Delaware County has always had a deep connection to Italian food, and today, that tradition is as strong as ever.
It’s the cuisine of birthdays and anniversaries, of Sunday dinners that stretch into the evening, of the kind of hospitality that makes a restaurant feel less like a business and more like someone’s home.
From decades-old institutions to newer spots already earning loyal regulars, these eight restaurants capture what makes Delco’s Italian dining scene worth celebrating.
La Locanda Ristorante, Newtown Square | BYOB
Walk into La Locanda on a Friday night and you’ll understand immediately why it has been packing tables since 1997.
Founded by Mario Palumbi and Franco Stefanatto, the restaurant draws on the culinary traditions of Abruzzo, bringing an Old World regional sensibility to a setting that manages to feel both elegant and genuinely welcoming.
The Scrappelle soup, with delicate homemade egg crêpes in chicken broth, is the kind of dish that earns a restaurant its reputation. The Lobster Ravioli in brandy sauce and double-cut lamb chops are equally memorable.
Bring a good bottle of wine, make a reservation, and settle in.
Il Granaio Italian Restaurant, Glen Mills | BYO Wine & Champagne
Il Granaio has the feel of a place that doesn’t need to advertise. Word gets around.
Tucked in Glen Mills and built around locally sourced, farm-fresh ingredients, the intimate BYOB has spent years earning the kind of loyalty that keeps tables full.
The Shrimp Risotto, with grilled jumbo shrimp over roasted tomato risotto and seasonal vegetables, is a benchmark dish.
Their Pesce Francese, a delicate battered white fish with crabmeat, spinach, and lemon over linguine, rounds out an impressive menu that consistently delivers.
Ariano, Media
Anthony Bellapigna opened Ariano in 2011 as something more than a restaurant. Named after Ariano Irpino, the Campania town where his family is from, the restaurant is a tribute to his family’s history, their journey to America, and everything they built here.
You feel it in the room, and you taste it on the plate.
Carmela’s Scampi, featuring seared roasted garlic shrimp with blistered cherry tomatoes and lemon white wine, is a dish with a story behind it.
The Parmigiana, built on lightly fried organic chicken with tomato crudo, fresh mozzarella, and tonarelli, is as good as it sounds.
A menu that spans housemade pastas, pizzas, and paninis means there’s always a reason to come back.
Roz & Rocco’s, Broomall | BYOB
Roz & Rocco’s is named after the fathers of owners Christine and Scott Brayton, Roz Brayton and Rocco Nigro, and the restaurant wears that tribute proudly.
With over three decades of combined experience across New York City, Philadelphia, Atlantic City, and beyond, Christine and Scott have built something in Broomall that feels both personal and polished.
The cooking is Italian-American at its most comforting: house-made pasta dough, dishes meant to be shared, and the pacing of a meal at someone’s kitchen table.
The hand-cut Pappardelle Alfredo, Sausage Cavatelli with broccoli rabe and chili flakes, and Classic Chicken Marsala are all worth the trip.
Bring your own bottle, and if you’d like a cocktail, their tableside “Make Your Own Cocktail” mixer program takes the BYOB spirit one step further.
Buona Sera Ristorante, Havertown | BYOB
Pedro Perez’s path to Havertown runs through Ecuador and decades of New York restaurant kitchens, where he learned the Italian-American craft that now defines Buona Sera.
Open since 2022, the cozy Darby Road BYOB has built a following fast. Fast enough to open a second location in Springfield.
The Linguine Frutti di Mare, loaded with mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp, and scallops in a spicy tomato sauce, is a delicious option. So are the Saltimbocca alla Romano and Grilled Atlantic Salmon.
The room is warm, the portions are generous, and the hospitality is the kind you remember.
Spasso Italian Grill, Media
Spasso brought its Philadelphia pedigree to downtown Media, and it fits right in.
The menu covers Italian comfort food with confidence, but what sets the Media location apart is its beer garden, boasting craft beers, specialty cocktails, housemade small plates, pizza, and some of the best outdoor dining in Delaware County.
The Burrata Tortelloni in brown butter sage sauce is rich and satisfying, the Grilled Salmon Piccata is a lighter standout, and the Veal Saltimbocca with prosciutto, cheese, and demi-glace is the kind of dish that keeps people coming back.
Rosalie, Wayne
Housed inside the historic Wayne Hotel in the Delaware County portion of Wayne, Rosalie has quietly become one of the region’s most talked-about Italian tables.
The kitchen works with locally sourced seasonal ingredients, serving up dishes made with the best of the best, and the results show.
The Bistro Steak with fingerling potatoes and beef jus and the Salmon over ditalini with herb yogurt and red wine vinaigrette round out a menu that is confident, creative, and deeply satisfying.
Pair it with something from their Italian wine list, and you have a perfect night out.
From neighborhood staples to destination-worthy dining rooms, these eight restaurants capture the variety, passion, and sense of community that make Delaware County’s Italian food scene something worth seeking out, and returning to, again and again.
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