An Italian restaurant’s name is more than a sign outside; it’s a promise. It tells whoever is looking for Italian eats that when they come into your location, it will be for a full and unique Italian dining experience. Something they won’t get at the next place. But why do restaurant names matter, and how can you choose just the right one? Looking for ispirazione? You’ll find it here!
Why Are Restaurant Names Important?
Most of the time, you’ll only get a half-second glance to catch the eye of a potential customer, so you need to make it count by optimizing every letter.
A quality name tells your customers you are a great location with an experience to offer and flavor. A bad name will signal negative thoughts in the prospective eater’s mind. The common connection between both good and bad restaurant names is that both:
- Leave an immediate impression.
- Define what your business is about before anyone even walks in the door.
- It directly influences whether someone is willing to risk their hard-earned money on your meals
How to Name Your Italian Restaurant
When you reach the point of deciding on a name, you quickly realize the gravity of the decision. It has to stand out against the local competition, be distinguished enough to be the first thought in your customer’s minds when they think of Italian food, and encapsulate everything you represent without being disconnected from the community it feeds.
Incorporate the Italian Language
Of course, you can’t order from an Italian menu without saying at least one word in Italian. Italian food is a bit of a culture. In that vein, you may want to consider having your restaurant name also reflect that Italian experience if you’re going all-in on the feeling of being in Naples in the Spring when a customer steps inside.
Pay Homage to Your Own Roots
Remember where you come from and consider paying homage to where your restaurateur dreams began. Be it the name of your home town, the city in Italy that you visited, the first Italian restaurant you connected with, or your own family’s favorite Italian meal.
Pun Intended
Never underestimate the power of a simple pun. If you go this route, you want to ensure it’s clever and leaves an impression when read. But there are endless pasta-abilities. Pun intended.
Incorporate the Names of your Signature Dishes
What is a restaurant of any kind without a signature dish? It’s the meal you stand by and declare is your best. So why not put it front and center on your signage? Let the public know how confident you are in your eggplant parm or risotto and lobster. It’s a bold statement that dares them to come in and try some.
Look to Your Community
Some towns and cities have a soul all their own. In some, you’ll notice a theme or running commentary on local heroes, history, and cuisine. Maybe you’re in a college city that calls for a more youthful aesthetic.
Maybe you’re located adjacent to a more refined community looking for a high-class experience. Look to other shops and eateries in your area to gain inspiration and put a finger on the local scene’s pulse.
Turn to the Internet
Creating a restaurant name is a difficult task. For inspiration, you may have realized it’s useful to look to the internet for inspiration. Below we have compiled a list of over 100 Italian restaurant names for that exact reason. You’re welcome to use them yourself, but even if you don’t, they may be the spark you need to ignite a great idea for your own eatery’s name.
100 Examples of Italian Restaurant Names
- Scola La Pasta
- Il Piacere
- Bello Italian
- That’s Amore Pasta
- Vino con Ravioli
- La Magica Olive Oil
- My Supremo Italiano
- Pizza Peddler
- Da Irene Restaurant
- Old Modern Pizza
- Bella Betta
- Devilish Pies
- Greenanic Smoothies
- Freddy’s Stove
- Grandma’s Sweets
- Pizza Mania
- Bocca Felice
- La Cozza Infuriata “The Angry Muscle”
- Wood Fire Oven
- Spaghetti Corner
- La Magica Olive Oil
- My Supremo Italiano
- Pasta con Bagna Cauda
- Zesty Pesto Italian Ristorante
- Bruschetta’s
- Romano’s Italian Restaurant
- The Cal Zone
- Classico Italiano
- WhiteFlux
- JillChill Italian Bistro
- FIrstPrime Italian Bistro
- CoolDiva
- FrostyFems
- Mother Air
- Bello Amore Restaurant
- Great Tortellini
- Zesty Valentino
- Ti Amo Restaurant
- Lucifers Pizza
- Pizzeria Mozza
- Stella Barra Pizzeria
- Pizza Next Door
- Crispy Crust
- Cruzer Pizza
- Pizza Buona
- Mozzarelli’s
- Piada
- La Piazzetta
- Piccola Cucina
- Asiago Italian
- Enoteca Pinchiorri
- Piazza Duomo
- Olympic House of Pizza
- Oz Pizza
- Parmesan’s Pizzeria
- Pioneer Pizza
- Pizza Days
- Pizza Shuttle
- Pizza Studio
- Half Baked Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza
- Grove Hall Pizza
- Hearty Hearth Pizza Oven
- Nola D’ore
- Italian Express Pizzeria
- Papa Jolla
- Italian Square One
- Pasta Cave
- Elite Risotto
- Da Spanglossia
- Vocé Ristorante
- Bistro Vittorio
- La Genicelli
- Avante Restaurant
- Osteria Nascolini
- Home Team Pizzeria
- Pisabio
- The Glass Block
- The Silent Mockingbird
- The Lavender Beehive
- The Bitter Archive
- The Fresh Grill
- Bistro Builders
- Pasta Masta
- Full O’Bologna
- La Mensa
- Palermo
- Al Dente
- Sapori D’italia.
- Sorriso
- Heirloom Café
- Townsend
- Upland
- Urban Remedy
- Zero Restaurante
- Blue Plate
- California Pizza kitchen
- Belly and Snout
- Iron Bone
- Cleaver’s
- Encrusted
- Blackbrick
- Cafe Coyote
- Chewy Balls
- Crab Hut
- Double Knot
Be Original
In the end, you want to make sure you are unique in your presentation. That especially includes the name. Be sure to do research and make sure you have an original restaurant moniker. Eat at Joe’s is a meme because it’s been done to death across the United States.
If you do decide you like any of the choices above, be sure to do due diligence and confirm there aren’t any similar already around you. After all, this is a public list.
Don’t get bogged down in making the process a point of science that you forget to include the artistic side. Enjoy the process of coming up with the name. Most of us are born into a name we have no control over. This is your opportunity actually to choose the word or words that define you. Make it count, but don’t lose your muse in the process.