15 Best Italian Restaurants In America

From The Daily Meal's list of the 101 Best Restaurants in America for 2012, here are the restaurants specializing in Italian cuisine that were chosen by our illustrious panel of judges.

Click here for the 15 Best Italian Restaurants in America Slideshow

In the landscape of the American dining scene over the past few years Italian cuisine has reached a notable level of nationwide trendiness. That's not to say that Italian food hasn't been widely popular in America for decades, it certainly has — but recently, a significant percentange of the hottest and trendiest restaurants, markets, shops, and food trucks are celebrating Italy's culinary offerings. 

The Italian restaurants that made the list this year range from the more iconic standards of the cuisine in this country, like Valentino in Santa Monica, Calif., and Spiaggia (pictured right) in Chicago, to the more recent innovators like Flour + Water in San Francisco and Locanda Verde in New York City. 

The selection also runs the gamut with regards to price point and formality. There are casual standbys like Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven, Conn., which would claim a spot on every "best pizza" list out there, and coveted fine dining establishments, like the four-star Del Posto or Babbo (pictured above) in New York City. 

Take a look through this collection of the best Italian restaurants across the country and then head over to the complete 101 list to see those restaurants The Daily Meal deemed the best of 2012.