National Neighborhood Survivability Rankings for Italian Restaurant

Name: National Neighborhood Survivability Dataset: Italian Restaurants (2026)
Creator: StreetSpring
Published: 2026-04-28T00:00:00-05:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

StreetSpring's 2026 nationwide analysis ranks the top neighborhoods across the 22 US metros in this ranking for Italian Restaurants. See which neighborhoods offer the highest Survivability Scores.

April 28, 2026•19 min read

Our 2026 analysis of ranked neighborhoods across major US metros shows Sheffield Neighbors in Chicago as the top location to open an Italian Restaurant, with 83.8% survivability at a typical address. The top 25 neighborhoods nationwide span 7 different cities, demonstrating that exceptional opportunities for Italian Restaurants exist across diverse markets. These rankings are updated quarterly, but StreetSpring's live tool reflects current competitive conditions for any specific address: check it before signing a lease.

To understand the methodology behind these rankings, see our detailed guide: Survivability Score: How We Calculate It & Why It Matters.

Last reviewed: 2026-10-05 by Robert Koons, Founder & CEO, StreetSpring

Quick Summary

Survivability Score: the projected chance a business type lasts two or more years at a specific address

#1 Neighborhood: Sheffield Neighbors, Chicago: 83.8% survivability at a typical address for Italian Restaurant

What the figures measure: every figure in this ranking is the typical address, the neighborhood's average in its metro file, and the ranking orders on it

Ranked neighborhoods: 1,907 across 22 major US cities

Average across the 1,907 ranked neighborhoods: 68.1% at a typical address for Italian Restaurants

Top-25 average: 83.0% at a typical address, 14.9 points above the average across all ranked neighborhoods

Data current as of: 2026 · Full methodology →

How neighborhoods compare nationwide
Top 25 neighborhoods in the US
Geographic patterns
How to use this ranking
Related resources
Frequently asked questions

How do neighborhoods compare across the United States for Italian Restaurants?

Across 1,907 ranked neighborhoods in 22 major US cities, StreetSpring's 2026 data shows the top 25 neighborhoods for Italian Restaurants averaging 83.0% survivability at a typical address, against 68.1% for the average across the 1,907 ranked neighborhoods.

This 14.9-point gap is the distance between those two averages, both at a typical address. It compares projections for neighborhoods; the projection for any one storefront is made at its own address.

For Italian Restaurants specifically, StreetSpring's model reads competitive density within the immediate trade area alongside local consumer spending on the category. The 14.9-point gap between the top-ranked neighborhoods and the average across the 1,907 ranked neighborhoods, both at a typical address, shows how far the projection for Italian Restaurants moves from one neighborhood to the next. StreetSpring's in-house models are trained on 570,000+ real business outcomes.

Importantly, top-performing neighborhoods aren't concentrated in just a few cities. The top 25 neighborhoods represent 7 different cities. This means entrepreneurs focused on Italian Restaurants can find exceptional opportunities across the United States, not just in traditionally strong markets.

The address you choose determines your competitive exposure, customer flow, and spending potential simultaneously.

What are the best neighborhoods in the United States to open an Italian Restaurant?

The first, middle and last neighborhood in the table below, with the same three figures the table prints from each metro file: the box runs from the lowest to the highest address, and the white line is the typical address. Sheffield Neighbors, Chicago leads at 83.8% at a typical address in 2026. Full methodology →

The top 25 neighborhoods nationwide for Italian Restaurants are:

Scores for Italian Restaurants run from 48.0% to 84.0% on this scale. The best address in 486 of the 1,907 ranked neighborhoods reaches the 84.0% ceiling, so the Best Locations column often shows that ceiling rather than a difference between places.

Neighborhoods are ordered on the typical address, the file's average for each neighborhood. Best Locations and Challenging Locations are the file's highest and lowest address.

#	Neighborhood	City	Avg Survival (Typical Address)	Tier	Best Locations	Challenging Locations
1	Sheffield Neighbors	Chicago	83.8%	Great	84.0%	82.2%
2	Jefferson Park	Denver	83.6%	Great	84.0%	82.2%
2	Platt Park	Denver	83.6%	Great	84.0%	79.0%
4	Palmer Square	Chicago	83.5%	Great	84.0%	81.8%
4	Roscoe Village	Chicago	83.5%	Great	84.0%	81.8%
4	West Highland	Denver	83.5%	Great	84.0%	81.8%
7	Highland	Denver	83.4%	Great	84.0%	79.0%
7	Berkeley	Denver	83.4%	Great	84.0%	78.6%
9	LeDroit Park	Washington DC	83.2%	Great	84.0%	80.8%
10	U Street Corridor	Washington DC	83.1%	Great	84.0%	79.0%
10	Colonial Town Center	Orlando	83.1%	Great	84.0%	78.6%
10	Blandtown	Atlanta	83.1%	Great	84.0%	76.4%
13	Wrightwood Neighbors	Chicago	83.0%	Great	84.0%	80.8%
13	Minor	Seattle	83.0%	Great	84.0%	76.8%
15	City Park West	Denver	82.8%	Great	84.0%	80.8%
15	Heritage Eagle Bend	Denver	82.8%	Great	84.0%	77.2%
15	Woodland	Seattle	82.8%	Great	84.0%	72.8%
15	Chaffee Park	Denver	82.8%	Great	84.0%	71.8%
15	South Orange	Orlando	82.8%	Good	84.0%	79.5%
20	Lacy	Los Angeles	82.6%	Great	84.0%	78.6%
20	Sunnyside	Denver	82.6%	Great	84.0%	71.4%
20	Fremont	Seattle	82.6%	Great	84.0%	66.0%
23	Shaw	Washington DC	82.5%	Great	84.0%	75.0%
23	Regis	Denver	82.5%	Great	84.0%	73.2%
23	Lake View East	Chicago	82.5%	Great	84.0%	71.8%

Still, specific site selection matters, since some of the best-performing blocks can be found in neighborhoods that might not look ideal at first glance.

For a full explanation of how survivability scores and ranges are calculated, see Survivability Score: How We Calculate It & Why It Matters.

What patterns emerge from the top-performing neighborhoods nationwide?

City Concentration

The top 25 neighborhoods span 7 different cities, with Denver claiming 10 of the top spots (40%).

Breakdown of top 25 neighborhoods by city:

Denver: 10 neighborhoods (40% of top 25)
Chicago: 5 neighborhoods (20% of top 25): View city guide
Washington DC: 3 neighborhoods (12% of top 25): View city guide
Seattle: 3 neighborhoods (12% of top 25): View city guide
Orlando: 2 neighborhoods (8% of top 25): View city guide
Atlanta: 1 neighborhood (4% of top 25): View city guide
Los Angeles: 1 neighborhood (4% of top 25): View city guide

This distribution has practical implications for Italian Restaurants operators: cities with multiple neighborhoods in the top 25 offer more site options within a single market, reducing relocation or expansion cost. Cities with a single top-25 neighborhood require more precise site selection: the advantage is concentrated in one area rather than spread across the metro.

Denver holds 10 of the top 25 neighborhoods for Italian Restaurants (40%). Each city guide lists every ranked neighborhood in that metro, beyond the top 25.

How can I use this neighborhood ranking to find the best location for an Italian Restaurant?

National rankings are a powerful starting point, but your final site decision should be validated at the address level. StreetSpring uses AI to project business survivability across U.S. neighborhoods, so you can check an address before a business opens there. Survivability moves from one address to the next within any neighborhood: this ranking narrows your search, and StreetSpring's live tool scores the address.

For the most accurate assessment:

Consider neighborhoods in the top 25 as strong starting points
Examine city-specific guides for additional neighborhood options in your target markets
Use StreetSpring's address-level tool to evaluate specific storefronts within these neighborhoods
Factor in your budget, operational requirements, and target demographics

Each neighborhood has detailed analysis available through its city guide, providing block-by-block survivability data for Italian Restaurants.

See also: Best Cities for Italian Restaurant: our city-level comparison ranks which metros offer the strongest overall conditions for Italian Restaurants.

Explore top cities represented in these neighborhoods:

National city rankings: Best cities for Italian Restaurants

Essential resources:

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there good opportunities outside the top 25 neighborhoods?

Absolutely. This ranking covers 1,907 ranked neighborhoods across 22 cities. Many neighborhoods outside the top 25 have excellent individual locations for Italian Restaurants. Neighborhood-level rankings reflect averages: specific addresses within any neighborhood can score well above or below the neighborhood mean. Use city-specific guides and StreetSpring's address-level tool to explore options beyond the top 25.

Where can I download the underlying data?

How does StreetSpring calculate survivability for Italian Restaurants specifically?

StreetSpring's model calculates survivability for Italian Restaurants by analyzing the competitive density of existing Italian Restaurants within each distance band around the address, the projected consumer spending on Italian Restaurants in that location, the housing vacancy rate and business mix around the site, and hundreds of additional factors. The resulting survivability score reflects the estimated probability of a new Italian Restaurant surviving two or more years at that specific address.

How do I interpret a survivability score?

A survivability score represents the estimated probability that a business of a specific type will still be operating at a given location after 2 years. A score of 80% means StreetSpring's model predicts an 80% chance of the business surviving past the 2-year mark at that address. Scores are calculated at the address level and reflect competitive density, consumer spending patterns, and hundreds of additional factors.

What makes Sheffield Neighbors in Chicago the best neighborhood for Italian Restaurants?

Sheffield Neighbors in Chicago ranks #1 for Italian Restaurants with 83.8% survivability at a typical address (the average in each metro file, which is what this ranking orders on). StreetSpring's model weighs competitive dynamics (direct competitors relative to available consumer spending), demographic alignment with Italian Restaurant customers and local spending patterns for every ranked neighborhood nationwide.

Are the best neighborhoods for Italian Restaurants in large cities or smaller markets?

The top neighborhoods for Italian Restaurants in StreetSpring's 2026 dataset are concentrated in 7 cities in the current dataset. As coverage expands, this breakdown may shift. The fundamental driver is the competitive-to-spending ratio at the address level, which can favor strong locations in both large and smaller markets.

Is the competitive environment for Italian Restaurants stronger in some markets than others?

Yes, competition density for Italian Restaurants varies significantly by market. StreetSpring's model reads the number of direct competitors against the consumer spending available to them at each address. StreetSpring's address-level tool shows the exact competitive environment at any specific location.

What is the typical survivability range for Italian Restaurants in top neighborhoods?

The top 25 neighborhoods nationwide for Italian Restaurants average 83.0% survivability at a typical address. The average across the 1,907 ranked neighborhoods is 68.1%, also at a typical address. The gap between the two is 14.9 points. Each neighborhood's lowest and highest address are in the table above.

Technical note: Aggregated national survivability rankings across the metros in this ranking are available in machine-readable format for research and integration purposes.

View national technical data

The table above reproduces from these metro files, one per city: Chicago, Denver, Washington DC, Orlando, Atlanta, Seattle, Los Angeles.

StreetSpring recalculates survivability using the latest competitive, demographic, and walkability data, so the live score may differ from the static ranges shown here.

Methodology: Neighborhoods are ranked on the typical address: the average Survivability Score for Italian Restaurants across the scored locations within each neighborhood, as its metro file publishes it. The average across all ranked neighborhoods is the plain mean of those figures, not the national average on the city ranking, which averages metros. Rankings represent neighborhood-level conditions but do not account for block-by-block variation. Coverage includes 1907 neighborhoods across 22 major US cities. StreetSpring scores 500+ business types: 153 base business types, most of them at 5 price points, which is 569 type-and-price combinations you can choose in the tool.

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