"Chef Mike Friedman introduced Bethesda diners to authentic Roman cuisine last year with the arrival of 130-seat Aventino. Highlights include pizza rossa (a traditional flatbread topped with tomato conserva, sea salt, and Sicilian oregano), tonnarelli cacio e pepe, and rigatoni carbonara. A $30 weekday lunch deal features pasta and a glass of wine. Right next door AP Pizza Shop, Friedman’s casual offshoot of D.C.’s All-Purpose, he pays tribute to the NY and New Jersey pizzerias of his youth. Find slices, signature pizzas (including a mix-and-match option made of individual slices), focaccia sandwiches, eggplant Parmesan, Italian-American antipasti, and chopped and Caesar salads." - Claudia Rosenbaum