Exeter's Love Affair With Italian Food
There is something about Italian cooking that just works at the dinner table. Maybe it is the way a bowl of pasta invites you to slow down. Maybe it is the fact that a shared antipasti board turns any Tuesday evening into an occasion. Or maybe it is simply that good Italian food — the kind made with care, with proper ingredients, with dough that has been left to rise and sauces that have had time to develop — is one of the most reliable routes to a brilliant meal.
Exeter has quietly built a solid Italian dining scene over the past few years. Alongside the familiar high-street names, a handful of independent restaurants have appeared that take the cuisine seriously, serving dishes that would not feel out of place in Bologna or Naples. Whether you are after a proper carbonara, a wood-fired pizza margherita, or a risotto that has been stirred with genuine patience, the city has you covered.
We have eaten our way through Exeter's Italian offerings — many of them venues where we host Dinners With Friends events — and this is our honest guide to the ones worth your time in 2026. If you are looking for our broader restaurant guide, you will find that in our complete guide to the best restaurants in Exeter.
The Independents: Where Passion Meets Pasta
Sabatini
If you are looking for the most authentically Italian experience in central Exeter, Sabatini on Catherine Street is where you should start. This is the only independently owned Italian restaurant in the heart of the city, and the difference shows. The pasta is made fresh, the pizza dough is prepared daily, and the sauces have the kind of depth that comes from recipes passed down rather than looked up.
The lunch menu runs seven days a week, offering pizzas and pastas at prices that feel fair for what you get. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, the kitchen expands into grilled steaks, fresh fish, and a selection of specials that reflect whatever has caught the chef's eye that week. The carbonara is a standout — properly made with egg yolk and pecorino rather than the cream-laden version that has somehow become the British default. The seafood linguine is generous and well-seasoned, and the pizzas arrive with the kind of charred, blistered crust that tells you the oven is doing its job.
The space itself is warm and unpretentious. It is the kind of restaurant where the staff remember your face after a couple of visits, and where a quiet dinner for two can easily stretch into three courses without anyone rushing you.
Sabatini's Thursday to Saturday evening menu is where the kitchen really shines. Book ahead for weekend evenings — it is a small space and word has spread.
Il Grano
A short drive from the city centre in Pinhoe, Il Grano has built a remarkable reputation in a relatively short time. With a 4.8-star rating across hundreds of reviews, this is one of those restaurants that people discover and immediately want to tell everyone about — and then slightly regret it when they cannot get a table.
The menu is broad without being overwhelming, covering the Italian classics with enough flair to keep things interesting. The monkfish and prawn pasta has become something of a signature dish, and the pizzas are excellent — thin-based, properly topped, and cooked with genuine care. Portions are generous, prices are reasonable, and the atmosphere strikes the right balance between lively and comfortable. It is the kind of place that works equally well for a family celebration or an evening out with friends.
What sets Il Grano apart is the service. Staff are attentive without being overbearing, and there is a warmth to the place that makes you feel genuinely welcomed rather than simply processed. If you are willing to venture slightly beyond the city centre, this is one of the best Italian meals you will find in Devon.
VINO Italian Restaurant
On South Street, VINO brings a contemporary edge to Italian dining in Exeter. This independent restaurant has carved out a niche serving modern Italian dishes alongside a thoughtfully curated wine list that goes well beyond the usual Pinot Grigio and Chianti.
The risotto is one of the standout dishes — cooked with the patience that a proper risotto demands, creamy without being heavy, and finished with seasonal ingredients that change through the year. The tiramisu has developed a following of its own, and the wine pairings are well-judged. The average meal comes in around twenty to thirty pounds per head, which feels about right for the quality.
VINO opens for dinner only, from Wednesday through to Sunday, which gives it the feel of a proper evening destination rather than a casual lunch stop. It is closed on Tuesdays, so plan accordingly. The atmosphere is intimate and slightly grown-up — this is not the place for a raucous birthday party, but it is perfect for a meal where the food and conversation take centre stage.
Venezia
Sitting on the Waterside with views over the river, Venezia offers something that most Italian restaurants in Exeter cannot — a setting that makes you feel like you might actually be somewhere on the Mediterranean. The outdoor terrace, particularly on a warm summer evening, is one of the most pleasant places to eat in the city.
The menu is broader than a strict Italian purist might expect, with Portuguese, Spanish, and Greek influences sitting alongside the pasta and pizza. But the Italian core is solid. The pizza dough is made fresh daily, the sauces are prepared in-house, and there is enough variety on the menu to satisfy everyone at the table. The fact that Venezia won Italian Restaurant of the Year at the Exeter Food and Drink Awards speaks to the quality they have maintained over the years.
It is also worth noting that Venezia doubles as a bar and late-night venue, which makes it a good option if you want dinner to flow naturally into drinks without changing location.
Worth Knowing: Quo Vadis
Quo Vadis on Fore Street is one of those restaurants that has been quietly getting it right for decades. This independently owned Italian and pizzeria has built a loyal following through consistent quality rather than flashy marketing. The cooking is authentic, the ingredients are good, and the prices are fair — which is exactly what the Italian chains try to deliver but rarely match.
If you are in the Fore Street area and want a reliable Italian meal without the ceremony, Quo Vadis deserves your attention.
The Chains Worth Your Time
ASK Italian on Cathedral Close has permanently closed. The beautiful building opposite the Cathedral is no longer operating as a restaurant. We will update this guide when a new tenant is confirmed.
Zizzi
Tucked into Gandy Street — one of Exeter's most characterful lanes — Zizzi benefits from a location that feels more independent than its chain status might suggest. The menu rotates seasonally and generally includes a good range of pizzas, pastas, and salads alongside some more inventive specials.
Zizzi has done a good job of keeping things fresh over the years, with a menu that evolves more than most chain restaurants bother to. The calzone is reliably good, and the pizza dough has a quality to it that sets it apart from some of its competitors. It is a dependable mid-range option, particularly for groups where everyone has slightly different tastes.
What's New for Italian Dining in 2026
Exeter's Italian scene continues to evolve. One of the most interesting developments this year is the growing emphasis on provenance — restaurants like Sabatini and Il Grano are increasingly vocal about where their ingredients come from, with several now sourcing flour directly from Italian mills and olive oil from specific estates. VINO has expanded its wine list to include more natural and biodynamic Italian wines, reflecting a broader trend across the city's independent dining scene.
If you are planning an Italian evening, it is worth thinking about where it fits into a wider night out. Many of the restaurants below sit close to some of Exeter's best cocktail bars and wine bars, making it easy to start with an aperitivo before sitting down to eat. For couples, an Italian dinner followed by a stroll around the Cathedral Quarter is one of the most reliable date night ideas in Exeter.
If you are visiting Exeter for the first time and want a full day of food, combine an Italian dinner with a morning at the Exeter Farmers' Market on Thursdays — several stalls sell Italian-imported cheeses, cured meats, and fresh bread that will set the tone nicely.
Pizza Done Properly
Franco Manca
If pizza is what you are after — specifically, proper sourdough pizza made the Neapolitan way — Franco Manca in the Guildhall Shopping Centre is where you should head. The dough is made on site daily, proved for twenty-four hours, and blast-cooked at four hundred and fifty degrees in ovens imported from Italy. The result is a pizza with genuine character — blistered, chewy, slightly charred at the edges, and light enough that you do not feel weighed down afterwards.
The menu is concise, which is usually a good sign with pizza. Every base can be made gluten-free, the organic tomato sauce is a constant, and the toppings change with the seasons. The lunch deal — a pizza and soft drink for £12.50, available Monday to Friday between noon and four — remains one of the best-value meals in the city centre. There is also a pizza-and-alcoholic-drink option for £14.95 if you fancy a glass of Nero d'Avola or a craft lager with your margherita. You can swap mozzarella for Violife vegan cheese at no extra charge, which is a thoughtful touch. Check the latest menu and seasonal specials on Franco Manca's Exeter page.
The Flat
We covered The Flat in our best vegan and vegetarian restaurants guide, but it deserves a mention here too. This small restaurant on Fore Street has been serving vegetarian and vegan pizza since 2017, and has built a devoted following that extends well beyond the plant-based community. With only seven tables, it is intimate and cosy, and the pizzas — hand-stretched, made with organic ingredients where possible — are genuinely excellent.
What makes The Flat special is its commitment. There is no meat, fish, eggs, or animal milk on the premises. Everything is either vegetarian or vegan, and rather than feeling like a limitation, it has pushed the kitchen to be creative with toppings and flavour combinations. The vegan pizza in particular has a following that rivals anything the traditional Italian restaurants are serving.
What Makes Italian Food Perfect for Sharing
There is a reason Italian cuisine has become the default for so many social occasions. A bowl of pasta passed across the table, a pizza cut into slices for everyone to grab, a plate of bruschetta that arrives before anyone has properly sat down — Italian food is built for sharing. It is inherently communal, and that makes it one of the best cuisines for turning a meal into something that genuinely changes your social life.
In a city like Exeter, where the dining scene is intimate enough that restaurants feel like neighbourhood spots rather than anonymous chains, this matters even more. The Italian restaurants here — particularly the independents like Sabatini, Il Grano, and VINO — create the kind of atmosphere where the dinner table becomes a sanctuary. You sit down, the bread arrives, and somehow the conversation finds its rhythm.
Many Italian restaurants in Exeter offer set menus or sharing platters that work brilliantly for group bookings. If you are organising a dinner for friends, ask about their group options — most are happy to put together something special.
Our Picks at a Glance
For the best independent Italian experience: Sabatini — the only independently owned Italian in the city centre, with fresh pasta and genuine warmth.
For a special occasion just outside the city: Il Grano in Pinhoe — exceptional food, generous portions, and service that makes you feel like a regular from your first visit.
For contemporary Italian with great wine: VINO — modern dishes, a curated wine list, and an intimate evening atmosphere.
For the best pizza in Exeter: Franco Manca — proper sourdough, Neapolitan method, and prices that will not break the bank.
For Italian with a view: Venezia on the Waterside — a setting that elevates a good meal into something memorable.
For plant-based Italian: The Flat on Fore Street — proof that you do not need meat to make a brilliant pizza.
Beyond the Usual: Italian-Adjacent Options Worth Knowing
If you have exhausted the dedicated Italian restaurants and want to explore further, a handful of other Exeter venues serve Italian-influenced dishes worth seeking out. The gastropubs around Exeter increasingly feature Italian-inspired mains — slow-cooked ragus, proper risottos, and wood-fired pizzas are turning up on pub menus across the city. And if you are heading out to Topsham, the foodie scene there includes several restaurants with strong Mediterranean leanings, including The Farm Table at Darts Farm, which holds two AA Rosettes and serves sharing plates that draw on Italian and wider Mediterranean traditions.
For a more casual Italian fix, the Guildhall Street Food Market occasionally hosts traders serving fresh pasta and arancini at street food prices — keep an eye on their social media for rotating vendors.
It is also worth mentioning that several of Exeter's Italian restaurants now appear on TripAdvisor's top-rated Exeter restaurants, with Il Grano and Sabatini consistently attracting five-star reviews. If you are deciding between venues, checking recent reviews can help you catch any seasonal specials or menu changes.
Buon Appetito
Exeter's Italian dining scene is not the largest in the South West, but it punches above its weight. The independents in particular — Sabatini, Il Grano, VINO, and Venezia — bring a level of care and authenticity that you do not always find outside the big cities. And the chains, particularly in their cathedral-adjacent locations, offer reliable quality in settings that make dinner feel like an occasion.
Whether you are craving a simple margherita or a three-course Italian evening, there is a table in Exeter waiting for you. And if you would like to share that table with interesting people, we might be able to help with that too.