Few types of food are more popular than Italian, and Myrtle Beach has no shortage of options for golfers in search of a memorable trattoria or pizzeria.

I won’t be so brazen as to call this a list of the area’s 5 best Italian restaurants. People rave about places like Chianti South and Villa Romana, but sadly, I’ve had little experience with either.

This is a list of my five favorite Italian restaurants, and I guarantee your group will love them.

— Sole, located in a small strip of shops at 34th Avenue in Myrtle Beach, isn’t big, but the family-owned establishment is one of the area’s best. Fresh ingredients and sauce that is as good as any along the Grand Strand make Sole hard to beat. Recommendations: chicken parm entree and the stuffed mushroom appetizer.

— Every restaurant on the list isn’t of the white tablecloth variety, so if you are looking for a quality, casual meal, enter Toffino’s into the GPS and head to Market Common for the pizza and cannoli. If someone in your group doesn’t want pizza, the cheesesteak and pasta salad is the best.

— Crave, located on 59th Ave. in Myrtle Beach, has quickly emerged as one of the area’s most popular restaurants. Whether your group wants a nice sit-down dinner or an active bar scene for happy hour, Crave is a winner. Order the seafood Pompeii – an assortment of fresh seafood sautéed with a mascarpone cream sauce of spinach and sundried tomatoes over lobster risotto – and thank me later.

— North Strand golfers need to try Umberto’s at Barefoot Landing. The casual Italian chophouse provides a family-style dining experience that has been pleasing golfers for more than 30 years. You won’t go home hungry and the pork chop is to die for.

— If you are looking for options, go to Scatori’s where one side is an old-school pizzeria and the other provides a more upscale setting. The garlic knots, calzones and pizza are outstanding. On the fine dining side, the prosciutto crusted veal and shrimp is a winner.

What is your favorite Myrtle Beach area Italian restaurant?