L'Ardente

"Eater DC’s 2022 Restaurant of the Year makes all its pastas in-house. Along with that famous 40-layer lasagna, dinnertime highlights include a veal ragu pappardelle with a surprise kick from serranos and the campanelle nere — a squid-ink pasta with a luscious lobster-studded sauce. Pumpkin-shaped zucca in a sausage ragu shows up at both lunch and dinner, and there’s lots of rotating specials at night." - Tierney Plumb, Mekita Rivas

"Downtown’s “glam Italian” restaurant, a known date night favorite for the Obamas, welcomed actor Bryan Cranston in July 2023. In support of his Dos Hombres mezcal brand, the Breaking Bad alum played bartender for an evening and served free cocktails to hundreds of fans. His mezcal tour through D.C. also included stops at Service Bar and the St. Regis." - Vinciane Ngomsi, Tierney Plumb

"Everything from the pizzas to the pastas at L’Ardente is over the top, so it’s no surprise the mocktails are made to match. A Glam Spritz spotlights spirit-free prosecco, and its popular Espresso Torino and the Negroni Classico cocktails are also available without alcohol." - Claudia Rosenbaum

"L’Ardente serves a traditional Italian seafood dinner for two, featuring eight different courses, available until December 24." - Emily Venezky

"An Italian restaurant in East End's Capitol Crossing development, famous for its 40-layer lasagna made with tender short rib, truffled mornay, and razor-thin sheets of pasta." - MICHELIN Guide