Mezzanotte

"Mezzanotte may be relaxed and approachable, but you can still throw down for the luxurious 8-plus course Nonnakase (a portmanteau of omakase and nonna, the Italian word for grandmother) that Jason Stratton started when he was chef here — if you can snag a reservation. Current chef Johnny Sullivan has since added a six-course family-style Piccolo Nonnakase option that starts at $90 and feels nearly as luxe as the full $150 version. There’s also an excellent a la carte menu featuring Piedmont region-inspired items like a fried octopus with hazelnut pesto and a black cod with celery root puree and maitake if you want dishes that will occupy your dreams without pushing the check into triple digits per person territory. There’s no sacrifice at Mezzanotte; all three modes amount to an undeniably special dining experience, one that’s even more special when capped off with any of the house digestivi (crafted by general manager Jayson Kochan and a must-try for amaro fans)." - Mark DeJoy, Harry Cheadle

"While star chef Jason Stratton recently departed to helm Alder & Ash, chef Johnny Sullivan is continuing the high standard Stratton set. The iconic tajarin al coltello Stratton brought over from his Spinasse days is still represented in all its glory, as are exquisitely executed other pastas like ricotta gnocchi and chantarelle risotto." - Eater Staff, Mark DeJoy

"Before Mezzanotte showed up, the fresh pasta options in Georgetown were slim to none. So if you find yourself in the neighborhood, it's a romantic spot where you can share reginette with pork and beef ragu, candy-like charred carrots with ricotta and rye crisp shards, and cocktails that have a great balance of refreshment and bite. It's especially useful if you want some silence and candlelight (and bolognese) on your next date night." - aimee rizzo, gabe guarente

"Northern Italian dishes are Mezzanotte’s specialty, and the Georgetown restaurant has two different $150 five-course menus in store for New Year’s Eve. One features the likes of braised beef cheek with vanilla parsnip puree, while the other includes a black truffle lasagna. Either way you can sit indoors or in the “Garden Cathedral,” the restaurant’s plant-filled heated and covered patio. Go here to book." - Eater Staff, Harry Cheadle

"Georgetown needed somewhere to grab a bowl of pasta the same way every basketball team needs somebody who is 6’8, can defend multiple positions, and shoot threes—those players make any team better, and bolognese makes any neighborhood better. Thankfully, Mezzanotte is the Italian restaurant that Georgetown was waiting for. Pasta is front and center here, and you’ll find plates ranging from casarecce with mushrooms to risotto with nettles, though the two most noteworthy pastas are the reginette and the tajarin—albeit for different reasons. The reginette is hands-down the best pasta on the menu, with a comforting beef and pork ragu that’s ideal for splitting with your lover on a gray winter evening. The tajarin al cotello, on the other hand, should thrive in its simplicity, with thin noodles tossed in sage butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano. And yet, the pasta strands clump together awfully fast, with butter separating at the bottom of the bowl. This is a shame, and even more of a surprise when you find out that the chef ran Spinasse’s kitchen for five years, mastering the exact same dish every night. To go with all of the pasta, Mezzanotte has a solid lineup of seasonal small plates that stretch beyond typical Italian appetizers like burrata, even though they also serve burrata. The vegetables here excel the most—our favorites being the plate of charred carrots with a garlicky ricotta sauce and towers of crispy rye crackers, and brussels sprouts in a rich bagna cauda. You’ll just want to avoid the inconsistently salted focaccia and the sliced-too-thick prosciutto, as these could have been perfect meal-enhancers, but instead highlight some frustrating miscalculations. But even though it’s not a complete slam dunk, if you live in the immediate area, Mezzanotte is a convenient spot to have in your rotation. Use it for a cold-weather date night at the bar with someone who you have irrationally heated debates about pasta shapes with, or take advantage of their brick patio for al fresco cavatelli-eating in the summer. And just like any basketball player who adds new skills every offseason, we're hopeful that Mezzanotte's constantly changing menu will bring hits that don't even exist yet. Food Rundown photo credit: Nate Watters Focaccia Della Casa A fluffy and airy but inconsistently salted piece of bread worth ordering only if you want something to mop up pasta sauce with. Piatto Di Prosciutto This prosciutto di San Daniele is sliced a bit too thick to enjoy the meltiness that comes with its high price tag ($18). Skip this in favor of other small plates. photo credit: Nate Watters Slow Roasted Carrots These charred carrots are soft, slightly sweet, and taste delicious scooped with some of the ricotta agliata they sit in. Rye crisps tower above the vegetables and add crunch. Order this for the table. photo credit: Nate Watters Cavoletti Di Bruxelles Perfectly cooked brussels sprouts in a puddle of bagna cauda and pine nuts. It’s another solid appetizer that you should order before you jump into pasta. photo credit: Nate Watters Reginette This is the best pasta here by far. The curly-edged shapes absorb the rich pork and beef ragu nicely, and make for a satisfying bowl of carbs. If we found ourselves in the neighborhood at dinnertime, we’d gladly pop in to eat this solo at the bar. photo credit: Nate Watters Cavatelli Mezzanotte’s ricotta cavatelli preparation changes seasonally—expect it mixed with things like rabbit sausage and greens, or Calabrian chilies and roasted hazelnuts. We’ve always been satisfied by it. Tajarin Al Cotello This thin pasta coated in sage, butter, and Parmiggiano feels like every Drake album—it has all the makings of a hit, but ultimately it’s a bit of a letdown. The butter unpleasantly pools at the bottom, which makes us wish it were tossed more thoroughly. If you really want a great tajarin with sage and butter, just go to Spinasse." - Carlo Mantuano