Let’s be honest – who doesn’t love a big bowl of pasta? From traditional lasagnas and spaghetti in silky red sauces to inventive creations and new takes on the classics, America has plenty of exceptional pasta dishes. Here, we take a look at the best in every US state. Check restaurant websites for the latest information on opening times as well as delivery and takeout services. If heading out to eat, remember to check any COVID-19-related advisories.
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Alabama: bolognese, Bottega, Birmingham
The menu changes often at this top-notch Italian restaurant, which is often cited as Alabama’s best. But you’ll always find a bolognese on the menu. Made with venison and paired with a delicate pasta shape, one thing’s for sure: it’s always incredibly delicious and indulgent. Currently, only dining in the courtyard is permitted. Curbside service is also available.
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Alaska: Alaskan seafood pasta, Louie’s, Kenai
It’s all about the seafood in Alaska, so it’s no surprise that the best pasta dish in the state incorporates just that. At Louie’s Steak and Seafood, halibut, salmon, shrimp and scallops are sautéed in your choice of a zesty garlic herb butter or homemade alfredo sauce, and served with perfectly cooked pasta. It’s a hearty dish that seafood fans absolutely love.
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Arizona: beef bolognese, Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix
Better known for his Italian pizzas, chef Chris Bianco also knows how to serve up a mean plate of pasta. Available at the Town and Country location of Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, the house-made pappardelle is a wonderful vessel for a rich grass-fed beef bolognese (pictured right). It might seem simple, but this dish is packed with unbelievable flavor – a true joy for the senses.
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Arkansas: lasagna imbotito, Bruno’s Little Italy, Little Rock
One of Arkansas’ most popular Italian restaurants, famous for its red sauce, Bruno’s has been feeding customers brilliant Italian-American dishes since 1949. Whatever you order here is going to be delicious, but the lasagna imbotito is legendary in these parts. Layers of ricotta, mozzarella and romano cheese are stacked with Italian sausage, meatballs and various cured meats. It’s nothing short of genius.
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California: miso carbonara udon, Marugame Monzo, Los Angeles
A wonderful medley of Japanese and Italian flavors, this fusion dish at Marugame Monzo shouldn’t work, but it does. The thick udon noodles are perfect for absorbing all of the creamy carbonara sauce, that’s spiked with a little miso. It’s unlike any other carbonara dish you’ve ever tasted – yet when you’ve tried it once, you’ll want to eat it again and again. The restaurant is currently only offering delivery and takeout.
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Colorado: tagliatelle, Tavernetta, Denver
The beautiful flavors of sweet Maine lobster and spicy Calabrian chili are a match made in heaven in this tagliatelle dish from Tavernetta. The dish is bright and light thanks to the addition of celery and preserved tomato, while the pasta is handmade and cooked flawlessly. The restaurant is temporarily open for dine-in at 25% capacity but delivery and takeout are also available.
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Connecticut: lasagna, Consiglio’s, New Haven
An old-school Italian joint in the heart of New Haven, Consiglio’s has countless excellent pasta dishes on the menu, yet it’s the classic lasagna that diners can’t get enough of. Decadent layers of ground beef, ricotta and pasta sheets are baked with their famous red sauce and mozzarella cheese. It’s indulgent, it’s hearty and it’s cheesy – lasagna perfection.
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Delaware: Tour of Italy, Mrs. Robino’s, Wilmington
Open for nearly 80 years, Mrs. Robino’s is a longtime local favorite. The menu is filled with delightful options, such as cannelloni florentine and veal and chicken parmigiana. But if you come here just once, your choice has to be the Tour of Italy pasta. A mountain of spaghetti and ravioli is topped with a huge homemade meatball and sausage, then smothered in a secret red sauce.
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Florida: crab raviolotti, Cafe Prima Pasta, Miami Beach
Consistently rated one of the best Italian restaurants in the state, Cafe Prima Pasta delivers delicious homemade pasta and has been doing so for the last 20-plus years. The crab raviolotti (a miniature version of ravioli) is the star of the menu, though. It’s filled with deliciously sweet crab meat and served in a creamy lobster sauce, so every bite is a perfect morsel of seafood flavor.
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Georgia: black spaghetti, BoccaLupo, Atlanta
A recipe developed by BoccaLupo‘s chef Bruce Logue, the black spaghetti dish is unlike any other pasta you’ve tried before. The intense black color comes from squid ink and the sauce is a real treat, made with hot Calabrian sausage, red shrimp and scallions.
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Although you’ll find carbonara dishes all over the world, the one at Fête Hawaii is a slight deviation from the classic which, according to diners, only makes it better. The silky smooth sauce incorporates not one but two cheeses (Parmesan and pecorino), and is tossed with perfectly al dente spaghetti and a mix of salty cubes of bacon and pieces of Portuguese sausage.
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Idaho: black ravioli, ÀLAVITA, Boise
Àlavita‘s striking black ravioli are stuffed with butter-poached shrimp and fontina cheese before they’re tossed in a cream sauce that’s infused with lobster, lime, fennel and thyme. The heavy cream sauce carries the delicate flavors beautifully – the result is a light pasta dish that’s still full of indulgent flavor.
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Illinois: bucatini, Formento’s, Chicago
You might think there’s no need to re-imagine a classic like carbonara, because what could possibly make it better? But you’ll change your mind once you visit Formento’s. Here, bucatini (thick spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the center) is topped with a perfectly runny egg yolk, crispy pancetta and fresh cracked black pepper, which come together to create a sensational dish.
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Indiana: rosemary chicken lasagna, Mama Carolla’s, Indianapolis
If you’re after hearty servings of the best Italian-American dishes in Indiana, look no further than Mama Carolla’s. The restaurant’s rosemary chicken lasagna is a very special event – slices of roasted chicken are layered with a mixture of wild mushrooms, spinach, ricotta, fresh mozzarella and spices, as well as fresh pasta sheets, and baked to perfection. The lasagna is finished with a pool of tomato butter sauce too.
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Iowa: handmade cavatelli, Centro, Des Moines
With several brilliant pasta options on the menu, it’s not easy to single out the best dish at this top Italian restaurant in Iowa. However, the handmade cavatelli is a strong favorite among diners. The fresh pasta is doused in a stunning marinara sauce that incorporates the hearty flavors of Italian sausage and the cheesy goodness of mozzarella. One thing is guaranteed here – you won’t leave hungry.
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Kansas: penne al pesto, Albero Cafe, Wichita
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Kentucky: spaghetti con aragosta, pomodoro e arugula, Vincenzo’s, Louisville
Something of a signature dish at Vincenzo’s, the lobster tail spaghetti is a long-time favorite, available only on the dinner menu. It’s a relatively simple dish that relies on the freshness and flavor of the ingredients to make it so irresistible: spaghetti is tossed with shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, arugula, olive oil, parsley and garlic.
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Louisiana: cannelloni, Vincent’s Italian Cuisine, Metairie
Recognized as one of the best Italian restaurants in the state, Vincent’s Italian Cuisine is a Metairie staple that’s been serving huge portions of superb Italian food since 1989. The best dish you can order here is the house special cannelloni. The feather-light pasta is stuffed with veal and spinach, and cooked in both red and alfredo cream sauces. The dish is also served at a second location in New Orleans. Dine-in is only available with a booking.
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Maine: lobster diavolo, Street and Co., Portland
Could it be anything other than fresh Maine lobster? We think not. At Street and Co. it’s served in a heady seafood stew of mussels, clams and calamari that’s mixed with garlicky, buttery linguine. Scoop the lobster meat out, mix into the pasta and enjoy total food heaven.
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Maryland: cacio e pepe, Orto, Baltimore
The competition in Baltimore’s Little Italy is tough, but the city’s (and the state’s) best pasta dish is actually found elsewhere. Elegant Orto’s cacio e pepe is simple but perfect – a blend of spaghetti, black pepper and pecorino. Much loved by diners, the dish is also available on the takeout menu.
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Massachusetts: bucatini carbonara, Coppa, Boston
A much-loved small-plates Italian restaurant in Boston, Coppa is perfect for a laid-back meal, and you’d be doing something wrong if you didn’t order the carbonara. Made the traditional way with pancetta, egg yolk and Parmesan, the dish is taken to new heights with the addition of sea urchin, or uni. The saltiness from the pancetta complements the uni’s creaminess.
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You can’t go wrong with any pasta order at top Italian restaurant Bacco in Detroit’s suburbs. However, it’s the strozzapreti norcina you’ll really want to try. The long delicate tubes of pasta are tossed with a buttery sauce of house sausage, tomato, cream and a touch of truffle oil, making for a simply exquisite dish.
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Minnesota: tagliarini, Broders’ Pasta Bar, Minneapolis
Pasta lovers in Minneapolis are already familiar with Molly and Tom Broder’s casual pasta bar, which has been delighting diners with fresh handmade pasta in delicious Italian-inspired sauces for years. With nearly 30 pastas and risottos on the menu it might be difficult to choose, but you’ve got to go for the tagliarini. Served in a light truffle cream sauce with Prosciutto di Parma, it’s the restaurant’s best dish. Only curbside pick-up is available.
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Mississippi: lasagna, BRAVO! Italian Restaurant and Bar, Jackson
Although the angel hair pastas are exceptional here, it’s the lasagna you’ll want to order. Classic and cooked to perfection, the dish sees pasta layers stacked with ricotta, house-ground beef, spectacular marinara sauce and gooey mozzarella. It’s utterly irresistible.
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Missouri: toasted ravioli, Anthonino’s Taverna, St Louis
A St Louis speciality, you’ll find toasted ravioli on pretty much all the menus across the city. If you’re looking for the best, though, head straight for Anthonino’s Taverna. Crispy on the outside and filled with delicious meat inside, the ravioli come with a marinara sauce for dipping too.
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Montana: linguini alle vongole, Ciao Mambo, various locations
You might be surprised to see a seafood dish topping the charts in Montana, but you simply can’t deny the amazing flavors of Ciao Mambo‘s linguini alle vongole served in its Whitefish, Billings and Missoula locations. The baby clams are tossed with perfectly made pasta and a white or red sauce, depending on your preference. As the restaurant modestly states on its menu – it’s one of the best.
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Nebraska: giglio with chicken and asparagus, Spezia, Omaha
Although better known for its steaks, Spezia‘s pasta offerings are excellent too. A standout dish, the giglio with chicken and asparagus combines the twisty pasta shapes with a creamy pesto sauce, grilled chicken pieces, toasted yellow peppers, asparagus and tomato basil relish. It’s as colorful as it is delicious.
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Nevada: pappardelle bolognese, Chef Marc’s Trattoria, Nevada
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New Hampshire: Maine lobster ravioli, Tuscan Kitchen, Salem
The only way is lobster when in New England and Tuscan Kitchen‘s Maine lobster ravioli proves once again why the lobster and pasta pairing is such a wonderful thing. Tossed in a rock shrimp scampi sugo, the ravioli are stuffed with sweet lobster meat and served with crushed red pepper.
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New Jersey: pappardelle rustica, Paisano’s, Rutherford
Offering a range of northern and southern Italian dishes, Paisano’s always serves up something delicious. The standout, however, is the pappardelle rustica (pictured right). The pasta is light and perfectly al dente, while the hearty “old-style” bolognese sauce has a wonderful depth of flavor. It’s the ultimate comfort food.
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New Mexico: green chile chicken ravioli, Joe’s Pasta House, Rio Rancho
Serving recipes straight from the owner’s Italian grandmother’s kitchen, Joe’s Pasta House is a classic red-sauce Italian-American restaurant. The restaurant’s best creation is a wonderful fusion dish incorporating New Mexico green chiles. The cheese ravioli are topped with sautéed chicken and the signature green chile alfredo sauce.
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New York: spicy rigatoni vodka, Carbone, New York City
You simply haven’t sampled the best of New York’s food scene if you haven’t been to Carbone, and you haven’t been to Carbone if you haven’t had its spicy rigatoni vodka. The house-made pasta is tossed in a delicious take on vodka sauce – it incorporates onions, tomatoes and cream, and the taste is nothing short of luxurious.
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North Carolina: penne alla vodka, Mama Ricotta’s, Charlotte
A strong favorite among locals, the penne alla vodka is the best pasta dish you’ll find on Mama Ricotta’s menu. With high-quality ingredients and attention to detail, it’s the restaurant’s most famous offering too. The penne is al dente, the spicy tomato cream sauce is spiked with pepper vodka and the dish is finished with some sautéed salty pancetta.
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North Dakota: seasonal pasta, Butterhorn, Bismarck
Butterhorn specializes in showcasing the best seasonal ingredients sourced all over the Midwest. The house-made pasta offering changes with the seasons, but whatever you pick, you’ll be treated to a superb meal. The spaghetti is always a safe bet, whether served with classic carbonara sauce, fresh shrimp scampi (pictured), or Italian sausage, tomatoes and cream which is currently on the menu.
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Ohio: cappellacci with short rib, Sotto, Cincinnati
You’ll find that quite often the simplest pasta dishes are the most effective and Sotto‘s cappellacci with short rib is no exception. Similar to ravioli, cappellacci is a type of filled pasta that, in this instance, is served in a light cream sauce with shallots and thyme. One of the original Sotto dishes, it’s been on the menu since the restaurant opened in 2013 and is a strong diner favorite. Reservations are required for dine-in.
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Oklahoma: Italian sausage pasta, Stella, Oklahoma City
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Oregon: pork belly mac and cheese, Grassa, Portland
A dish not for the faint-hearted, Grassa‘s mac and cheese is topped with a generous helping of sticky barbecue pork belly bites. The handmade macaroni are hugged by an incredibly cheesy cream sauce that’s spiked with jalapeño and topped with cornbread crumble. This is comfort food at its very best.
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Pennsylvania: macheroni alla mugnaia, Le Virtù, Pennsylvania
The top spot for pasta in all of Pennsylvania, the incredible skills of Le Virtù‘s chefs are best displayed in their signature maccheroni alla mugnaia dish. A long, single strand of hand-pulled pasta is dressed with garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, pecorino cheese and hot peppers. It’s a dish you’ll remember for a long time.
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Rhode Island: baked pasta, Al Forno, Providence
One of the best baked pasta dishes out there, Al Forno‘s pasta shells are baked to absolute perfection in a delicious tomato, cream and five-cheese sauce. The dish is cooked until the cheese on top is bubbly and golden – but arguably the best bit is the edges, where the pasta turns deliciously crispy. You won’t want to share this one. The restaurant currently only offers takeout.
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South Carolina: agnolotti, Renzo, Charleston
More famous for its wood-fired pizzas, Renzo is no slouch when it comes to pasta either. The agnolotti dish in particular is something you won’t forget in a hurry. The superb pasta is stuffed with castelrosso cheese and dressed with honey, muscadine and oil-cured olives, offering a perfect balance of sweet, salty and savory flavors.
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South Dakota: baked cheese tortellini, Johnny Carino’s, various locations
Baked cheese tortelloni sounds about as comforting as pasta can get. The cheese-stuffed pasta pillows at Johnny Carino’s, loved for its warming pasta dishes, are mixed with a creamy cheese sauce before being baked with mozzarella and Parmesan on top. If you love cheese and you love pasta, this is quite possibly the best dish ever.
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Tennessee: BBQ spaghetti, The Bar-B-Q Shop, Memphis
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Texas: short rib ravioli, Bludorn, Houston
Another excellent ravioli dish on the list, the offering at Bludorn is somewhat unexpected but much loved by the customers. Perfectly formed ravioli are stuffed with the softest short rib and served with the unusual combination of blue cheese, figs and red onion. We guarantee you’ll want to lick your plate clean.
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Utah: rigatoni al sugo della mamma, Valter’s Osteria, Salt Lake City
Anyone familiar with the restaurant scene in Salt Lake City will know about Valter’s Osteria and its ever-present owner Valter Nassi. His menu is full of Tuscan classics inspired by his mother but the one you’ll want to order is the rigatoni dish, slathered in a sauce based on his mum’s recipe. The rigatoni is soft and chewy and its tube shape is perfect for amassing as much of the tomato-based porcini and meat sauce as possible.
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Vermont: lobster fra diavolo, Trattoria Delia, Burlington
A great traditional Italian trattoria that’s been going for more than 20 years, Trattoria Delia knows a thing or two about pasta. The house-made spaghetti is combined with lobster claws, broccoli rabe, tomatoes and Calabrian chilies in a lobster fra diavolo dish that’s utterly irresistible. Trattoria Delia is open for curbside pick-up and delivery only.
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Virginia: bucatini all’amatriciana, Dal Grano, McLean
The selection at Dal Grano might be large but there’s only one pasta and sauce combination you’ll want to get. The bucatini all’amatriciana combines fresh bucatini pasta with a rich, traditional amatriciana sauce made of tomato, pancetta, onion and pecorino cheese. Can’t get enough of it? You can buy raw pasta for cooking at home as well.
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Washington: saffron spaghetti bolognese, San Fermo, Seattle
When there are only a handful of dishes on the menu, you know the restaurant is either completely bonkers or knows exactly how to do something to absolute perfection. San Fermo’s small but perfectly formed selection of pasta dishes is superb, from agnolini in brodo to carbonara. Opt for the saffron spaghetti bolognese, however, and you’ll be treated to a truly special bowl of pasta.
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West Virginia: manicotti, Muriale’s Italian Kitchen, Fairmont
It doesn’t really get any more Italian-American than Muriale’s, and the manicotti dish here is simply divine. The tube-shaped pasta shells are stuffed with ricotta cheese and smothered in a rich meat sauce. If that wasn’t enough, it’s also served with one of Muriale’s famous meatballs.
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Wisconsin: uovo in raviolo, Ristorante Bartolotta, Wauwatosa
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Wyoming: ricotta cavatelli, Glorietta, Jackson
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