I've visited this North Italia before and had another great experience. I've also been to their…read moreReston location as well. I will say, I think I like this location a little more. This time, my fiancé and I decided to try multiple appetizers and everything was excellent. We ordered the White Truffle Garlic Bread which is what we get every time. The bread is crispy on the outside while still staying soft and not too hard throughout. The flavor is always amazing and we love the ricotta that comes on top. We also tried the Italian Meatballs. They were very good, flavorful, and comforting. Lastly, we had the Little Gem Caesar with added chicken. It was fresh, well balanced, and a great addition to the meal.

Came here for a Saturday brunch with my family and we all had a lovely time. Even though I had made…read morea reservation, the restaurant wasn't very crowded, which made for a calm and relaxed atmosphere and great for conversation. Our server was friendly and efficient, which I appreciated. One small suggestion would be to offer a separate coffee menu when guests are seated, alongside the brunch menu, since I was not really looking for alcoholic or sweeter drink options. The food was thoughtfully prepared and overall very enjoyable. I ordered the Morning Market Board, which included a frittata, salad, and hearth bread. The frittata was simple with caramelized onion but still quite flavorful. The burrata paired nicely with the grilled bread, and I especially liked the grilled asparagus in the refreshing salad. My partner had the Sunday Night Lasagna, which was rich, cheesy, and satisfying. The only minor issue was that a spoon would have been helpful for a saucy dish like that since it is a bit tricky to manage with just a fork and knife. My cappuccino was average but still enjoyable. Overall, this is a pleasant brunch spot with a quieter vibe than expected, making it a nice place to relax and catch up. I would definitely come back to try more dishes.

Best authentic Italian food for a great price. Fast and excellent service. Family ran restaurant…read morethat made me feel right at home. Strongly recommend!

I found pappardelle at Dal Grano's once and that says all you need to know. Papardelle are wide,…read moresoft, flat pasta noodles that I first had in Rome decades ago. Growing up Italian stateside, I never knew about this light, wavy pasta dish. So pappardelle pasta is like some rare delicacy and I love it. This pasta dish is not easy to find unless it has been popularized in the Italian dining scene, recently. How can I explain this pasta? Papardelle are not thick like butter noodles, but instead they are thin yet wide. And at Dal Grano's, they must be experienced to be savoured. Do call ahead, because they might just have them made. Dal Grano's is a neighborhood place. We love how when you are dining, they actually talk to you and are friendly. There are a few other places around Mclean proper which I wish were more overtly warm and hospitable, in this way. All of Dal Grano's pasta is homemade and delicious. It's definitely great for carryout pasta or a diner-style environment with a homemade pasta lunch or dinner. I don't think they deliver or work with any of the delivery services. You just call and pickup. The butternut squash ravioli is tender and flavorful. We have probably have gotten different versions of their ravioli every time. Outside of the papardelle, I'm all in for their rich squid ink pasta when it's made. I don't go there enough to know if it's always available. They have over 50 homemade pasta combinations to choose from and a big freezer case of food to take home. My biggest issue with Dal Grano's is when I see all of the pastas in the serving bowls presented to order and cook, I want to buy them all at once. I know it sounds tacky, but they make me yearn for a pasta buffet there just so that I can taste all of the variations. Alas, if we were in town more we'd just need to go more often to taste all of their selection. There's only one other restaurant that does Italian this well and it's around 15 minutes away in Falls Church. But even that fabulous Italian restaurant does not compare with the amount and selection of homemade pastas at Dal Grano's.

Nestled along Old Dominion Drive, The Italian Oven is the kind of neighborhood trattoria that…read moretrades culinary theatrics for something far more enduring--warmth, familiarity, and a deeply satisfying sense of Italian home cooking. The restaurant describes itself as a place "where guests feel like family," and that ethos permeates the entire experience, from the convivial dining room to the hearty, classic dishes that arrive at the table. This is unapologetically a family-style local Italian restaurant, the sort where dishes are generous, conversations linger, and regulars greet the staff like old friends. The menu leans toward comforting Italian standards--pasta, seafood, and classic parmigiana dishes--prepared with an emphasis on simplicity and satisfying flavor rather than modern reinterpretation. The Oyster Chowder makes for a particularly inviting beginning. Velvety and indulgently creamy, the soup carries a gentle brininess from the oysters that balances the richness of the broth. It is the kind of starter that quietly sets the tone for the meal--comforting, generous, and thoughtfully seasoned. Among the entrées, the Eggplant Parmigiana stands out as one of the finest renditions in town. The eggplant is delicately breaded and cooked to a tender, almost silky consistency before being layered with marinara and melted Italian cheeses. The result is deeply satisfying without feeling heavy, a classic executed with admirable restraint. Equally impressive is the Calamari Marinara. The calamari itself is remarkably tender--no small feat in a dish where rubbery textures are all too common. Here, the seafood is perfectly cooked, lightly crisp where it should be, and paired with a bright marinara that adds just the right acidity. To conclude, the pistachio gelato offers a gentle, elegant finish. It leans toward the creamy side with a subtle pistachio fragrance and only a restrained sweetness--refreshing rather than cloying, and an ideal palate cleanser after a hearty Italian meal. In an era when many restaurants chase novelty, The Italian Oven succeeds by doing something far more meaningful: delivering dependable, soulful Italian comfort food in a welcoming neighborhood setting. It may not strive for haute cuisine, but its warmth, consistency, and well-executed classics make it a quietly cherished staple of McLean's dining scene. If anything, the experience feels less like dining out and more like being invited to a generous Italian family table--exactly the kind of restaurant every neighborhood hopes to have.

I first heard of The Italian Oven around the time that the owner of Esposito's restaurant in…read moreFairfax was being forced to close her restaurant. This was due to the landlord telling her she had two weeks to close her place, as he intended to put a car wash in its spot. I kept an eye on this story. That's how I discovered that Maria Esposito ended up working at her cousin's restaurant, The Italian Oven. Thus, the place had been on my radar, and finally, we got there. We were here on a Saturday for an early dinner. The place was almost empty at the time, so we were told to pick whichever table we wanted. We chose a booth that was by a window. The place does have an Italian restaurant ambiance, complete with checkered green and white tablecloths. Our server was prompt in getting to us. We gave him our drink orders. I had water while my husband had a Heineken Zero. At that time, we placed our appetizer order, which was fried zucchini. Their menu is overwhelming. It was tough trying to figure out what to try. Finally, I decided to try their spaghetti aglio e olio, and my husband had spaghetti with Italian sausage. We both chose to have side salads. The salads had a nice creamy, garlicky dressing. However, they also had an overabundance of button mushrooms, as well as pickled beets. I'm no fan of either of these items, so my husband gladly took them from my salad. As for the zucchini, we got spoiled after all those years of having it at Esposito's. The Italian Oven's version was a close second to Esposito's. My spaghetti aglio e olio was well seasoned. It contained plenty of sautéed garlic, just enough olive oil, and a sprinkle of black pepper. The spaghetti was cooked al dente. My husband liked his dish.

The restaurant is located upstairs and there's an outdoor stairwell that leads up to the…read morerestaurant. The vibe is an older casual crowd. We ordered the mussels appetizer, branzino (deboned), linguini seafood pasta, and fettuccine pasta for our main meal. The complimentary bread was the real star of dinner. It was warm and very good. I couldn't stop eating it. lol The mussels originally come as clams/mussels and we only wanted the mussels. The busboy came out with both and then walked back as our server said no clams. They literally plucked the clams out and served it to us. It was a very small portion of mussels. The sauce itself was very good and the garlic bread that came with it. The branzino was ok, found about 10 bones in it, and the side of veggies were gross. Hence the less one star. It was $39 and they could have served better sides with the fish. The side of veggies kind of tasted like microwave veggies and smelled off. The pastas dishes weren't bad.

Food was very good, with large portions, especially the lasagne special, when we met friends in…read moreMcLean. Pollo Grilled with mixed veggies and potatoes, was very tasty. Service was attentive; never had to ask for water to be refilled.

Aracosia has been a stellar Afghani food staple for Northern VA since they opened. Their tender…read moreLamb shanks--both Sabzi and Moghuli are hit with family and out of state visitors. So is the Vegetarian platter and tasting menu, aushak, quroti, and turnovers. You cant go wrong with saffron rice or the rice with carrots and raisins. Enough reviews already mention the four dips and soft bread, a cross between middle eastern bread and focaccia. Non alcoholic drinks are not an after thought, the sour cherry rose lemonade is liked by kids, adults, and seniors. Service is warm and welcoming, the Rumi quotes on the walls and turkish lamps add to the ambience, parking is easy and aplenty. A few tips: 1. Go for the lunch menu if you are feeding a large group. It is cheaper. Or consider making the trek to where it all started, Afghan Bistro in Springfield. 2. Ask for the daily selection of cakes. The pistachio and cardamom are the best, not too sweet, light, moist, and fragrant. Of course we devoured the food before taking pictures but a couple attached.

Overall it was a good experience! We absolutely loved the bread and the difference sauces that…read morewent with it. The pumpkin dumplings and pan fried veggie filled dumplings were great as well. I thought my salmon wrap and the chickpea side was ok. Interesting flavors for sure. As for the service, there was always someone filling up our waters and our waiter was very nice checking in every now and then. The only downside of the experience is at the end when the waiter was boxing up all the food for us. Very sweet that they do this but when boxing up my partners food, they only boxed up the rice and they got rid of the lamb that he was looking forward to eating more of later. So that was kind of a disappointment for us. I think if we go again, we would request to box our food ourselves since I'm not sure why they decided to get rid of all of his lamb.

3.7 stars! Tried this after a friend recommended it. This place has such an old school vibe but…read morestill felt like fine dining. The owner greeted us and even checked up on us a few times. He seemed to know a lot of the customers which makes it feel homey. They gave complimentary bread which came with butter, olive oil, balsamic, and other fixings. The bread was super soft on the inside and had a nice crunch from the exterior. My boyfriend and I ordered the calamari, scaloppini mare terra, fettuccini con funghi, and fettuccini al frutti di mare. In simple terms: calamari, a seafood vodka pasta, fettuccini alfredo w mushroom, and veal with lobster bits served with green beans and scalloped potatoes. Surprisingly, I didn't love the calamari. It had a good size but lacked flavor. It also could have been cooked a tad bit more for better color and texture. The fettuccini alfredo was super creamy and had such a strong mushroom taste! The veal was nice but a bit chewy for my liking. The scalloped potatoes were good but nothing special. However the star of the show was the seafood vodka pasta! It had such an amazing vodka flavor with loads of seafood! I have to admit, they put way too many calamari pieces and not enough of the other items mentioned in the dish. Another thing was that I found a strand of hair on my plate. When I notified the server, he said it was just from the green beans but would exchange it for me. Later, he explained that the "hair" was green bean skin.. which was odd to me considering the hair was turning black to white. I didn't appreciate him trying to make an excuse. I decided to look past it even though the server didn't apologize. Good first experience (other than the piece of hair). The seafood vodka pasta is def a must-have. The vibes are great and the owner makes you feel like family.

Hands down the best Italian food in Vienna! Ristorante Bonaroti serves up incredible, authentic…read morehomemade pasta, has an amazing wine list, and offers old-world, attentive service in a beautiful, romantic atmosphere. It's the perfect spot for a special night out, and I can't recommend it enough!

My favorite Italian spot in Falls Church! The menu changes often, so I'd recommend taking a peak…read morebefore you go! Large selection of cocktails and wines available. The bartender was kind enough to make me an off the menu Spritz! The gluten free pasta was incredible. The sauce on the Saffron Pappardelle had so much flavor! Although I couldn't try them, my friends raved about the arancini. I went for a girls night, and they accommodated our large party incredibly well. We were at a large table up front with plenty of room for 8 of us. Our waitress was FANTASTIC! She automatically split the checks and brought out a special treat for a birthday girl and my friend who got a new job offer!

Pretty good bolognese and spaghetti (asked to swap out the I think penne that normally is served…read morewith it), but just wish there was more sauce and less pasta. Garlic bread is super crunchy and was a definite thumbs up.i meant to order a salad, so was bummed I didn't have one. When I asked about getting an affogato to go, she instead recommended the olive oil cake, which is what they are known for or lemon cheesecake as more friendly insert options. Went with their famous olive oil cake, and it was a definite winner. Person who took my order was super helpful. I would totally recommend everything I had. Definite positive vibes with folks enjoying themselves eating their meals. Parking and lack of plasticware were the 2 challenges I faced when ordering to go from here, but maybe that means I just need to eat there next time.

I came here with my bf to celebrate his promotion and had a great time. Food was good, staff was…read moresuper friendly. Our server (Katie? Karly?) recommended we get the baci di sofia Loren to celebrate. DELICIOUS. Will becoming back.

Service was great. We were easily accommodated when we requested to move to a different table…read moreaway from the door ( it was cold and damp and every time the door opened cold wind blasted inside, even with the double doors). It was much appreciated. As for the food it was hit and miss. Our husbands had the short rib raviolis and-although it was flavorful, there was not enough meat inside the raviolis nor were there enough raviolis to justify the price tag. Since the sauce was extremely flavorful I forced my husband to share some of the skimpy sauce to dip my pizza crust on it. Luckily the guys had enough of the wonderful fried mozzarella and bread to not be grumpy. One tip that our whole party agreed on was that the sauce was better suited if it was paired with chunks of lobsters instead of of the stuffed short rib raviolis. I was happy with size of my thin crust pizza and it was way more than I could eat. However, I am not sure if I was actually ok with how the ingredients were divided jn the quarter a fourth of the pizza contained olives ,another fourth was the mushrooms, ,another fourth was the prosciutto and for the life of me I could not remember the fourth ingredient. I'm still ponedering whether I am a fan of this. My friend had the Marguerite pizza and she was extremely satisfied with it. As to the place itself, it's nothing fancy, it's just your typical pizza place in a strip mall. It's just ok. One thing I noticed about it is the dim lighting, but to be fair it's a normal complaint for most eating establishments. We all had to break out our IPhone flashlights to read the menu. I wish most eateries would have a dimmer switch by your table so that when you are ordering, there is sufficient lighting as you read the menu and when done can be adjusted to mood lighting. I noticed most of the upper forties and up patrons did the same thing as us when ordering.

Carbonara was put on my radar by a close New York friend who said we should check out this Italian…read morerestaurant for its viral vodka sauce chicken parm. We had the pleasure of being served by Cody who really knew the menu in and out and was really helpful in making our dining experience outstanding. We started with mussels in white wine which were terrific, they were clean tasting with a rich and delicious sauce. We had the "viral vodka chicken parm" for our entree. They serve a plate table-side with a naked crispy chicken cutlet and your pasta and then they pour à la vodka sauce with melted cheese over the chicken. It's really a terrific presentation and the dish is nicely presented. The chicken cutlet was thick and juicy, the crust was crispy and the sauce was thick and delicious. If you want to be part of the hype then give it a try for yourself.

It was a very nice place to have meals. The parking could be a small issue but we were lucky to…read morefind one spot. Dishes were great. We were very excited when we saw our pasta burning inside the huge round cheese! But I wish it had more flavor, salt and black pepper. It really was plain and the pasta was a bit over cooked. Other dishes like salad, calamari and fish were good. We especially liked the calamari. It was with some paprika and was tasty! Inside decoration was very nice, comfortable seats. Our server was friendly too.