Some Italian restaurants hand you the check before the bread basket is empty. The places on this list work differently.
They serve lasagna big enough to split, keep the red sauce coming, and let you linger at the table like you’re family. From Tampa to the Florida Keys, these seven spots prove that old-school Italian comfort food is alive and well in the Sunshine State.
Save this one for your next date night, family dinner, or any evening that calls for a takeout box and a slow meal. Each stop brings its own reason to visit, whether that’s scratch-made pasta, wood-fired pizza, or a menu full of classics that never go out of style.
Bring an appetite, bring a friend, and plan on leftovers.
1. GINO’s Restaurant & Bar, Tampa, FL
A residential stretch of North Armenia Avenue is not where most people expect to find one of Tampa’s most generous plates of pasta. GINO’s sits right there at 10006 N Armenia Ave, serving old-school American-Italian food in portions that often head home in a box.
The lasagna is a signature entrée, and it fits the old-world portion style the kitchen is known for. Splitting a plate is a smart move, especially if you want room for the bruschetta, fried ravioli, or fried calamari to start.
Eggplant parmigiana is the dish that put this spot on a lot of radar screens. Chicken Marsala, fettuccine Alfredo, and jumbo ravioli round out a menu that leans happily traditional, with a few newer ideas like ahi tuna wraps mixed in.
The dining room is small and intimate, with a relaxed, family-style mood. Save room for the bananas foster if dessert is part of the plan.
GINO’s is open Monday through Saturday from 11 AM to 10 PM and closed Sunday. Friday and Saturday evenings get busy, so a weeknight dinner is the calmer choice.
2. Luigi’s | Italian Restaurant, Eustis, FL
Lunch in Lake County gets a lot more filling at Luigi’s. This casual Eustis restaurant serves a traditional Italian menu in a bright, simple space with booths and tables, and the lunch portions are big enough to cover dinner too.
Lasagna is the star here. The Lasagna Florentine Lunch is a popular pick, and the meatballs show up on plenty of tables alongside it.
Not everyone in your group wants pasta, and that’s fine. The menu also covers pizza, chicken parmigiana, an Italian Combo Sub, steak and cheese hot subs, and a Greek salad.
Prices typically land between $10 and $20 per person, which makes this one of the friendliest stops on the list for your wallet. There’s a kids’ menu and high chairs for family meals.
Luigi’s opens daily at 11 AM, closing at 8:30 PM Monday through Thursday, 9 PM on Friday and Saturday, and 7:30 PM on Sunday. Reservations are accepted at 2814 David Walker Dr.
3. Turci Pasta, Orlando, FL
Fresh pasta is made in-house at Turci Pasta, and you can taste the difference in a plate of lasagna. This storefront market and café on Edgewater Drive is part pasta shop, part restaurant, with gelato thrown in for good measure.
The lasagna is rich, generous, and very likely to leave you with leftovers for tomorrow. Two people can share it and still have a good amount left on the plate.
The rest of the menu gets creative. Look for pear ravioli, purple sweet potato stuffed gnocchi, green tortellacci with prosciutto, and a burrata and pesto salad, plus a prix fixe option.
The room is small, cozy, and quiet, which suits a slow dinner. Reservations are accepted, and that’s a good idea on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Hours run 5 to 9 PM Monday through Thursday, noon to 10 PM Friday and Saturday, and noon to 8 PM Sunday. Street parking in this College Park area can be tight, so give yourself a few extra minutes.
Finish with cannoli or tiramisu cake.
4. Scarpino’s Classic Italian, Bradenton, FL
Garlic knots are the signature here, but the lasagna is what earns Scarpino’s a spot on this list. Made with ground beef and sausage, it arrives loaded with sauce and cheese and plenty to share.
This Bradenton restaurant on 14th Street West focuses on scratch-made pastas and hand-tossed pizzas. The pizza comes with generous toppings on a well-browned crust.
Beyond lasagna, the menu covers chicken francese, chicken piccata, mushroom ravioli, lobster ravioli, shrimp scampi, and penne portobello and sausage. A sausage, pepperoni, and mushroom calzone is another hearty choice.
I’d save this one for a group dinner. There’s a private dining room, a kids’ menu, outdoor seating, and some nights bring live music.
Scarpino’s is open every day from 11 AM to 9 PM. Tuesday evenings tend to be the busiest, and reservations are accepted if you want to lock in a table.
5. Casa Benedetto’s, St. Augustine, FL
Retro decor, homey accents, and a family-run kitchen give Casa Benedetto’s a different personality from the tourist bustle of downtown St. Augustine. The restaurant sits at 197 Blackford Way, with outdoor tables and plenty of free parking.
Southern Italian cooking is the focus. The lasagna is well layered with meat, cheese, and sauce that tastes homemade, and portions are generous.
Starters are a strong part of the menu here. Rice balls and stuffed mushrooms are favorites, and eggplant rollatini and sausage and peppers keep the classics coming.
For mains, veal parmigiana, chicken Marsala, chicken francese, and penne ala vodka all appear. Tiramisu and cannoli close things out.
The mood is quiet and romantic enough for a date, yet kid-friendly with high chairs and a kids’ menu. Dogs are even allowed inside.
Hours are noon to 8 PM Monday through Thursday and noon to 9 PM Friday and Saturday, with Sundays closed.
6. Italian Food Company, Islamorada, FL
Most Keys road trips revolve around seafood, so a Sunday-sauce lasagna in Islamorada is a welcome surprise. Italian Food Company sits right on the Overseas Highway at mile marker territory, serving handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza.
The meat lasagna special is a standout and one of the best-known plates in this part of the Keys. The sauce has that slow-cooked, family-table style.
Local flavor shows up too. The Chef Signature Florida Lobster Fra Diavola and Mediterranean octopus bring the islands into the menu, while cacio e pepe, rigatoni Bolognese, and chicken parmigiana cover the classics.
It’s a dinner-only spot, open daily from 5 to 10 PM. Reservations are recommended, especially Sunday through Tuesday evenings.
Later in the night tends to be calmer if you want to take your time. Some evenings feature live music, and tiramisu makes a good finish.
7. Daninos trattoria, Orlando, FL
Ten minutes from the theme park traffic, Daninos trattoria offers a slower kind of Orlando meal. The down-to-earth spot on South John Young Parkway serves pizza, pasta, sandwiches, and desserts in a casual, quiet room.
Lasagna Daninos is the house version, and it carries a homemade touch with a nod to Venezuelan-style lasagna. That gives it a personality you won’t find at a chain.
Gnocchi with Bolognese, shrimp linguini, risotto, and tortellini fill out the pasta side. Start with the focaccia bread basket or beef carpaccio.
Coffee drinkers should order the espresso. Pair it with cannoli or limoncello mascarpone cake for a proper finish.
Hours are 11 AM to 8 PM Monday through Thursday, 11 AM to 9 PM Friday, noon to 9 PM Saturday, and noon to 6 PM Sunday. Parking is free and usually easy.
Seven restaurants, seven big plates of lasagna, and not one of them in a hurry. Pick the one closest to you, bring someone to share with, and leave room for dessert.
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