Italian Restaurants in Clarksville

June 14, 2026

Clarksville’s Italian dining scene is younger than those of Tennessee’s larger cities, but it has grown quickly, with several scratch-cooking restaurants opening in recent years. Clarksville is Tennessee’s fifth-largest city, with a population of roughly 176,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), and its proximity to Fort Campbell gives it a steady, internationally minded customer base. The city’s Italian restaurants range from a Fort Campbell Boulevard dining room to an Emilia-Romagna-focused pasta and pizza kitchen and an upscale downtown trattoria, several of which emphasize made-from-scratch cooking.

The cooking leans traditional, with a recurring focus on handmade pasta. Menus across the city’s Italian restaurants feature familiar dishes such as lasagna, chicken parmesan, chicken piccata, eggplant parmigiana, and shrimp scampi, often described as made from scratch. Two of the newer restaurants draw specifically on the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, known for its pasta, and a downtown fine-dining room pairs Italian preparations with steaks and seafood. Several of these restaurants are owner-operated, with chefs who trained in Italian cooking before opening in Clarksville.

Restaurants in Clarksville operate under Tennessee’s food-service rules. A restaurant must hold a food-service permit and pass routine inspections; in Montgomery County these are handled by the Montgomery County Health Department under standards set by the Tennessee Department of Health. Prepared restaurant food is taxed at the full combined sales-tax rate rather than the lower state grocery food rate, and in Montgomery County that combined rate reaches roughly 9.50%. Restaurants that serve wine, beer, or liquor must hold the appropriate permits; on-premises liquor-by-the-drink service is licensed through the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), while beer permits are issued through local government.

For diners, a few practical points apply across the category. Menu prices generally exclude tax, so the combined rate is added at checkout, and many full-service Italian restaurants add an automatic gratuity for larger parties, which is disclosed on the menu or check. Some restaurants offer a military discount given the city’s connection to Fort Campbell, and a few of the newer dining rooms keep limited weekly hours, so confirming service times before visiting is worthwhile. Consumer complaints about billing or service practices can be directed to the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). The restaurants below were selected for their established presence in Clarksville and the detail available about their cuisine, ownership, and history.

Top Italian Restaurant Providers in Clarksville

1. Casa D’Italia Ristorante

Address: 1345 Fort Campbell Boulevard, Clarksville, TN 37042
Phone: (931) 378-7762
Website: https://casaditaliaclarksville.com
Services: dine-in Italian, made-from-scratch pasta and sauces, chicken and eggplant parmesan, chicken piccata, lasagna, takeout, catering, military discount
Description: Casa D’Italia Ristorante is a traditional Italian restaurant on Fort Campbell Boulevard that opened on Christmas Day 2022. It was founded by Buki Murati, who immigrated to the United States in 2017 and learned Italian cooking while working in New York, bartending in Little Italy and studying the kitchen on weekends, before co-founding a restaurant in Madison, Alabama and then opening Casa D’Italia in Clarksville. The kitchen makes its food from scratch, with lasagna and chicken parmesan noted as its top sellers, and a menu that also includes chicken piccata and eggplant parmigiana with linguine and fresh vegetables, along with appetizers, sides, and desserts. The restaurant was named the 2024 Best Italian Restaurant in Montgomery County, offers a military discount in recognition of the nearby Fort Campbell community, and keeps Tuesday-through-Sunday hours.

2. welovEmilia

Address: 1020 Smokestack Drive, Clarksville, TN 37040
Phone: (931) 919-2885
Website: https://www.welovemilia.com
Services: dine-in Italian, handmade pasta, pizza, Emilia-Romagna specialties, online ordering, gift cards
Description: welovEmilia is a Clarksville Italian restaurant built around the culinary traditions of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, an area widely associated with fresh pasta. The kitchen presents itself as an authentic Italian operation specializing in pasta dishes and pizza, with an emphasis on homemade preparation drawn from that regional tradition. Located on Smokestack Drive, the restaurant offers dine-in service along with online ordering and gift cards. Its focused regional identity, centered on Emilia-Romagna pasta rather than a broad red-sauce menu, distinguishes it among the city’s Italian options.

3. Trattoria Di Cat

Address: 304 N. 2nd Street, Clarksville, TN 37040
Phone: (931) 919-3373
Website: https://shelbystrio.com/menu/trattoria-di-cat/
Services: upscale dine-in Italian, made-from-scratch pasta, chicken marsala, shrimp scampi, steaks, seafood appetizers, wine, reservations
Description: Trattoria Di Cat is a fine-dining Italian restaurant in the heart of downtown Clarksville that opened in February 2023 as part of the Shelby’s Trio downtown dining concept, which is owned by Joe and Cathi Maynard of JCM Management. The restaurant focuses on made-from-scratch Italian cuisine in an upscale setting, with a menu that includes chicken marsala and shrimp scampi alongside steaks such as a 6-ounce filet mignon and a 12-ounce ribeye, and appetizers including shrimp and lobster dip and shrimp saltimbocca, plus caprese and antipasto salads. The dining room emphasizes an evening fine-dining experience paired with wine and runs limited weekly hours, Thursday through Sunday. Reservations are available and recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions About Italian Restaurants in Clarksville

Q: Do Italian restaurants in Clarksville need a permit to operate?

Yes. Every restaurant in Clarksville must hold a food-service permit and pass routine inspections. In Montgomery County these are administered by the Montgomery County Health Department under standards set by the Tennessee Department of Health. Inspection results are public, and restaurants are required to display their current permit.

Q: How much is sales tax on a restaurant meal in Clarksville?

Prepared restaurant food is taxed at the full combined sales-tax rate, not the lower state grocery food rate. In Montgomery County that combined rate reaches roughly 9.50%, which is added to the menu price at checkout. Diners should expect the listed prices to increase by that amount on the final check.

Q: Do Clarksville Italian restaurants offer a military discount?

Some do, given the city’s close ties to Fort Campbell. Casa D’Italia Ristorante, for example, offers a military discount. Discount policies vary by restaurant and can change, so it is best to confirm directly with the restaurant and to have valid identification when requesting one.

Q: Which Clarksville Italian restaurants focus on handmade pasta?

Several emphasize scratch cooking. welovEmilia centers its menu on the pasta traditions of Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, Casa D’Italia describes its food as made from scratch, and Trattoria Di Cat highlights made-from-scratch Italian cuisine. Specific in-house pasta practices vary by kitchen, so asking about a particular dish is the most reliable approach.

Q: Can Italian restaurants in Clarksville serve wine and cocktails?

Restaurants that serve wine, beer, or liquor must hold the appropriate permits. On-premises liquor-by-the-drink service is licensed through the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, while beer permits are issued through local government. Offerings range from full bars to beer and wine only, and a newer restaurant may add alcohol service after opening, so confirming a restaurant’s current offerings before visiting is recommended.

Q: How do I file a complaint about a Clarksville restaurant?

Concerns about food safety or sanitation can be reported to the Montgomery County Health Department, which conducts restaurant inspections. Complaints about billing, advertising, or other business practices can be directed to the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, which enforces the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Keeping the itemized receipt helps support any complaint.