Good For: Date Night, Din with friends

Gotta Order: 40 layer lasagna, focaccia, arancini

Vibes: Intimate, good for conversation, modern, energetic

Notes: L’Ardente has a lot of hype around it, and for good reason. I wouldn’t say their atmosphere is anything to write home about, but it just puts all the more emphasis on their food. I think it can be hard to stand out as an Italian restaurant, because at the end of the day, pasta and pizza are always tasty meals. BUT L’Ardente is a meal that not only stands out among other Italian spots, but amongst DC restaurants in general. This is the first restaurant I made reservations to return before I even received my check. Reservations are hard to grab, so make sure you scout it out well ahead of time.

They are famous for their 40 layer lasagna- and it’s well deserved. The sauce has short rib and truffle in it, and despite being one of their more expensive items on the menu, was worth every penny. Ou waitress told us to save our focaccia order for the main course, which we ignored, but in hindsight I wish we had the focaccia to soak up even more of the lasagna sauce. Some of the small plates are good, like the arancini, but I would put most of your stomach capacity towards the pastas.