Best-of Guides Washington

Best Italian Restaurants in Washington, DC

8 Restaurants

Whether you’re looking for a pizza to transport you to Napoli or a bowl of cacio e pepe to twirl lovingly, we’ve got you covered. These are the best Italian restaurants in the Washington, D.C. MICHELIN Guide.

Updated on 12 September 2022

Masseria

1340 4th St. NE, 20002 Washington

$$$$ · Italian

Chef/owner Nicholas Stefanelli's Puglian heritage comes through in the menu, which features four or five courses, along with a nightly tasting. The kitchen hits all the right notes balancing trendy and serious. Begin with a cigar box filled with focaccia so sinfully delicious, you'll be tempted to scarf it all down&but don't. You'll want to save room for the spicy fish stew, a thing of beauty practically brimming with tripe and lobster, or house-made maccheroni with a thick and gamey goat ragù.

Stellina Pizzeria

399 Morse St. NE, 20002 Washington

$$ · Pizza

It's simple counter service here, yet those crusts are anything but&imagine a series of well-blistered and delightfully chewy pies, like the savory coppa and creamy Taleggio, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with fresh thyme. The pizza is served whole, but you get to cut it yourself at the table. The light and crisp fritti makes a great start, just as the tiramisu is a fresh, delicious, wallet-friendly finish.

The Red Hen

1822 1st St. NW, 20001 Washington

$$ · Italian

You'll want to wake up with the rooster to score a reservation at this rustic Italian gem as it's incredibly popular. Pastas are spot on and include cacio e pepe "arancini," crowd-favorite mezzi rigatoni or even the mafalde verde&a sweet-and-savory combo of braised duck rag�, Calabrian chili and pecorino romano. Entrées like grilled short rib or scallops with pickled chili a•oli are also exquisite.

San Lorenzo

1316 9th St. NW, 20001 Washington

$$$ · Italian

A dinner in the hands of Massimo Fabbri might begin with tender squash blossoms stuffed with truffled goat cheese and fried to perfection. Pasta is a must: try crown-shaped tortelli with robiola and black truffle, pooled in a porcini mushroom sauce

Officina

1120 Maine Ave. SW, 20024 Washington

$$$ · Italian

The heart of this place, a sun-lit trattoria anchored by an open kitchen, is upstairs on the second floor. A lengthy list of salumis and formaggi tempts patrons, and pastas like cavatelli, agnolotti, and paccheri are all made in-house. Heartier plates include veal saltimbocca and bombetta pugliese, a succulent pork shoulder wrapped in prosciutto.

Fiola

601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 20004 Washington

$$$$ · Italian

Classic and modern elements come together in the regional Italian food here, which is as likely to celebrate Roman inspiration as it is to represent Venetian flavors. Comfort is king in rigatoni alla carbonara with guanciale

Lupo Verde

1401 T St. NW, 20009 Washington

$$$ · Italian

Grilled octopus with cannellini bean salad and fried artichokes with bagna cauda make for a fantastic start, but the heart of this kitchen is the homemade pasta. Paccheri tossed with octopus and prawns; ravioli stuffed with braised short ribs; or eggy tagliatelle tangled with Italian sausage and cherry tomatoes offer warmth and comfort. Finish with the Nutella bomboloni.

Sfoglina

4445 Connecticut Ave. NW, 20008 Washington

$$ · Italian

This focused, consistent and lovely trattoria serves the kind of food that everyone wants to return to again and again. The name (Italian for "pasta master") sets a very high bar but lives up to its moniker with a notable variety of hearty and elegant preparations listed as "classical" and "seasonal." Highlights have included soft, almost whipped polenta folded with showers of cacio e pepe and piled with fresh green peas and shaved pecorino.

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Copyright from top to bottom: ©Romie Stefanelli/Masseria, ©Self/Masseria, Rey Lopez/Stellina Pizzeria, Rey Lopez/Stellina Pizzeria, © The Red Hen, © The Red Hen, ©Michelin, ©stephanieats/Instagram, ©Scott Suchman/Officina, ©2019 North America/Michelin, Greg Powers/Fiola, Greg Powers/Fiola, asecondstomach/Instagram, ©nacho__olivera/Instagram, lindseyohcheer/Instagram, profedwards/Instagram