What are the best Italian restaurants in Washington DC?
Unlike New York City, Washington DC is not known for great Italian food. However, if you know where to go you can definitely find some excellent Italian. Here are some insider tips from DC and Georgetown natives.
Folks Rave about Filomenia’s Italian restaurant in Georgetown but it’s not in the league of a Galileo or I Ricchi. If you want to see some of DC’s rich and famous check out Cafe Milano on Prospect in Georgetown. You’ll see newcasters, athletes, politicians. Food is great, a little pricey.
Palena in Clevland Park is another good place for Italian. Here it comes with a modern American bent. If you like family style, try Buca di Beppo on Connecticut Ave. in DC. It reminds me of New Jersey solid Italian. Great atmosphere. If you want to stay in Virginia, That’s Amore or DaDomenico in Vienna are good too.
Then there’s Dino’s in Cleveland park, which is good and more on the casualside, I had some very good food there. It’s at 3435 Connecticut Ave., NW. You can metro to it at the Cleveland Park stop (same as Palena, which is more upscale and pricey). There is also Al Tiramisu which is good in Dupont Cicle, good pasta.(The best Pizza in the city is probably 2 Amy’s which is near the Cathedral area on Wisconsin, or Pizaria Paradiso, which is in Dupont or a nice one now in Georgetown.)
One DC native claims that “Galileo is one of the best in the country, and the “Laboatorio” within Galileo is undoubtably so. Palena, Tosca, Obelisk, and i Ricci are all first rate. 2 Amys and Pizzera Paridiso are great for pizza (wood fired ovens). And there are many other fine choices. Buca di Beppo is decent for a chain restaurant, certainly better than Olive Garden. But its not in same league as the above restaurants.”
A V Restorante on 6th and New York NW is not trendy — more like old NYC neighborhood places. New Yorkers also appreciate Cantina D’Italia and Dolce Vita.