Il Porto

My husband and I celebrated our wedding reception at Il Porto on 06/07/2025! What a memorable evening & night! I only have positive words to say about Mr. Alberto, Mayra and staff. Mr. Alberto and Mayra were so accommodating and worked with my vision. The staff members were very friendly and attentive, and the food was so delicious! We received many compliments from family members on how delicious the Italian cuisine was at Il Porto. A huge thank you from my husband and I for giving us the opportunity to celebrate our special day at Il Porto! We will be back for dinner dates soon.

Solid food, on the expensive side but a nice upscale atmosphere. It was a member of our party's birthday so they brought out a free tiramisu, which was very nice.

The fettuccine sauce was split, which is not a big deal, but they also sent me a creme brulee with mold and melted sugar. When I called to inform them, the manager told me it was made yesterday. I told him I didn't believe that to be true since it's pretty obviously been sitting, because there's liquid sugar on top. He seemed unconcerned completely with the fact that there was mold. Even if it had been made yesterday, they have a serious quality issue.

🍝 Il Porto in Gaithersburg is the kind of place that quietly excels at what it does best, classic, satisfying Italian fare with no pretense, no gimmicks, just a plate of food that speaks for itself. Walk in, and you’ll notice the small but significant details: real cloth napkins, weighty utensils, the hum of conversation punctuated by the scent of simmering garlic and butter. 🍤 And then, there’s the Fettuccini Alfredo with Shrimp, the undisputed star. Creamy, rich without overwhelming, the white sauce clings to tender strands of fettuccini like a love letter to indulgence. The shrimp, plump, perfectly cooked, adds a briny sweetness that balances the dish. It’s comfort food done right, with a portion generous enough to satisfy two reasonable diners or one ravenous soul who understands that restraint is overrated. At around $20, it’s not just a meal, it’s a bargain. 🍽️ Service is brisk, efficient, exactly what you need when hunger is the priority. The atmosphere? Unfussy elegance, a reminder that a restaurant doesn’t need theatrics to deliver. Whether you're here for a casual dinner or a quiet indulgence, Il Porto is the kind of spot that stays with you, not because it's flashy, but because it’s consistent, genuine, and damn good at what it does. Highly recommended.

High quality food, very good service, good prices. The above has not changed over the last few years. Visited again yesterday and ordered the chicken parmigiana. The dish was bland and tasteless and the fried eggplant appetizer was way too oily and tasteless. The shrimp in garlic sauce was tasty, the chicken marsala and the seafood platter were good as well. A 5 star place can not serve a bland dish, I visited Cafe Roma a week ago, had the same chicken parmigiana dish, and it was fabulous. So get your act together, chef.

We are not fans of Italian restaurants, but today we ended here without any plans. For our surprise, the food is amazing! We ended both ordering the same dishes. Crab bisque and lobster ravioli. All prepared here and you can tell. Wow, simply delicious! The service is great too!

We recently hosted my brother and sister-in-law’s wedding at Il Porto Gaithersburg, and it was simply the best day of our lives. From day one, the owner Alberto was incredibly helpful and made sure every little detail was taken care of. His wife is an amazing human being who made us feel at home right away—like we could do anything we needed to make this day perfect. We also want to express our deepest gratitude to Mayra, the owner’s daughter and the event planner. She was absolutely outstanding, with a beautiful heart and a true gift for making everything run seamlessly. Adriana, the owners’ younger daughter, was so kind and helpful, her warmth made us feel like we were part of the family. The whole team, including Marvin, Herson, and everyone else, went above and beyond for us. They made sure everything ran smoothly, and they were so warm and caring throughout the entire event. Our guests were blown away by the food and the atmosphere—some of them even said they’re going to come back just to eat here again! And for us, we’ve found our new favorite Italian spot for life. We’re so grateful for the kindness, warmth, and care that everyone at Il Porto shared with us. You didn’t just host our wedding—you made us feel like part of the family. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making this day so special and unforgettable.

We were initially pleased with our experience at your establishment today, but unfortunately, it took a turn for the worse. The cappuccinos we ordered after finishing our meal didn't meet our expectations, which we politely communicated to the waiter. The issue seemed resolved when the waiter removed the drinks from the bill. However, when the manager (a gentleman with a green shirt and glasses) approached our table to ask about our experience, things escalated. After my wife shared her feedback about the cappuccinos, the manager became defensive and argumentative, claiming that no one had ever complained about the coffee in 30 years. (Did this guy just come to our table to tell us that he knew better than us)The conversation quickly turned heated, with me joining the argument and the manager and me raising our voices. What was initially a minor issue turned into a major problem, ruining our overall experience. We're disappointed that a supervisor/manager didn't handle the situation more professionally. It's clear that this individual would benefit from customer service training. As a result, we're unlikely to return, and we'll be sharing our negative experience with friends and family, potentially losing you five local clients. We hope you'll take our feedback seriously and address the issues we've raised.

Came here randomly one night with my husband because we were craving Italian. And it's safe to say that this is our new favorite Italian spot in Gaithersburg! Out server was soo nice and knowledgeable with the menu! For the food, first off I just wanna compliment the chef because their calamari's are cooked perfectly. They're soft and airy and NOT super chewy (over cooked). My husband got a seafood trio pasta which he really enjoyed cause he wanted a lot of seafood. And I got a shrimp pasta with a couple scallops. The marinara sauce was delicious. For drinks my husband got an imported beer, and I got a very nice red wine. Highly recommend if you want some good Italian food AND service!

Review #598 None Elite Squad Porto.. when I think of Porto I think of Portos Bakery in Downey which is a home staple for Downey..it's Cuban right ? but wait .. were talking about Porto Restaurant in Maryland.. Italian Restaurant to be exact .. so let's do a 110% honest review. let's start off with today's secret number ..which is 110 1st the food is ok, not great tasting full of flavor but if your hungry it'll taste delicious but it's really just ok. The Scenery and Atmosphere of the restaurant is nice and pleasant ..doesn't feel italianish but it's has a fancy touch to it. The Customer Service is a 110% .. the waiters and staff are Amazing and give Great Customer Service. but here's my problem.. Whey the Hell do they add their own Tip to your Bill? This is Horrible.. I understand they give you great service and they feel that they're entitled to a great Tip.. but adding their own Tip to the bill is 110% Bull.. now, we got separate Bills..now check this out... it was 5 separate bills.. my Tip for example the waiter decided to add $15.. the next Bill and you have to remember..were sitting together.. they added $10.. the next Bill added $16. the next Bill added $13 and the final bill $11.. that's $65 Tip..are you Serious? look, these guys took advantage.. I mean they abused the system to get a $65 tip..and the tipa were coming from 3 15-16 year olds.. and the other 2 were 2 adults with 2 aditional 15 year olds.. i mean.. either the owner is in on this and loves for these guys to Rip off t their community which by the way..the restaurant was empty and I could see why.. here's another thing for kicks ..the restaurant didn't close for another 3 hours ..and these guys locked the front door to prevent new customers from coming in..oh my goodness..wow!!!! yes, 100% true. no .. 110% true. Look, I wouldn't be caught dead coming to this place ever again .. and I wouldn't 110% recommend this place to anyone ..

We like going to Il Porto because it's your local neighborhood restaurant. We know all the servers and have been going there for years. We came for a family birthday celebration and they are very easy to accommodate . the fried zucchini is very good with red sauce. the white pizza is to die for with red sauce And the chicken Parmesan with linguine noodles. A dente is perfect. Our family who was with us ordered a veal chop. It looked like something out of the Flintstones very generous portions. The veal piccata was noted to be very good as well as the fried fish. The tartufo is excellent overall great fun night

I had the Eggplant Parmigiano and calamari. They were both excellent. Other items our group ordered were pizza, lasagna, the ribeye, and fettuccine Alfredo with chicken. All of the meals were fantastic and the service was great. It's a nicely decorated restaurant that gives you the feel of being in Italy. I will certainly return.

This restaurant has been around a long time and I never got around to paying it a visit until last night. Decent Italian food with a good variety of pasta, pizza, meat and seafood choices. Many classic Italian standbys. We ordered fried zucchini, a butterflied whole branzino, a sphaghetti carbonara and finished with a salted caramel gelato with biscotti liqueur. Food was of good quality and quantity. Place is really big. Our server is young and a bit inexperienced. But overall we are still pleased and will likely visit again when we crave some pasta.

My first time at this restaurant was an enjoyable experience. The dining room was full of happily chatting tables and the food going past my table looked delicious. My meal of fettuccine Alfredo was superb, as were the shared appetizers of sautéed mushrooms and fried zucchini. All delicious with a nice presentation. It was interesting to watch the well trained servers opening corked wine bottles for the diners. A nice evening meal and I hope to return.

I had dinner for a seminar at Il Porto. The food was good but didn't knock my socks off. I had the salmon and pasta dish which may not be on the main menu as we were in the group room. The service was good and everyone was friendly. Parking is plentiful at the shopping center which is always a plus. #yelpMDburbs

Fantastic food. Nice ambiance and clientele. Reasonably priced. Superior service. I have been eating here since I gave up on the other Italian restaurant I reviewed a year ago. I have been here a handful of times and it's my "go to" for great Italian food. Management is super friendly.

I absolutely love this place and have celebrated many special occasions. The owners are kind and always super attentive. Ambiance is great and super family friendly. The food is super tasty and they have many great options. One of my favorite dishes is Cioppino lobster tail.

Been a loyal fan of this place for years. Always consistently delivers, great food, service. About specials nightly, Roast veal and white pizza with fontina are staples. Highly recommend.

This was a last minute decision to try out this restaurant. We waited too long for anyone to acknowledge us waiting for a table at another place and called Il Porto to see if they had any seating without a reservation. The person on the phone kindly said no problem, just come. We arrived less than 10 minutes after making the call and we were greeted and seated right away. This was such a contrast to what we experienced earlier at the other place. We chose a table outside on this lovely May evening. Even though we were right across from the parking lot and next to a gym, the outside dining area of Il Porto was serene with potted flowers all around. The furniture and seating were comfortable with umbrellas at every table. We started with fried calamari and the passionfruit spritz from the weekly specials menu. My first sip of the spritz was pretty strong but delicious. The calamari was not spectacular but at least the breading did not fall off as another place I reviewed last week. The dipping sauce had little taste. I rather liked the sauce at the other place which was a sweet chili sauce. Our entrees were sausage with linguine and salmon fillet with veggies and linguine. Substitutions are allowed with a $1 upcharge. We did not get substitutions. The sausage with linguine was also not spectacular. The links were small and the meal itself could have been prepared at home and not a chef-prepared restaurant quality. The salmon was perfectly cooked at medium with a nice searing on the bottom. The vegetables were carrots and broccoli which could have been cut smaller and cooked slightly longer because they were hard to cut down into bite size pieces. Almost all the dishes come with linguine. I feel like that's just a filler food. We ended our long week and meal with desserts of mango mousse cake and tiramisu. The mango mousse cake was from the weekly specials menu and was fine. The tiramisu was the classic cake you're familiar with but the exception of cinnamon sprinkled in with the cocoa powder. I didn't have a problem with the cinnamon but would have preferred it without. Service overall was phenomenal. Every server was kind, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. There was a person who came by our table several times to fill our water glasses. Perhaps he came by too many times because our glasses didn't need filling to the top every time but it was nice to see him come by. My overall rating should have been a 3.5 because the food was just okay but because of the excellent service that I observed and experienced, I didn't have a problem giving it a 4. I sat right by the hostess stand outside and saw that every customer that walked up to the restaurant received a friendly greeting. This is how you welcome your customers.

The food quality was good and there was a very simplistic presentation. The taste were very good and I enjoyed their specialty (Fillet de Pesce).

I really enjoyed Il Porto. We had clams with linguine and a pepperoni pizza. The clams were delicious and the portion generous. The pizza was good. But the bread was the best. A nice portion of tasty and crispy bread with optional butter. I could go back for the bread only. Although it was quite busy, the staff was always attentive and helpful. If you like Italian food, I recommend Il Porto.

We came here for a family dinner for Easter evening. Some of my family lives in Gaithersburg and comes here often. They are big fans. I thought the place and food was good, but not amazing. We ordered some apps and entrees. The lasagna was quite good, and other pasta dishes were enjoyed. My spouse ordered their rockfish entree, and it was covered in much too heavy cream sauce and was subpar for the price. The pork chop that was also ordered came out overdone and black on the edges. Their creamy crab bisque was excellent, and the chocolate mouse cake was decadent and delicious. The staff was friendly, although a little less attentive than desired. The tables are spaced a little too close together for my liking, as I felt like our conversations were heard by all our neighbors.

Not my favorite for Italian food. There are more authentic options available in the area. That said, I hear that it has a number of repeat customers. Ambiance and service are "ok". Depends on one's expectations. Could be great for other clients.

Greeted right away and food is always delicious but I had this to go this time and was only given 2 meatballs with my spaghetti for $20! Insanely expensive for pasta and 2 small meatballs. Next time I'm going to Giant supermarket I was just craving Italian so bad and didn't want to cook smh

My daughter and were looking for a new restaurant to try. Il Porto on Friday evening was lovely. Tables with table cloths and glasses, made it seem like an upscale restaurant. The service was friendly and timely. The food was very good. I had the cheese ravioli and my daughter had the stuffed manicotti. Both of us had marinara sauce which was very good.

We very much enjoyed our dinner! The waiters are professional, the hand crafted pasta delicious, the ambiance cozy!

Had a craving for some white pizza and chicken cacciatore. Both didn't disappoint! Fried calamari after being air fried to reheat was good too! I only wish they cut the white pizza their old regular way, aka Pines of Rome style. Maybe because this was a carryout order. The side of spaghetti that came with the main dishes was quite good and large portion too! I really enjoyed my cacciatore dish. My brother really liked the chicken doratti dish (reminds me Buca's chicken limone dish). Two winners. The one dish that was flat with no taste was their linguine with clams white sauce. No trace of garlic or white wine taste. Baronessa has the best linguine and clams white sauce over homemade noodles. It's tough writing reviews based on carryout, as all dishes, no matter where, tastes better at the restaurant. For the price and the food that I ate, thumbs up for Il Porto!

We discovered Il Porto at their location in Frederick. Later we found out that they had a location in Gaithersburg and that's become our new go to for authentic Italian cuisine. There is outdoor seating as well as indoor. There are so many delicious appetizers and entrees that we have never been able to order a dessert, but if the desserts are as good as the rest of the menu then you are in for a special meal. My husband ordered an Osso Bucco that was not just well prepared, but served with vey fresh, crisp asparagus and roasted potatoes. Truly an authentic version of this dish. I had the Ciopino with lobster and shrimp. It was perfectly prepared. The light cream sauce was peppery and so complimented the seafood. I had the house Pignot Rigió which paired nicely with the Ciopino. My husband had a glass of the house red which was also a good pairing with the Oso Bucco Other entrees we've enjoyed have been been the sweet Potato Gnocci, Eggplant Parmigiana, Fettuccine Alfredo and a few others. We have NEVER left Il Porto without generous leftovers for the next day. We highly recommend Il Porto. You won't be disappointed.

My desperate search for a mid-day espresso, while my husband took our little to party it up at the playspace nearby, ended in triumph. Full-on triumph. The espresso was Italian and strong. The coconut sorbet, complete with halfa' coconut shell, was heaven. Best I've ever had, and coupled with the espresso . . . well, that's a marriage that must last forever. Well done, Gaithersburg. Well done.

Place is packed on a Saturday. Very loud and festive. Food is meh. Tomatoes and mozzarella had no flavor. Bread is good. White pizza is meh. Got shrimp and scallop Fra diavola. Sauce had decent spice. Portion is small for the price of $25. Chicken and eggplant parm looked good. Flavors were a little bland. Portions in general looked small.

I wish I liked this place but it was underwhelming. We came on a Friday night and ordered calamari, large white pizza, and clams with white sauce. The calamari was undercooked and bland, as well as the clams with white sauce. Both dishes came out cold, so I'm super disappointed. The portion of the calamari was extremely small and the sizes of the pieces were tiny as well. The clams with white sauce felt like the pasta was boiled in water and topped with garlic pieces. We had to ask for salt and pepper. The white pizza came out sliced up so don't expected an actual pie to come out. Hoping to give this place another chance and catch them on a better day.

I don't know what happened to this place but it's gone down hill. With a half full restaurant, we got seated in the back room, kinda like a banquet area. We were the only customers in there all night. We even had a reservation and when we finished our dinner, the main 2 room in the restaurant were still only half full. The service and food were not good. We had to send the carbonara back is was so bad. Definitely not returning.

Just had the loveliest dinner at Il Porto with my grandparents. We all loved our homemade pasta dishes and agreed that this was one of the best meals (and restaurant ambiances) that we've ever experienced. Jesús was an excellent server, so enthusiastic, attentive, and cheerful. 10/10 service.

Great place! The food was wonderful! Friendly staff/ excellent service, also a nice outdoor dining area as well.

I worked with Alberto and Myra to cater an adult birthday party on a Saturday night. They were fabulous. Friendly, responsive, helpful, kept in touch. The food delivery and pickup were seamless and the food was delicious! We ordered eggplant parmigiana, chicken Marsala, baked ziti, vegetarian lasagna, and caprese salad for 36 people, and they brought enough bread and butter to feed an army! Only negatives: the sternos under the chafing dishes went out after an hour, and I think they overestimated the amount of food we needed. That's only a partial negative to me because I'd rather have too much than not enough, and we had leftovers and froze the rest. The price was very reasonable too! I would highly recommend their catering and will definitely use them again.

My group (30+ people) had our fundraising event at this restaurant on January 13th. The restaurant was fully prepared for our arrival, and their food & service were all done well. Our group had a great time! (I personally had fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp, and it was beautifully cooked.)

This used to be a favorite restaurant of mine. Last night it was disappointing. We sat outside and that part was lovely. The food we had chicken parm and eggplant parm were very plain tasting. The sauce lacked flavor. I had ordered the chicken parm with caesar salad instead of linguini. The waiter brought a house salad and when I asked it to be exchanged for the caesar, he said "You ordered a house salad, not a caesar salad but I will change it." My friend eating with me was sure I said "caesar" but even if I did mistakenly order a house side, I didn't appreciate the waiter saying that. Finally, I ordered a decaf coffee at the end of the meal and I am pretty sure, despite the waiter's reassurance, that it was full caffeine coffee because I was up all night, which is unusual for me.

Normally everything is great. The other day we were there and a friend ordered a veal chop. Normally awesome. When it was served it was dry and said friend was not happy at all. Simply couldn't understand. The owner came over, he told him. The owner realized ge was served roast veal and not what was ordered veal chop. The owner did a crazy and unexpected thing: He didn't offer to fix it AND still charged $40 for something tge customer truly hated. Love this place but not an enjoyable evening to watch a friend just be upset.

We have been wanting to try this place and did last night. We had their crab bisque soup and it was very good. They also provided free bread and it was awesome. That is the only good part. I ordered a pizza and it was not good at all. The onions weren't cooked and the flavor was disappointing. Any of the chain restaurants make better pizza. My wife ordered the lasagna and she mentioned it was very bland. The service was horrible. After we got our food, we never saw our waiter again until we were done. I asked for the check and a box to take the pizza and he gave us a standard to go container. Another server walked by and we asked for a box and nobody came back. We then asked a third time to another sever and got one. 15 minutes had gone by and no check. My wife angrily flagged down the manager who was very upset and got us squared away. He took a small percentage off and we appreciated that. We will not go back. Much better places in the area.

The chicken parm goes insane. Really good drinks as well. Nice owner and staff are great and fun to talk to.

Visited today, food was okay, service was horrendous, our waitress Sandra had a horrible attitude with us. Our visit was not pleasant, I would not recommend this place.

I came here for a wedding rehersal dinner and they had a whole room separated out for us which was perfect. They were handing out wine carafes which was great for such a large party. They did give us homemade bread which was warm and yummy. While they took our orders quickly, they did not get us our food for over an hour. While the gnocchi I got was fine, I wasn't really impressed with it, since it was just gnocchi and tomato sauce and I had waited the hour for it.

2nd time to this restaurant. Order the clams casino and lunch special Osso Buuco with risotto and asparagus. Overall great food, service and ambiance . Will go again.

Came here spontaneously because this Filipino restaurant we had planned to go to happen to close easily since It was Sunday. I'm very glad we picked this spot instead! The free table bread is delicious and fresh, we could not get enough of it. All the dishes were wonderful as well. We got gnocchi with pesto, spaghetti carbonara, garlic bread, tomato and mozzarella, muscles with white sauce. Everything was really good! The kind of good where you take that first bite and you're like "oh wow, i really like this!" The only thing that was underwhelming was the white sauce they used for the muscles, there was not much flavor, but regardless, the muscles were still good and we finished it all! Its a nice Italian restaurant and i would surely come here again if i was craving Italian. Service was great and we sat outside, which was lovely.

Service was great food was good no complaints. They have delicious moscato. Loved the bread with olive oil & cheese. My fave was the buratta!

The complimentary bread here is AMAZING we could not stop eating them they were so soft fresh and hot and doughyyyy. They were served with the typical olive oil and black pepper, but also grated parmesan cheese!!!! I came here for lunch and ordered the chicken parmagiana, which was bigger than my face! It was breaded very nicely and not that thick. It wasn't dry but also wasn't juicy, I think if it had been thicker it would have been a bit better. It comes with a side of pasta marinara but I asked for alfredo, which was a mistake. The alfredo was extremely mild I had to dump parmesan and peppers on it to get some flavor My friend ordered the Pollo Italiano which had this pink sauce with a very unique flavor that was better than the marinara and alfredo. If I came back here I would order that :) The tiramisu was phenomenal - super moist and flavored while not being too sweet :) Nice atmosphere, most of the other diners we saw were elders. The staff are super friendly and attentive!

I strongly recommend anyone to try their crunchy grilled fish with apricot glaze. That was simply out of this world. They have a nice collection of cocktails as well. The linguini pasta was Al dente with considersble amount of parmigiana very yummi. It was a good experience.

Some old world Italian in Gaithersburg!!! It was amazing walking out of the gym, right into a restaurant with a lot of personality. I was standing outside when the manager literally walked out and greeted me!!! I wanted to give them five stars just for that world class door to door service. I ordered exactly what was on the sidewalk sign and I was pleased with the food, for the most part. I ordered the cream of crab bisque and it was slightly watery, but the lump crab meat they sprinkled on top saved the day. The clams casino was exceptionally well prepared. The flavor was out of this world and I could have literally eaten another plate of them. The one star was lost on the bread. Bread in Italy is important and the bread was just blah, it tasted like the bread was a day or two old. Even if they threw the bread in the oven for a few minutes it would have been better! So the one star subtracted is for the bread and watery soup. Other than that everything was amazing. I will be back when I have business in the area.

This food was sooo nasty it made my stomach hurt. I was so disappointed For starters i paid $36 for the lobster and shrimp pasta and added peppers and broccoli just to not eat it. It didn't have a taste to it at all like absolutely no seasoning I had to add salt and pepper and the lobster and shrimp taste like the damn sea. It was my first time eating here and i will not go back again. I took about 3 bites and was done with it. Just A waste of money.

We had a $100.00 gift receipt for this restaurant which we previously used $50, and was given a new receipt for a credit of $50. When we tried to use it, the waitress kept telling us they needed "the card". We were never given "a card", only the original gift receipt for $100 and a new credit receipt for the remaining $50. I asked to speak to the manager who was basically useless. He kept repeating the need for some mysterious "card" which we never received. At this point I told the manager that they would be losing a lot of future business, from not only us but from friends who have eaten there. The manager laughed at us, and our party of four walked out and ate at a better Italian restaurant nearby. I can't believe how short sighted this guy had been. I hope it was worth cheating me out of my money.

The first time we went here, my wife, a native New Yorker, said they had the best Italian food outside NYC so you know it's good. Everything is fresh and exceptional. It has become our go to place for special nights out for the whole family.

A friend and I went to have a lunch outside and selected il Porto for the absolutely beautiful patio with flower boxes and colorful umbrellas !! I believe the owner takes great pride in the decor and loveliness of his restaurant. However, the food leaves much to be desired. The spaghetti was watery and mushy. The red sauce was tasted like it came directly out of a can and spread on top. The eggplant was watery and tasteless. Hot bread was served but came with little butter packets, no olive oil. The service was very good, but I left being hungry, as I couldn't finish half the meal. It seems instead of bread, a small salad should be served with a pasta dish ? Wouldn't be as bland. I was very disappointed as such care is taken with the lovely atmosphere, but not the food quality.

Bland food. Cute atmosphere tucked away in a low key location in the muddy branch shopping center in Gaithersburg. Their pastas all have the same watery red sauce. Their drinks were very weak and overpriced. I ordered the shrimp parmigiana which was super cheesy, but the sauce was too watery and plain. Service was meh... the server never checked on us until it was time to get the check. Probably won't be back anytime soon.

Fantastic Italian restaurant in the Festival shopping center. Menu is almost identical to the old Italian Pines, but the execution of the meals is so much better. The best on the menu (and my usual) is to start with the white pizza with fontina as an appetizer, then move to the veal Parmigiana main course. For the pasta, I strongly recommend the aglio olio instead of the marinara. You won't be disappointed. The service is steadily good, with the wait staff neither intrusive or ignoring. The food comes out hot, fast, and in the correct order. I will continue to eat here as long as I live in the DC area...

The bread is homemade and the olive oil infused with rosemary is tasty. The Greek salad was okay, but had a slice of mozzarella, which didn't go, and hardly enough feta, which did. The sauteed soft shell crab was delicious, but it was served with overcooked linguini and marinara sauce, which clashed and overwhelmed the delicate seafood. The waiter ran off before I could ask for a substitute side or glass of wine. In fact, I felt rushed by the impatient waitstaff throughout the limited time they deigned to give us. When dessert was ordered, the waitress ran off before I could order coffee. so I asked the water pourer for coffee and he asked me if we wanted it to go, even though I had hardly began to eat my cake. The message was clear: they wanted US to go and fast. There were plenty of empty tables, so it made no sense to make us feel rushed. The cappuccino was excellent and so was the ice water, which was refilled whenever low.

Stopped in for an early lunch today and sat in their outdoor space in front of the restaurant. We were greeted promptly with offers of beverages. The lunch menu offered a fair variety of protein selections. I went with the chicken florentino with pasta and my lunch partner ordered the veal with prosciutto accompanied by vegetable side. Everything tasted great, slightly heavy handed with the sauce on the chicken that was happily scooped up with the remaining bread slices. Those of us still enjoying bread would love their bread basket; slices of Italian bread with crust that had the perfect blend of sweet and salty crunch and chewy. It took a lot of will power to stop at one slice before our entrees came out and glad I did! It was a gorgeous day, perfect for eating alfresco surrounded by planters of flowers and greenery and sitting under the umbrella shielding us from the midday sun.

I was having a craving for Fettuccini Alfredo. So I ordered a pick up for fettuccini Alfredo with chicken and meat lasagna. They have two locations make sure which location you call and pick up. I ordered from the Gaithersburg location. The fettuccine Alfredo was very liquidy but it was huge quantity. The price is expensive but is justified for the amount of food they provide. I couldn't eat the entire pasta and I ate the next day after I warmed in the microwave and for some weird reasons the fettuccine Alfredo a day after tasted amazingly better than the previous day, but sadly the meat lasagna was flavorless irrespective of which day I ate fresh or refrigerated. I didn't like it very much. The meat wasn't seasoned well and there was just too much tomato sauce to taste anything else. The pasta also didn't seem freshly made. The order came with complimentary bread. It was nice and fresh.