Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Luigi’s Trattoria is my favorite Italian restaurant in the Myrtle Beach area. It sits one building off Kings Highway (Route 17) on the north side of Myrtle Beach proper — not to be confused with the town of North Myrtle Beach, another ten miles up the road. There’s no giant touristy sign trying to flag down passing traffic. It’s not hard to find, but you won’t find it unless someone tells you about it first, or you stumble across a review like this one.
The Atmosphere
The vibe is casual, though a more formal night out would still feel comfortable here. Myrtle Beach as a whole leans heavily into beachfront-casual dining, but you generally won’t see bathing suits and flip-flops at Luigi’s. It’s a step up from the boardwalk without trying too hard to prove it.
I’ve been several times, and the food has been excellent every single visit. Their traditional marinara-based dishes are consistently strong — fair warning, the portions are enormous. My 19-year-old son, six-foot-four and a varsity athlete, could not finish his meal.
The Marsala
On my most recent visit, I asked about their marsala sauce. The waiter told me, without hesitation, that it was the best in town. I have a genuine weakness for marsala — chicken or veal, doesn’t matter — so I took the recommendation. He was right. The veal was tender, and the marsala sauce was divine.
For anyone unfamiliar: marsala is a semi-sweet fortified wine from Sicily — fortified meaning a spirit like brandy has been added. It’s used far more often in cooking and baking than sipped on its own. I’ve substituted it into homemade tiramisu before with excellent results. But my favorite application is still the sauce. A proper marsala sauce combines the wine with onions, garlic, a generous amount of mushrooms, bone broth, a few spices, and sometimes a second fortified wine like port. I’m already a committed fan of cooked mushrooms, so a marsala sauce takes something I already love and elevates it further. Served over pasta with veal or chicken, it’s about as good as Italian cooking gets.
The Risotto
On an earlier visit, I ordered the scallops with risotto, and it might be the best risotto I have ever had. Soft, rich, and creamy, seasoned mildly enough to let the scallops stay the star of the plate rather than get buried under it. I couldn’t finish that one either — took half the dish home for a second meal.
The Bar
Luigi’s has an extensive wine list, along with beer and cocktails. We tried several of the cocktails and found them genuinely good. I wouldn’t call this a cocktail bar first — wine is clearly their strength — but for those of us who don’t drink much wine, there’s enough on the cocktail menu to keep things interesting.
The Dessert
I finished with the tiramisu — solid, traditional, with a small addition of chocolate sauce presumably to appease American palates. Proper tiramisu doesn’t need chocolate, but Luigi’s doesn’t drown the dish in it either, so the mascarpone cream layer still gets to do what it does best.
A Particular Evening
One especially memorable visit involved scallops risotto, a pistachio torte, and an espresso martini — and two dates at the same table. Don’t ask. It was planned, everyone got along, and it remains one of the more interesting nights Luigi’s has hosted on my behalf.
The Verdict
For fine dining in the Myrtle Beach area, Luigi’s should be one of the top five places you must try. It doesn’t need a sign on Kings Highway to prove it belongs there.
The Menu
Luigi’s Trattoria — Myrtle Beach, SC Cuisine: Italian Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
