This mod favorite in Chevy Chase has affordable, reliable pastas split into categories for traditional Italian and Italian-American. The selection includes classics such as Sunday lasagna, chicken Milanese, and cacio pepe. Order online for pickup, or on DoorDash for lunch or dinner deliveries.

Upper Northwest residents in the know keep coming back to this underrated neighborhood gem that resembles a small rustic restaurant in Italy. Try the tagliatelle with homemade veal ragu, spaghetti flanked with fresh clams, and spot-on carbonara.

Longtime D.C. chef Fabio Trabbochi’s casual pasta house is named for the Italian masters who make fresh pasta. There’s a mozzarella bar with buffalo mozz, fior di latte, and burrata to pair with add-ons like tomatoes, beef bresaola, and more. Pastas include carbonara, potato gnocchi with porcini crema, and garganelli with clams and chiles. During the pandemic, Anthony Fauci got a to-go pasta fix at the Van Ness original several times a week. There’s also outposts in Rosslyn and downtown. Order online for takeout and delivery. For something fancier, consider its Michelin-rated sibling Fiola.

Columbia Heights’s Italian replacement to Napoli has quickly become a neighborhood favorite. Some of its most popular dishes are the orecchiette tossed with broccoli rabe and spicy sausage, pillowy ricotta gnocchi topped with fresh burrata, lobster and crab ravioli, and squid ink pasta. Partner Angelo Ciotola’s culinary parents from Naples came out of retirement just to revive their recipes inside.

Covered in all sorts of wild artwork and showy statues, executive chef Domenico Apollaro’s eccentric Italian newcomer brought an edge to Adams Morgan’s quiet Columbia Road this year. Warm up to a plate of pappardelle with pecorino Romano with spicy Calabrian ‘nduja and homemade focaccia. A lively bar situated under the mezzanine sends out a long list of Italian wines, bubbly bellinis, espresso martinis, and French 75s.

Tucked past 18th-century double doors, Shaw’s stylish newcomer that just turned 2 resembles a chic cafe in Italy. Standout pasta dishes include duck ravioli; pappardelle with a meaty ragu of beef short ribs, pork collar, and Italian sausage; black truffle-topped gnocchi; and decadent lobster linguine. The a la carte menu is joined by three- ($65) or five-course ($85) options.

The mezzi rigatoni with fennel sausage and pecorino from this Bloomingdale standby is one of D.C.’s most iconic dishes — as well as a date-night favorite of the President and First Lady. Crispy arancini cacio e pepe with herb aioli hits the spot, as will chef Mike Friedman’s squid ink linguini loaded with calamari.

Seeking Tuscan fare? Head to Ivy City, where Via Ghibellina serves a selection of dishes that call to mind the rich culinary heritage of Tuscany. From the tagliatelle al ragú to the cavatelli di ricotta con melanzana, there’s a pasta dish that’s sure to satisfy. On Lobster Wednesdays, indulge in fresh grilled lobster with a choice of salad, risotto, or linguine. The weekend brunch menu — boasting items like spaghetti alla carbonara and a smoked salmon frittata — is not to be missed either. 

This warm and rustic Michelin-starred Italian gem offers prix fixe tasting menus, with several dishes drawing inspiration from chef Nicholas Stefanelli’s Italian background in Puglia. Opt for an eight-course chef’s tasting menu ($236) or six-course “La Cucina” menu ($178). The constantly evolving menu loops in unique pasta shapes like maccheroni and lorghittas.

Georgetown’s bustling destination for Italian cuisine counts its lobster diavolo as its most popular dish, built with the chef’s choice of pasta, shrimp, scallops, mushrooms, and spicy tomato cream sauce. The light and airy gnocchi, made with ricotta instead of potato, is also not to miss. Flavio will soon expand across the city with a second location in Cathedral Heights.

While this Georgetown establishment is well-known for its pizza Napolitana, don’t miss out on the many pasta dishes that pay gastronomic homage to the owner’s Sicilian heritage. For seafood enthusiasts, the scialatielli allo scoglio — which features fresh pasta mixed with mussels, shrimp, clams, cherry tomatoes, white wine, and garlic — is a must-try. Other noteworthy dishes include the gnocchi and spaghetti pomodoro. Downstairs neighbor Filomena, around for over 30 years, is the ultimate celebratory spot for hearty Italian dishes in an ornate setting.

James Beard award-nominated chef Amy Brandwein is well known for her regional Italian fare made with mid-Atlantic ingredients. Brandwein keeps her rotating menu fresh by putting seasonal spins on traditional Italian plates. Dine indoors or order online for takeout, or via Caviar and Tock for delivery. Stock up on pantry items from the attached market while you are at it.

At Ashok Bajaj’s mod downtown Italian restaurant, executive chef Benjamin Lambert makes pastas in-house daily in a fun variety of flavors (think roasted carrot cavatelli with date-braised lamb ragu). The bucatini cacio e pepe is one highlight off its two-course lunchtime offering ($30).

Around since 2001, downtown’s iconic trattoria unveiled a fresh new look for its 20th anniversary. Executive chef Fortunato Nicotra, who earned Michelin stars at two restaurants in Sicily before the age of 30, long led the kitchen at NYC’s award-winning Felidia before landing at Tosca last year. Tosca specializes in Northern Italian cuisine and homemade pastas, including its top-selling agnolotti del plin.

Shortly after opening in Falls Church in 2019, this mom-and-pop pasta shop from chefs Gabe and Katherine Thompson won positive reviews for its spicy meatballs and olive oil cake. The couple, who rose through the ranks of the NYC restaurant scene before moving to be close to family in Northern Virginia, recently opened a second location in Old Town Alexandria. Order takeout here.

With its charming red brick facade and wood-paneled bar, this Barracks Row restaurant has the feel of a quaint neighborhood spot in a small Italian town. Lavagna sources many ingredients from local and regional farmers to bring its contemporary Italian menu to life. All pastas are homemade, including favorites like the pappardelle lamb, risotto shrimp, and spaghetti bolognese.