Trattoria Da Lina has become our family's "special occasion" restaurant in Takoma Park, though it's…read morejust as wonderful for an ordinary weeknight when you want outstanding Italian food. It's family-owned and operated, and you feel that warmth the moment you walk through the door. The staff are genuinely welcoming, happily accommodate substitutions and dietary restrictions, and often recite the nightly specials with a delightful mix of English and Italian--usually accompanied by a compliment about your outfit or your dinner companion that makes everyone smile. We had Christmas Eve dinner there this year, and it was every bit as memorable as we'd hoped. The portions are generous enough to share or take half home for lunch the next day. I especially recommend the Chicken Marsala, Chicken Piccata, and the classic mussels, all prepared beautifully. Don't overlook their neighboring pizzeria either--it's our go-to for both takeout and casual dining. Trattoria Da Lina is the kind of neighborhood restaurant every community wishes it had.

Overall value is 3.5 - it's a bit of a splurge for a regular dinner but we were craving Italian and…read morethis was the closest. We do really like the Tacoma Park area. It's on the same block as a really nice Thai place and a nice Mediterranean spot as well. There weren't many people on a weekday night so we just walked in. Street parking is free after 7 PM. The star was the margharita pizza. And we also got a calzone, which was also really good. The texture of the crust and the little slight crunch and the sauce was really great. I wish there was more basil on the margarita pizza. There were three pieces of basil on the entire pie the pasta we got was the seafood pasta and it was a bit salty and portions are a bit small, but maybe that's the norm now? And we also got this other mushroom ravioli thing that is also pretty good but just really small. I think it was like five or six pieces of ravioli for $24. Service was fine. It was standard. The restaurant was a little bit hot during the heat wave. I wish it was a little cooler so with the four dishes altogether it was over $80 before tip for two people and we just had a little bit left over which is why I thought the value was more 3.5 than a four. That said, I'd still come back and get the margarita pizza and calzone - they're really quite good.

we started coming here since 2017, this is one of our fav spots for Italian dinner, especially for…read morethe pizzas and pastas. Love the atmosphere, unique, homie, inviting, and lively. services always great, never fails, friendly, and attentive. large selections of wine and cocktails. prices has been slowing going up over the years, but acceptable. definitely comparable to similar restaurants. the 1 star deduction is for the consistency of the pizza dough, sometimes, the dough tasted a bit off, hard and not Neapolitan like as it should be. Overall, highly recommend by foodies of @WineDinenVacay

This place is the bomb! Family of 7 and everyone was happy with their choices. Craving the food a…read moreday later.

First class Italian food, hands-down!!! A non-pretentious place with excellent food, service and…read moreambiance. If the owners are reading this --- Please come re-open in Vienna city center or Tysons Corner. You will be in good company as more and more top-notch restaurants are in this area. Your presence will definitely force the other restaurants to up their game!!!!!!

Tuesday 12/10/2024 I…read moreoriginally visited this spot back in 2021 for a sit down visit with the family. I remember getting the chicken fettuccine Alfredo but I couldn't remember too much of what I thought of the spot while my fam thought it was pretty good. It's been a minute so I've finally decided to come back to review this spot. I ordered online through DoorDash for pick up and once I got there the door was locked for some reason but luckily after I called them they unlocked the door. The inside looked a bit different from the first time I was there (last time looked more spacious) but it still looked decent. For my order I got the pappardelle bolognese $22, fettuccine Alfredo $20, and classic chicken parmigiano $21. - the pappardelle bolognese was my favorite of the 3. It had a creamy tomato flavor sauce that was paired nicely with beef to make a very good tasting dish. - The fettuccine Alfredo was okay but it's not something that I would get again. - The classic chicken parmigiano was solid but nothing crazy. I did like the chicken portion but the spaghetti pasta had to be the smallest I've ever had. - the Complimentary fresh bread and oil came with the meal and it was okay. All in all, this is a solid spot for pasta and my main recommendation would be the pappardelle bolognese which was done very well.

Mama Lucia is my personal definition of a "problem"... because once you start going, you can't…read morestop. The pizza is ridiculously good. The crust? Somehow both crispy and soft like it went to culinary school. The cheese actually tastes like cheese (rare these days), and the sauce is so good I literally order extra on the side just for dipping. Yes, I am that person--and I have zero regrets. And don't sleep on the pasta--it's just as solid. This place is not a one-hit wonder. Also, Anthony, the owner, might be the nicest human alive. He regularly gives me a free soda with my pizza, which feels like I've unlocked some kind of secret rewards program I never signed up for. I usually go to the East-West Highway location in Silver Spring because of work, but I also hit the Connecticut Avenue spot near my place in NW DC--and somehow they're BOTH consistently great. No off days, no drop in quality. Maybe it's because the owners are New Yorkers. Maybe it's magic. Either way, this is my go-to spot, and I'm not even pretending I'll stop going anytime soon.

Mamma Lucia of Silver Spring is such a gem! From the moment you walk in, the warm, mom-and-pop…read moreatmosphere makes you feel right at home. You're greeted with the amazing scent of freshly made pizza, and the staff is genuinely kind and attentive. We started with the fresh garlic bread (so good!) and then moved on to the menu... and wow. Favorites include: * Mussels in a garlic white wine sauce - perfectly cooked and flavorful * Shrimp Bada Bing - spicy, bold, and addictive * Seafood Asparagus - crab, shrimp, scallops, mushrooms, asparagus, penne, all in a creamy pink sauce * Cappelini Adriatico - scallops, shrimp, crab, angel hair pasta, and fresh cherry tomato sauce All pastas come with a side salad, and you can choose between garden or Caesar. And the tiramisu? Absolutely the best I've ever had -- light, creamy, and perfectly balanced. If you're in Silver Spring and craving authentic, comforting Italian food with great service, this is the place to go!

Love this for lunch! Several of us go after our dance class workout at the Y…read more Nice atmosphere and good food! Wish more people would support our small businesses, especially those in the downtown area.

This is a hidden gem in downtown Silver Spring. I went here recently with a few close friends. This…read moreis a great lunch spot with a great staff. I tried the jerk chicken wrap with was fantastic.

I ordered takeout from this place, including a calzone, canoli, and some wings. The wings were a…read morelittle over done, but not bad. The canoli was fairly mediocre. Where they fell down, though, was on my calzone. I was excited to find a nearby place that offered them, and ordered it stuffed with cheeses and meats. At first bite, it was good, though perhaps a bit salty. As I got into the core of it, though, a big problem emerged. The filing was cold. The cheese was still in chunks. It wasn't just not melted, it was cold. Aside from being gross, it's kinda a food safety issue to not be cooked, guys. The microwave sorted it, but I shouldn't have to cook my takeout. Okay wings and canoli, no on the calzone.

This pizza is soooooo good! Definitely try the Paradiso and Primo. They are my new favorites. Can't…read morewait to order again.

Thank you to Caruso's Grocery for hosting my granddaughter's 16th birthday dinner. A huge shout out…read moreto Patrick, the event coordinator from Caruso's who helped me in every aspect of planning this special event. The food was delicious. The group was given a choice of appetizers: meatballs, basil and tomato caprese salad, dinner salad, or garlic bread. Each of the appetizers were better than the next. The girls shared the meatballs, garlic bread, and caprese salad. Thank you to our server for bringing out gluten free bread for one of our guests with a gluten allergy. Our main dishes was the shrimp scampi,which was full of flavor and so tasty. There were several of us who ordered the shrimp scampi and you could hear a chorus of oohs and aah's. We loved every bite. I am pleased to share that Caruso's has gluten free pasta for guests with gluten allergies. And, the gluten free pasta was scrumptious. The birthday girl had chicken parmigiana and a side of spaghetti. She really enjoyed her meal. Another, guest had the penne pasta and she loved hers too. There portions were very generous. We also had a guest order the Caesar salad with shrimp. It came out with dressing, when the dressing was supposed to be on the side, but our waiter was quick to remedy that. The ambiance is lovely and reminds me of my grandmother's home in Little Italy. It is old world Italian with comfortable seating. I know it was a busy night, but the one fly in our ointment was our server. There was too much of a lag between courses, and main dishes came out of the kitchen at different times. Also, our gluten free guest had to sit and watch while others ate cake because her ice cream sundae was no where to be found. It finally made it to the table, but I felt badly for this young lady. I know our server was swamped with guests. Hopefully, next time a large party is on the schedule, they can lighten the load for that server. All of the girls had a good time including the birthday girl. So, I am reminded of the saying, it all works out in the end. Thank you, Caruso's.

Came here recently for lunch Sunday. They have two sections inside and we sat in the bar area. You…read morecan order off both of Caruso's and Owen's food menus. Bar area is very chill. Food was very good! To start, we tried the Garlic Bread Quattro Formaggi which was so flavorful they even had fresh garlic inside the bread. We got two pasta dishes: Chicken Parmigiana and Spicy Neapolitan Ragu, both generous portions, very well flavored and overall delicious! Our cocktails were great too. Tried the Lemon Ricota Donuts--they were just okay, a bit too doughy for my preference.

Cafe Via Roma is a new Ethiopian cafe with an Italian twist. The cafe is intimate but spacious…read moreenough to host a larger group. When I walked in I immediately thought about hosting a writer's retreat here in the summer. The menu is a mix of pastries, sandwiches, and other hot foods. I got to try the smoked salmon bagel which was delicious, a biscoff inspired ice latte which I'm going back for and another sandwich that was great! My friend had the tiramisu caramel latte which she is still raving about! The owners were supper sweet and bright our food out right away.

I enjoyed my leisurely visit. Brought to my table, salmon with dill and cream cheese on a hot bagel…read morewas yummy as was my voluminous and stiffly-foamed cappuccino and chocolate-in-chocolate muffin. I stayed, listening to the soft music and the distinctive (London neighborhood?) accent from a nearby table while making good headway in my overdue library book. I look forward to returning!