Dolce Vita Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar — Restaurant in Fairfax

Update: We were invited back by the owner, and had a much better experience.

Cyrus the owner invited my party back after the review I posted below, and my friends and I decided to give Dolce Vita another try. We went to the bar prior to our meal and had a wonderful bottle of wine recommended by Riley and had fun at the bar before sitting down.

We had a great selection of appetizers, the bruschetta had roasted tomatoes on it, which I strongly preferred to the traditional raw style (and they stayed on the bread), and the Tasca, (pockets of cheese and meat) was a bit hit at the table.

Entrees were much stronger as well. I had the off menu Osso Bucco (ask if any are in!) and my wife had a rockfish piccata that almost made me want to swap my excellent meals with hers. Meanwhile the gnocchi had the entire table marveling at the mushrooms in aurora sauce.

We had one steak slightly overcooked, which the attentive managers offered to redo, but we decided not to. Riley recommended an excellent red to go with the red meat, and we wanted to move forward with the meal.

Dessert--served with the aforementioned coffee, was spot on, with us reordering the chocolate lava cake, which to our enjoyment oozed out and was great with the vanilla ice cream and the coffee.

Overall, I'm pleased we gave the restaurant another try, and we'll be back, particularly in the wine bar area, for more.

Original Post: This meal started off with a misunderstanding and ended with a disappointment. My party of six went last night (March 19th) to enjoy the last night of Fairfax Restaurant week, as many restaurants had extended their prix fixe. We got there and discovered that was not the case. Despite the restaurants website noting a full two weeks of the special (see attached) the waiter told us that his manager said the special was over.

So we decided to stay and make the most of it. The sparkling rose for the table was fine, the antipasti was fine but nothing special, and the Super Tuscan we ordered for dinner was not bad. Entrees were better and while one friend was disappointed in the saltimboca another really enjoyed their carbonara.

My friend and I ordered coffee to go with dessert and it was the biggest hit of the night as the coffee was smooth, flavorful and free of any letdown. The dessert however, left us disappointed. Two of the three couples ordered lava cake, which is an additional charge but we thought it would be fun to experience. The cake was overcooked on the outside and had none of the ooey gooey lava flow that one expects from a cake, indeed both of ours had still semi formed chocolate masses in the center that didn't quite melt. I would have been more forgiving if for the fact that it cost twice what the other desserts did.

With that final let down, we decided to quit while we were behind and not linger for drinks. I will say the service was attentive and polite and did their best with disappointments from the kitchen. Can't say if I return, but if I do, I'll make sure to go earlier in the promotion timeframe, and I'll make sure to...

Dolce Vita Cucina Italiana: A True Taste of Italy in Fairfax! 🇮🇹🍷 If you're searching for an authentic Italian experience in Fairfax, look no further than Dolce Vita Cucina Italiana. With over 20 years of serving up homemade pasta, brick oven pizza, and an incredible wine selection, this place feels like a hidden gem straight out of Italy. I finally made my way here, and let’s just say—I now understand why locals swear by it.

✅ Why This Place Stands Out 🍕 Pizza That Redefines the Game: I always thought I knew what a great pizza was—until I tried the Fig & Pig. The combination of salty prosciutto with the slight sweetness of fig jam is pure magic. If you're bored of the usual tomato-based pizzas, this one is a must-try! 🍝 Pasta Made with Passion: I went for the Chicken Pesto Pasta, and the flavors were unreal—fresh, herby, and creamy in all the right ways. My friend tried the Fettuccine Al Frutti di Mare, packed with mussels, clams, shrimp, and scallops, and it was an absolute seafood lover’s dream. 🦑 Starter Heaven: The calamari was light, crispy, and perfectly seasoned. But the real surprise? The whipped ricotta dip—smooth, slightly sweet, and paired with grilled bread that had just the right amount of crunch. Trust me, you’ll be scraping the bowl clean. 🍷 A Wine Bar Worth Exploring: They have an impressive selection of Italian wines, making it the perfect spot to sip and savor. Our server, Alonzo, knew his stuff and gave fantastic pairing recommendations. (If they ever add Pisco Sours to the menu, this place would be unstoppable!) 💫 Romantic & Cozy Atmosphere: Whether you're here for a casual lunch, a special date night, or catching up with friends, the European-inspired decor, soft lighting, and warm service make it feel like a little escape to Italy.

❌ What You Should Know Before You Go It Gets Packed: Make a reservation, especially if you’re coming for dinner. By 6:00 pm, the place was buzzing with diners. Parking is Tight: The lot fills up fast, but since traffic moves steadily, you won’t be waiting too long. Some Dishes Outshine Others: While the lobster pasta was good, the seafood fettuccine was the real star. If you’re debating between the two, go for the latter.

Pro Tip: Start with the Ricotta Dip, follow it up with the Fig & Pig Pizza or Seafood Pasta, and pair it with a bold Italian red—you won’t regret it. And if you’re in the mood for something meaty, their Braised Beef is legendary.

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First visit…ran into this place by accident trying to find a hibachi spot that was closed for the evening…I’ll start with the good: the bartender was really friendly, and I liked my drink (basically a lemon drop). She tried her best to be attentive, but I think that she was busy trying to close everything for the evening (I was there about 45 mins before closing). Now for the bad: I ordered lobster arancini. I expected to see risotto in my fried balls. Instead, I got MASHED POTATOES. I mean, I thought I was tripping. I was super confused. The more interesting part is that the bartender almost expected this, like it has happened before. She also didn’t offer to remake it, just to take it off my tab, which pretty much means they didn’t have risotto balls. They had fried mashed potato balls. Um, okay. I also ordered chicken fettuccine alfredo. I don’t know about the pasta, or the sauce, tbh. The pasta gave boxed, and it was undercooked. The sauce gave prego or ragu. Couldn’t make up my mind which one. Point is it didn’t taste fresh. Either way my body only enjoyed it for about an hour before I ended up in the bathroom to throw it all up. So, that was a waste of $20. Finally, THE UGLY: I didn’t realize that dinner here comes with A SHOW. Meaning I had the pleasure of sitting next to a group of five adults that decided to curse and argue as LOUD AS POSSIBLE. Calling one of them fat, and f—- him this and his wife is an ugly b——- that. The manager only stepped in once he saw the look of horror on my face. I mean, it was so wild that I thought it was a joke, because they couldn’t possibly be serious about being that ridiculous. They seemed to be regulars at this spot, so while maybe the staff was used to it, I didn’t expect to go into an Italian spot and run into the jersey shore version of love and hip hop, but that’s what I got. So yeah…after all of that I was considering going back for happy hour, that is until I got sick, so now I’m good. I should’ve just...