Gambero Rosso’s Recent U.S. Tour brought Top Italian Restaurant Awards to Standout Italian Eateries in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York City
April 2, 2026 (Rome, Italy) — World-renowned Italian media company, Gambero Rosso, completed a successful 2026 U.S. Tre Bicchieri Tour in late February and early March, drawing more than 3,000 wine, hospitality, and media trade professionals from across the U.S. While the events celebrated the best of Italian wines, they also recognized the very best restaurants in the U.S. for eating and drinking like a true Italian, awarding a total of 108 restaurants with top honors.
Gambero Rosso’s Top Italian Restaurants is the guide that recognises those who have pushed the boundaries to deliver gastronomic excellence far beyond Italy. While the stereotype of Italian food is that it is rooted in tradition and rigid culinary codes, the reality is that it is constantly innovating and evolving thanks to the tireless efforts of chefs and restaurant owners across the globe. The U.S. is a nation famous for its love of Italian food, in no small part thanks to its sizable Italian diaspora.
“It was an amazing experience to be in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York City in the recent weeks, and it was a huge pleasure to reacquaint ourselves with some old friends and make new ones during the Tre Bicchieri events,” comments Tiina Eriksson, International Director of Gambero Rosso. “It was also a delight to be able to properly celebrate the pizzerias, wine bars, gelaterias, and restaurants that best celebrate Italian cuisine and Italian wine producers at the Top Italian Restaurants awards at each event.”
California
During two events in California, top honours were awarded to several eateries in the Golden State. There were multiple Tre Bottiglie (‘Three Bottles’) winners, the highest award given to a restaurant based on the strength of its wine list. These included Los Angeles’ Drago Centro, Solare in San Diego, Donato Enoteca in Redwood City, and San Francisco’s A16.
There were also a number of restaurants which won Tre Forchette (‘Three Forks’), with special mention going to Felix Trattoria in Los Angeles and Acquerello in San Francisco, which received the special prizes sponsored by Italian high-performance glassware manufacturer Italesse.
Other Tre Forchette winners were Dora in San Diego and Belotti Ristorante e Bottega in Oakland. The highest rating for pizzerias, Tre Spicchi (‘Three Slices’), went to Nardo in Culver City and San Francisco’s Montesacro, and Tre Cornetti (‘Three Croissants’) were awarded to the pastries of Emporio Rulli in Larkspur.
Chicago
While Chicago is famous for its own styles of pizza, whether it be the aforementioned deep dish or the thin and crispy tavern-style pizza, it was Neapolitan-inspired pizzeria Spacca Napoli that won Tre Spicchi. There were two Due Spicchi winners in the Windy City: Gallucci Pizzeria Napoletana and Forno Rosso.
Eastern Seaboard
The Top Italian Restaurants also awarded several restaurants offering an authentic taste of the Mediterranean on the Atlantic coast. New York City is not a metropolitan area that wears its Italian heritage lightly, and this is reflected in the quality of its Italian eateries. Gambero Rosso gave seven of the Big Apple’s establishments top awards: Tre Bottiglie for the New York outpost of Rome’s Roscioli, Tre Forchette for La Devozione, Sistina and Lucciola, Tre Spicchi for both Pizzeria Song’e Napule and Pizzeria Ribalta, and, for a pastry, Tre Cornetti for Rosetta.
The following is a complete list of the 2026 U.S. Top Italian Restaurant Award Winners.
About Gambero Rosso
Gambero Rosso® is Italy’s publishing and training leader in the field of wine and food, known primarily in the U.S. for its renowned annual Guide to Italian Wines (Vini d’Italia). It is the only multimedia company in the sector that offers magazines, books, guides, a website, smartphone applications, and a television channel – Sky 412. Since 1987, Gambero Rosso has represented Italian-made food and wine, testing and certifying the quality of products and telling the stories behind the flavors and traditions of the Bel Paese. In Italy, Gambero Rosso offers Città del Gusto® training courses in five cities. Gambero Rosso has developed a rich, worldwide network of partnerships with prestigious culinary institutes to promote authentic Italian culinary traditions and products. For more information, visit gamberorosso.us and gamberorossointernational.com. Join the conversation and follow on social media at @gamberorossointernational.
