Best Italian Restaurants in Utah

Best Italian Restaurants in Utah
-  revised 7 Aug  2021

This list includes the 4 national chains In Utah - 2 in Salt Lake County and 2 in Utah County, along with all 6 of Utah County's independent Italian cafes, plus a couple more in Salt Lake Valley.

Part 1. Specific Italian dishes 

Notes Revised 7 Aug 2021; Testing completed 2017:

Note: All these items were tested side by side, EXCEPT for those at 6 cafes - Maxwells, Moochies, Bona Vita, Oregano Grill, Brickoven, and Villa  - which were graded separately.  

Best spaghetti dishes in Utah
1. spaghetti with pomodora sauce, at Old Spaghetti Factory, SLC, grade B++++
2. spaghetti with meat sauce:
a. at Old Spaghetti Factory, SLC, grade B++++
b. at Olive Garden, national chain throughout Utah, grade B++++ (now in the C's)
3. spaghetti with salsa rosa (marinara and white cream or variations of it with marinara and cheeses):
a. Olive Garden's 5 cheese marinara, grade B++++
b. Carrabbas' (national chain), salsa rosa grade B++ (also tested at C)
c. Romano's cheese marinara B+
4. spaghetti with marinara sauce, at Terra Mia in Sandy and Orem, grade B+++

Mac and Cheese
1. Romano Macaroni Grill B-. 2016 updated grade (see Best Restaurants in Utah site):
See our site, "Best mac and cheese in Utah," which reaches far beyond JUST ITALIAN CAFES, which this analysis is.

Marinara sauce (to put over pasta)
1. Terra Mia in 2016 (now Delacotte, untested), Orem B+
2. Brickoven, Provo, SLC B/B+
(their marinara with sausage: B)
3. OUT OF BUSINESS:  Oregano, Provo B (fits somewhere in B's)
4. Carrabbas B
5. La Dolce Vita, Provo B
6. Romano's (now out of Provo, only in SLC): B
7, Bona Vita, Lehi B
8. Moochies, Lehi, SLC B
9. Maxwells, SLC B
10. Villa, Orem B-??
11. Olive Garden In 2012: B++. In 2017: C
12. Old Spaghetti Factory (now out of Orem, only in SLC): C-
(their marinara and mushroom: B/B+)
ALSO TO ADD, WHICH WE HAVE TESTED AND ARE GATHERING PAPERWORK FOR, which do not rate in the top 5 above:
a. Lucy's N.Y. Pizza, Orem and 3 in Idaho
b. Rumbi's Grill, national chain
c. Pizza Pie Cafe, Provo
OUT OF BUSINESS: Gloria's Little Italy, Provo B

Pomodora sauce (to put over pasta). 
UPDATED 2017:
1. Old Spaghetti Factory B++++
2. Romano B+
3. Carrabbas B
(No longer at Olive Garden, where it was A - -)
GONE: Gloria's Little Italy, Provo C+/B-

Ragu Alla Bolognese (meat sauce) (to put over pasta)
1. Old Spaghetti Factory B++++
2. Olive Garden B+++ (LATER, IN THE C RANGE)
3. Carrabbas B++, later: C/C+
4. La Dolche Vita, Provo B/B+
5. OUT OF BUSINESS: Oregano Grill B
6. Brickoven B
OUT OF BUSINESS: Gloria's Little Italy, Provo B-
7. Terra Mia, Orem B- - -, later C-
8. Romano's C+, later: B-/B

Arrabiata sauce (spicy Pomodora) (to put over pasta)
1. ARRABIATA IS NO LONGER SERVED HERE AS OF 2017: Olive Garden (theirs also has garlic and is spicy) B++
2. Romano B

Amitria sauce
Carrabbas B/B+

Ambiatta
Romano B/B+

Salsa Rosa sauce (red and white sauce) (to put over pasta)
2017:
1. Olive Garden (they call it "5 cheese marinara"): A-
2. La Dolche Vita, Provo B+
3. Romano B+
4. Delacotte (then it was Terra Mia) , Orem B
5. OUT OF BUSINESS: Oregano Grill, Provo B
6. Carrabbas ("Five cheese sauce") C or B++ (different tests)
NO LONGER SERVED AS OF 2017: Old Spaghetti Factory A
OUT OF BUSINESS as of 2017: Gloria's Little Italy, Provo A- -

Pic Pac sauce (one Italian place only with this sauce to put over pasta)
1. Romano's B- -

Alfredo sauce (one Italian place only with this sauce to put over pasta)
1. La Dolche Vita, Provo B- -

MISC SAUCES:
Brickovern: Spicy meatball sauce B
Brickovern: white sauce B

Spaghetti Noodles
2016:
1. Dellacotta now (Terra Mia in 2016), Orem A
2. La Dolche Vita, Provo A-
3. OUT OF BUSINESS: Oregano B
4. Brickovern B
4. Carrabbas B-
OUT OF BUSINESS AS OF 2017: Gloria's Little Italy, Provo B
6. Romano's C
7. Olive Garden C+B-

8. Old Spaghetti C 

Angel Hair pasta
1. Terra Mia, Orem B
2. Romano's B

Bread
2016:
1. OUT OF BUSINESS: Oregano Grill, Provo (request with green herb sauce) A; bread alone: A
OUT OF BUSINESS AS OF 2017: Gloria's Little Italy, Provo B/B+
2. Terra Mia, Orem A-
3. Romano's, with oil B++
4. Carrabbas B+
4. Olive Garden (bread sticks) B-
5. Old Spaghetti Factory (sour loaf) C+/B-, with butter: B+
6. Brickoven, Provo B-
7. La Dolche Vita, Provo C+/B-

Soup
1. La Dolche Vita, Provo B+
2. Carrabbas B
3. Olive Garden C-
4. minestrone at Old Spaghetti Factory C-

Cheddar Broccoli soup (one Italian cafe only with this soup)
1. Old Spaghetti Factory C-/C

Chicken and dumplings soup (gnocci) (really not a soup, just good ole chicken and dumplings, about as good as Cracker Barrel):
1. Olive Garden (request plenty of dumplings and less liquid): B

Sandwiches at Italian Cafes 
(See our site, "Best Sandwiches in Utah" for a fuller listing of the best sandwiches)
1. Ham "Roma" at Terra Mia, Orem A
2. Salmon sandwich at Gloria's Little Italy, Provo A
3. Caprese sandwich at Gloria's Little Italy, Provo (only great one we've had anywhere) A
4. Proscuitto "Napoli" (thin ham-like meat) at Terra Mia, Orem B-
5. Capresse sandwich at Romano's B-
6. Capresse sandwich at Carrabbas C+/B-
7. steak sandwich at Carrabbas C+/B-

PIZZA at Italian Cafes
2017:
a. Top 3 Margharita pizzas (see full list under our Best Pizza in Utah site):
1. Tera Mia (but you must request much more basil!), Orem
2. Settebello, SLC 
3. Pizzaria 712, Orem
b. Top multi-Cheese pizza: 
1. Tera Mia - 4 cheese pizza (best multi-cheese pizza of several we tested) B-/B

Desserts at Italian Cafes 
(See our site, "Best Desserts in Utah" for a fuller listing of the best desserts)
a. Panna Cotta at Italian Cafes (See our site, "Best Desserts in Utah" for a section of the best Panna Cotta in Utah)
1) Tera Mia (with raspberries and sauce) A
2) Romano's C+/B-, adding raspberry and mint = B/B+
3) OUT OF BUSINESS: Oregano Grill, Provo; Cherry B-; Pistachio C-

b. Dessert Canoli
1) Maxwell's, SLC A
2) La Dolche Vita, Provo B/B+
3) Terra Mia, Orem C+/B- -
4) Oregano Grill, Provo C

c. Creme Brule at Italian Cafes (See our site, "Best Desserts in Utah" for a section on the best Creme Brules in Utah)  (one Italian cafe only has this dessert)
1)OUT OF BUSINESS:  Oregano Grill, Provo A
NO LONGER SERVED HERE by 2017: Terra Mia (now Delacotte), Orem B 
2) Romano (served in round box): B++

d. Chocolate Mousse cake (See our stie, "Best Desserts in Utah" for sections on Chocolate Mousse, Regular Chocolate Cake, and Flourless "Decadent" Chocolate Cakes)
NO LONGER SERVED: Olive Garden (mousse alone A - -, cake alone A-) total A-;
1) Old Spaghetti Factory (mousse alone B+, cake alone B+) total B+; 2017: B/B+
2) La Dolche Vita, Provo (mousse alone C-) total B-
3) Three Layer Choc Mousse Cake at Carrabbas (mousse alone C- -, cake alone B) total C

OUT OF BUSINESS AS OF 2017: 
e. Cakes at Gloria's Little Italy, Provo  - see above section under Gloria's

f. Cakes, misc.
1. "homemade chocolate cake: Romano C-; but with ganache choc frosting and whipped cream:  B/B+
2. Black Tie Cake: Olive Garden (as of 2017: no longer with chocolate mousse, which it had in 2012), now made with white mousse: A and choc cheesecake A; total grade A-

g. Cheesecakes in Italian restaurants: 
1. OUT OF BUSINESS: Oregano, mango cheesecake with raspberries B+/A-
2. Olive Garden (with B+ grade choc mint sauce) total: B.
3. either served at Carabbas, Tera Mia, or Oregano: "creme brulee cheesecake: C+/B-

h. Chocolate Mousse
1) OUT OF BUSINESS: Oregano Grill A
NOTE: See "Chocolate Mousse Cake" above for ratings on just the chocolate mousse within each some of the cakes.




Part 2: The Restaurants

Bona Vita, Lehi
a.spaghetti popotte (spag. with meatballs) B/B+
b. pasta with marinara sauce B
c. meatballs B/B+ 
d. al lsalmone B-/B
e. salmon alone B-/B
f. served with salmon, not counting the salmon: fettucini with brocoli, capes, and garlic in light cream sauce B/B+
g. mazzo pizza (their signature pizza: olive oil, fresh tomato, garlic, red onions, basil, aged buffalo mozzarella, balsamic glaze: B++

Brick Oven, Provo
spaghetti with marinara B/B+
spaghetti with sausage sauce B/B+
spaghetti with meat and garlic sauce B
meatball C

Carrabas, national chain
a. top 3 pork chops in state after Copper Onion (by far the best at an A) in SLC, and Romano's, national chain. chop 1: B+, chop 2 (drier, white meat) C+; another visit: chop a, drier B-, chop 2, moist A-
b. chicken dumpling soup (best chicken and dumplings in the state; they label it soup, but it's traditional chicken and dumblings). A
c. tilapia. Only a few places in the state (mostly Italian, along with Chiles) serve very good tilapia, as it has an earthy flavor, but good sauces and seasonings mask it. B+
d, wings. The best are on our site, Best Wings in Utah - with Wingnutz and Wing Shak leading the way by far, and some decent dry rubbed wings (and only one good sauced wing) at Buffalo Wild Wings. B/B+
e. herb-crusted tilapia, B alone. with cream sauce: B/B+
f.tilapia with red pepper,olives,and green basil lentils B+
g. spinach B
h. green beans B+
i. crab cakes C?
ITEMS TO COMPARE TO OTHER ITALIAN PLACES:
a. marinara sauce (see "Best Italian Restaurants in Utah" for a comparison of this and other food items to other places) B
b. pomodora sauce (cheesy) B-
c. ragu alla bolognese (meat sauce) B++
d. salsa rosa (red and white) sauce ("Five cheese in marinara") C
e. pic pac (tested separately than these sauces) B+
f. spicy tomato and parm B
e. SANDWICH: steak (mushroom sauce A-, bread B-/B, sirloin C++) C+/B-
f. SANDWICH: capresse, first test B+, second visit C+/B-
g. spagatti noodles B
h. SOUP: minestrone soup B
i. soup - Italian sausage-lentil, first visit B+, second visit B-
j. soup - chicken-pasta-vege A-
DESSERTS:
a. choc mousse C- -, choc cake B = rating C

OUT OF BUSINESS: Gloria's Little Italy, Provo
a. gnocciono (4 cheeses in potato rolls, fried) A
b. burro and salvia sauce (sage and milted butter) A-
c. arrabbiata sauce (spices in tomato sauce - spicy marinara) B/B+
d. aglio olio & peperoncino sauce ( blend of garlic, olive oil and spicy pepper flakes) A-
e. margherita pizza D+/C-
ITEMS TO COMPARE WITH OTHER ITALIAN RESTAURANTS:
a. marinara sauce B (3rd best B)
b. pomodora sauce C+/B-
c. ragu alla bolognese meat sauce B-
d. salsa rosa (red and white sauce) A- -
e. spaghetti noodles B
f. sliced bread B+
g. salad A
h. Donatello cheese panini (first year they were opened - they may still serve this) C+
i. michelangelo snadwich (prosciutto, tomato, lettuce, artichoke, mozz, parm) B+
j. Dante sandwich (meatballs B, pomarola sauce, mozz, parm) B/B+
k. Dante sandwich minus the meat but with extra sauce A
l. Verdi (Caprese style) (tomatoes, mozz, basil, oregano, olive oil) A
m. Nerone (pancetta, bell peppes, sundried tomatoes, spinach, fontina chese, olives, red pepper flakes, olive oil) C-
n. Tito (sausage, spicy tomato sauce, onions, garlic, mushrooms) B-/B
o. Domiziano (salmon B, garlic, rosemary, lemon pepper, butter, mayo, arugula) A - -
p. tomato basil soup (too cheesy) C+, another time D+/C-
q. zuppa di lenticchie (soup with lentils and orzo pasta: too salty; even if not too salty, it's just fair) C-
r. butternut squash soup A-
s. minestrone soup C+/B-
t. pollo alla parmigiana B+
DESSERTS: 
They offer 4 chocolate cakes (we tested them all) of their many cake varieties; their best is "Duomo Cioccolato: A- and "Turtle," also an A-
Note: 7 of Gloria's Little Italy Cakes are good (of their 11 that we tried). (note that #1 and #5 below are in the chocolate cake category above): 1) Turtle [a chocolate cake with some mousse, moist but needs more choco flavor] A-, 2) Strawberry white cake with Italian cream and chocolate covered strawberries on top B++, 3) Lemon-raspberry white cake 4) Fragosa chocolate cake with raspberry filling and Italian cream 5) Duromo Cioccolato (moist, but needs stronger chocolate flavor) A-, 6) tarfuto C+ but if warmed: B+, 7) tiramisu B+/A-
8. dulche de leche (white cake plus raspberry inside) B/B+
9. Vulcano (dry, no cocoa flavor) C-
10. Fiochi (2/3 white cake and 1/3 choc cake with nutella) A
11. lemon raspberry cake B+/A-
12. blackberry cake  (thin layers of white cake, thin cream layer) B-/B
13. Frago (choc cake with no choc flavor C, plus raspberry filling and italian cream) total B+

La Dolce Vita, Provo

a. breaded orange roughy. A
b. breaded halibut (number one halibut in state). A-
ITEMS TO COMPARE WITH OTHER ITALIAN RESTAURANTS:
a. marinara sauce (second best of the B's) B
b. pomodora sauce N/A
c. ragu alla bolognese (meat sauce) (ragu) B/B+
d. arrabiata NA
e. salsa rosa sauce (red and white) B+
f. alfredo sauce B- -
g. bread C+/B-
h. minestrone soup (best in state) B+
i. spaghetti noodles A-
DESSERTS:
a. choc mousse cake (mousse C-) total B-
b. canoli B/B+


Maxwells, SLC
a. chicken parmisan B/B+
b. spaghetti - mom's original marinara B+
c. meatball - B/B+
d. philly cheesesteak C
e. salmon BLT wrap (fish C+) total B+
f. canoli, sweet A
g. focacia bread B+/A-
h. potato bacon soup A-

Moochies, Lehi, Midvale, SLC
a. meatballs B+
ITEMS TO COMPARE WITH OTHER ITALIAN RESTAURANTS
b. marinara sauce B


Olive Garden, national chain

a.  breaded tilapia. B/B+ (best breaded tilapia with Italian seasoning is Archibalds, South Jordan)
ITEMS TO COMPARE TO OTHER ITALIAN PLACES:
a. marinara sauce B++
b. #2 Pomodora spaghetti in state (after Romano Grill) A- -
c. ragu alla bolognese (meat sauce) B+++
d. arrabiata (spicy pomodora sauce) (garlicy and spicy) B++
e. salsa rosa (red and white sauce) (Five cheese") (3rd best behind Terra Mia, Orem and at Old Spagetti Factory) A-
f. bread (sticks) B-
g. minestrone soup C-
h. spaghetti noodles D+
DESSERTS:
a. choc cake B-/B, + choc mousse A- -, = total A-
b. choc cheesecake B+, + white mousse B+, = total B+/A-
c. chocolate mousse alone (A - ) (see Desserts for full list)

Oregano Italian, Provo
a. lasagna B
b. marinara sauce and spaghetti C
c. marinara sauce alone B+
d. meatsauce C+
e. crema rosa sauce A
f. pesto on bread A
g. meatballs C, 2nd test: C+
h. meatball with spaghetti sauce B/B+
i. rolls B-

out of business: Ottavio's, Orem 
(Then at the University Mall food court a few months.) 
a. supreme pizza (best supreme in state) B+/A-
b. margharita pizza C+/B-
c. pepperoni pizza C+
d. meatballs (top 5 in state) B/B+
ITEMS TO COMPARE WITH OTHER ITALIAN RESTAURANTS:
a. marinara sauce C

* Romano's Macaroni Grill, national chain
a. Veal chops, with mushrooms and cheese on top (A-)
b. Pork shank A
c. Chianti pork chops (grape flavor). B+ (second best in Utah after Copper Onion in SLC)
d. parmasan crusted sole, with lemon butter, capers (has heavy crust). B/B+
e. Mediterranean Branzino (cheap sea bass - NOT Chilean sea bass, which is our favorite fish! - but this is not it), with lemon chardonnay sauce B
f. olive oil C-
g. sausa batina? B+
COMPARE THESE ITEMS TO OTHER ITALIAN RESTAURANTS:
a. macaroni and cheese (no sauce, sparse cheese) B-
b. marinara sauce B
c. Pomodora sauce (big cherry spaghetti chunks), #1 in state, first test B+, secomd test A-
d. ragu alla bolognese (meat sauce) C+
e. arrabiata (spicy pomodora) B
f. pic pac sauce B- -
g. bread (herbed, salty) C- -
h. caprese B-
i. cheddar broccoli soup C-/C
j. spaghetti noodles C
k. angel hair pasta B
l. caprese panini B-
DESSERTS:
a. panna cotta (see our site "Best Desserts in Utah" for a section on panna cotta, and much better ones than this) C+/B-
b. homemade chocolate cake, with ganache, chocolate toffee, whpped cream (cake alone C+, white and chocolate syrup alone A), combo syrups with cake B+

Terra Mia, Orem

ITEMS TO COMPARE WITH OTHER ITALIAN RESTAURANTS:
a. marinara sauce B+ (2nd best after Olive Garden)
b. pomodora N/A
c. ragu alla bolognese (meat sauce) B- - -
d. arrabiata sauce N/A
e. #1 best salsa rosa sayce (red and white) A+
f. bread B
g.SANDWICH: Broscutto "napoli" thin ham B-
h. SANDWICH: ham "roma" A 
i. #1 best spaghetti noodles A
j. angel hair pasta B
DESSERTS:
a. creme brule (see our list "Best Desserts in Utah" for a section on Best Creme Brule) B
b. canoli C+/B- - 

The Old Spaghetti Factory, multiple locations
ITEMS TO COMPARE TO OTHER ITALIAN PLACES:
2013 test:
a. marinara sauce C-
b. pomodora sauce A-
c. ragu alla bolognese (meat sauce) B++++
d. salsa rosa (red and white: marinara and alfredo mixed) A
e. bread C+/B- sour loaf. + butter = B+
f. spaghetti noodles C-
g. soup C-/C
2016:
g-1.minestrone soup C-
DESSERTS 
h. choc mousse B+, and choc cake B+ = B+
h-1. 2016: "Chocolate Mousse Cake," with over 1/4 mousse: A-, about 3/4 choc cake: B, choc frosting: A-. Total: B+
2008 test:
i. marsala B-
j. lasagna B
k. chicken parmesan B
l. bread D
m. salad C-
n. salad dressing D
o. ministrone soup C-
p. clam sauce C+/B-
q.  alfredo sauce C+
r. mushroom sauce C-