Each year, we ask Orange County Register readers to choose their favorite places to shop, dine, play and do business in OC.
Here are the top picks for Best Italian restaurant:
1. Fratellino’s by Cesar Lomeli
Brea, Orange; 714-255-9100, 714-941-6005; fratellinos.com
It’s another year, another win for Fratellino’s Italian Restaurant, which by now is a regular in the Best of Orange County ranking. Cesar Lomeli and his wife founded Fratellino’s in Fullerton in 2000 and moved it to Brea in 2010. Throughout the years, the restaurant has been transporting diners to Italy through its homey food as much as the ambiance, which includes murals depicting Italian lake scenes. The name Fratellino means “little brother” in Italian, a nod to Lomeli’s past working with his brother.
Over the years, Fratellino’s has maintained the quality of its food and service, earning industry recognition and securing its place as a beloved local institution.
The traditional, family-friendly sit-down restaurant with a full table service delivers hearty portions of classic Italian dishes. They include beef lasagna with meat sauce or meat ball, chicken, eggplant or veal parmigiana, shrimp scampi and much more as well as a selection of pizzas featuring exclusive recipes. All complete dinners come with minestrone soup or salad, garlic bread, ice cream and house wine for those 21 and over. The restaurant is also known for its take-out party trays, which make up a significant part of the business.
Fratellino’s has a second location in Orange, which opened in March 2025. It has a similar menu, but a more relaxed and casual feel with customers ordering at the counter. Unlike Brea, the Orange location serves up paninis and gelato.
2. Roma D’ Italia
611 El Camino Real, Tustin; 714-544-0273; romaditalia.com
Roma D’ Italia is the place to go to slow down and enjoy the meal prepared from time-tested family recipes. The eatery aims to deliver consistent high-quality food as well as attentive hospitality in a full-service dining environment. The restaurant originally opened 65 years ago, Dominic Corea bought it in 1968, and it’s now operated by the third generation of the family. Many of the guests have been regulars for generations.
Classics such as lasagna and chicken parmesan have been customers’ favorites, but Roma D’ Italia is also famous for a few signature dishes. Pepperoni Bread (baked pizza dough stuffed with pepperoni, Romano and mozzarella cheese), Eggplant Sorrentino (baked rolls of eggplant stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, eggs Romano cheese and herbs), and Fettuccine Prima Classe (fresh shrimp tossed with fettuccine pasta in creamy marinara sauce) have all developed a loyal following.
Whether it’s classics or more novelty items, Roma D’ Italia’s philosophy is to always serve comforting and well-executed Italian food.
3. Capone’s Italian Cucina
19688 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach; 714-593-2888; caponesitaliancucina.com
Capone’s Italian Cucina is back on the Best of Orange County list. The Italian restaurant, owned by chef Dino Ferraro and his wife Lisa, has been serving the Huntington Beach community since March 1999. Their goal is “to create an authentic Italian dining experience where guests feel like part of the family.” They do so by showcasing dishes from many regions of Italy, focusing on authentic flavors and high-quality ingredients.
Some of the most popular dishes include cioppino (Italian seafood stew) and Agnello (New Zealand rack of lamb), as well as housemade ravioli, fresh pasta and gnocchi.
Chef Dino Ferraro’s mother inspired his passion for cooking, and it was pretty obvious from an early age when he cooked with his parents that a restaurant world was his destiny.
“As a family-owned restaurant, our greatest accomplishment is the relationships we’ve built with generations of guests who continue to celebrate life’s special moments with us,” Ferraro said.
