Villa Tronco Italian Restaurant

  4.4 – 877 reviews   • Italian restaurant

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Step back in time and savor the authentic flavors of Italy at Villa Tronco, South Carolina’s oldest restaurant. Located in the heart of Columbia’s vibrant Main Street District, this family-owned and operated gem is housed in a beautifully preserved 19th-century firehouse and has been serving up Mama Tronco’s traditional recipes for five generations. Experience old-world charm and warm Italian hospitality while indulging in aromatic dishes, including gluten-free options. Whether you’re dining in, taking out, or planning your next event, Villa Tronco brings the taste of Italy to every occasion.

Generous portions of pasta, pizza & other Italian favorites in a warm, brick-&-wood-paneled setting.

✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out Villa Tronco Italian Restaurant 29201

Hours

Friday5–9 PM
Saturday5–9 PM
SundayClosed
MondayClosed
Tuesday5–9 PM
Wednesday5–9 PM
Thursday5–9 PM

Address and Contact Information

Address: 1213 Blanding St, Columbia, SC 29201

Phone: (803) 256-7677

Website: https://www.villatronco.com/

Menu Photos

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Reviews

Robert Hall
Villa Tromco was absolutely wonderful date night dinner spot. We got there early and were seated immediately. They had a great selection of drinks and food. Ordered a couple appetizers and drinks. For the main course my wife ordered the meatballs and I ordered the pork ribeye special both were plenty of food for the both of us. Is definitely our new favorite Italian restaurant. Staff were really nice and everyone was attentive not just the server. Kept checking in on us and making sure we were satisfied. Also I would be doing a disservice if I didn’t mention that the amaretto bread pudding is a must have if you get dessert.
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Brad Smith
Went here for Valentine’s and we really loved the place. What’s family owned and is the oldest restaurant in South carolina. They introduced Pizza to Columbia.
The excellent service in the delicious sauces were my favorites.
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Lance Roper
Dec 2025. Had 2 work functions here in 2025. Following our Christmas dinner we were honored to be invited to the Table Tennis room. We had a great time over all!
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Amanda DaBarbie U Love
This place blew me out the park. I enjoyed the food so much and it reminded me of growing up in NY and eating at our favorite Italian restaurant. Food was amazing . Great prices , great service and everything was tasty . Authentic Italian food , which can be hard to find these days.
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Keller Williams Oconee The Land Beside the Water
We hosted a legislative dinner for our local delegation, a party of 12. Upon arrival our table was ready and we were seated promptly. Service was excellent, very smooth and very attentive, especially with such a large party. The food was absolutely delicious! Everything was made fresh and in-house. One of the best Italy restaurants I’ve visited. If you’re in Columbia, looking for Italian with great food and service, you’ll want to make Villa Tronco a destination. Enjoy!
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Brenton Lucas
We went for Valentine’s. I was immediately disappointed to find out that they were not serving the standard menu for Valentine’s, but a different one with higher prices and a more limited selection that cuts out some of their biggest dishes like chicken parmesan. This was not communicated on the website or the several emails that were sent prior to our reservation.

We ordered the villa tronco chicken and lobster shrimp risotto. Pasta was bland on the chicken. Lobster shrimp risotto was good but shrimp portion was lacking.

The atmosphere needed a lot of work. The chairs looked like they came right out of a church fellowship hall, not the sort of thing you want to see at a restaurant where you’re spending $100 plus dollars on dinner. The server did a good job but he was clearly in a section alone too big for him. If not for the separate associate dedicated to filling water glasses all night, it would have been a much bigger problem.
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Ellie Kim
I can’t complain about the food or the atmosphere, but the service was extremely disappointing.

During my visit, the server accidentally spilled tomato pasta sauce on my bag, which is worth $3,000. Instead of apologizing, they asked if I wanted cleaning supplies to clean it myself—I ended up cleaning it, and while most of the sauce came off, a small corner of the bag remained stained.

When I spoke with the manager about the situation, her first response was, “What do you want us to do?” I was expecting an apology and options for how they could make it right. She then asked which food I had, offering to remove the price of that item. I had shared three plates with my sister, and I felt it was frustrating to be questioned about every single item rather than being treated with basic courtesy.

Another staff member eventually apologized after I explained that I had not received one initially and again asked what I wanted. I requested the entire bill be removed ($100), but was told only the most expensive dish ($32) would be discounted. I just ended up paying for the full bill, and the staff then said, “No need to worry about the tip.” After this incident, I will not be leaving a tip. Was he expecting me to leave a tip?

If this hadn’t happened, I would have visited at least once a month and spent over $100 each time. Very disappointing experience overall.
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Daniel Sean
Villa Tronco is an amazing Italian restaurant located in the heart of downtown Columbia. The atmosphere makes you feel at home inside, especially the accommodating staff. I started with the fried mozzarella, very good with a nice sauce to match. The Chicken Marsala entree was delicious on top of a hefty portion of linguine. Don’t forget to try their famous cheesecake for dessert.
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Mary Alice Coats
Plan to hang for 2 hours or more when you come here. It’s a great place to tuck in with a few cocktails, appetizers, soup and salad before the main event. This is our favorite Italian restaurant in town. The service is always friendly. It’s feels like you’ve been transported somewhere far away from Columbia. While everything is delicious, their specials are always knockouts! From cacio e pepe to the best pork ribeye you’ll ever put in your mouth. No matter how full you are, get dessert! Even if you must take it home for later. Their tiramisu and amaretto bread pudding are to die for.
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Kenny Donaldson
I ate here for the first time today and fell in love with the classic look and feel. The owner was very polite and friendly, the Chicken Marsala was good, but it was the desserts that were absolutely amazing. The Amaretto Bread Pudding was a MUST HAVE, and the cannoli’s were AMAZING. Definitely a must try next time you’re in town.
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