We were on vacation and visiting Amelia Island for eight days. Which I still have dinner here too out of the eight days because of the service the menu options and the food was downright amazing. I love that when you enter the restaurant you are greeted by the owner. He has a wonderful sense of humor and both times he stated that he was seating us so that we could have the ocean view. None of the tables have an ocean view, but it didn't matter. He charismatic and greets with such energy whether we were the first ones there or the dining room was close to full. Our waiter was knowledgeable about the menu options and would allow substitutions if requested. It is nice that the waiter has an assistant that fills your water periodically and checks on you to see if you need anything during your dining experience. I can say with certainty that they are consistent, since we had dinner there twice and both times were perfect. read more

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Ladies and gentlemen, if you're on Amelia Island and looking for great Italian food, you have to try CIAO Italian Eatery! This locally owned restaurant is truly a gem. The staff is top-notch, the food is absolutely amazing, and the atmosphere is lively and welcoming. If you're looking for a quiet, intimate place to eat, this probably isn't it--and that's part of what makes CIAO so much fun! It's a busy Italian restaurant filled with people, great energy, and a wonderful atmosphere. I highly recommend giving CIAO a try. I have a feeling you'll love it as much as we did! read more

Hi Y'All! We had a table of 5 for dinner on Monday night. Our food arrived as expected and our drinks were excellent! Davion was our server. He was such a professional! He made us feel so special. We were not celebrating, just enjoying our dinner. If you have him for a server, you will love him too! I did go to the ladies room, and the kept it clean! Nice! read more

Best Italian in FB! We have eaten here many times and I finally am writing a review. To start with the staff is awesome including Luca the owner! If you're lucky, John will be there waiting tables and singing Opera. Our favorite dishes are capallini and clams, chicken Marcella, veal scaloppini, and lasagna. The desserts are all awesome. You won't be disappointed! read more

My second visit here. Tried the Chicken Parmigiana both times. My first visit the chicken was the size of my plate. The second visit the size was half that of the first. But was still more than I could eat. All though the taste was spot on. My food came out lukewarm. The reason for only 4 stars. The bread is to die for, you need to ask for it. The house Sangria comes in white or red, both are delicious. We are definitely return customers. read more

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Visiting from out of town for a yearly conference and I've been here 3 other times in the past! This is my favorite place in Amelia Island. My son had a kids pepperoni pizza which he loved! I shared a pepperoni pizza with my friend. For entrees, I had the shrimp scampi and my friend had the chicken Parmigiana. We both loved our food! The service was great! Always make reservations especially on Fridays and Saturdays! I had the strawberry basil martini which was great! read more

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We've been visiting Amelia Island, the Omni, since 2019. We have a few standard places we go but had never tried Ciao (we're originally from NY and typically rely on home cooking for good Italian). We tried Ciao in September 2026 and were extremely impressed! The food was absolutely delicious by any standards, the staff was very pleasant and knowledgeable, and the ambiance was classy yet approachable. Highly highly highly recommend give this a go if you love good Italian cuisine! read more

Food was amazing, staff were very friendly and attentive, and food came out very fast. The only things that we wished were different was the ambiance being a little better in terms of low lighting and atmosphere, and if they added any vegan dessert options that would be lovely. We would definitely return! read more

CIAO ITALIAN EATERY - Pesto cream angel hair and angel hair with marinara - Italian Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

The food was delicious! Beautiful decor and the service was superb. Will be going back again!

Simply delicious. Whenever we come for vacation this is always the place we go on our first night. We love it so much. The gnocchi are amazing and the pizza is so thin it's like a cracker. Love the food and the atmosphere read more

Solid 4 stars. It was slammed on a Sunday night and the noise level was high. Service was a bit slow to begin with but expected with a full house. Wines by the glass were very reasonable. Our tomato basil mozzarella skewers as an app were good. My braised short ribs with polenta and sautéed spinach was outstanding. My wife was not as impressed with the chicken Marsala which had some sort of breading which was a bit oily. Very few mushrooms in the sauce. All in all a very good first impression. Will return and try some of the pasta dishes. read more

CIAO ITALIAN EATERY - Braised short ribs - Italian Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

Overall food was just OK. My lasagna was dry, thought it might have been reheated. Beet salad and Caesar salad was excellent. Our guest had a seafood dish and said the scallops smelled very fishy and the dish was not so good. My wife had the clams and noted there were fewer clams than the last time we dined here. Sangria drink was mostly ice, their version of a Moscow Mule was good but served in a smaller mug than one would usually get. For a $250 bill for four people it could have been better. read more

Wow! What an awesome find in downtown Fernandina. Firstly, Luca and his staff are super welcoming, we felt like family here and service was very much on point. Food was authentic and sumptuous. We started with a Caesar salad and House salad along along with killer house bread. For entrees I had the Chicken Parmigian and my wife had the Shrimp & Scallops Diavolo, both were excellent! Full bar, and BTW, their House Sangria is incredible. We are looking forward to a return visit. read more

Came here for dinner the other night. Thought with the popularity and busy atmosphere that the restaurant had something special. Service was slow and to some degree rude as we felt rushed the entire experience Mailen who was our bus staff was excellent. The waiter was not. Food was ok and came out quickly. Made me think maybe some of the items were reheated and not made to order. Wish I had a better experience. Service which is something controllable was poor and rushed. Wish the management could have walked around and asked how things were read more

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Very tasty Lots of options Meal was filling! I had the Salmon Wife had bowtie pasta w/chicken Mine has two small sides: roasted potatoes and spinach Bread came before the meal (very tasty - eat it when it's warm! Price (reasonable (for the location)) read more

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Arrived 10 min before reservation time only to be told someone forgot to write it down . So there was a wait to be seated. After waiting an hour for food after ordering , I asked waiter what was going on. It had just been sitting in the back getting cold. It came out immediately after asking. This place over charges and under delivers. Skip it and find somewhere else. The food is just meh. read more

Luca! You've truly got something special here with your restaurant and should be proud. The ambiance, service and food were all elevated but humble and made a truly fantastic dining experience for our group. We truly appreciated how the owner Luca greeted us (and many others) upon entering and showed us to our table. The servers were also timely, attentive, and friendly. The menu had pretty much anything Italian fare your heart would desire. I appreciate the section of Luca's family recipes for a true taste of home. Our group loved everything we ate, from the mussels, to the tortelloni, to the goat cheese and onion pizza. The true star of the show though was the Saturday special seafood lasagna. It was so flavorful and balanced- rich, creamy, delicious! My brother said it so special that it made him want to cry and he truly savored every bite. Overall, a wonderful experience! Can't wait to return. read more

This is a "good" restaurant. Mainly catering to what the Local People think Italian food is. Typical "American"menu Items like Chicken Parm, Spagetti and meant balls, Eggplant Parm... I do understand that a restaurant has to please their clients. Every restaurant in Fernandina Beach/ Amelia Island is very Good to excellent. The service at Ciao is excellent and the owner is always on hand. read more

Great quality, fast service, and nice environment. Everything was amazing and delicious. Highly recommended!

Maybe it's the lack of Italian dining spots that draws people in. We had a waiter who couldn't open a bottle of wine. The seafood lasagna was clearly reheated and not fresh and was cold in the middle. Another main course was also haphazardly prepared. We will give it another chance but certainly pricey for what you get and really unprofessional service. We need to continually remind ourselves we live in a tourist town. read more

You'll want to give yourself a little extra time to park here. There's available parking, but it is public street parking and you may have to park a bit away from the restaurant depending upon availability. They're on a street that's a plaza of sorts with many restaurants. The service is excellent. I had an incredibly friendly server who knew the menu quite well. The food also arrived promptly, so I was plenty happy with the service. The food was quite good, but there were a few things to note. The calamari was ok, but I found the color on it to be a bit light rather than the browned calamari that I'm used to. Otherwise, it was good. The tortellini was excellent, but the portion was a bit small. It may not be that filling for those with a hearty appetite. The marinara sauce is delicious. It tastes fresh, hearty and homemade, both for the calamari and the spaghetti and meatballs that someone in my party had. The meatballs were delicious, and the pasta was cooked very well. I had their seafood lasagna, which was loaded up with crab meat, shrimp, spinach and made with a mascarpone sauce. The portion was good and it had a good amount of seafood. The mascarpone sauce was creamy and delicious. There's also a good wine and cocktail selection. Overall, I like the restaurant. I recommend it, though I just caution that some portions may be smaller than expected. Give these folks a try. read more

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Ciao is an elevated dinner spot serving up delicious traditional Italian classics in the heart of downtown Fernandina Beach. This place is always crowded and for good reason. We had one of the best tables with a view of downtown through their beautiful floor to ceiling windows. The service was wonderful and their team was so hospitable. The cuisine is the star of show and boy does their veal marsala shine bright. This came highly recommended by our server and I couldn't be happier that I ordered this. The mussels were the perfect starter and their quality wine list had such a great selection and even better prices. This restaurant is a must for your next date night, celebration, or just the next time you're craving amazing Italian cuisine! read more

CIAO ITALIAN EATERY - Veal Marsala - Italian Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

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Overall this was a nice meal and experience. The restaurant was packed and our service was slower but he was doing the best he could and was very friendly. I would probably give it 3.5 stars. We had spaghetti with meat sauce and it really wasn't good. The bread was delicious, so light and airy. I had Alfredo pasta and it was decent, I didn't love the chicken that was in it. The chicken parm was really good. We also had a Caesar salad and the dressing was great. This is a nicer Italian restaurant, it's pretty loud inside when it's packed. read more

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This place delivers every time for me. It is consistent from great service, clean setting, and delicious food. Price is reasonable for a fancier restaurant and the higher quality food. I will continue to go here as a regular because it is the top Italian spot and it delivers! We even take out their goat cheese pizza pretty often because it is so thin and tasty. Check it out because they are great all around. read more

CIAO ITALIAN EATERY - Rigatoni Ciao with light sauce - Italian Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

This was just a great experience all around. A warm and welcoming casual environment, you are greeted by the owner who cares about the customer. The staff is knowledgeable and upbeat and on point with service. And finally the food is wonderful. The bread is soooo good! The pastas are cooked to perfection and come out fresh and hot! The half bottle of Chianti was perfect for my meal. The food comes out quick. The dessert menu is yummy. I haven't had such a great Italian meal since leaving New Jersey and I found it here in North Florida! Ciao has a great vibe - everyone is happy and enjoying their meals! read more

As an Italian who has traveled extensively in Italy and rhe USA a d who us a cook of Italian food this is a wonderful location. Food was extremely well prepared and rhe service was Outstanding. If ever in Amelia Island stop here for a great Italian food experience. The location is casual and somewhat slassy.. read more

I have dined at Ciao before so I decided to bring my parents here when they came to visit. I am Italian and originally from New York so I find it difficult to find good Italian food here in Florida. Ciao is the exception- We came in an hour before they closed so a few of us were worried that we would be rushed to order quickly. That was definitely not the case. From the hostess to our waitress, everyone was so nice and friendly. We ordered the mussels and margarita pizza for appetizers. We were so hungry I forgot to take a picture. For dinner, I ordered the lasagna and it was delicious. The piece they gave was so big I took the rest home and now have lunch for another day. My dad ordered the gnocchi which I tried and it was also very good. For dessert, we had the cannoli and bread pudding. Overall, we had a great time and I can't wait to go back soon! read more

CIAO ITALIAN EATERY - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Fernandina Beach, Florida

This was a recommendation from a friend. We were seated in the rear dining room near the bar. Our server Emma, was friendly, professional and checked on us regularly. I ordered the farfalle con pollo and it was very good. The bread was warm and good too. read more

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We went here for the 1st time last Thursday and wish we had gone sooner! Best Italian on island and off that we have tried. I had the pasta with clam sauce and was nice and lemony. My husband had the veal picatta and the veal was so tender. We both like angel hair pasta and they subbed it for both our dishes. Owner is lovely and chatted up the tables if you wanted to talk. Service was impeccable, obviously the owner cares and it shows. Only gave 4 stars because we got cheesecake to go and it was not great. read more

Food is delicious always. Service varies but overall good. Always make a reservation

A great selection of Italian food. Our server was wonderful helping us with our choices. The decor made it a perfect evening.

Ate there last Sunday. Please look at your interior illumination. Your hostess would not allow us to sit in the front dining room, so we ate under the blue fluorescent multi colored bulbs. Replace the Spots in the ceiling with 2700 K, for no more than a $100.00. The ones you have installed are wayyyy too cold and white for the ambiance of your fine eatery. read more

Holy cow! The food was top shelf! Chicago worthy! Staff was super friendly . We had Aiden, really knew his stuff and had a sweet demeanor. Let's talk about the FOOD! I had the catch of the day- Grouper with an insane lemon caper sauce with roasted veggies and potatoes. My husband had the sausage and peppers , seriously a foodie contender. Although the decor was like a retrofitted Chinese place ... comfortable But not a lot of soft or warm materials. read more

An absolutely wonderful experience. The female behind the bar was nothing less than amazing. She was so fun to watch. Our food was as good as any from our favorite Italian restaurants. They offer a wide variety of appetizers, entrees and desserts. read more

One of the best places on the island to eat. Service is fantastic and friendly. The food is worth every penny but could be a little less expensive. Not sure how they get their bread but it was the best I have ever had at a restaurant. I strongly recommend Ciao to enjoy one of the best Italian restaurants I have ever been to. read more

Hosts are welcoming and friendly. Food is great, very noisey! Service is great. Very noisey. read more

Fantastic!!! Nice to go to a genuine professionally run restaurant to remember what that experience should be. Service outstanding. Atmosphere and cleanliness A+. Most important, food was terrific. If I lived here I would be going once a week. Keep up the great job!! read more

Food was great but service was very mediocre. We had a reservation, and still waited. Ordered bread and never got it and generally felt like we were a burden to the waitstaff. At least the food was wonderful. read more

The bruschetta was excellent and if you come on a Friday or Saturday I highly recommend the seafood lasagna. Meatballs and spaghetti were very good too. Great service. Really positive experience. read more

Downtown Amelia Island is a fun area to walk around. I could easily spend a day or more window shopping and finding places to eat. Ciao is a great dinner spot. This restaurant is perfect whether you're celebrating, or just want something casual, or spending time with the family. It's quite busy and I highly recommend making reservations. We tried the prosciutto e melone, the cheese pizza, veal marsala, and spaghetti and clams. Everything was good if not great. Their sangria is a must try. The seating is a bit tight, but I understand they are trying to accommodate as many customers as possible. read more