Turci Pasta Orlando: Handmade Italian Review

Some restaurants feed you dinner. Turci Pasta, a quaint little spot on Edgewater Drive in Orlando’s College Park, feeds you a little trip to Italy. On a recent date night for two, we worked our way through bruschetta, calamari, a house salad, two handmade pastas, a special, and tiramisu — and nearly everything that landed on the table was fresh, delicious and beautifully presented.

This is the review we would want to read before booking: what the room feels like, why the bread course made us disproportionately happy, and why we think this is one of the best romantic-date restaurants in Orlando right now.

Location and Hours

Turci Pasta, 2120 Edgewater Dr, Orlando, FL 32804, in the College Park neighborhood. Phone: (321) 204-7525.

Hours: Monday–Thursday 4–9 PM, Friday–Saturday 1–10 PM, Sunday 1–8 PM. Parking is on the street nearby, and reservations are available through OpenTable — for a small dining room like this, we recommend booking ahead, especially on weekends.

Open menu at Turci Pasta Orlando showing pasta entrees and signature dishes — The menu: handmade pastas, plus Chef Turci’s signature dishes.

A Quaint Little Slice of Italy

Turci is a small restaurant, and that is the charm of it. The room is decorated to feel like you are in Italy — warm, cozy, and just themed enough to transport you without turning into a caricature. Tables sit beside faux windows looking out on painted Italian coastal scenes, and the whole place has the hushed, unhurried feel you want for a romantic dinner. This is not a see-and-be-seen scene restaurant; it is a settle-in-and-stay-awhile one.

Table beside a faux Italian coastal window inside Turci Pasta in Orlando's College Park — A table by the ‘window’ — Turci’s dining room is decorated to feel like a little corner of Italy.

First, the Bread and Olive Oil

A small thing that earns a restaurant outsized loyalty from us: Turci serves olive oil for dipping with the bread. It is a simple, generous touch that too many Italian restaurants have quietly dropped, and it sets the tone for the whole meal — this is a kitchen that cares about doing the classics properly.

Bread basket with olive oil for dipping at Turci Pasta Orlando — Bread with olive oil for dipping — a small touch we always appreciate.

The Starters

We opened with the bruschetta — fresh tomatoes on crisp grilled bread, bright and simple — and the fried calamari, which arrived golden with a creamy dipping sauce. The house salad was fresh and generously dressed. Everything tasted like it had been made to order, because it had: the food here is fresh in a way you can actually taste, and the plating is prettier than a neighborhood spot has to bother with.

Tomato bruschetta appetizer at Turci Pasta in College Park Orlando — Bruschetta to start.

Fried calamari appetizer at Turci Pasta Orlando — Fried calamari with a creamy dip.

House salad at Turci Pasta Orlando — The house salad.

Handmade Pasta, the Main Event

The pasta is the reason Turci exists. Chef Turci’s kitchen makes its pasta by hand and its sauces fresh daily, and the restaurant was named a Critic’s Choice pick — 2nd Best Italian — at the Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards in 2023. Our tagliatelle Bolognese came buried under shaved parmesan, rich and slow-cooked tasting; the fettuccine in a three-cheese sauce was pure comfort, all silk and parmesan curls. A braised special — plated with red cabbage, golden beet and crumbled cheese — showed the kitchen can do composed, modern plates just as well as the classics.

Tagliatelle Bolognese with shaved parmesan at Turci Pasta Orlando — Tagliatelle Bolognese under a blizzard of parmesan.

Fettuccine three-cheese at Turci Pasta Orlando — Fettuccine in a three-cheese sauce.

Braised special with red cabbage and golden beet at Turci Pasta Orlando — One of the evening’s specials, beautifully plated.

Save Room for the Tiramisu

Dessert was tiramisu, served with a little pitcher of espresso — cocoa-dusted, creamy, and the right size after a pasta dinner for two. It is the classic ending this kind of meal calls for, done properly.

Tiramisu with espresso at Turci Pasta Orlando — Tiramisu, with espresso poured over.

Service

The staff was friendly and accommodating from the moment we sat down — the kind of service that fits a small dining room: personal, unrushed, and clearly proud of the food. Courses were paced for a date, not for turning the table.

Our Verdict

If you are looking for a romantic date-night restaurant in Orlando, Turci Pasta is our current recommendation. Quaint, cozy, Italy-you-can-taste cooking, handmade pasta, olive oil with the bread, and staff who treat the evening like it matters. Book the small room, order the Bolognese, and stay for the tiramisu.

Good to Know

Dinner starts at 4 PM Monday–Thursday; the restaurant opens at 1 PM Friday–Sunday.
The dining room is small — reservations through OpenTable are a good idea, especially for date night.
All of the pasta is handmade in-house and the sauces are made fresh daily.
Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards 2023 Critic’s Choice — 2nd Best Italian.
Street parking in College Park; Edgewater Drive has plenty of shops and bars for a pre- or post-dinner stroll.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Turci Pasta located?

2120 Edgewater Dr, Orlando, FL 32804, in the College Park neighborhood. You can reach the restaurant at (321) 204-7525.

Does Turci Pasta make its own pasta?

Yes. The pasta is handmade in-house by Chef Turci’s kitchen and the sauces are made fresh daily — it is the heart of the menu.

Is Turci Pasta good for a date night?

It is one of our top picks in Orlando for a romantic date: a quaint, cozy dining room decorated to feel like Italy, unhurried pacing, and friendly, accommodating staff.

What are Turci Pasta’s hours?

Monday–Thursday 4–9 PM, Friday–Saturday 1–10 PM, and Sunday 1–8 PM.

Does Turci Pasta take reservations?

Yes, reservations are available through OpenTable, and we recommend them — the dining room is small and fills up, particularly on weekends.

Turci Pasta Orlando Review: Handmade Pasta in College Park