Aventino Cucina
Italian restaurant · Bethesda
4747 Bethesda Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814
Highlights
Roman cuisine featuring antipasti, pasta, gelato, and spritz
Roman cuisine featuring antipasti, pasta, gelato, and spritz
"One of the newest spots from Italian hitmaker Mike Friedman, known for Red Hen and All-Purpose, landed in Bethesda in January 2024 with dishes that evoke the longstanding culinary traditions of Rome and Italy’s Lazio region. The sprawling emerald- and gold-covered dining room transports diners with airy pizza rossa, light salads like the citrus and fennel-filled agrumi, and fantastic pastas that steal the show. House-made dried pastas make up classic Roman dishes, like creamy cacio e pepe and all’amatriciana zipped up with Calabrian chiles. But there are more experimental bowls on the menu as well, like a springtime toothsome cavatelli with a crushed broccoli and ricotta sauce and toasted almond-chile crunch on top. Don’t miss out on dessert options like a chocolate torte balanced with blood orange and earl grey gelato or affogato served with an Italian butter cookie and Madagascar vanilla gelato. Best for: A spritz-fueled happy hour, especially with spritz and pasta pairings for $22 from 5 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the bar." - Tierney Plumb
"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
"Chef Mike Friedman’s Roman destination will have several specials available à la carte, for those dining out on 2024’s last day. The New Year’s Eve specials include a festive prosecco cocktail, oysters, the return of Friedman’s popular caviar-adorned maritozzi, and more alongside Aventino’s full dinner spread. Reservations are available now via Resy." - Vinciane Ngomsi
"The crowd favorite “Bene al Limone” at Aventino is made with rye, Strega, limoncello, lemon, and peach bitters. Definitely worth a trip to Bethesda." - Vinciane Ngomsi
"Does a power lunch include two glasses of wine? Aventino, a new Italian addition to Bethesda, unveiled a lunchtime pasta special ($30) in July that includes a pair of pours from the Lazio region and any lunch pasta, including ricotta-filled ravioli, spaghetti with Calabrian chile and guanciale, and a classic cacio e pepe. The special extends through the weekend as well, only shutting down lunch on Mondays." - Emily Venezky
