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Aventino
Italian
An emerald-green bar anchors this clubby Roman-inspired dining room in downtown Bethesda, the kind of place where an Aperol spritz arrives before you've settled into your seat. The chef behind D.C.'s Red Hen runs the kitchen, and pasta is the main event, though the snacky bar bites and a lunchtime cheeseburger that has no business being this good keep things interesting. Upscale Italian without the starch.
Two honors, in evidence:
The record strongest first
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.
- Washingtonian #60 · 100 Very Best Restaurants
One number, weighted & current 77
How we scoreThe dishes from the writeups
- Risotto fritters Washingtonian, 2026
- Tomato flatbread Washingtonian, 2026
Nearby in the record closest first
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- Silver and Sons BBQ Eat · 66
- Opal New American Eat · 69
- Birdsong Thai Eat · 64
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