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    Italian Cafe

    3.6 (182 reviews)
    ModerateItalian
    Open 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, 4:30 PM - 9:00 PM

    Order Italian Cafe Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    ITALIAN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Salad with entree
    Lily F.

    When I walked in I immediately thought that this was going to be on an episode of "Kitchen Nightmares" because it had the exact vibe down. An older restaurant that was probably great in its prime is now in almost 2021 with very little updated changes. The booths were sunken in and everything, including the table top was sticky from years of lingering grease and oil stains. The owner, Bob, was jovial and it became clear that many of the older clientele were life time customers. While I didn't drink on this particular night, we were seated near the bar and I saw several of the employees pour extremely generous portions of wine. Like the entire glass was full. At one point a younger woman made the joke that she wanted a "normal, non-alcoholic size" of her vodka soda and laughed. No complaints here and I made the mental note to come here the next time I'm mourning the lost of my favorite character in the Korean drama I'm watching. I ordered the eggplant parm and my boyfriend ordered the zuppa di pesce (pasta with seafood-mussels) The food was a lot better than I was anticipating, although my portion was more on the modest side. The dish also came with a side of steam vegetable, which although strange, was fresh and didn't taste frozen. I did appreciate the fact that the eggplant wasn't greasy and swimming in batter or oil which a lot of places have. My boyfriend enjoyed his pasta for the most part but had a bad mussel that was pretty smelly. Since it was just one it wasn't a big deal. The salad was simple but I didn't care for the bread either which was just cold bread. I would come back here to give them another shot. It's clear that this restaurant has a huge loyal following.

    Mussels marinara
    Carissa G.

    We had a very pleasing and lovely 1st time dinner at this place. The lady that assisted us was so accommodating and attentive, she was so quick to get the empty plates so we can have more room for the main dish. Food was also tasty and delicious the pizza is also great with hand made pizza that is freshly baked. They also serve a very good bread with 1 of the best butter Ive tasted, this is being serve while you are deciding what you would want to eat. The ambiance of the place is also nice its a bit crowded but a nice and clean place for a romantic dinner, specially beside the window.

    Caprese Salad

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    Photo of Lottie Y.
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    14 days ago

    Great tasty pasta and pizzas. It comes with house salad too. The shrimps with egg were super tasty.

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    11 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    7 months ago

    Food is good and prices decent. The people nice too so a win-win. Very nice, quiet atmosphere.

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    1 year ago

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    8 months ago

    Where to start? The generous pours of an AMAZING house wine? Fantastic red sauce? Impeccable service? Highly recommend.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Very good food. Reasonable price. Nice atmosphere but slow service. We will come back at again.

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

    This is our go-to restaurant for many years. Management is like family. Food is always good. Great quality.

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    Younes J.

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    2 years ago

    Great Pizza, appetizers and salads topped off by a fabulous wait staff! Will definitely be going back.

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Italian Cafe

    Are jeans and a collared shirt acceptable for lunch?

    Yes. The restaurant is casual attire.

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    A Modo Mio

    A Modo Mio

    4.5
    (277 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    A Modo Mio offers many food specials. For example, on Tuesdays, that's when we stopped there for…read moredinner, all their pasta dishes are 1/2 price. However, given that they ranked 32nd among this country's top 50 Pizza restaurants, I had to order a pizza. And I'll get to my pizza after I discuss some other things, because it all plays together. Also, during my visit, I kept drawing comparisons between this place and Pupatella, a local Neapolitan pizza juggernaut. The Big Question to answer is why A Modo Mio got a spot on the Top 50 while Pupatella didn't even make the cut. Access is easy, and parking is good. There are lots of spaces that wrap around the restaurant. That's in contrast to Pupatell, which has limited parking and where I always wind up using the Safeway lot across the street. The restaurant is clean and spacious, with plenty of comfortable seating. It also has a long, well-stocked bar where you can sit to enjoy a beverage or a meal. Pupatella doesn't have any of that. When you arrive, you're greeted by a host who shows you to your seat. A very short while later, a waiter shows up and does all the things waiters do. At Pupatella, you wait in line to place your order, then find an open table. TLDR: Your dining experience, outside of the food, is much more civilized and relaxing at A Modo Mio. The pie that earned their 32 out of 50 ranking was the Sicilia. But I ordered a 12" Casertana because I'm not crazy about eggplant and like sausage. The pie arrived a short while later, piping hot and loaded with sausage. The taste was sublime and delicious. My only complaint was that the basil was added before baking, and I prefer that herb when it's not reduced to ash. So back to The Big Question, is the A Modo Mio pizza *that* much better than Pupatella that it earned a spot amongst the Top 50 while the other one didn't even make the cut? Frankly, it's not. It is good pizza... possibly great pizza. But that's also true of the other place. What sets A Modo Mio apart from that other place, and the answer to the Big Question, is that the criteria for generating the Top 50 list included more than the pizza. It also took into account: - Hospitality and Service - Ambiance - Beverage Program. Beyond the pizza, A Modo Mio has those things in abundance, while the other place pretty much has none. TLDR: Comparing pizzas side by side, the two places are on par. However, if you take into account the entire dining experience, you will be much happier with your pizza here, as opposed to that other place or most other pizza restaurants in the DMV area.

    Voted best pizza in Arlington…read more Boy did they have huge shoes to fill with that accolade. I came in expecting to be Wowed by their pizza and it was just alright for me. I made a mistake and didn't realize this was a fork and knife establishment. I picked up my pizza and all the toppings fell off. But to be honest... even with "fork and knife pizza" the toppings should not be goopy and slippery. Does the best pie and Arlington hold like that on the regular? Nothing special about the toppings either. The crust and dough were the best part of this experience, but an amazing pie, should have all component's complimenting each other. Is it decent pizza? Yes. Best pizza in Arlington? I don't think so.

    Photos
    Pizza oven
    Pizza oven
    Meat Lover (White Sauce) - Fior di latte, tomato sauce, parmesan, E.V.O., basil, pepperoni, ham and sausage.
    Meat Lover (White Sauce) - Fior di latte, tomato sauce, parmesan, E.V.O., basil, pepperoni, ham and sausage.
    Polipo alla Griglia

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    Polipo alla Griglia
    Thompson Italian

    Thompson Italian

    4.0
    (369 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$$

    Where do I begin? I had the most wonderful experience at Thompson Italian, the service was…read morephenomenal, my party never had to wait for waters to be refilled or search for cutlery as it was replaced almost immediately after each dish. All of the food was fantastic, for appetizers the meatballs and garlic bread stood out for me. The coco joy desert was also absolutely phenomenal it was also vegan which made my lactose intolerant self very happy. The absolute star of the show for me though was the roasted chicken. This entree was one of the best things I have eaten this year, the sauce was a perfectly balanced tangy and herby addition to the crispy chicken. My meals were accompanied by their Sangria and Espresso Martini (which has a decaf option!). The drinks were delicious and they also have an extensive wine list which the rest of my party thoroughly enjoyed. The restaurant is stunning and has a mix of tables and booth seating with lots of natural light streaming in. This is definitely the place to come for a date, girls night or just to treat yourself!

    Great food, ambiance and hosts! The appetizers are really all delicious! We've been coming here for…read morea while now and we haven't had a bad meal. The pasta is always fresh, cooked perfectly and very flavorful. The servers know what's good so take their recommendations! They're super friendly and accommodating, even for my young daughter. The restaurant is great for 2-4 people groups.

    Photos
    Thompson Italian
    Thompson Italian
    Thompson Italian

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    Pazzo Pomodoro

    Pazzo Pomodoro

    4.2
    (664 reviews)
    4.6 mi
    $$

    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.

    Terrible service and an incredibly small portion--just five ravioli, and not even jumbo-sized…read more Meanwhile, everyone else at the table received generous, overflowing portions of dishes like cavatelli, capellini, and chicken parmesan. With about 30 seconds of chewing per bite, my entire meal was gone in about two and a half minutes. The waiter seemed to be doing his best, but he was clearly stretched too thin with too many tables. The service felt disorganized--we were first asked for drinks (which is standard), then only appetizers. After finishing those, we had to flag him down just to place our dinner order. The most disappointing part was the ravioli di carne. The portion was not only inadequate but honestly felt insulting--both to me as a customer and to the restaurant itself.

    Photos
    The Vintage Room
    The Vintage Room
    Fettucine Gamberi e Pesto*
    Fettucine Gamberi e Pesto*
    Crazy Tomato in Inglese.

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    Crazy Tomato in Inglese.
    Fratelli

    Fratelli

    4.4
    (599 reviews)
    5.5 mi
    $$$

    Recently, we were treated to Sunday brunch buffet at Fratelli's by friends…read more We had actually been here a couple times previously, but that was a few years ago, so this review is based solely on this Sunday brunch. It was a very good experience. What stood out to me was the excellent service by the professionally dressed servers, especially with the water, champagne and coffee refills. The dishes were all well-prepared, even if the buffet isn't huge. And actually, there was a chicken in cream sauce that was ultra ultra delish. But I understand that Fratelli's rotates dishes in their buffet, so the chicken dish may or may not be in future buffets. The buffet included your typical waffle station. It also included a dessert table, which was cake and pie. Yeah, we'd come back to Fratelli's buffet again.

    Representing 2019 for letter F is F is for Fratelli. I went here one time on Monday, May 6, 2019…read moreon a date. I had been a few dates with her in the late winter into spring, and this was our 2nd to last date. The date was pretty good, but the relationship didn't go anywhere ultimately. I lived in Wheaton, and she lived in Arlington, so that posed challenge of seeing each other that much. I got a girlfriend over 1.5 months later, which was good for a while. The food at Fratelli was excellent, best Italian I've had in northern VA except for Scafa's in Spotsylvania County, which is far from the true northern VA. I got some noodle, mushroom, some meat dish, which was excellent. Service was good too. I'd come back here if I was ever along the Van Dorn corridor, but the odds are low of ever being around here these days. In fact, I used to live over here walking distance to here but never ate here when I did, and I've never shown my girlfriend of 1 year 9 months that apartment as we just are never over here and live a bit closer to Baltimore than DC now. Ironically, we were in Alexandria just yesterday (Old Town) for a birthday party, but Alexandria in general is quite rare.

    Photos
    Fratelli
    Fettuccini Alfredo
    Fettuccini Alfredo
    Frutta di Mare, Clams Casino and Funghi Mushroom Caps

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    Frutta di Mare, Clams Casino and Funghi Mushroom Caps
    Alta Strada

    Alta Strada

    3.8
    (636 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$

    Surprisingly of all the times I've been in the area and have frequented mosaic since it opened I…read morehave not tried Alta Strada. I must say I was happy with my experience. We were a group of 8 going for a surprise dinner for a bride to be. The decor was rustic and very cute. For the most part they were efficient and quite kind. The few times it was a bit slow I think it was because we were a bigger party chatting and waiting for the main guest, they didn't know when the best time to ask what we needed. So not really on them. I tried the seasonal mocktail (wish I remembered the one I got), calamari, and the penne all a vodka with chicken as my protein. Everything was presented well and tasted great. I am very interested to return to try some of their other items on the menu.

    My girlfriends and I stopped in for our first visit on a Saturday afternoon for lunch, and we were…read morepleasantly surprised to be seated immediately. Service throughout the meal was excellent. Our waitress was attentive without hovering, kept drinks topped off, checked in at all the right times, and made the experience feel welcoming from start to finish. The dining room itself left me with mixed feelings. It was incredibly humid inside, to the point where it became distracting during the meal. The booth seating also wasn't my favorite. The pleather-style upholstery made it surprisingly difficult to slide in and out, especially if you're sitting toward the wall. It's a small detail, but one that stood out. We ordered family-style so everyone could sample a little of everything, which I always think is the best way to experience a menu. The Caesar salad was the undeniable star of the table. Absolute banger. The dressing tasted unmistakably house-made with the perfect balance of richness, garlic, lemon, and anchovy. It's one of those deceptively simple dishes that can be hard to execute well, and they absolutely nailed it. The carbonara was enjoyable overall with a silky sauce and great flavor, but the pancetta was cut into pieces that were much larger than necessary. Smaller pieces would have distributed the flavor more evenly and made each bite feel better balanced. The complimentary table bread with the red sauce was another pleasant surprise. Fresh, comforting, and exactly the kind of thing that keeps everyone reaching for "just one more piece." The chicken parm sandwich had plenty of potential, but it was noticeably dry. It really needed a more generous helping of marinara to bring everything together and add the moisture you'd expect from a chicken parm. One area that could definitely use some attention is the restrooms. They were functional, but they felt tired compared to the rest of the restaurant and would really benefit from a refresh or remodel. Overall, this was a solid first visit with far more positives than negatives. While I'd probably skip the carbonara and chicken parm sandwich next time in favor of trying other menu items, that Caesar salad is something I'd order again in a heartbeat. It's rare for a salad to completely steal the show, but this one absolutely did. I'll definitely be back to see what else the kitchen has to offer.

    Photos
    Glimpse into interior / inside of restaurant - big welcoming bar on lhs of restaurant. Great decor, cozy ambiance
    Glimpse into interior / inside of restaurant - big welcoming bar on lhs of restaurant. Great decor, cozy ambiance
    Italian Sub
    Italian Sub
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