50 Best Italian Restaurants near Franconia

“Delicious food and the wait staff is fabulous!“

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

“Our son recently moved to Arlington and he said this was the best Italian food that he ever had! Last night we went there for dinner and couldn't agree with him more. We had some initial issues with our service and seating , but the General Manager, Stefano and our waitress Shandra took care of us and the service that they gave us was outstanding; probably the best that I ever had at a restaurant! The food was absolutely delicious! We will be back every time that we visit our son. There are so many dishes that I cannot wait to try and the pasta is all homemade. Thanks for making our dinner so special. We love it here!“

“Our dinner was just amazing tonight! Everything was so fresh and delicious, and you were all so friendly, thank you so much.“

“It was the perfect meal, from appetizers to main course, and dessert! Our server, Ricardo, was very attentive and informative about the menu and gave us personal recommendations, as well. I had been wanting to dine at Cucina Morini for a while now, and I am so glad I chose it for our friends visiting from overseas.“

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

“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.“

“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!“

“Absolutely the best Italian food I have ever tasted! Exceptional service! Old world Italian charm! Very romantic Valentine's day themed decor and ambiance.“

“Amazing dinner!! Every course was delicious!“

“When we come up from Atlanta to visit family in Alexandria, Aldo’s is a must visit. The service and food are excellent. It is a must visit and multiple occasions for our family. Consistent excellence.“

“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!“

“Great food, wines and service.“

“Solid Italian restaurant in DC.

Easy to get reservations, I went on a Friday night with a friend. We got the three course set menu. A lot of food for the price. Great quality and great options. Recommend coming hungry or ordering off the a la cart menu. Garlic knots are a must.

Lots of servers that were very attentive. Be careful, they’ll scoop up your plate if you’re not paying attention.

Wine and beer list was extensive.

Fair pricing for quality of food and atmosphere.

Would definitely recommend to a friend. Would definitely visit again.

Parking: No parking lot, not a lot of street parking. Had to park a few blocks away.

Kid-friendliness: I probably wouldn’t bring kids here, didn’t have kid friendly food.“

“Doesn't disappoint from walking in to finished meal. Classic Italian, top notch service, worth every dollar spent.“

“Friendly staff -great food !“

“Friendly staff, very creative menu, no too big just the way I like it. Highly recommended“

“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.“

“Their pizza is worth trying. I highly recommend ordering a pizza with a side order of boneless chicken wings. We thought the chicken wings were divine! They were so tender and worth ordering again. The pizza was full of texture and taste. We ordered the Italian Mamma.“

“Made a reservation for my wife's birthday as she's been craving chicken parm and it did not disappoint. Everything about the experience was wonderful from our server, Elise, to the delicious food, to the hospitable management. Had such a great birthday dinner and loved the experience. The pinot grigio we had, Loop (i think was the name), recommended by Elise was just a perfect pairing with the chicken parm and chicken marsala we had. Just a really fun experience.“

“So delicious and a wonderful atmosphere.“

“We could not believe our luck finding this gem of a place, whilst on holiday from Scotland! The food? What can I say to make folk reach out to you? Just go and you’ll experience the most wonderful home cooked food and the greatest ambience! .. staff and management couldn’t make you feel more welcome! Keep the good work up and hopefully see you next visit! You’ll be our “ go to restaurant” Thank you PS - our town Dundee in Scotland is “twinned” ( sister) with yourselves .. who would have known eh??“

“Best Italian food I've ever had!“

“This was our first time dining at Al Tiramisu. There was five of us in our party and we were greeted warmly by the hostess, which made us all feel welcome. She introduced the waiter to us who has friendly, knowledgeable, and very professional. He walked us through the menu, and offered great suggestions. The service, the atmosphere, and the food were excellent! We all agreed that we would definitely return! Highly recommend Al Tiramisu!“

“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.“

“Great food, service, and atmosphere. The GM, Rodney took extra care to learn and remember our names. This added to a welcoming sense of hospitality that my friend and I immediately appreciated. We’ll be back!“

“Great service @ DC the seafood appetizer was delicious!“

“I had the most incredible dinner at Giovanni's Trattu! From the moment we walked in, the ambiance was warm, welcoming, and authentically Italian. The service was impeccable, with our server being both attentive and knowledgeable.

The real star of the show, however, was the food. I ordered the Osso Buco, and it was simply divine. The veal was so tender it fell off the bone and melted in my mouth, and the rich, flavorful sauce was a perfect complement to the creamy risotto it was served on. Every single bite was a taste of heaven. I cannot recommend this place enough!“

“This establishment is outstanding and the service is exemplary. Jenn our bartender was attentive and on point. Highly recommend!“

“Said, I wanted to circle back and let you know that without a doubt, the food, and the entire dining experience at La Bettola Italiano was far and away the best we had on our trip to DC. I cannot thank you enough for setting it all up and for working so closely with them to sculpt the menu, arrange for the upstairs and deliver the hot and delicious food so swiftly upon our arrival – our pre-order menu worked perfectly, and you and your wait staff went above and beyond to be so accommodating. My teachers were stunned at the quality of the food and the ambiance and said it was their top ranked choice of all the places we ate. I am uncertain what the school’s plans are for next year, but if I or the school returns to the DC/VA area, I will certainly call upon you and return to La Bettola. Thank you, Said, for a wonderful dining experience for our students. It was the perfect way to begin our trip! Best regards, Danny“

“Delicious food-very relaxing atmosphere-friendly staff“

“Wow. What a great experience! This place is a real gem. Coming from New York and Philadelphia we have experienced excellent Italian for years. After relocating here a few years back and trying many restaurants in the area this is by far the best Italian we have had in the DMV. Lucy is an amazing chef and host and their menu and specialities are some of the best we have experienced. So excited to have this as a dinner option downtown. We will be back soon!!“

“While enjoying lunch yesterday my friend and I were fortunate to be served by Richard. He was very accommodating and pleasant. I can’t say enough about what a nice person he was. Maggianos is lucky to have him as part of their staff.“

“MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO THE ENTIRE STAFF AT MAGGIANO’s, SPRINGFIELD, VA! There are not enough word in the dictionary to describe my experience in Maggiano’s! From the time I make reservations through walking through the front door of the restaurant, the service, the managers, the chef, the food, to serving the BEST ITALIAN CUISINE SINCE ITALY, and cleanliness in the restrooms. Look, I live in Old Town Alexandria, VA, where there are some of the best Italian restaurants on the East Coast but those restaurants do not compare to my Maggiano’s. I seriously have to drive out of my way, Springfield, to get the Best Italian on the East Coast. It’s worth every second. The cuisine inside this Maggiano’s tastes exactly like my Italian grandparent’s cooked it. I frequent this restaurant at least once or twice a week. Thank you Mo, (manager), Jessie (server), and the rest of the staff at my Maggiano’s! Dana Neese, 12-23-2023.“

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

“Fantastic food cooked by award winning chef Roberto Donna. Welcoming owner and friendly atmosphere. Our seafood calamarata and shrimp rice risotto were outstanding.“

“One of the most delicious Italian dinners I have ever had. Everything was a Authentic and a Quality ingredient and well prepared.“

“Vegan pizza and garlic knots“

“Good food. Doesn’t matter what you get it’s all delicious.“

“A Truly Memorable Anniversary Dinner at DinVino

We celebrated our anniversary at DinVino, and I can confidently say this was one of the most beautiful dining experiences we’ve ever had.

First off, the dining room is stunning—warm, intimate, and tastefully elegant. We had a 5:00 PM reservation and arrived about 15 minutes early. Although dinner service doesn’t officially begin until 5, the staff kindly seated us in the dining room and offered drinks instead of asking us to wait at the bar. That small act of hospitality set the tone for the entire evening.

We originally hoped to take advantage of happy hour, which is available only at the bar or outside patio, but our incredibly gracious waiter made an exception and allowed us to order from the happy hour menu from our table. We were so appreciative of this gesture. We ended up ordering four appetizers (two from happy hour menu and two from regular menu), two drinks, two entrees, a tiramisu, and another glass of wine. Everything was delicious; the flavors were balanced.

When I mentioned toward the end of our meal that it was our anniversary and how much we loved the food, our waiter surprised us by offering us a taste of limoncello, a traditional Italian after-dinner digestive. It was such a sweet and unexpected touch that made our evening even more special.

We were never rushed and ended up staying until around 7 or 7:30. The staff gave us space while still being attentive shoutout to the people who brought out our food, cleared our plates, and the gentleman who checked on us after the meal. Everyone made us feel welcome and cared for. We were even lucky enough to have the dining room basically to ourselves, which made the evening feel like a private, romantic dinner.

A huge thank you to our waiter, who was incredibly kind and professional throughout and didn’t even know until the very end that it was a special occasion. You made our night.

My only (very small) critique: I wish bread had been included and that the steak came with at least one side. But those are minor things in what was otherwise a truly wonderful night.

We’re so grateful to DinVino for this memorable evening. I’ll absolutely be recommending this place to others and will definitely be back. 💛“

“Well deserving of the recognition by Michelin's star award. Arguably, the best restaurant in DC metro area with a commitment to excellence in food, service, and atmosphere. The wine list is among best with older, approachable vintages.

Great experience.“

“great sausage and pepper pizza!“

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

“We had breakfast catered to the office and it was simply amazing! Right on time, hot, fresh and tasty. I love Bozzelli's for always welcoming me in with a smile, having Diet Dr. Pepper & most importantly amazing customer service. Jessica and the whole team is truly outstanding. The Georgetown location is a staple!“

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

“Delicious Food, Divine Wine, Lovely Evening! We shared appetizers, desserts & wine while we visited this wonderful restaurant!“

“This beat some of the NY style slices I had even in New York. Just the perfect ratio of crust to sauce to toppings. Perfectly sized pepperoni cups. A gorgeous toasty feeling to the freshly heated slice. Started with 3 slices between 2 people and essentially ended up eating a whole pie. Staff are amazing, so warm and friendly. Great brews on tap and a few salads and sides on the menu to go with the pies. Can’t wait to come back“

“Certo Restaurant is a delightful dining experience that I can't recommend enough! I recently visited for breakfast, and I was thoroughly impressed by the quality of the food and the warm ambiance.

I ordered the omelette, and it was absolutely perfect—fluffy, flavorful, and packed with fresh ingredients. Each bite was a wonderful combination of textures and tastes. The fruit bowl was equally impressive, featuring a vibrant assortment of seasonal fruits that were both refreshing and beautifully presented.

The service was exceptional, with attentive staff who genuinely care about providing a great experience. The atmosphere is inviting and comfortable, making it a fantastic spot to enjoy a leisurely meal.

Overall, Certo Restaurant has quickly become one of my favorite places to dine. Whether you're looking for a hearty breakfast or a relaxing brunch, this restaurant is definitely worth a visit!“

“As part of the US Army, I was sustained in Italy many years ago. I have struggled until now to find quality, amazing tasting Italian food. Mamma's Kitchen in Alexandria surpassed all expectations. Every course of the meal was just what you would expect when dining in Italy. Thanks for the great experience and for the memories it brought back.“

“Wonderful experience. Great neighborhod restaurant.Good service, great food, handicap accessable, lots of parking, fair prices.“