Second time here and the food is getting better and better. It is a lill gem in McLean that you have to try. Service is friendly, food is fast (and totally yummy) and the price is affordable. Several yelpers pointed this out but honestly it is one of the best pasta joints in NOVA. We got the squid ink pasta with punttanesca sauce, chicken breast with asparagus and cold cucumber soup. It was brilliant! Stop going to all the high end wannabe Italian restaurants and give this place a try. You will not be disappointed. Keep it up Dal Grano! read more

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We went for lunch, and all four of us enjoyed our pasta dishes! They were outstanding! When we returned home, I realized I had lost an earring! It's value was more sentimental then monetary. But when I called to inquire, the crew had changed, and the person I spoke with checked the table area, and found nothing. He promised to check with the crew, and to continue checking, and said he would call if they found it. Almost a week passed, and I was resigned to having lost my earring. Sunday evening we were returning from a weekend away, when I received a call from Dal Grano; they had found my earring! Not only was the food outstanding, but so was the staff! read more

Very small portion, the flavour was plain and compare to the quality, the price is too expensive. Will not come back

You won't be disappointed. It's not easy to serve pasta that's decent. Here they do it very well. Pasta is fresh. Sauces are all very good. The price is right. read more

Delicious homemade pasta, great customer service, the best tiramisu I've ever had and I've been to Italy before and tried 10 different tiramisu at great restaurants in the past from all over the world. I would come back just for the tiramisu alone. The tiramisu comes with mint and sliced strawberry which adds variety and depth of flavor to the savory tiramisu. For the entree, I had the sausage rigatoni which was excellent with a hint of spice. The parmesan cheese added on top added a lot of flavor to the dish. I would return to this spot and I highly recommend this restaurant for those looking for a pleasant Italian experience. read more

We went by right as a power outage happened for all of McLean. They were so kind and helpful to satisfy my squid ink pasta craving (yes, it's a real thing). My two kiddos couldn't get enough of this pasta! Now...how to eat pasta properly? It hit the spot! Food full bellies, good laughs and great new memories around our table. read more

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This is a very nice place with very helpful staff, quick service, and pasta to rival Centrolina. Grateful to them.

Went here for lunch and got cypress salad, squid ink pasta with seafood and tomatoes, and papardelli with guan ale and spicy sauce. Everything was good especially the salad. Great staff as well. read more

Love at first bite hihi. From the warm bread, chewy pasta and savory sauce . Liked the service. When we arrived its just us and another table thinking where are the other, but just then it slowly people are coming, come early since this is just a small place. read more

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I came here for the first time today Sunday for lunch. The lady (owner's wife) is so pleasant and kind to explain us about what they have after we told her this is our first time here. We like her very much! The food, I had a squid ink spaghetti with seafood white wine sauce for $14. That was great. Very authentic and light. Cooked almost just the way I cook at home. I would cook it with red chili pepper as the Italians would and maybe with a little more EVOO to make it a bit more saucy by emulsification using pasta boiling water. After all, for the price, my pasta was very satisfying to me compared to those overpriced pasta dishes in DC due to the high rent and high manpower costs. This is a very nice pasta place with reasonable pricing and warm atmosphere. For the counter seat patrons, leave your heavy coats in your car as there are no coat hangers inside! :) P.S. Oh, we did not get any focaccia bread. Forgotten? read more

Dal Grano - Squid ink spaghetti with seafood - Pasta Shops Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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It was good, but not great. Chicken Parm was very good, but the side dish of noodles was a gooey clump. The vegetarian lasagna was good. We also ordered pasta with salmon piccata. Not the best. I will say, though, that the tiramisu, the almond cake, and the Creme brûlée are fabulous. read more

Family small business with homemade pasta. My best friend always begs me to take her here. Casual dining, friendly vibe.

Another AMAZING meal at Dal Grano! The pasta vongole (with clams) is fantastic!!! You've gotta try it when it's on the specials list!!! It's worth it!!! read more

I've been a few times for take out and to eat in. I really enjoyed everything I've had. Most recently I went with fettuccine with the mushroom sauce. It was awesome! Their bread is really good and they give you some when you eat there and when you take pasta home. There is a pretty reasonable corkage fee if you have a bottle of wine to bring with you, but taking pasta home is pretty easy. They prepare it fresh and vacuum seal the container. Portion sizes are good but not huge. They also have soup, salad, and sandwiches. Definitely recommend if you are in the area. read more

It's not a fancy place but it's Absolutely Amazing!!!! If you like fresh homemade pasta and sauces then you got try it. Hands down Dal Grano's was by far the best Italian food I've ever had in the U.S. My wife had Bolognese with spinach noodles and it was OUTSTANDING!!! I had penne with spicy sausage very yummy! My son had Dal Grano's version of Chicken Alfredo which he loved, just he wish it had a bit more sauce. Highly recommend!!! read more

This little gem has been hiding in plain site for a while now. It's right next to Music and Arts in McLean. We pass by that shopping strip quite often and say we should check out that new pasta place. So we finally did! It's a casual, small dine in or take out pasta joint. You can sit at tables or at their small bar. The homemade pasta is displayed in a case where you can see what each type looks like before choosing. It's basically a build your own pasta bowl experience. Pick your pasta style, pick your sauce. It is table service. Someone will bring you menus and take your order. They bring dipping bread with olive oil to the table. In addition to the pastas they have sandwiches, salads, pasta entrees, daily specials, side veggies, and desserts. We did not get alcohol but there is a drink menu. Our table had butternut squash ravioli with tomato sauce, gnocchi with bolegnese, spinach fettucinni with tomato sauce and steam broccoli. Everything was very fresh and very tasty. The house tomato sauce has a zing to it. It's is spicy in a mild way and gives the tomato sauce a little kick and a signature taste. We were very pleased with all our entrees and will be returning here again. Prices were reasonable. Some seemed right on, some seemed a little high. But I guess figuring in the cost of labor for fresh homemade pasta would make costs a little higher. Highly recommend. read more

Food is good but the service sucks. My kids had to wait 50 min to get their food after a 3-hr crew practice and it should have taken less than 20 min. It would not go eat there... perhaps ok for carry out of you have the time. read more

This place is wonderful. The food has the sophistication of a fancy restaurant but in a very causal almost diner like atmosphere. The staff are really pleasant and the homemade pasta is available to purchase and take home. Everything here was extremely fresh. It's truly a gem. read more

Small gem in McLean with the best homemade pasta in the DMV. Pasta is perfectly cooked and the sauce is a perfect compliment, try the garlic and evoo. As good as the pasta is, the porchetta is just as outstanding, juicy, herby, porky goodness. Prices are great, especially for the quality of the food. Service is efficient and friendly. read more

Overall our pasta dishes were good but serving sizes were small considering the price. Dal Grano offers a variety of pasta dishes where you select the pasta and topping, each separately priced. It was ala carte so salad is not included. The bread was nice but only 4 small pieces for 3 people. The almond cake dessert was good while the gelato was unexceptional. The food was tasty but not a hearty meal leaving us far from being full. Service was good and attentive. Fortunately the weather was pleasant enough to dine outdoors in the tent that which was nicer than the small, inside dining area. read more

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Dal Grano is a small little pasta shop that offers a variety of housemade pastas - rigatoni (regular, carrot, spinach), penne, macaroni (whole wheat, spinach), fusili, fettuccine, pappardelle, spaghetti (regular, red beets, and carrot), buccatini (regular, red beets, and spinach), ravioli with spinach and ricotta cheese, braised short ribs-filled ravioli, and gnocchi. You can purchase these pastas to-go to use at home, or actually create-your-own to dine-in with your choice of the sauces (garlic and evoo, butter sauce, mozzarella, traditional bolognese, capers sauce, pecorino cream sauce, mushroom sauce, carobnara, or seafood sauce) and a choice of protein (pork tenderloin, chicken breast, seafood, etc.). They also have salads, soups, sandwiches, and charcuterie. I tried their Buccatini with the carbonara sauce (the buccatini pasta themselves had an off flavor to them, as the water it was boiled in hasn't been swapped out and had a lingering taste of the other flavored pastas; it was, however, cooked perfectly al dente; the carbonara sauce, I was not a fan of, as it had an overpowering pungent odor to it, was not creamy, was gritty, and did not have the savory taste I was looking for - the smell was just way too unappetizing that it was just really difficult to have any more!), and the Cuttlefish (squid) Ink pasta with the garlic and evoo (the squid ink pasta was described as having a very concentrated seafood taste to it - it was definitely strong, but I thought it was pretty okay - also cooked perfectly al dente, it had a nice chew to it; the garlic sauce itself was very simple, and the request for extra garlic was definitely included!). The pastas come with a some slices of herbed focaccia bread. I also tried one of their homemade Honey Cookie (in a little gingerbread shape, this tasted more like a bread cookie, as it was soft and not as crispy as I thought it would be). Service was super friendly, and the place is bright and cheery. I highly recommend in purchasing their fresh pastas to-go, so that you can prepare a meal with your own-made sauces! +variety of housemade pastas +fishy/pungent odor from pastas +avoid the sauces! read more

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I really wanted to like this place, but it fell far short. Their online menu makes it seem like the entrees come with pasta ("Chicken Parmigiana with a Side of Spaghetti Garlic EVOO") and a vegetable ("Sides - choose one; each additional at $5"). But it turns out they don't automatically come with pasta! The main portions were very small and the vegetable side (sans pasta) didn't make up for it. Taste was below average and chicken parmesan sandwich was dry. Unfortunately, I can't recommend this place. read more

So McLean really isnt the Mecca for world class restuarants and cuisine. The eateries are usually older joints that have been around for a while and havent updated their interior or menus. Then there are chain restaurants. But overall, McLean is slim pickins. However, we hear of this little Italian place who serves freshly made pasta and house made dishes, all in McLean???? Located in Langley Shopping next to Music and Arts and Child's Play, this place isnt really a big restaurant. Walking in you notice the bright orange and green colors of the tables, chairs and walls. There is a small display case with bar like seating and tables and chairs on the left side. Maximum seating capacity is less than 30? We noticed a lot of to go orders as we sat in to eat. There is a large TV towards the back with NHL Network playing. It was our first time here so it took while to order. The prices were not cheap but moderate. It's McLean so you have to justify playing a little more. We ordered and sat down. The lady behind the counter came over with napkins, utensils & complimentary foccacia bread. The bread was so good! Crispy crunchy tender and soft in the inside. The seasoning and olive oil on the bread was perfect. NOM NOM NOM. We first ordered their House Salad with Balsamic Vinegarette dressing. The veggies were fresh and the dressing, refreshing. We ordered our son the spaghetti with pomodoro sauce, wife ordered fettecuni with alfredo mushroom sauce, and I ordered the spaghetti with bolognese sauce. It's rare to eat freshly made pasta at a restaurant but it was a treat. The pasta had that "chew factor". The sauces were on point. Nothing tasted artificial or jarred. The portions werent too large and they werent skimpy either. Overall, it was nice to finally have a mom & pop eating place with updated decor with traditional Italian food served in a desolated culinary outpost like McLean, VA. The owner/chef was very friendly and came by to converse with us about our experience and hockey. There is also a Fathead of NHL and Washington Capitals Captain Alexander Ovechkin signed by Ovi. :) #LetsGoCaps read more

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Good food, probably the cheese steak I have ever had! Great service! The guy at the register was warm and social:)

There is so much more to try on this menu! Recently i was starving after surgery and sent my husband for porchetta, a delectable pork roast seasoned to showcase the taste of the meat. Bliss. We were also treated to two of the soups of the day, spinach and potato with leeks. I could not get enough of them! The spinach is pureed and smooth as silk with an awesome fresh taste. The potato was solid flavor without any binders or fillers and sweetened with a delicate leek flavor. More recently, i wanted to try a new sauce (infused olive oil, capers, and smoked trout) and i took myself to Dal Grano for the pasta. The rigatoni cooked up plump and tender, and after a quick toss in the sauce, only slurping could be heard. The sauce clung to the little ridges... oh, my... i'm drooling just writing about it. On that occasion i also bought the potato soup and was treated to ciabbatta (perfect dipped in the leftover infused garlic) and porchetta fresh from the ovens, smelling like heaven. I am thinking of instituting a pasta day once a week -- but there is still so much more to try on the menu. The new bar is very nice and affords you a view of the pasta making and easy conversation with other diners. read more

Dal Grano - The ciabatta, potato&leek soup and rigatoni are Dal Grano; the salad, olive oil and pasta sauce are mine. The pasta made the meal! - Pasta Shops Near Me - McLean, Virginia

Probably the best pasta in Nova for such a good price. The owner is a die hard Caps hockey fan ( which already makes this place the bomb.com) AND he gives discounts for game days. The pasta is ALWAYS fresh and you really can't go wrong with the sauces. Very simple, clean, no fluff food that just makes your stomach smile read more

Dal Grano - Seafood black ink pasta made extra spicy - Pasta Shops Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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The pasta here is great! It really is a completely different experience than store bought pasta. You notice in the first bite that it's so much better and much more filling. If you make a decent pasta sauce at home, I recommend buying the pasta to eat it with. read more

Amazing fresh pasta! No other place like it in the NOVA area. We've finally found a nice casual spot with fresh pasta and delicious sauces. read more

Dal Grano - Pasta Shops Near Me - McLean, Virginia

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The fresh made pasta was so fresh and delicious. The homemade desserts were great too. It is a tiny but popular place. Highly recommend and will definitely try again. read more

Best pasta in McLean hands down and great place to go with the family for a weeknight dinner. Joseph and his team are very conscientious about customer service and the constant steam of NHL hockey gives the place a great vibe. I'd recommend the eggplant parm and baked cod. Salads are also pretty good starters. read more

We had a nice lunch sitting outside at a table. Yes, they do have table service. Delicious carrot soup, and then authentic egg yolk carbonara. Like you had when you visited Rome. Friend had the veal ravioli. Both hot, and made fresh to order. A unexpected delicious surprise to find in downtown McLean! read more

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This has become our go to family restaurant since moving into the area. Service is always quick and friendly and the food is amazing. The prices are very very reasonable. Their pastas are always very fresh and they have great variety. Absolutely recommend this place. It's the best kept secret in Northern Virginia. read more

I came to Dal Grano for lunch, and I was overall really happy. My friend had the gnocchi with a sausage broccoli cream sauce, and I had the braised short rib ravioli, and both were excellent. The ravioli was perfectly cooked and really flavorful, definitely among the top ravioli of my life. They had a small but sufficient wine selection, so that was nice on a hot summer day. I didn't love the side of brussels sprouts, and I wouldn't get those again The pasta was top notch, but I'm taking off one star for service and ambiance. It feels like you're getting really high end food but in the atmosphere of a deli. The people working there were really nice, but it's odd having a sit-down pasta meal in this sort of setting, where you go up and order at the cashier. I got my food about 5-10 minutes after my dining companion's and he was almost done eating by the time I started. The manager came by and sort of lurked awkwardly near our table without me understanding that he worked there. Eventually, he sort of brusquely asked how everything was, and I said it was great and realized he was the manager. I would definitely go back to Dal Grano, as the food made it all worthwhile. read more

Best Italian restaurant in the area! We ordered for Christmas Eve dinner and were not disappointed. So many options to choose from, great service and freshly made pasta. Ravioli in pistachio sauce was amazing as was the gnocchi and tiramisu. Chicken Marsala was probably some of the best I've ever had. Definitely my new go-to place for Italian food! read more

I really wanted to love it, but it didn't quite meet my expectations. The pasta was perfectly cooked and was good. Sadly, the sauces lacked the complexity to do the pasta justice. However, I do think it would be a great place to go with kids. It's very casual, and fairly quick. read more

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Been meaning to check out this relatively new Italian joint after seeing the positive reviews in the Washington Post so we stopped by for a casual lunch. The staff is very inviting and friendly and the owner/Chef stopped by a few times to thank us for coming which was nice. They have numerous fresh pastas and ravioli which seem like the best choices. I went for the papardelle w/ Bolognese which was very good. Freshly made pasta makes all the difference. The wife went for the Chicken Parm w/spaghetti and that was very tasty as well. Others ordered the Lentil Soup, the Cubano, Spinach and Cheese Ravioli. Everybody was happy with their orders. I would definitely go back again to try a few of the other entrees. A good addition to the Mclean food scene. read more

HOMEMADE PASTAAAAA! I came here with my colleagues on a Friday afternoon for lunch and was not disappointed. Dal Grano focuses on pasta, pasta, pasta and so much more. They have the option to create your own pasta - which I loved. You're able to select the type of noods you want with the sauce. Food came out quick and of course delicious. I went home with a fully belly ready for an afternoon nap. The staff was super nice and the shop is very homey. Definitely a local business. I'm super excited to have found a go to pasta place in the area! read more

I've used their catering services for a business lunch, which I recommend. Everything was made fresh and ready for the time we requested. Unfortunately, was expecting the same when I came here for dinner. I placed a takeout order for an arugula salad and the lamb fettuccini. The noodles were dry and stuck together with hardly no sauce/lamb covering the pasta. It was obvious the pasta was not fresh and was likely leftover from earlier in the day. With a $16 price tag, I would have hoped for fresh hot pasta. I think I'll stick to their catering services. read more

Ate here last night. Wonderful as always. We eat here regularly, both in person and pick up. Best pasta around. Great selection. Friendly staff. All reasonably priced. read more

Outstanding food and service!!! Incredible pasta, but for the days I want something healthier, the kale salad with salmon is a fantastic choice. Keep up the great work Dal Grano!! read more