Whether you’re looking to grab a slice of pizza or take the family out for a celebration dinner, you’ll find a variety of Italian restaurants dishing up the food you crave in Poughkeepsie. Many of these restaurants are family-owned, and some have been serving the local community for over 20 years. While home-cooked meals are always special, a night out gives everyone some deserved rest and a chance to taste a variety of delicious Italian dishes.
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Aloy’s Italian Restaurant
157 Garden St, Poughkeepsie
Here, you’ll find a large menu with enough options to make everyone happy. If you’re looking to dine out, grab a traditional Aloy’s thin square pizza or a cold antipasto salad. You can also dine in and order one of the specials like the tomato-basil baked haddock or braised beef short rib ravioli. In traditional Italian fashion, the eatery has a long list of desserts and after-dinner drinks to enjoy. Try the chocolate chip cannoli or tiramisu paired with a cappuccino to top off your meal.
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Capperi
803 Main St, Poughkeepsie
If you’re in downtown Poughkeepsie, stop into Capperi for a sit-down meal or order Italian food to go. With quaint seating and traditional Italian cuisine, the restaurant is a must-visit for apps like mouthwatering meatballs or fresh bruschetta. After whetting your appetite, move onto main dishes like the eggplant parm sandwich, vodka sauce pasta, or chicken marsala. For those who love seafood, order the shrimp scampi or sole piccata. For dessert, indulge in cheesecake or tiramisu with a latte on the side.
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Cosimo‘s Brick Oven
120 Delafield St, Poughkeepsie
For big family dinners or birthday celebrations, this farm-to-table restaurant offers a relaxing atmosphere with a mix of new and traditional Italian meals. The most popular traditional dishes here include chicken franchise, eggplant parm, and seafood fra diavolo, says Jereme DeCarlo, Cosimo’s catering manager. Some of the more unique dishes such as spicy chicken fusilli and rigatoni buttera are also popular orders.
“What sets Cosimo’s apart from many other restaurants is that, to the owners, this is a passion, not a job,” DeCarlo explains. “The owners wanted to bring Italy with them to New York.”
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Giacomo’s Pizza
1 Spackenkill Rd, Poughkeepsie
3434 North Rd, Poughkeepsie
2600 South Rd, Poughkeepsie
A mainstay for pizza lovers in Poughkeepsie, Giacomo’s has expanded over the years from one location to five (there are two in Wappingers Falls as well). Understandably, pizza is the name of the game here, but don’t sleep on the rest of the menu either. The chicken marsala is a cozy platter of deliciousness, while the saucy gnocchi with melted mozzarella will fill all your comfort food cravings just right.
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Gino’s Pizzeria & Restaurant
706 Main St, Poughkeepsie
While there’s endless debate over where to get the best pizza in Poughkeepsie, Gino’s remains a longstanding contender — and for good reason. The Main Street eatery is the place to go for traditional Sicilian and Bronx pies, and it offers wheat and gluten-free crusts to accommodate a wide variety of diners. If you’re feeling wild, go for inventive pizza options like mac and cheese, lasagna, and even General Tso’s.
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Kokopelli’s
131 Violet Ave, Poughkeepsie
Owned by cousins Jose Jimenez and Ricky Pinelo, this Italian-American-Mexican restaurant serves up food to satisfy everyone’s cravings. The restaurant opened in 2015 and offers a wide range of selections such as wraps, wings, pasta, and pizza. Some of the popular homemade pizzas on the menu are the barbecue chicken pizza, baked ziti pizza, and the white pizza with chicken and broccoli. Kokopelli’s offers pizza by the slice, along with a wide range of gluten-free pies. It also dishes up unique menu offerings such as eggplant pizza rolls and pepperoni, ham, and mozzarella pinwheels.
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Lolita’s Pizza
129 Washington St, Poughkeepsie
Located right near the Walkway Over the Hudson, this is a great spot to hit following an afternoon or evening walk. The restaurant is a must for Neapolitan pizzas and fresh pastas, so be sure to come hungry. Here, you can start your meal off with rosemary flatbread, kale salad, or wood-roasted olives. For pizza, you can choose between eight options such as white, mushroom, pepperoni, the New Yorker, and more. If you’re looking for a hearty pasta dish, you can try the lumache with spicy pomodoro, garlic, Calabrian chili, oregano, parmesan, and breadcrumbs.
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Milanese Italian Restaurant
115 Main St, Poughkeepsie
Stop by Milanese with family or friends to enjoy classic Italian food in Poughkeepsie. Grab an appetizer like shrimp cocktail, calamari, or caprese salad to get things started. Then move down the menu to the pasta selections which include penne alla vodka, fettuccine alfredo, homemade lasagna, and more. If you’re looking to taste other Italian classics, check out the veal piccata, baked stuffed shrimp, or salmon roasted with garlic, white wine, and olive oil. Finish off your dinner with delicious dessert options ranging from affogato to a Nutella-filled crepe topped with vanilla gelato.
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Pizzeria Bacio Ristorante
7 Collegeview Ave, Poughkeepsie
A favorite among Vassar college students and Hudson Valleyites alike, Bacio is a delight for massive slices of pizza and highly addictive garlic knots. The menu features a little bit of everything, with options like subs and sandwiches, whole pies and slices, and pastas galore available for dining in or taking out. Pro tip: Order a slice or two of the white pie, a cheese lover’s dream made with ricotta and mozzarella, and thank us later. Gluten-free crusts are available for those who want them, too.
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Rosticceria Rossi & Sons
45 S Clover St, Poughkeepsie
25 Eastdale Ave N, Eastdale Village, Poughkeepsie
This family-owned deli and restaurant has been serving the Poughkeepsie area since 1979. After working out of their small storefront on Clover Street for over 40 years, the team opened a second location with even more space in Eastdale Village. If you’re looking for savory Italian sandwiches like meatball parm, caprese panini, or Italian club sub, this is the go-to spot. Or, if you’re in the mood for pasta, try the ziti pomodoro, lasagna bolognese, bucatini alfredo, or orecchiette pesto.
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Savona’s Trattoria & Bar
1 Collegeview Ave, Poughkeepsie
With close proximity to Poughkeepsie’s Vassar College, Savona’s is a no-brainer when it comes to scoring scrumptious Italian food in the Arlington area. The trattoria leans into traditional Italian fare, with the menu featuring everything from nonna’s famous Sunday sauce to crimini mushroom truffle risotto and fettucine carbonara. Wood-fired pizzas and flatbreads are available as well, so consider ordering a pie (might we suggest the fig and gorgonzola?) for the table.
Did we miss a spot? Email our digital editor at ksexton@hvmag.com so we can add it.
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