and the like



Went scuba diving off the coast of Ionian Coast (Ragusa), came up with sea urchin:



First course of mussel and spaghetti:



Fresh pasta night..couldn't resist making all different shapes and sizes (tortellini, angel hair, etc):



Fettuccini w fresh squid ink sauce, made by my Italian grandmother (in-law) - a fourth generation recipe



And it wouldn't be Sicily without:



Anyone salivating yet?

[Gamblor]

Dear ben says,
Next time you're in Italy, please bring me back some of them cannolis!
Your hero,
Gamblor

[ben says]

Wait, you get stoned before Carraba's, too?

[LindaCornelio]

Maybe not Jacksonville, but nearby in Ponte Vedra is Poppy's.  It's a charming little restaurant with an extensive menu.  The food is delicious.  I love their garlic bread.  The service is always very good. 

[MusicMan]

Recently had 3 Taverna Entree's: Salmon, Scallops, and Fettuccine + meatballs .

The Salmon was not just perfectly cooked but incredibly healthy.

Scallops were gorgeous and tasty.

Fettuccine house made .

Very, very good, and very comfortable atmosphere.