Image: Charmed
Last Updated: January 2026
Overview:
For years, Floriana has been serving really good Italian food without much attention. What it lacks in buzz it makes up for in word of mouth among locals who keep this place busy, even on a random weeknight. Add in the patio for bunch on warmer days and it is the kind of spot every neighborhood wishes it had. And it is still pretty affordable.
There is a bit of an old-school charm about the century-old, multi-story building with walls painted red and creaky wood throughout. There is the low-key bar in the basement. The meal always starts with bread accompanied by house-made pesto.
The bread is only the start of the traditional menu that has apps, pastas, and mains. Here, small-plates are for bread. The food tends toward the hearty, and leftovers are a strong possibility based on the size of the dishes. That is not a bad thing. The cooking reflects the strong DNA of a restaurant open for four decades. It may go up and down, but to survive that long it will probably be good. There are stand-bys: fried calamari, salumi, pasta in “Sunday gravy.” Fish, duck and chicken are also good. The menu is largely stable, with few changes from season to season or year to year. Pastas made in-house are the heart of the menu, and where seasonality has more of an influence. The pasta itself tends to be a bit thicker and chewy than you might be accustomed to. On our late-autumn visit squash ravioli with big walnut chunks and sunchokes under marinara did their best to ease us into hibernation.
The wine list is a quirky mix of old world and new world. There are some work horses to cover the bases, but there are also a couple nice surprises mixed in. The service is solid. The bread is good and served with signature house-made pesto. The dessert list is limited with big squares of tiramisu and chocolate mouse the headliners.
Be on the lookout for a new outpost in Alexandria.
Other Guidance: Lots of steps to navigate in the old converted townhouse. GF will be challenged but can hunt through for a few choices, but vegetarians can find many options. It is neighborhood nice, with casual clothes thrown on and business suits worn on the way home all mixing.
Summary:
Cuisine: Italian
Neighborhood: Dupont
Address: 1602 17th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
Website: http://florianarestaurant.com/
Reservations: Opentable
Other Critics/Voices:
Washington Post: 2 Stars in 2011. Can’t be found on the Post site.
Washingtonian: 2023 14 Must-Try Classics for DC Winter Restaurant Week