Exploring the authenticity of D.C.’s Italian restaurants

By SOFIA BRACCIALARGHE, 2024

As an Italian living in D.C., I’m always seeking out restaurants which will do justice to my country’s cuisine. D.C. boasts about 21 Italian restaurants, largely due to the mass influx of Italian immigrants to the U.S. during the 20th century.

Recently, I decided to visit three of D.C.’s most popular Italian restaurants and taste-test their signature dishes (pizza, pasta, gelato and more).

Sfoglina Van Ness

The first restaurant I went to was Connecticut Avenue staple Sfoglina Van Ness. Sfoglina is best known for its pasta and the restaurant’s name is even derived from pasta di Sfoglia, an ingredient used to make pasta. As soon as I entered the restaurant, I spotted the chefs making the pasta from scratch. Specifically, they craft pasta all’uovo by hand, which is an Italian recipe for making pasta from eggs. In doing so, the chefs not only serve delicious dishes, but also provide a comforting aroma of homemade pasta wafting throughout the restaurant.

I decided to order the Fettuccine al Ragu Bolognese so that I could compare it to the one my nonna makes in Italy. As soon as it arrived, I noticed its wonderful blend of different scents and flavors, many of which were from similar herbs to the ones my nonna uses. Overall, I found Sfoglina Van Ness to be an authentic place and the perfect choice for anyone craving a mouthwatering plate of pasta.

Il Canale

Another Italian restaurant I went to in order to determine whether it lived up to the hype was Il Canale. Il Canale is best known for its pizza napoletana, or Neapolitan pizza. When I entered the restaurant, I noticed