The Best Italian Restaurants in Baton Rouge

With its historic setting, beautiful natural vistas, and down-home Louisiana charm, Baton Rouge stands out as a top spot in the American South. The best Italian restaurants in Baton Rouge blend authentic Italian tastes with traditional Southern styles. But where are the city's smartest, savviest diners headed out to when looking for the best Italian restaurants in Baton Rouge? Welcome to the Tastemaker. Here, we've gathered information from in-the-know diners to find the city's best Italian spots. Featuring everything from local neighborhood pizza and pasta joints to upscale downtown restaurants, the best Italian restaurants in Baton Rouge deliver it all. Grab a table and a meal tonight!

The OpenTable Team

5 Restaurants

Updated February 26, 2020

Restaurants:	The Little Village - Airline, The Little Village - Downtown, Ruffino's…
Price Range:	$$$ - $$$$
Cuisines:	Italian, Steak…
Neighborhoods:	Baton Rouge…

The Little Village - Airline

$$$$

Italian

Baton Rouge

4.4

1307 reviews

The Airline outpost of a Baton Rouge favorite is one of the best Italian restaurants in Baton Rouge. Mixing old-school Italian charm with traditional Southern vibes, The Little Village is an exceptional spot for dinner with friends and family. Stop in for a meal that starts with seafood gumbo or seafood-stuffed mushrooms and culminates with an Italian classic. Try the soft shell crab Tuscany with jumbo lump crab meat and crawfish or the eggplant seafood napoleon. This exceptional dish comes stuffed with seafood and comes with lobster cream and fried crawfish tails.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

The Little Village - Downtown

$$$$

Italian

Baton Rouge

4.5

1192 reviews

The Third Street location of a Baton Rouge favorite is the place to go for classic Italian meals and prime seafood in a relaxing, laid-back area. Stop in for the Village's fabled bread loaf with dinner, featuring tapenade and roasted garlic. Appetizers include roasted artichoke bottoms, lobster bisque, and Louisiana crab cake. For dinner, grab the veal alla parmigiana, Osso Bucco, eggplant parmigiana, or one of the many other Italian favorites. For a special fish dish, try the fish meuniere. This dish comes dusted in flour, pan sautéed and finished with lemon butter sauce.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Ruffino's

$$$$

Steak

Baton Rouge

4.7

2018 reviews

Two of the world's most creative cuisines (Italian and creole) come together at this Baton Rouge favorite. The Highland Road destination is one of the best Italian restaurants in Baton Rouge. With modern, white-tableclothed vibes at the restaurant, Ruffino's is the spot to be for a quiet and intimate dinner. Go for the wood-fired pizza from Ruffino's authentic kitchen. The "Suprema" pizza features a full menu of favorites. There's pepperoni, Italian sausage, prosciutto, mushrooms, and onions on this favorite. Ruffino's also features exceptional seafood. Try the shrimp Sorrento, with jumbo Gulf shrimp, vodka tomato cream, and capellini.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

La Contea Italiano Ristorante

$$$$

Italian

Baton Rouge

4.7

610 reviews

A modern-styled hotspot off of the Jefferson Highway, La Contea is the spot for classic Italian cuisine in the heart of Baton Rouge. Go for the famous La Contea stromboli or calzone, or try one of their traditional "Margreta" pizzas. Made-to-order fettuccine alfredo features rich sauces made of butter and melted Parmesan cheese. Other fabled pasta dishes include penne Gorgonzola with a cheese sauce and linguine carbonara with bacon and egg yolk. Don't miss the chicken entrees. Try the chicken and sausage creme Rosso, made with a creamy pesto Rosso.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Portobello's Grill - Bocage Village

$$$$

Italian

Baton Rouge

3.9

411 reviews

Trek out to the lovely Bocage Village for a meal of Cajun and Italian favorites. This delightful fusion restaurant has a creative menu of dishes with influences drawn from both cuisines. Start with the eggplant roulades. These fried eggplant medallions come with crawfish, spinach, and smoked bacon cream sauce. Another appetizer favorite is the blue cheese chips, house-made chips with a bleu cheese cream sauce and balsamic glaze. Sandwiches are another highlight. Try the "Red Stick Burger," with caramelized onions, smoked bacon, Gorgonzola cheese, mayo, and tomatoes.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

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The Best Italian Restaurants