Italian Restaurants · Dr. Phillips · Orlando

Papparella Trattoria -
Est. 1984

★ 4.7 6002 Sand Lake Vista Dr #100 Closed · Opens 5:30 PM $$$ · Italian Last verified May 25, 2026

The place

Papparella Trattoria is an Italian restaurant in the Dr. Phillips neighborhood of Orlando, at 6002 Sand Lake Vista Drive, Suite 100, off the Sand Lake Road "Restaurant Row" corridor. The family-owned trattoria has served the Papparella family's recipes since 1984, with original roots in Brazil. Dinner is served Monday through Sunday starting at 5:30 PM, with weekend lunch beginning at 11:45 AM on Saturday and Sunday. The kitchen specializes in wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas, handmade pastas, and La Nostra Famosa Pasta — a tableside dish flambéed inside a wheel of grana padano. Reservations are accepted via OpenTable and Resy, and takeout and delivery are available through DoorDash, Postmates, and Toast. On-site parking is available in the Sand Lake Vista plaza.

Tucked just off Sand Lake Road in Orlando's Dr. Phillips Restaurant Row, Papparella Trattoria has been pouring Chianti and pulling pasta since 1984 — first as a family operation in Brazil, now in its Orlando dining room on Sand Lake Vista Drive. The room is warm, candle-lit, and quieter than the surrounding Sand Lake circuit, which is why locals tend to describe it as a "hidden gem" sitting one block off the main drag.

Order the wood-fired pizzas — the Margherita Verace and a pepperoni run the table — and don't skip La Nostra Famosa Pasta, finished tableside inside a flaming wheel of grana padano. The Pappardelle Bolognese and Fettuccine alla Nonno Carlo are the most-mentioned pastas in Google reviews, the burrata is the go-to starter, and the tiramisu and Nutella pizza close the meal.

Reservations are recommended (OpenTable and Resy both work) especially on Friday and Saturday nights, when the dining room fills with the post-theme-park crowd from the nearby resorts. Takeout and delivery run through DoorDash, Postmates, and the restaurant's own Toast site. On-site parking is free in the Sand Lake Vista plaza.

Family-owned since 1984

Wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas

House-made pasta

Tableside cheese-wheel pasta (La Nostra Famosa)

What to expect

Expect a quiet, candle-lit dining room one block off Sand Lake's Restaurant Row, a server-paced (not rushed) Italian menu built around wood-fired pizzas and house-made pasta, and a theatrical cheese-wheel pasta course finished at your table. Dinner-only on weekdays, with weekend lunch service Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are recommended.

What to order

House favorites and price guides — the menu rotates seasonally, but these stay on year-round.

Then come for the photos

The shop, in frames

What people are saying

4.07

★★★★★

Based on 1,313 reviews

5★

78%

4★

16%

3★

2★

1★

★★★★★

A true hidden gem on Sand Lake. Quiet, perfectly lit, attentive but never rushed, and the food is cooked to order and absolutely delicious.

Google reviewer

2026-04

★★★★★

The pizza is so delicious!!! My husband had the pappardelle bolognese — pasta cooked just right and plenty of meat in the dish.

Google reviewer

2026-03

★★★★★

Burrata, the cheese wheel pasta, and the tiramisu — possibly the best tiramisu in Florida. We will be back.

Google reviewer

2026-02

Frequently asked

Does Papparella Trattoria take reservations?

Yes — reservations are accepted via OpenTable and Resy, and recommended for Friday and Saturday dinner service.

Is Papparella Trattoria dog/pet friendly?

The dining room is indoors only and does not advertise a pet-friendly patio. Service animals are accommodated under ADA rules.

Where do I park near Papparella Trattoria?

Free on-site parking is available in the Sand Lake Vista plaza at 6002 Sand Lake Vista Drive, one block off Sand Lake Road's Restaurant Row.

What are the most popular dishes at Papparella Trattoria?

Reviewers consistently call out the wood-fired Margherita Verace pizza, La Nostra Famosa cheese-wheel pasta, Pappardelle Bolognese, Fettuccine alla Nonno Carlo, the burrata starter, and the tiramisu.

What are Papparella Trattoria's hours?

Dinner nightly 5:30 PM–10:30 PM (Fri–Sat until 11 PM). Weekend lunch Sat & Sun from 11:45 AM.

Does Papparella Trattoria offer takeout or delivery?

Yes — online ordering for pickup runs through the restaurant's Toast site (papparella.toast.site), and delivery is available via DoorDash and Postmates.