(Reprinting one of our favorites.)
OK, let’s start a fight over the best Italian restaurant in town. Maggiano’s on Wisconsin Ave. is a contender. Carmine’s on 7th St. N.W. is a fan favorite. But I’m going with Filomena in Georgetown.
I first heard of this small, intimate restaurant was from a local on one of my tours. Her parents are from Italy and will only eat at Filomena. The more I asked about the place just below the intersection of Wisconsin & Ms. Sts. N.W. near the bridge, the more people raved about it. One friend sent me five strategies to eating there like forget the bread, concentrate on the main course and save room for dessert. They were all good tips.
I chose lasagna. The best one I’ve ever eaten was in a bar in Florence, Italy, but Filomena is a close second. It has both red meat and white cheese sauce that splits the lasagna evenly. The pasta is so light it’s like pastry and it’s still hard to eat the entire dish. In fact, half made it home for lunch another day.
As for dessert, my diabetes made me pass, but they sure looked good.
Out-of-towners ask me often of good places to eat. Filomena will be my top Italian recommendation.
