Best Italian Restaurants in Marin

Let’s be real… there’s nothing better than a big bowl of pasta and glass of red wine after a long day. From fine dining to your local pizza joint, Italian cuisine has become a common favorite of diners everywhere and luckily in Marin we have our fair share of Italian restaurants. The 2024 readers’ choice Best of the County winner is Il Davide (pictured above). For the rest of the Marin Magazine‘s Best of Marin County Italian food picks see below.

Our 2024 Dining category sponsor is Rodney Strong. View the rest of the Dining category here.

We’ve broken it down by region: Southern and Central Marin.

‌Southern | Central

Southern Marin

Angelino Restaurant

Sausalito

Multiple generations of the Ancona family create an authentic Italian eatery featuring dishes like arrosticini (pictured above) which is a find outside of Abruzzo, handmade pastas, and seasonal antipasti that has showcased the cuisine of the Campania region for more than 20 years. Easily the best view of San Francisco in this category, with indoor and outdoor seating.

621 Bridgeway, Sausalito, 415.331.5225

Poggio Trattoria

Sausalito

Vitello sliced excruciatingly thin and topped with lemon and tonnato sauce is a singular dish in the hands of executive chef Benjamin Balesteri who creates Northern Italian fare using local and Italian ingredients. The bar may be the most hopping in town and is recognized for its killer Negroni.

777 Bridgeway, Sausalito, 415.332.7771

La Ginestra

Mill Valley

House made Neapolitan cuisine, a familiar wait staff, and warm hospitality have made this restaurant a family favorite since 1964. While this old-school eatery is known for traditional pastas and pizzas, a daily menu of seasonal favorites attracts a hip crowd. The adjourning Sorrento Bar serves up cocktails, amari and a selection of fine Italian wines.

127 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley, 415.388.0224

Piazza D’Angelo

Mill Valley

Family owned for over 35 years, Piazza D’Angelo evokes a traditional trattoria dining experience. Enjoy a variety of house-made pastas, meat and seafood dishes, wood-fired pizzas, and gluten-free offerings with organic and locally sourced ingredients. A back patio and newer front patio provide ample outdoor dining space.

22 Miller Ave, Mill Valley, 415.388.2000

Central Marin

Don Antonio Trattoria Marin

Larkspur

Antonio Volpicelli, of the former Don Antonio in Tiburon, runs this location in Larkspur. Choose from standbys like gorgonzola gnocchi, veal parmesan and carbonara to be paired with wines from an extensive list, all served either inside or out on the shaded patio. Look for the Maine lobster special on Tuesdays.

455 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur, 415.924.3332

Cucina sa

San Anselmo

Open for lunch, weekend brunch, and dinner six nights a week for the house’s famous homemade pastas, seasonal salads, and wood-fired pizzas that strike a balance between southern Italy and northern California. Full bar and cocktails are available to go or enjoy a tipple on premise at the heated parklet or inside.

510 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo, 415.454.2942

Valenti & Co

San Anselmo

The bright yet cozy indoor space and warmly lit back patio are ideal environments for authentic Italian dishes made with local ingredients. The menu changes daily but look for the carpaccio of beef, the pan-seared Pekin duck and chef Valenti’s famous tower of triple chocolate love at dessert. A seat at the chef’s table gives a prime view of the open kitchen.

337 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo, 415.454.7800

Il Davide

San Rafael

The large selection of innovative and classic Tuscan dishes and house-made pasta has kept locals coming back for years. Ingredients are organic and locally sourced where possible, and there’s a vast selection of both Italian and California wines by the glass.

901 A St, San Rafael, 415.454.8080

La Toscana

San Rafael

Family owned and operated since 1985, La Toscana completed an extensive interior and exterior renovation, transforming an already popular San Rafael gathering spot into a place for any occasion. The menu features daily specials and classics like gnocchi and carbonara and an ample selection of wine.

3751 Redwood Hwy, San Rafael, 415.492.9100

Fradelizio’s

Fairfax

Locally raised chef-owner Paul Fradelizio has served inspired Northern Italian fare (homemade gnocchi, wild boar cannelloni, Monterey Bay calamari, tiramisu) for more than 25 years. A perennial neighborhood gem winner, the cozy space welcomes all with daily specials (salmon, line-caught in Bolinas, with a golden beet and arugula salad, house made Meyer lemon fettuccine with salmon and asparagus) and a wine by the barrel program, sourced from Napa and Sonoma.

35 Broadway, Fairfax, 415.459.1618

La Gastronomia di Porchetta    

Fairfax 

Like the town it’s situated in, La Gastronomia in Fairfax is a lively and cozy restaurant best known for its authentic cuisine and warm atmosphere. Originally from a coastal town in Italy, Elena and her husband Gustavo opened their restaurant following support in local farmers markets (where they now source the ingredients for their dishes). Enjoy a meal on their outdoor patio and experience a taste of the Italian coast in the Californian sun. 

123 Bolinas Rd, Fairfax, 415.419.5465

Sorella Caffé

Fairfax

Run by sisters Sonia and Soyara, Sorella, which means “sister” in Italian, serves fresh Italian with a northern influence. Customer favorites include the cioppino, butternut squash ravioli, and pollo alla Sorella, others insist on returning just for the garlic bread.

107 Bolinas Rd, Fairfax, CA 94930, 415.258.4520