12 South Carolina Italian Restaurants Worth The Drive From Every Corner Of The State
When people think about great Italian food, South Carolina is rarely the first place they mention.
That is exactly why this list surprises so many people.
Most travelers come expecting barbecue, seafood, and Southern comfort food. What they do not expect is handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza, rich sauces, and neighborhood trattorias that could easily hold their own in cities famous for Italian cooking.
That is the contrast.
South Carolina has quietly built an impressive collection of Italian restaurants where tradition still matters. Fresh dough is rolled every day.
Sauces simmer for hours. Family recipes continue to outlast changing food trends, and every meal feels like it was prepared for someone the chef already knows.
That is what makes these places special.
Some South Carolina restaurants celebrate the flavors of the South.
These celebrate Italy without ever feeling out of place. They prove that remarkable Italian food does not need a famous address.
It simply needs talented hands, quality ingredients, and people who care about getting every plate exactly right.
1. Portofino Italian Kitchen, Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach has no shortage of restaurants competing for your attention, but Portofino Italian Kitchen earns its spot at the top without even trying too hard.
Located at 9734 N Kings Hwy in Myrtle Beach, this place leans into the kind of Italian cooking that feels both refined and genuinely comforting.
The menu reads like a love letter to classic Italian cuisine, with expertly prepared pasta dishes, rich sauces, and proteins cooked with real care and technique.
What sets this spot apart from the typical beachside fare is the attention to detail in every single dish that comes out of the kitchen.
Service here is attentive without being overbearing, which is a balance that many restaurants in tourist-heavy areas struggle to find.
If you have ever driven through Myrtle Beach and settled for something forgettable, consider this your correction. Portofino is the kind of meal you will still be talking about on the drive home.
Address: 9734 N Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC.
2. Villa Romana Italian Restaurant, Myrtle Beach
There is something deeply satisfying about a restaurant that has clearly figured out exactly what it wants to be and then executes it flawlessly every single night.
Villa Romana Italian Restaurant, sitting at 707 S Kings Hwy in Myrtle Beach, is that kind of place, and it has been making people happy for years with its traditional Italian cooking.
The atmosphere leans old-school in the best possible way, with a warmth that reminds you of the kind of Italian restaurants you might find tucked into a neighborhood in a big northern city like those in Ohio.
Classics like lasagna, chicken parmesan, and hearty pasta dishes are handled with a level of consistency that keeps regulars coming back week after week.
Portions are generous, prices are reasonable, and the staff genuinely seems to enjoy feeding people, which makes a bigger difference than most diners realize.
This is the kind of Italian restaurant that does not need gimmicks because the food speaks for itself.
Address: 707 S Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC.
3. Toscana Italian Kitchen, Myrtle Beach
Named after one of Italy’s most celebrated regions, Toscana Italian Kitchen sets the bar high from the moment you walk through the door at 2703 N Kings Hwy in Myrtle Beach.
The Tuscan inspiration here goes beyond just the name, showing up in dishes that highlight bold flavors, quality ingredients, and preparations that feel grounded in real Italian culinary tradition.
Pasta lovers will have a hard time narrowing down their order because nearly everything on the menu sounds like exactly what you want to eat right now.
The dining room manages to feel upscale without making you feel like you need to dress up, which is a rare and welcome trick for any restaurant in a beach town.
Sauces are rich and deeply flavored, proteins are cooked with precision, and desserts arrive looking like they belong in a magazine spread.
Toscana is the kind of dinner experience that turns a casual night out into a full-on memory worth keeping.
Address: 2703 N Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC.
4. Portofino’s Italian Restaurant, Greenville
Greenville’s food scene has exploded over the past decade, and Portofino’s Italian Restaurant has been holding it down for Italian food lovers the whole time.
Tucked into Orchard Park at 30 Orchard Park Dr, Suite 22, this restaurant brings a neighborhood Italian feel to a part of Greenville that really needed it.
The menu is the kind that rewards people who take their time reading it, because there are genuinely exciting options hiding behind every category heading.
Fresh ingredients, house-made touches, and cooking that reflects real passion rather than shortcuts are the hallmarks of what you will find on your plate here.
The space itself feels relaxed and inviting, making it just as appropriate for a quick weeknight dinner as it is for a longer, more leisurely celebration meal.
Regulars in Greenville will tell you without hesitation that Portofino’s is the Italian restaurant they recommend to out-of-town visitors first, and after one visit, you will completely understand why.
Address: 30 Orchard Park Dr, Suite 22, Greenville, SC.
5. DeMarco’s Italian, Greenville
Right in the heart of downtown Greenville, DeMarco’s Italian brings a sharp, modern energy to Italian cooking that feels genuinely exciting without abandoning the traditions that make the cuisine so beloved.
The address is 366 Field St, Suite A, and the location alone tells you something about the kind of crowd this place attracts: people who appreciate good food in a great setting.
The menu moves confidently between classic Italian staples and more creative preparations, giving diners the chance to play it safe or get a little adventurous depending on their mood.
Housemade pasta is a strong suit here, and the sauces that accompany them show a kitchen that understands how to layer flavor without overcomplicating things.
The dining room has a lively buzz on most nights, the kind of energy that makes dinner feel like an event rather than just a meal.
DeMarco’s is the answer every time someone in Greenville asks where to go for Italian food that actually impresses.
Address: 366 Field St, Suite A, Greenville, SC.
6. Travinia Italian Kitchen, Columbia
Columbia’s Sparkleberry area has become a reliable destination for quality dining, and Travinia Italian Kitchen at 101 Sparkleberry Crossing Rd is a big reason why.
This location delivers a polished Italian dining experience that manages to feel special without requiring a special occasion as an excuse to visit.
The menu covers a broad range of Italian favorites, from lighter appetizers and crisp salads to heartier pasta dishes and proteins that show real kitchen confidence.
What stands out immediately is how consistently the food is executed, which is something that even popular restaurants often struggle with when the dining room fills up on a busy Friday night.
The service staff knows the menu well and offers recommendations that actually feel personalized rather than scripted, which adds a genuinely warm layer to the overall experience.
Travelers passing through Columbia who stop here often find themselves planning a return visit before they even finish their entree.
Address: 101 Sparkleberry Crossing Rd, Columbia, SC.
7. Di Vino Rosso, Columbia
Gervais Street in Columbia has a well-earned reputation for serious dining, and Di Vino Rosso at 807 Gervais St, Suite 100 fits right into that tradition while carving out its own distinct identity.
The name itself hints at the Italian philosophy driving this kitchen, and the food backs it up with dishes that feel rooted in authenticity rather than approximation.
Fresh pasta, thoughtfully composed sauces, and ingredients that taste like someone actually cared where they came from are the building blocks of the menu here.
The dining room has a sophisticated feel that makes it a natural choice for date nights or business dinners, but the atmosphere never tips over into stuffy or unwelcoming territory.
Plates arrive looking like they were designed with as much intention as they were cooked, which is always a good sign that the kitchen takes pride in what it sends out.
Di Vino Rosso is one of those restaurants that reminds you why Italian food became a global obsession in the first place.
Address: 807 Gervais St, Suite 100, Columbia, SC.
8. Pasta Fresca, Columbia
Pasta Fresca on Forest Drive is the kind of Columbia institution that locals are almost protective of, because they know exactly how good it is and they would prefer it not get too crowded.
At 4722 Forest Dr, this restaurant has built a loyal following by doing something deceptively simple: making fresh, honest Italian food and serving it in a setting that feels like a genuine neighborhood restaurant rather than a corporate chain experience.
The pasta here lives up to the name, with freshness and texture that remind you how much of a difference truly well-made noodles make to the final dish.
Sauces are rich and satisfying, portions are filling without being absurd, and the overall vibe is one of unpretentious, reliable quality that keeps people returning month after month.
It is the kind of place that feels familiar even on your first visit, which is a quality that only the best neighborhood restaurants manage to pull off.
Address: 4722 Forest Dr, Columbia, SC.
9. Travinia Italian Kitchen, Lexington
Lexington has grown into one of the most vibrant communities in the Midlands, and Travinia Italian Kitchen at 5074 Sunset Blvd is one of the restaurants that has grown right along with it.
Sharing a brand with the Columbia location but serving a slightly different community, this Lexington outpost has developed its own loyal base of regulars who treat it as their go-to Italian spot for everything from casual weeknight dinners to larger family gatherings.
The menu offers the kind of broad Italian selection that makes group dining easy, because there is genuinely something for everyone regardless of preferences or dietary needs.
Pasta dishes are reliable crowd-pleasers, but the kitchen also handles chicken, seafood, and heartier proteins with equal confidence and care.
The service is consistently praised for being friendly and efficient, which matters a lot when you are bringing the whole family out for a meal.
For Lexington residents and visitors alike, this Travinia is a dependable answer to the question of where to eat tonight.
Address: 5074 Sunset Blvd, Lexington, SC.
10. Pane E Vino, Hollywood
Not every great Italian restaurant is easy to find, and Pane E Vino in Hollywood, South Carolina proves that the best meals sometimes require a little bit of a journey to reach.
Located at 6350 SC-162 in Hollywood, this restaurant sits in a setting that feels removed from the usual restaurant noise, giving the whole experience a quiet, intentional quality that is increasingly rare.
The name translates to bread and drink, which tells you something about the philosophy here: simple pleasures, done beautifully, with care and craft at every step.
The food reflects that philosophy in every dish, with housemade bread, thoughtfully prepared Italian plates, and a menu that rewards diners who appreciate quality over quantity.
The drive out to Hollywood might feel like a commitment if you are coming from a bigger city, but the moment you sit down and the food starts arriving, the distance becomes completely irrelevant.
Pane E Vino is a destination restaurant in the truest sense, and it earns that label every time.
Address: 6350 SC-162, Hollywood, SC.
11. Pelato, Charleston
Charleston is a city that takes its restaurants seriously, and Pelato at 1085 Morrison Dr has more than earned its place among the best the city has to offer.
This is Italian cooking with a contemporary edge, the kind of restaurant where the menu feels inspired and current without abandoning the Italian roots that give the food its soul and structure.
Morrison Drive has become one of Charleston’s more interesting dining corridors, and Pelato fits right into that creative, forward-thinking energy while still delivering the comfort and familiarity that Italian food does so well.
The pasta program here is particularly impressive, with preparations that show real technical skill and a kitchen that is not afraid to take interesting approaches to traditional formats.
The atmosphere is lively and modern, drawing a crowd that clearly appreciates good food and a well-designed dining room in equal measure.
Pelato is the kind of restaurant that raises the overall standard for Italian cooking in South Carolina, and Charleston is lucky to have it.
Address: 1085 Morrison Dr, Charleston, SC.
12. Il Buongustaio, Florence
Florence is not always the first stop on people’s South Carolina dining itineraries, but Il Buongustaio at 1257 Celebration Blvd is a very compelling reason to reconsider that oversight.
The name means the connoisseur in Italian, and the restaurant lives up to that title with a menu that reflects genuine knowledge of and respect for Italian culinary tradition.
For a state where great Italian food can sometimes feel concentrated in the bigger cities, finding a restaurant of this caliber in Florence feels like a discovery worth sharing loudly.
Much like how Ohio has its own pockets of unexpected culinary excellence, South Carolina proves that quality Italian cooking can thrive well beyond the usual hotspots.
The dishes here are crafted with the kind of precision and passion that you might expect from a much larger city, making every visit feel like a special occasion even when the intention was just a quiet Tuesday dinner.
Il Buongustaio is proof that Florence deserves a spot on every serious food lover’s South Carolina map.
Address: 1257 Celebration Blvd, Florence, SC.