Cafe Fiorello DC — Restaurant in Washington

What a legendary experience!

When Billy Joel sang about “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” this must have been what he meant.

Cafe Fiorello feels like a slice of a beautiful New York bistro transported directly into the nation’s capital. You walk in to see a stunning display of fresh antipasti, while the booths and decor make you feel as though you’re stepping into a timeless neighborhood favorite.

The Roman artichokes, accented with lemon peel, blend beautifully with a zesty aioli—absolutely worth ordering. Antipasti are a must: the cauliflower Milanese sang an opera to my tastebuds, while the umami-rich fire-roasted peppers transported me to a summer villa in Tuscany.

Grab a piece of warm bread and scarpetta your way through the rigatoni alla vodka—this is the kind of dish that makes dinner feel like magic. Rich, comforting, and wonderfully balanced, it goes down deliciously and leaves you smiling.

It’s fitting that the original location is across from the Met—if two culinary artists were competing for best performance, they would be the bone-in veal chop with mushroom reduction and the eggplant Parmesan. The veal chop was incredibly juicy and tender, with a bold charred finish that speaks to expert technique. This is a dish made for savoring—best enjoyed slowly, with a glass of Chianti and great conversation.

The eggplant Parmesan was a showstopper. So delicate, lightly nestled in cheese, and smooth like a silk pillow—cooked to perfection with a tender chew in every bite.

The final encore? A 30-year-old tiramisu recipe from the chef’s master arsenal. It’s rare to find a version where the cream and espresso powder are in such perfect harmony. I finally found it here.

Start your evening with an espresso martini—it’s elegantly presented with a touch of chocolate shavings.

I dined here just days after the restaurant opened, yet it already felt like a neighborhood institution. There was incredible warmth and storytelling from Chef Rodric, John, Sage, Gustavo, and Joanna. From the lovingly described dishes to the historical art on the walls that transports you to another era, this was more than a meal—it was an experience to cherish.

This was one of the most memorable Italian meals I’ve had in quite some time, and it made my mother’s visit to D.C. all the more special.

Wish I could have tried even more! Though I’m inspired to return for another family or friends occasion. To the general public be sure to get a seat before every Washingtonian discovers that Cafe Fiorello is the new power spot—where people come to be seen, eat exceptionally well, and...

New review July 2025: You’re going to struggle to find a better overall Italian dining experience in the area. Four of us went this time before going to national theatre and we had perfect service that got us out in time.

The espresso martini was creamy and chocolatey which I don’t like but my friend fell in love with. He’ll be having another next time. My other friend tried their spritz and she loved it too.

The trio of vegetables were good and I went crazy for the mushrooms. The broccolini was a bit under seasoned.

I do not like tavern style pizza crust ever, and this could be the only exception to the rule. The honey with the pepperoni is to die for.

My linguini and clams was good, exactly what you’d expect but my friends chicken parm was the star of the table. You have to try it when there. It is ridiculous.

We’ll definitely be back again.

Original review: Great food and great service. We both loved the meatball appetizer but the servings are too small and the sauce is good, but thin. I would have loved pepper flakes or a kick in it but my friend loved it.

He had the lobster carbonara and I tried some. It was cooked to perfection but it was heavy on the salt. The dish has bacon and lobster, it didn’t need as much extra salt as they put in it.

I had the tagliatelle and it was delicious. Cooked exactly how it should be. The sequoia grove Cabernet however is too young. They’re serve a 2022. It needs a couple more years in the bottle. The 2018 is the same price and opens perfect. It was nice to see it by the glass. That is not often so I went with it.

We...

Lavoro Fenomenale! Grazie Mille! Absolutely unbelievable and incredible experience. Arrived for our reservation greeted by John the GM; took amazing care and diligence to find any way to help us. They have an amazing selection of tables both round and partial booths. Appear to be able to accommodate many party sizes with prior communication/reservations, I even saw a private room. Overall the decore and facilities are impeccable, stylish and bring an energy to you when you first walk in. Our waiter Keilly was one of the best we've ever experienced in DC and abroad. He was sincere, knowledgeable and polite. Every action and interaction between him and our party was on point, clear and precise. Every employee we interacted with were polite and efficient. You get the idea that everyone is trained, lead and guided to perfection, and it feels like everyone cares to be the best of the best. The food was absolutely stellar. Flavors, textures, presentations compete and even surpass your favorite fine dining. We sampled many items to include, Roman Fried Artichokes, Fried Calimari, Tomato-Goat Cheese Bruschetta, Caprese Salad with Burrata, Tagliatelle Bolognese, Spaghetti Carbonara, Lasagna, Lemon Roasted Chicken, Veal Scallopine Marsala and finished with Chocolate Mousse, Cappuccino, Espresso, Hot tea. We had prosecco and wine as well. Do yourself a favor and get the reservation. Try a new restaurant in town. Laugh with friends. Enjoy by yourself. Just get out there. You are...