Alta Strada - Fairfax, VA — Restaurant in Virginia

Our first date night after 6 months home with our newborn, and we couldn't be more pleased with our choice of restaurant. Service was thoughtful and attentive, setting us at ease to reminisce about our honeymoon in Tuscany. The high ceilings with salvaged-wood rafters and wall accents, created a quiet yet bustling ambience. Our server, Stuart, was genuinely exceptional. We are not easy customers by any means, we have many in-depth and detailed questions, we moved sections halfway through our meal, and ordered additional dishes to-go, with intricate demands from the kitchen. He handled all of this thoughtfully and with grace and met every strange demand promptly and with a smile. He was personable and polite and didn't miss a step the whole meal. If there was one flaw in the whole experience, it was a plate that came out to the table with some bit of something on it, but I never saw exactly what it was because Stuart caught it before he even set it down. For drinks, my wife had "The Big Chill" , a gin cocktail which she described as elegant with delicate flavors. She commented particularly on the restaurant's use of a proper cocktail ice cube and how it prevented the last sip from splashing down with an avalanche of ice. Being sober myself, I was very pleased to see a mocktail menu with essentially a non-alcoholic version of her same cocktail, the "Elderflower Refresher", a name which suited the drink perfectly. We started with the calamari appetizer from the specials menu, a truly nuanced presentation of squid like I'd never had before. All the ingredients were gently understated to construct a unique overall flavor where no one component outweighed the other. The black olives shown through in a way that is difficult to achieve, whereas the mussels brought a subtle reminder of the seaside roots of the dish. The calamari itself was perfectly poached and tender, and the sauce had just the right amount of spice to leave a lingering freshness. We waved over another server for an additional round of bread to sop up the last bit of the wonderful sauce, and she acquiesced happily and promptly. For our entree we had the mafalde, a pasta we had never heard of which Stuart aptly described as the edges of lasagna noodles. We chose to add prosciutto which I can't recommend enough. The cream sauce was rich but not overpowering, the truffle was apparent and embellished the perfectly roasted mushrooms which complimented the texture of the unique noodle perfectly. For dessert we had the tiramisu, which had a wonderful texture and balance, expressing coffee and richness without letting either get carried away. I would readily recommend Alta Strada to anyone looking for a wonderfully presented, accessible, authentic Italian restaurant, for any occasion,...

I’ve been a regular at Alta Strada a little over a year now and have been meaning to leave this review to share my appreciation for the staff!

Alta Strada is the perfect place to go to for your chicken parm craving, or a late night espresso martini - but it’s also so much more than that. Ever since I started going to Alta, I have only been welcomed with open arms, and the staff have treated me like family. Starting with hostesses Amna and Hannah who always greet you with bright smiles and make your kids feel like part of the family too! Special appreciation for Sammy, Kaitlyn, Angel, and Alice who have picked up the role wonderfully and always answer all my questions, making my time at Alta comfortable. Then there’s the servers - starting with Carlos who was the first one to help me at a table and create a Michelin-star dining experience, complete with excellent wine knowledge. Hera, who has amazing knowledge of the menu and knows how to create fun “menu hacks” for regulars like me. Jamie, who is the definition of a gentle giant and creating a comforting atmosphere for first-time guests. Special shout out to Lucy, Fiona, Leidy, Isabella, and Sebastian for the special charm they have with their guests - they were paramount in bringing in the warmth and sustaining the hospitable atmosphere at Alta Strada. Jane, master food runner, always making sure the food is brought out quickly and perfectly. We can’t leave out the bar team either - only they know how many aperol spritz-s I’ve consumed this past year. Thank you to Kevin who not only makes beautiful drinks, but keeps you company with amazing stories of his travels and life experiences. Sophia and Tom, who are equally dedicated to their craft. Special appreciation for Sarah, who I’ve personally seen grow from her role as a host, a server, into a fantastic bartender.

This team is constantly redefining the meaning of hospitality in the post-covid restaurant world - a challenge unachievable without the passion and diligence of the GM Yosef. Regardless of how busy or slow the restaurant is, he is constantly greeting the guests, supporting the staff, and ensuring that the restaurant is operating to its full potential. He personally visits each table, and I know my family never fails to have a wonderful time when they’re dining at Alta in large thanks to him.

It’s bittersweet moving away and not being able to visit the restaurant as often, but I’m so grateful for the time I had at Alta and all the memories I have to cherish. Thank...

Where to begin..... My wife and I were looking for lunch together. We stumbled upon this when searching online for Italian. We showed up just after opening for Saturday brunch and were the first customers of the day.

Service: To say the service was good would be an understatement! From the beginning we were treated like family. The hostess was very polite and cheerful. Our waiter, Lucas, was nothing short of amazing. Great conversation and service even when people were starting to come into the establishment. One of my guages on how well a server is paying attention to their patrons is how well they keep up with my water. They must be perceptive and continuously check up on the customer in order to keep the water full as soon as it runs out without a customer request. He met this mark every time. Only one mistake was made the entire day with my order and I will get into that when I discuss the meals.

The professionalism displayed by the staff was spot on. Professional enough and yet still gave the feeling you belonged there.

Food: I ordered the double bacon cheeseburger and my wife the fettuccine with roasted Mushrooms, Truffle, Parmigiano.

My double bacon cheeseburger order was not made how I ordered it. That was the best mistake ever. I love burgers. I have eaten many from a variety of restaurants and home made. I usually do not enjoy many sauces, just ketchup or BBQ sauce. I requested ketchup only and the house sauce on the side to try. Well, I got the sauce. This was a mayo and spicy tomatoes sauce made in house. I tried the sauce by itself and didn't find it that great alone. I then took a bite. The combination with the house sliced bacon and the beef patties cooked to perfection was mouth watering. I can usually snarf down a burger in no time flat, however, for the first time in forever I savored every bite and took my time and really enjoyed my meal.

Meanwhile, my wife across from me was having her own religious moment in her meal. Her comment was "best pasta ever". The flavor explosion with the mushroom and Truffle Parmigiano sauce was divine. Nothing over cooked nor over powering. She rarely eats everything on her plate. Everything was gone by the end of the meal.

We can't say enough about this place.

Alta Strada,...