50 Best Italian Restaurants in Washington

“All of my experiences at L’Ardente have been phenomenal. The food, the atmosphere, and the service are all top notch!!!“

“Amazing meal. The food and service were top notch. Service friendly and professional. Beautiful restaurant. Excellent wine list. Host John insured that all went well. All 8 of us greatly enjoyed the experience!“

“Thank you so much for having my friends Kristina, Alex and I for dinner today. I just want to say that everything we had was great, my favorite being the la calabrese! Meiling took such good care of us, she is a wonderful host and we had some great conversations with her. We’ll def be back in the future to try some of the other pizzas. Your decor and ambience is fantastic as well, I really felt like I was at restaurant in Italy! Keep up the good work and thanks again for a wonderful evening!“

“Great food, wines and service.“

“Amazing dinner!! Every course was delicious!“

“Friendly, quaint and delicious food. Great service. What more do you need“

“We have been going to La Tomate for years. Retired several years ago and moved away from DC. Every time we are in DC we always go to one of our favorite restaurant, La Tomate. I love the selection on the menu, always something new to try with the daily specials. La Tomate has great staff and an excellent location. Many thanks to Natalina for having a beautiful Restaurant and delicious food. Happy Anniversary!“

“on point!! don't shy away from the menu, everything we had was delicious.“

“what a perfect vibey spot for some incredibly delicious italian food! definitely get the treviso salad and the fried blossoms to start. i could eat so many plates of their mushroom cream ravioli! i’ll be returning for more of that next time for sure. the lamb chops were also so flavorful. the service was also fantastic and they were so nice! adding this spot to the dinner night rotation“

“The best Italian meal I’ve ever had in a restaurant! The Sunday Sauce reminded me of my mom’s!“

“I worked with Nero to host my company’s holiday party and it was so great working with them! The food was delicious and they have a fully stocked bar with great drinks. The owner and manager were very accommodating and made the night so easy and stress free. I would definitely host an event here again or come back for a happy hour.“

“This was some of the best food I’ve ever had. I would never normally choose Italian as a n “”out to eat” option but I’m so glad I did! I would eat here night after night if I could.“

“This tiny place was full of charm. The food was excellent and the service was friendly. The fish was fresh and tasty. The truffle pasta was really good. Finally we had to try its namesake dessert-tiramisu, which was tasty without a strong coffee taste.“

“My wife & I had a wonderful and delicious dinner while catching-up with our son & his girlfriend last evening. Fantastic meal & our server Michael was outstanding.“

“Bozzelli's Italian Deli on Vermont Ave is such a charming spot! The sandwiches are fresh, flavorful, and generously made, and the ingredients taste authentic. The space feels cozy and inviting, and the staff are friendly and welcoming. Definitely a place I’d return to for a casual, chic meal.“

“Still a great place after all these years. Lovely atmosphere, great food, attentive service. A wonderful night out.“

“On vacation from RI, my husband and I and very good friends had lunch at Lily’s just this past week and we fully enjoyed experience! It was a beautiful sunny day, and we were greeted with sunny faces and a friendly, highly professional staff. We sat in the outdoor area and everything from being there to fill our water glasses and explaining the menu was covered. I highly recommend Lily’s if not just for the fact that we felt like we were at home but to top it off, the food was delicious. Try the Tropical salad and the meatball appetizer!!“

“I had the Arancini, gnocchi sardi, and olive oil cake and they were all fantastic. And while I came for food, I will say the two things I'll remember the most were 1. The fact you gave postcard with the receipt as a souvenir and one less thing I'd have to buy on my trip and 2. The service was amazing. I forget what her name is now, but my waitress came over and cleaned off the table of the two or three crumbs of truffle I had and got me new silverware for the second course. I can't think of any other restaurant I've been to where I've had service that attentive before.“

“Giovanni’s Trattoria is such a cozy and welcoming spot. The food feels homemade and full of flavor, especially the pasta and sauces. The staff was friendly and attentive, making the meal even more enjoyable. The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable, perfect for a casual Italian dinner. I’d happily return.“

“San Matteo is such a neighborhood gem, with consistently stellar food and service. I always order one of the house-made pastas and end with the tiramisu and chocolate lava cake. The servers are warm and attentive-- shout out to Carolina who was so friendly and extremely accommodating of our picky eater's needs!“

“Fun night for two out of towners! Food was amazing and the staff were incredibly friendly, even though we’re two or three times their ages and not cool at all! ;)“

“Great menu of food and drinks, well executed, and in a neighborhood locale… well-spaced outdoor seating.“

“Capa Tosta is such a cozy and inviting spot. The food is fresh, flavorful, and feels thoughtfully prepared. I especially enjoyed the pasta—it was perfectly cooked and full of taste. The staff was friendly and attentive, making the meal even more enjoyable. It’s a lovely place for a relaxed, delicious dinner, and I’d definitely return.“

“I Love Italian - and when I say this place has THE BEST MEATBALLS I've ever tasted - it's saying a lot! The mushroom gnocchi was light and delish! Not to mention the roasted cauliflower, burrata and garlic bread!! It was a feast and worth every bite! The staff was friendly, polite and aimed to please! The decor and vibe super cool. It was recommended to me by a local and when I visit DC again - this gem will be a first stop!“

“Delicious food-very relaxing atmosphere-friendly staff“

“Acqua Bistecca was excellent - the food was delicious, the tasting menu provided more than enough food for the price, and the space is gorgeous. Our server Phillip was attentive and made sure we had a great night. Would definitely recommend!“

“Food and service were outstanding!“

“My wife and I had an absolutely amazing evening dining out here on a long weekend trip to DC for our Birthdays. The food was incredible I have not found one dish at this or the Chicago location that wasn’t great. Abagail was simply the best waitress we have EVER had. She was attentive, personable and really went out of the way to give us the best dining experience my wife and I have ever had from top to bottom. We had a great experience in Chicago but I have to say I think the food was a touch better here. I am comparing caviar to caviar here as both were great, but DC has the win here and certainly did with our waitress as well.“

“Every bite, Always right! I appreciate your drivers and will tip them.“

“Osteria Mozza delivers Italian food with some flair. I had the fish skewer and it was good. The appetizers were yummy and the wine selection was honestly good. I did not try the pasta, which looked a little bit rich to me visually but my friends said they liked it - a grand space in the heart of Georgetown-recommended“

“Lovely warm setting. The soup of the day was this Tuscan bean soup with spinach...a whole nother level! Additionally the sausage with peppers 🌶 was noteworthy. Sage and John really took care of me. Found my new go-to Italian restaurant right downtown.“

“Checks all the boxes as they say, Beliseima! Mangiamo! Salute!“

“Great Food and Service! The food at Pines of florence was delicious and of high quality. The atmosphere was peaceful, and the service was excellent. I had a wonderful experience and highly recommend �“

“The food was phenomenal - we had the beet & burrata salad, a Margherita pizza, and the wild boar tagliatelle. They have a nice wine list as well. Can’t wait to come back and try other dishes!!!“

“This charming trattoria came onto my radar, driven by a craving for Veal Saltimbocca and I was not disappointed! I called ahead to make a reservation and I was seated at my reservation time. The Veal Saltimbocca tasted like it came straight from a traditional Italian kitchen. It was tender, fresh and flavorful, served in a generous portion.

I'm not much of a drinker, but the Margarita Italiano with Limoncello was the best Margarita I've ever tasted and was served in a large glass! Service was excellent from my initial phone call to make the reservation through the end of my visit. I am looking forward to eating my leftovers tomorrow. I would come here again for the same meal, without hesitation.“

“One of our favorite neighborhood spots. Even if we didn’t live in the neighborhood, we would make our way over here.“

“Fiola is refined Italian fine dining at its most luxurious. Service is polished, and the menu is built around seasonality and classical technique.

Its uniqueness is its elegance—each dish showcases restraint paired with deep flavor.

Dish I liked: Lobster Ravioli — silky pasta, rich shellfish reduction, and a beautiful expression of Italian craftsmanship.“

“The pizza and Chicken Alfredo Fettuccine 🤌🏾🤌🏾“

“The atmosphere and the people who work there were wonderful! The food was amazing as well! I would thoroughly recommend for anyone to try it out you won't be disappointed“

“Amazing experience at Cafe Milano, authentic Italian food, amazing atmosphere and unmatched service. Candido and the staff made us feel welcome since the beginning and helped us prepare a fantastic Wine Dinner for my Perbacco Wine Club. As an italian I was stunned by the quality of the ingredients and by the cuisine. The Linguine allo scoglio could easily be as good as a Posillipo restaurant, the Veal as good as the one in the best restaurant in Tuscany. Incredible experience, it was an honor to organize an event here and all my guests were stunned by the quality of the food. I want to thank the staff and Mr Giuseppe Lonardo for hooking me up with the best Italian restaurant outside of Italy I’ve ever been to.“

“excellent food & service & wonderful pasta & wine.“

“Great, friendly service! Great food at a great price for the area!
I think they could use a few 2 person tables if they could make room to keep 1 person from sitting at their limited 4-6 person tables. This was the case when we first walked in and kept us from having a table, we almost left because it was too windy/cold outside... but fortunately a larger group left. Part of the intentional and friendly customer service was that one of the employees came outside to catch us and let us know the table was available.“

“Amazing food and service.“

“Wonderful food & charming outdoor patio space . Cocktails yummy too!“

“I was in DC for an education seminar, and our group of six ate dinner here. I ordered the Pappardelle Alfredo and for dessert, I chose the cheesecake, which was the best that I've ever had at a restaurant. It has a hint of lemon, and it was delicious. The staff was very attentive, friendly, and cheerful, which is important to me. I will definitely stop by again the next time I'm in DC.“

“Prix fixe menu that is always different, so each visit is a new dining experience. With an intimate atmosphere and always exceptionally attentive service, we look forward to coming back!“

“Had dinner with family while visiting the DC area. The restaurant was perfect from the decor, the seats, the food, the servers. Patricia was amazing and I loved her little soft humming as she went along her way making guests feel welcome. The food was 10+. Highly recommend.“

“Att Fabio! I’m here now and Maria is my server. She is the best! I started with the grilled calamari and asked about the vongole. She brought me a sample to try! She is well versed with your menu, it was a pleasure to dine here.“

“Shoulda had some dessert after the meal I ate.“

“Bar del Monte is the kind of place that nails it with quality food and service, no glitz or glam needed. If you're more about great flavors than oversized American portions, this spot is for you. It’s the kind of place you could easily imagine in Italy. The pizzas are a solid 10/10, and the drinks are just as impressive. If you’re looking for a no-fuss, authentic dining experience with excellent food, this is definitely the place to be.“