Where can you find the best Italian food in Washington? At these 16 top spots from our 100 Very Best Restaurants list, including the #1 dining room in Washington this year: Fiola Mare.
Casa Luca
![bestitalianindc_casaluca - Washingtonian Campanelle pasta with prawns. Photograph by Scott Suchman.](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bestitalianindc_casaluca.jpg)
“There’s a rigor and a passion that lift the place above a casual trattoria.”
1099 New York Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20001
Masseria
![MASSERIA_035-994x559 - Washingtonian Photo by Scott Suchman](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/MASSERIA_035-994x559.jpg)
“Whatever you opt for, make sure pasta plays a role.”
1340 Fourth St., NE, Washington, DC 20002
Fiola
![FIOLA_015-994x559 - Washingtonian Photo by Scott Suchman](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/FIOLA_015-994x559.jpg)
“Pastas are lovely across the board, whether delicate ravioli stuffed with lobster or pappardelle with deeply flavorful wild-boar ragu.”
601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, (entrance at 678 Indiana Ave.) Washington, DC 20004
Fiola Mare
![fiolamare_2016_featured - Washingtonian Photograph by Scott Suchman.](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/fiolamare_2016_featured.jpg)
“This is a luxury restaurant, and it’s extravagantly expensive. But the quality of the fish is extraordinary…and no restaurant in the area will spoil you more.”
3050 K St., NW, Washington, DC 20007
Bibiana
![BIBIANA_012-994x559 - Washingtonian BIBIANA_012-994x559](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/BIBIANA_012-994x559.jpg)
“[Chef Jake Addeo’s] kitchen shows deftness with crudos—try hamachi drizzled with fruity olive oil, preserved citrus, and pink peppercorns—and more robust dishes, such as dry-aged duck breast with Italian prunes…”
1100 New York Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20005
2Amys
![2AMYSPIZZA_056-994x559 - Washingtonian 2AMYSPIZZA_056-994x559](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/2AMYSPIZZA_056-994x559.jpg)
“These are simple dishes that rely on top-quality ingredients and studious technique.”
3715 Macomb St., NW, Washington, DC 20016
Obelisk
![2014-1-28-OBELISK_015.jpg - Washingtonian Bigoli pasta with duck ragout. Photograph by Scott Suchman.](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/2014-1-28-OBELISK_015.jpg)
“Linger over the antipasti…the generous wine pairings, and the pastas, such as house-made noodles with squid.”
2029 P St., NW, Washington, DC 20036
The Red Hen
![bestitalianindc_redhen - Washingtonian Photograph by Scott Suchman.](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bestitalianindc_redhen.jpg)
“Yes, the pastas are both imaginative and fulfilling, but get a load of the wooden tables and chairs, the most handsome pieces of restaurant furniture in the area.”
1822 First St., NW, Washington, DC 20001
Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana
![infernopizzeria_2016_featured-994x559 - Washingtonian infernopizzeria_2016_featured-994x559](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/infernopizzeria_2016_featured-994x559.jpg)
“What’s a three-star chef doing running a pizza joint in a Gaithersburg shopping plaza? Having a blast.”
12207 Darnestown Rd., Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Osteria Morini
![pasta-12-16-thumb-995xauto-82063-1.jpg - Washingtonian Photograph by Scott Suchman.](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/pasta-12-16-thumb-995xauto-82063-1.jpg)
“Morini possesses the spirit of a full-fledged neighborhood Italian joint.”
301 Water St., SE, Washington, DC 20003
Etto
![etto_2016_featured - Washingtonian Photograph by Scott Suchman.](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/etto_2016_featured.jpg)
“Your best move is to treat dinner as a snackfest of cured meats, cheeses, and small plates from the chalkboard menu.”
1541 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
Ghibellina
![ghibellina_2016_featured - Washingtonian Photograph by Andrew Propp.](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ghibellina_2016_featured.jpg)
“The secret is out about this darkly minimalist restaurant’s happy hour, which lasts from 4 to 6:30 weekdays and starts at 3 on weekends.”
1610 14th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009
Graffiato
![bestitalianindc_graffiato - Washingtonian The fried calamari-topped Jersey Shore pie from Graffiato. Photograph by Scott Suchman.](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bestitalianindc_graffiato.jpg)
“It’s prone to unevenness, and the prices can get up there in a hurry. But there are more than enough thrills to make it worth seeking out.”
Centrolina
![centrolina - Washingtonian A dish from Centrolina](https://www.washingtonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/centrolina.jpg)
974 Palmer Alley, NW, Washington, DC 20001