Best Italian Restaurants in Brooklyn Heights & Downtown Brooklyn (11201)
5 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Cecconi's Dumbo
A high-ceilinged, waterfront Italian dining room where hand-made pasta and pizzas share equal billing with Manhattan skyline views.
Notable Picks
8.8
Cecconi’s Dumbo is a waterfront Italian restaurant in the Empire Stores complex where dressed-up diners eat hand-made pasta and pizza under vaulted ceilings and chandeliers or on a covered patio facing the skyline. It’s more about the full scene—views, cocktails, and polished service—than chasing the best value in town.
Must-Try Dishes:
Zucchini fritti with lemon aioli, Cacio e pepe, Wood-fired pizza with seasonal toppings
What makes it special: A high-ceilinged, waterfront Italian dining room where hand-made pasta and pizzas share equal billing with Manhattan skyline views.
8.7
Lillo is a tiny, cash-only Roman trattoria in Cobble Hill where pastas, sandwiches, and pastries come out of a minuscule kitchen with outsized flavor. Locals line up for deeply comforting classics that rarely crack $25, trading space and amenities for food that tastes like a neighborhood secret.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cacio e pepe, Rigatoni all’amatriciana, Bombolone filled with Nutella
What makes it special: A six-table Roman cafe where simple pastas and sandwiches overdeliver for the price.
8.5
Noodle Pudding is a cash-only Brooklyn Heights fixture dating back to the mid-1990s, serving big-portion Italian standards in a lively, wood-accented dining room. Regulars treat it as a neighborhood clubhouse for fried calamari, pastas, and braised meats that feel old-school in the best way.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fried calamari, Lasagna Bolognese, Osso buco
What makes it special: A decades-old, cash-only Italian spot where Brooklyn Heights locals crowd in for classic red-sauce comfort and big portions.
#4
Savelli
8.3
Savelli is a newer Italian restaurant and bar on Smith Street that leans into polished pastas, pizzas, and a serious wine list in a warmly lit room. It feels tailored for date nights and small celebrations, with a garden patio that softens the bustle of the surrounding streets.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pizza, Funghi pizza, Chocolate lava cake
What makes it special: Smith Street’s modern Italian dining room where wood-fired pizzas, house pastas, and a strong bar program make it feel more polished than a typical neighborhood joint.
Worthy Picks
#5
Vineapple
7.8
Vineapple is a Brooklyn Heights cafe-wine bar that layers Italian-leaning small plates and brunch dishes onto an all-day coffee and cocktail program. It’s as much a neighborhood living room as a restaurant, with a backyard garden and enough menu range to work for breakfast meetings, casual dates, and group hangs.
Must-Try Dishes:
Breakfast burrito, Shakshuka with sourdough, Polenta fries with dipping sauce
What makes it special: Italian-inspired cafe plates, cocktails, and coffee served in a cozy brownstone space with a leafy backyard.