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    Alta Strada

    3.8 (639 reviews)

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    ALTA STRADA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Romantic
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - Alta Strada

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    Enjoying kids menu!
    Aarti B.

    Authentic Italian dishes bursting with flavor and nice patio seating. Alta Strada one of my favorite restaurants! If you go on the weekdays, there's hardly any wait for a table outside or for lunch on the weekends. Lunch is a great deal with dinner portions sizes that cost less! Great food, friendly service, and wonderful ambiance - 5 stars all around. My only complaint is that I wish the fluffy complementary bread was still offered. World-Famous Garlic Bread - The ciabatta bread is so moist and delicious with 4 large pieces. I wish they still offered it! Sage Against The Machine cocktail (5/5) - Refreshing bubbly with limoncello and sparkling rose. The Mimosas with fresh squeezed OJ are quite delicious. Elderflower Mocktail & Blueberry Ginger Mocktails (5/5) - Appreciate the handful of mocktail selections on the menu. Both mocktails were refreshing, with a subtle Elderflower flavor and lime juice. While the Blueberry was more subtle with bold ginger. I wasn't a big fan of the Blueberry Porch Swing Cocktail (not that balanced) and enjoyed the boozy Mint Julep cocktail with a mountain of ice, it was refreshing and helped to dilute the booze. Eggplant Parm - So glad they replaced the Eggplant Parm Sandwich with the entree served with broccolini. It was tender and juicy! Mafalde (5/5) - The frilly pasta is cooked al dente and covered in a light cream mushroom sauce with a heap of mushrooms. If you love mushrooms, get it! Lemon Agnolotti (5/5) - The ravioli like stuffed pasta filled with ricotta had a nice citrus lemon flavor paired well with a sweet sauce with grilled radicchio, cabbage, and crunchy pistachios. The blend of ingredients worked well and the veggies elevated the flavor. Unique dish fun to try! Gnocchi (5/5) - Pillowy soft with fresh pesto was a bundle of joy mixed into a veggie medley of arugula, peas, asparagus and topped with crunchy walnuts and sharp pecorino cheese. Complementary flavors that blended well together with a heap of veggies and smaller pasta portion. Highly recommend! Penne a la Vodka (4/5) - The penne a la Vodka had good flavor, just a spicy kick! I wish it came with a breadstick or a side salad. Salmon (4/5) - My hubby enjoyed the fresh caught Salmon that's served like a stew with brocolini and chick peas. While the stew was an interesting take on the Tiramisu (5/5) - Served traditionally like pudding in a glass cup was a sweet ending to our meal. Apple Crisp (4/5) - Hit the spot, like a warm slice of apple pie topped with crunchy oats and a scoop of vanilla gelato. The small scoop wasn't enough, asked for another scoop and got charged an extra $3 for it! The patio seating is perfect for people watching and we caught glimpse of the sunset. Excited to come back and explore other dishes on the menu!

    Garlic Bread, Nonna's Meatballs and Cadillac
    Anton F.

    Looking for an Italian eatery in the Fairfax Mosaic District with good wine and spirits, check out Alta Strada. My first visit was in another location in the DC downtown area, inside the Canopy Hilton. The Waitstaff, Host and Bartenders were all pleasant. The menu is simple with traditional entrees and appetizers. Spacious, plenty of natural light and inviting. Try the World Famous garlic bread, really good.

    Tiramisu
    Hayward L.

    Came here for drinks and dessert on a weekend evening. Lovely outdoor seating and atmosphere. Tiramisu was excellent and reasonably sized. Cocktails were delicious too. Some of the entrees and drinks are on the more expensive side.

    Fried Calamari DC restaurant week 2026
    Clarence B.

    It was ok. We came for DC winter restaurant as a place we hadn't tried. The ambiance was lively. The hosts were not helpful or engaging when I said I was there to meet my wife that arrived earlier. They just stared at each other like I spoke another language. The waiter was pleasant, quick and attentive. The seating seemed staged for the maximum number of of people the could put in the space and the gentleman sitting behind me both struggled to seat comfortably as we were both tall. They brought out a bottle of of spring water and bread - both as extra costs writtten in fine print. The food was ok, competently prepared and plated. We ordered calamari, meatballs, lasagna and rockfish. All were delivered hot and were good. We finished with the cannoli and tiramisu. Both were also good.

    Penne
    LoiLoi F.

    Coming back from Europe, we wanted something to bring us back to those missed flavors. We visited Alta Strada back in 2023. We started with garlic bread and meatballs, both Amazing! We all got different entrees but all were delicious! Although it wasnt the same as Italy, we lived the experience and effort here! Def try them out!

    Melody Y.

    Friendly service- we asked the waiter for recommendations and he was very good at pointing out the popular dishes. Garlic bread: 5/5 you can really taste the butter and cheese. It came out perfectly hot and toasted. Spaghetti with meatballs: 3.5/5 the meatballs tasted like they were made in house but a bit gamey, not very juicy. The spaghetti was a little dry although the sauce tasted fresh.

    Wine
    Loretta H.

    Had a lunch date at Alta Strada. Food was really good but just wish the lunch menu had a little more options. Our server was great and had good wine suggestions. Would definitely like to go back for dinner

    Rigatoni with spicy sausage
    Sam O.

    A really good choice in the new trendy Mosaic district of Fairfax! The rigatoni with the spicy sausage is really good and not too hot, and the lasagna bolognese was also excellent. We had a fire waiter at well

    Fried Calamari
    Liv W.

    We went here for happy hour and I have to say that the happy hour deals are great! It's 4-7 (it says 4-6 on their blackboard in the restaurant and 4-7 online) at the bar only. It's $8 wines, $5 draft beer, $4 well liquor, and $8-$14 apps and side pastas. We had Jason as our bartender/server and he was so awesome. Quick, funny, and charismatic! He gave recommendations and clearly knew his stuff. I do feel bad as he was both hosting and bartending, but he seemed quite experienced so I'm sure it worked out. But let's get to the food... the food is good! Not the best Italian I've ever had, but for the price, it's very good. Not pictured (I forgot... I was too hungry to let the phone eat first) is the vodka penne. The vodka sauce was great and the side portion honestly was so filling and I don't think I could've eaten anymore! The calamari was good (according to my boyfriend) and the meatballs weren't too shabby. I don't know if they make the pasta from scratch but I don't think they do? And that's why my review is 4 instead of 5 stars. The drinks were great and I liked the house wines! For $8 I'll take it. The vibes were good and the restaurant was clean! I'd come back for happy hour again.

    Penne "alla" Vodka with chicken
    Whitney L.

    I have to say that I had a pleasantly wonderful dinner at Alta Strada with some co-workers. Their cocktail menu is filled with well balanced beverages that aren't too heavy on the alcohol but also not solidly sweet where you feel like you're drinking juice. I ordered the chicken penne Al la vodka (very good) and we had fried calamari and bread as appetizers. Highly recommended tiramisu for dessert. The fried doughnuts were light and coated with sugar but I didn't care too much for it. Service was really good as well. Our waitress gave us all her top recommendations and came back with Parmesan and water refills. The environment is pretty casual but nice for a business casual attire as well.

    Tiramisu
    Crystal L.

    Located in Mosaic Fairfax, Alta Strada is a modern Italian restaurant that offers delicious pasta and dessert. We came here for a date night. Service was attentive and fast. We tried the fried calamari, Penne Alla Vodka and the Tagliatelle, they were flavorful. The tiramisu was great. Only thing is the price, it adds up quickly and one may not leave the restaurant with a full belly. Will recommend for special occasion but not a regular dinner venue.

    Nonna's Slow Cooked Meatballs
    Shawn H.

    The food was pretty good. My mom loved the pasta and I loved the garlicky meatballs while enjoying the outdoor seating with our fur babies. What sucked was the service. We had to wait for way too long to get any attention - was a turnoff and it wasn't a busy day. I'd recommend not coming during busy hours.

    Tiramisu

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    2 months ago

    Amazing authentic Italian cooking. Perfectly prepared. Good portions. Attentive staff. Quick service and very nice inside. I'll be back.

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    Alta Strada M.

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    1 year ago

    Terrific service. Quiet ambience conducive to conversation. Penne vodka was tasty. And the garlic bread was to die for.

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    Page 1 of 16

    Alta Strada Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Alta Strada

    What are the pastas recommendations for someone trying Alta Strada for the first time?

    The fedelini and the cacio e pepe!

    Does anyone know if there are any fees or know any additional information about reserving for a private event?

    Yes. There is a F&B minimum depending on how much of the restaurant reserved. There is no private space though.

    How is the happy hour? Is there a happy hour specials?

    While I wasn't there for happy hour the bartender and bar were fully stocked and ready for anything!

    Does this restaurant make you feel happy and comfortable?

    Yes, always happy and comfortable especially in Deanna's section or on the bar with Rita! Outstanding service! Love the food too!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Clarity - Complimentary bread

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    We chose Clarity in Vienna for my mother's 91st birthday, and it turned out to be a wonderful…read morechoice. My mom is extraordinarily sensitive to anything remotely "spicy"--even black pepper can be a problem, and sometimes arugula! Our server David listened carefully to her concerns and made sure the chef knew exactly what she needed. The kitchen modified her dish accordingly, and she was able to enjoy a delicious meal without worrying about what might be in it. But the food was only part of what made the evening so enjoyable. David and Ceara were both fantastic--warm, attentive, and incredibly personable. They really listened to Mom and made an effort to engage with her. Mom eventually started telling jokes, including a few that were definitely on the bawdy side. David and Ceara were wonderful sports and laughed right along with her. They made her feel welcome rather than simply accommodated, and that distinction meant a lot to all of us. Clarity gave us delicious food and excellent service, but more importantly, they helped make my mother feel celebrated on her 91st birthday. A memorable evening and a restaurant I'm very happy to recommend.

    We've been dining at Clarity in Vienna for years, and it was particularly a favorite for intimate,…read morespecial-occasion meals. Chef Jon Krinn's menus and his warm, personal touch with diners made the place special. After he left, Chef Tracy O'Grady admirably revived it with creative new menu concepts, and under Chef Danny Ahn the brand has now expanded to a Reston location. Through it all, bartender Victor has been a steady, caring presence -- even as service slowed and courses started taking a long time to arrive. After one visit where we waited 50 minutes for dessert, we stayed away for a while. We decided to come back to celebrate our anniversary. The new manager, Jeff Miller, and the rest of the staff greeted us warmly, but the dining room was nearly empty, and the air conditioning was set to meat-locker levels. Victor had the day off. Clarity is known for a daily-changing tasting menu, and we were looking forward to that night's advertised special -- giant tiger prawns, lobster and black truffle risotto, and venison. Instead, we were handed a menu with octopus, cod loin, and duck -- solid dishes, but standard fare you'll find at plenty of restaurants in the area, not the standout the website promised. We ordered from the regular menu instead. For appetizers, we each got the grilled Wellfleet and Old Salt oyster platter. For entrées, my spouse ordered the yellowfin tuna with tiger shrimp; I asked if I could get the Maryland soft-shell crabs as an entrée with two crabs instead of one. The waiter said no and suggested I add a sweet corn bisque to round out the meal. When he mentioned to the manager that we were unhappy, Jeff offered to plate two crab appetizers together for double the appetizer price. I happily agreed. The manager explained that website updates were no longer handled in-house, that the tasting menu posted online hadn't actually been available for months, that other guests had complained about the same thing, and that the takeout/pickup menu was also wrong -- to the point that he' had just contacted customers to tell them their online orders couldn't be fulfilled. Service was slow, and the waiter never told us which oysters were Wellfleet and which were Old Salt. To kitchen's credit, the portions were generous, properly cooked, and genuinely tasty. The dessert menu seemed uninspired, so I asked about a double shot of Angel's Envy rye instead. It had always been reasonably priced when Victor poured it -- generously, too. This time, I overheard the manager quote the waiter $56. A 750ml bottle (25 oz) currently retails at Virginia ABC for about $75, or $3/oz -- so $56 for a double shot works out to about $18.67 per ounce. I said that wasn't acceptable. At that point, the manager repeated, for the fourth time, that he was still on the phone trying to get the website fixed. I told him his reiterated efforts might help future diners, but it didn't help us that evening. He said Victor had trained him and that he was charging what Victor would charge -- I told him I didn't believe that, since Victor had always been fair and accommodating. I also said that as the manager overseeing service, he should be checking the website' daily for accuracy himself. He then offered to pay for my "cocktail" out of his own pocket. Before I could point out that a shot of whiskey isn't a cocktail, my spouse asked him to just leave us alone. We paid and left feeling genuinely sad to see a restaurant we loved fall this far.

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    I had been here before and the food was not bad at all as well as the service. I decided to go for…read moreMother's Day since I had not been here in years and was hopeful the food would be the same if not better. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Food selection was smaller, food was not worth the price and service was awful. We did not have a reservation but saw several tables open. They sat us near the welcome booth as we were a family of 5. We were given menus but not enough utensils and thought eventually we would get it along with the menus. There seem to be a huddle of employees in the entrance of booth and the waiter did not show up for another 5 minutes. Another 5 minutes passed and a different waitress showed up asking if we were ready. She did not tell us of any specials and we had to ask her the price of the bistec a lo pobre which she said was $26. We also asked her about other items we saw at the online menu but she said they weren't available. We decided to stay and order ceviche, lomo saltado, anticuchos and bistec a lo pobre. My husband ordered a beer and I ordered a chicha. There was no physical menu for children and she verbally told us the options. I ordered chicken tenders and fries for my toddler. She took our orders and food came out after 15 minutes. The meat was missing the sauce the menu said it came with, the ceviche tasted very lemony and the chicken tenders were more like chicken balls. The waitress never showed up with our drinks and we decided to just eat and go as the staff seemed to want to socialize more than tend to the customers. Once we were done, we asked for boxes and the check. Apparently, gratuity was already included and maybe thats why the service was so bad? She hardly came to check on us and to top it off she was surprised when we told her drinks never showed up to please take it off check. She didn't apologize or asked how the food was. She gave us boxes and off we left. Later, we realized the bistec a lo pobre was $28 instead of $26 and we had ordered two. I just wanted to leave at that point and not wait another 5 minutes for waitress to fix her mistake. The ad, as shown in picture, said all moms receive a flower but I guess having three kids with me wasn't enough for me to get one. We also noticed when we left their website said a party of 6 or more has gratuity included but we were a party of 5. What is shown online is very different than what you get in person and if the food was great I would gladly go back for at least takeout. Food is not worth it, the service for Mother's Day made it worst and the environment was mediocre at best. Prices were inconsistent and menu is not appealing. Not sure what happened here but changes should be made at least for Mother's Day.

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