Cheap Eats 2009: M Cafe

Reviewed by Todd Kliman , Cynthia Hacinli , Ann Limpert , Kate Nerenberg , Rina Rapuano

Great food, low prices, lots of fun

M Cafe

5471 Wisconsin Ave.
Chevy Chase, MD
Phone: 301-986-4818

Cuisines:
Italian

Opening Hours:

Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

Nearby Metro Stops:
Friendship Heights

Price Range:
Inexpensive

Dress:
Informal

Noise Level:
Chatty

Reservations:
Not needed

Special Features:
Weekend Brunch, Kid Friendly

Website:
Click here to open in new window.

Best Dishes
Veal tonno; lasagna Bolognese; Margherita pizza; mortadella and artichoke panini; lemon meringue tartlets; cannoli; the salad of endive, grapes, radicchio, walnuts, and Gorgonzola; homey farro (spelt barley) soup with cannellini beans; an elegant deconstructed lasagna Bolognese with béchamel; piadina, an Italian flatbread, filled with Parma prosciutto and creamy burrata; the juicy burger with Edam and caramelized onions; turkey club on hand-sliced brioche toast with house-made mayo; the brunch ricotta tartlet.

Price Details:
Starters, $5 to $8.50; entrees, $8.50 to $16.


 

Reader's Rating:
No Reader Reviews

Why go: Euro-chic style and grandmotherly food crisscross at this lofty address with a well-tuned lineup of pastas, pizzas, panini, and salads and a backdrop of mosaic walls and stark white tables and chairs.

What to get: An airy fritto misto of calamari and zucchini; thin-crusted pizzas such as the Margherita (the new chef is from Naples, and the cafe has upgraded its pizza oven); penne Bolognese; silky panna cotta.

Best for: A bite before or after a movie or shopping; a gal-pal lunch; a great cup of Lavazza coffee.

Insider tip: The revamped menu includes a section of pricier entrées, but plenty of gently priced options remain. Check mcafebar.com for coupons—a recent one offered 20 percent off a meal Monday through Friday from 5 to 7.

Open Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday and Sunday for brunch and dinner.

>> See all 2009 Cheap Eats restaurants here