The red sauce joint of your dreams located in Harbor Town!
Red checkered tablecloths, drippy wax candles, the sound of Mario Lanza, Connie Francis, and Elvis, yes Elvis crooning in the background. Generous portions of your favorite American Italian dishes served with a side of pasta in a rustic marinara with enough garlicky, cheesey, perfectly crunchy bread to soak it all up and a cheap, but solid Sangiovese to wash it all down.
Sound like your idea of heaven? Us too.
Laramie
Warm, cozy atmosphere with the feel of a small Italian café. The food is amazing—fresh, flavorful, and truly tastes homemade. The tiramisu is outstanding and absolutely a must-try! The drinks are delicious, the service is exceptional, and the prices are fantastic for the quality. This was our second visit, and it was just as great as the first.
… moreDavid McDonald
Having stopped by the Cocozza several times for dinner, I have always had a good experience. Good food, fast service, and a great atmosphere, it is definitely a place I would stop back by again in the future. A great Italian restaurant, it is one of my favorite places on Mud Island I would definitely recommend anybody else looking for a lunch/dinner date or stop.
… moreREpro 2
The entrees here are presented nicely and look good however they are lacking in taste. Everything here is bland. Chicken Parmesan is very bland. Reminds me of Hospital food. Lacks seasoning. The Marinera Sauce tastes like it came straight out of a can. Overall the food here is Fair at best and certainly not worth the price.
… morejackson hilger
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
I had an incredible experience at this Italian restaurant. I ordered the chicken piccata, and it was honestly one of the best I’ve ever had. perfectly cooked, full of flavor, and the portion was spot on.
What made the night even better was the service. We had been out on a long walk in the snow beforehand and showed up about 15 minutes before closing. Even with that, the staff welcomed us in, let us sit down, and never made us feel rushed. They treated us like we were their first table of the night, not their last.
Amazing food, amazing people, and a place that genuinely values its guests. Definitely recommend.
… moreChristen Albert
Cannot rave enough about my experience at this place. Every staff member was friendly and attentive, the valet was wonderful, and the owner was present which I always love to see. It is currently decorated for Christmas and just the whole atmosphere felt like I was in a hallmark movie. And the food…wow! Best chicken piccata I have ever had, and the appetizers were also delicious. I came across this place on a business trip and searched google for restaurants with the best mocktails. The lemon basil spritz was fantastic. Refreshing but not too sweet or sour. I 10/10 recommend Cocozza!
… moreJacee Calvert
Had the BEST time this evening. We walked in with a party of 6, and due to reservations we had to sit on the patio. We were originally worried about the cold, but Cocozza accommodated us excellently!! They brought us each blankets to sit under while we ate, and had heaters running on the patio which helped to keep us warm. Koby greeted us quickly with water, offered whatever drinks we would like, and also had great non alcoholic options as I am pregnant. ☺️ Highly recommend the Limonata Italian soda! The cheesy garlic bread was delicious, and I absolutely loved the Vodka Rigatoni. It was amazing. My mother also thoroughly enjoyed the filet mignon. Koby was attentive, checked on us frequently, and was very personable even in the cold! The desserts were wonderful, we loved the tiramisu and the cannolis. Would highly recommend dining at Cocozza, and you should ask for Koby! 🙂
… moreMario Valdivieso
So I’m in Memphis for the first time ever and decided to dig up an Italian joint… Let me tell you how amazing this spot is! I started off with some crispy eggplant fries with some marinara sauce, super light and tons of flavor, wow! Then got my cab to start off before my entree; ordered vodka rigatoni with grilled chicken and Italian sausage… super flavorful and creamy, amazing!!! I had some space for desert and ordered the Amaretto Flan! For Pete’s sake, yum to the yum yum yum!!! You find yourself in Memphis, you better pays these guys a visit! The staff is amazing!!! I’m coming back!!! The ambience is classy and the music is perfect over dinner!!! I promise you will love this place. Parking was relatively easy. I also heard from the bar tender the owners have a joint called Majestic Grille… I’m coming so stay tuned!!!
… morePriyanka Florina Karmokar
It’s one of my favorite restaurants in mud island. I absolutely love their garlic cheese bread and fried mozzarella. My favorite entrees are tortellini and lasagna. Good service and great price.
… moreBilly Kent (BK)
Cocozza – Harbor Town, Memphis, TN.
We made reservations but showed up 45 minutes early. We asked to sit at the bar, but they graciously offered us our table so we could relax while waiting for our guests. That set the tone—welcoming and easygoing.
The atmosphere here is great: light chatter, traditional Italian music playing in the background, and a warm, comfortable setting.
Milan took care of us tonight—friendly, attentive, but not overbearing. Perfect service.
I started with their olive oil martini (gin, of course—lol). My wife went with a mimosa.
The olive oil martini is a light, dry gin-based martini. You can sub vodka if that’s your thing. It has a subtle olive oil flavor, just enough salt, and is garnished with rosemary and an olive. Not my usual drink, but very nice—and even my wife said, “Not bad,” which is huge coming from someone who doesn’t like martinis.
Her mimosa had a good ratio of champagne to orange juice—not too sweet, not too dry.
For starters, we kept it simple with baked garlic bread—good herb and garlic flavor and a great presentation. We also ordered a Caesar salad to share—fresh and well-balanced.
For the main course, I had the Veal Piccata—sautéed with lemon, capers, and white wine. The veal was tender, cut like butter, and the sauce was creamy, lemony, and delicious.
My wife went with the Salmon Oreganata. The salmon was flaky and buttery, and the breadcrumb topping paired perfectly with the light sauce.
For dessert, we shared the tiramisu and the lemon cheesecake. While I’m not a fan of tiramisu, my wife said it was excellent. The cheesecake was very good—rich and smooth. I didn’t really catch the lemon, but that may just be my palate.
Apologies, forgot pictures of the dessert.
Overall: Cocozza is a charming American-Italian restaurant with a finely curated menu, great atmosphere, and excellent service. Take the time to make a reservation and enjoy your evening—you won’t regret it.
… moreHannah Hansen Mayfield
We are from out of town and found this place on Google maps. It was a Monday and we didn’t have reservations, but they were still able to accommodate us at the bar. Franklin the bartender was amazing! He was super busy but he was also very attentive to everything we needed!! The food was all amazing, and such large portions!!
We will definitely be back next time we are in Memphis!
… more