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Food - Lavagna - Washington DC, Washington, DC

Lavagna - Washington DC

4.5 (1521)
$30 and under
Italian
539 8th St, SE, Washington, DC 20003

About this restaurant

  • Romantic
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Innovative
Lavagna is a neighborhood gathering place where you'll always find delicious food & the best of company.

The beautiful, Genoan village of Lavagna has long been known for its abundant slate production, quarried in the Capenardo and S. Giacomo mountains nearby. Over the years, "Lavagna" became synonymous with "chalkboard".

The menu at Lavagna portrays our idea that food should be just like a chalkboard: simple, fresh, and innovated often.

Lavagna relies on a network of trusted local farmers for the ingredients that form the basis of our simple, contemporary Italian dishes. Our ever-changing menu reflects the best that the season has to offer.

Voted Best Italian in the 2015 AND 2016 AND 2017 Best of DC Washington City Paper Reader's Poll!

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Wine Bar, Contemporary Italian
  • Hours of operation
    Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Please contact us for more information www.LavagnaDC.com info@LavagnaDC.com 202-546-5006
  • Private party facilities
    We would be thrilled to invite you to plan an evening in one of our private event spaces. We do not charge room fees to use our event space. www.lavagnadc.com info@LavagnaDC.com 202-546-5006
  • Neighborhood
    Capitol Hill
  • Cross street
    G St
  • Parking details
    Street parking available, but scarce on weekends. Metered lot located 1 1/2 blocks south (under the highway). Valet parking available for all of Barracks row on Friday and Saturday night. Valet stand located directly across the street.
  • Public transit
    1 Block south of Eastern Market Metro, with a Circulator/Metro bus stop directly out front.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Lavagna - Washington DC.

4.5

4.5
(1521)
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 3.2Value

Noise • Moderate

1,472 Reviews
  1. NancyH Gold

    Washington DC16 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on August 6, 2022

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    I had a friend come from out of town, and she wanted to find an amazing brunch. I've always enjoyed my time here for brunch or dinner, so I thought this would be perfect. When we arrived, the restaurant was calm and only a few people sat. However, the inside server/bartender quickly got swamped and it seemed like there was no one to help him. We ordered the pancakes because of the marscapone Nutella topping, but our order didn't have any. We thought it might be cooked in, so we ate about half of it before we decided they were just plain boring pancakes. Since he was so swamped, it took us nearly 25 minutes to even flag him down. We got the topping, which was great, might I add...but I don't know that it was good enough to upscale those pancakes. We ended up leaving before a second drink or ordering more food just because of the wait for everything. I don't fault him, he was doing his best...however, there might need to be a little more support for your brunch staff a bit sooner, even if they're just helping prep the drinks. We ended up having to flag down who I thought was a manager, but turned out he was the outside server? Either way, both gentleman were friendly, but the wait and the food left more to be desired.

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  2. MRich Gold

    Washington DC14 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 16, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Came here for brunch on a Saturday morning. Wasn’t that many people there at the time so it was fairly quiet. They have pretty affordable prices for dc with really good food. I’ve always enjoyed their food and they have a great bottomless mimosa option. Always love my time here.

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  3. GDB101 Gold

    Washington DC27 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 3, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely PHENOMENAL food and service! All the pasta is made on site, so it is amazing and fresh! I had the ravioli, which was delicious. My husband had the bolognese sauce over a flat pasta, which rivals any made in Italy. Would definitely return and would definitely recommend.

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  4. DRacer

    Houston36 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 1, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great restaurant, perfect place to grab some awesome food before the Marine Barracks Parade. Food was amazing and the service was top notch.

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  5. DCRunner

    Washington DC21 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 17, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Good food, able to get same day reservations. Calamari was delish!

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  6. WilliamM Gold

    New York City35 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 11, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Nice setting and the waiter was very attentive until the end and took awhile to get check. Bread they brought out was good even without oil! I had sausage rigatoni and it was excellent had nice spice and the homemade pasta was good.

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  7. Aviddiner Gold

    Philadelphia175 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on June 11, 2022

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Having frequented Lavagna for over 10 years, it is particularly distressing to write this review. It started badly because the manager ignored our request for outdoor seating with a take it or leave it attitude. The surly server forgot my drink until being reminded, the pesto sauce had a strange non-basil component, the seasonal kale dish was fibrously inedible and I overheard the manager refusing another diner the password for internet because” the internet is only for credit card checks”. The new management is more bureaucratic than welcoming. The restaurant appears to have sacrificed its cozy warmth along with the food quality!!

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  8. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 10, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Waiter was funny food was excellent

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 10, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Easy seating. Very quick service. Food was absolutely delicious. Bread was great.

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  10. RayRay1979

    Washington DC3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 5, 2022

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lavagna is my favorite brunch spot and also one of my favorite restaurants in Capitol Hill. The food (made from a scratch kitchen - everything, even the ketchup!) is always delicious, the service (especially Chandler!) is always friendly & efficient, and the ambience is warm and welcoming. I've brought many friends & visiting family to eat here & everyone is always impressed.

    Is this helpful?

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Wine Bar, Contemporary Italian
  • Hours of operation
    Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Please contact us for more information www.LavagnaDC.com info@LavagnaDC.com 202-546-5006
  • Private party facilities
    We would be thrilled to invite you to plan an evening in one of our private event spaces. We do not charge room fees to use our event space. www.lavagnadc.com info@LavagnaDC.com 202-546-5006
  • Neighborhood
    Capitol Hill
  • Cross street
    G St
  • Parking details
    Street parking available, but scarce on weekends. Metered lot located 1 1/2 blocks south (under the highway). Valet parking available for all of Barracks row on Friday and Saturday night. Valet stand located directly across the street.
  • Public transit
    1 Block south of Eastern Market Metro, with a Circulator/Metro bus stop directly out front.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Washington, D.C. Area
  4. District of Columbia
  5. Capitol Hill

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

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