Dolce Vita

 

9

77

Matt S.

Fairfax, VA

I've been here only once, but I really do like Dolce Vita.  Make sure you get there early, so you can get a table because it was really crowded when we got there.  

Once seated, it was packed, but again...it's not a big store.  The service was fantastic, they answered all my annoying ex's questions with a smile.  I had the Fettuccine Ai Frutti Di Mare and it was REALLY good.  The wine selection was good and the server always kept my water glass full and asked if I needed any more wine.  Four glasses later, I finally stopped.

I can't wait to go back.  Check this place out sometime!

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3

39

Mary S.

Springfield, VA

We have been going here for years,and it is always crowded.  To me it is standard Italian food. The crowds may be because  that it is in the wilds of Fairfax with only chain restaurants as an option. My favorite is the Pizza Margarita-wood burning, thin crust.  My husband likes the pastas or one of the daily specials.  As others have mentioned the tables are very close together-we usually end up chatting with our neighboring tables-it would seem rude not to, considering the proximity, and you have to say "Excuse me" when you get up or when you are seated because there is not much room to negotiate between the tables.  

The reason for two stars is the cleanliness, or lack thereof.  There is a mural of sorts on the walls of the restaurant.  If you are sitting next to this mural-you will notice tomato sauce and other food stains on it-not very appetizing.  Another reason for lack of more stars is because there is a very annoying, roving guitar player/singer who is there on the weekends.  When we go-we go early so as to avoid having to listen to him.  If you enjoy old Beatles tunes, kitschy versions of  Volare (from the old car commercial) or Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini (no I am not kidding), he won't bother you that much.

The spelling errors on the daily specials menu are the highlight of the dinner.

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1

11

Adrianne W.

Burke, VA

I recently went to Dolce Vita for the first time.  I have Celiac Disease and need to be on a very strict gluten-free diet.  So, I generally shun any kind of Italian restaurant thinking that most of the food is pasta-based.  But, some friends recommended the food and I decided to check out the menu online.  They have a good variety of Italian dishes sans pasta.  That was a good sign.    

So, I called the restaurant to ask some questions about food prep up front (that's always easier for people with food sensitivities rather than waiting to get there and not getting someone's full attention during dinner rush).  The manager was really helpful and gave me some info about how they prepare the sauces and most of the dishes.  He also said that the wait staff would be able to answer any specific questions that I have once I get there.  

And - he was right.  Our server was wonderful!  He knew exactly what someone needed for a gluten-free dinner and was really attentive and helpful.  The meal was delicious.  

As for the atmosphere... well, as someone said before, there is some annoying guy with a guitar who strolls around singing random songs ( I was there on a Friday night).  I didn't really enjoy that - and it just added to the noisiness of such a crowded restaurant.  But, for someone who is dying to be able to eat a gluten-free meal at a local (non-chain) restaurant once in a while, I would put up with that again.

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0

48

art f.

Annandale, VA

A favorite - after a day hiking in the Shenandoah peeling off I-66 for a supper at Dolce Vita is always a treat. In many visits, I always have stuck with a salad and pizza or pasta.  The personal pizzas come in a wide variety of combinations and have always proven hearty and tasty.  Tables are close together - this is not the place to come for a romantic evening or  business dinner.  But for good Italian fare at a reasonable price it's hard to beat.

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Elite '08

17

253

Christine J.

Fort Belvoir, VA

This is a great Italian restaurant.  The pizza has a good thin crust.  The entrees are excellent.  Last time we went was on a Saturday night, there was a guitar guy singing Italian songs.  An excellent value.  If I lived closer I would definately go more often.

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0

14

r g.

Fairfax, VA

Awesome old-world Italian food with a wood-burning brick oven for pizza, which I get almost every time. Awesome pizza. Overall, probably the best, most reasonably-priced, casual Italian dining in northern Virginia. If someone can find something better, please tell me--because this place is better than the food in Sicily.

The lunch specials are also not to be missed. Their menu can be found on their website, but for example, $9.95--the most expensive "pricing category," you might call it--gets you veal parmigiana (excellent, btw!) or several other choices, noodles, a side salad, a small loaf of their homemade bread (though still enough for at least 2 people), and a drink. That's insane, especially for NoVA! And you can take out, too. The pizza lunch special, though noticeably smaller than the one at dinner, is still a steal, at $6.95.

Location is very convenient, too, just a few minutes from my office.

This is a staple for me. I get take-out at least once a week from this wonderful place.

One thing to note, however: one of the owners, who may have passed on or something since I last saw him, is not the nicest guy in the world. We once had a terrible experience while sitting in the cantina, the small building adjacent to the restaurant for "overflow" purposes from the main restaurant and for parties. There was a huge party of tournament-winning (or losing, we couldn't tell... they still seemed pretty happy), soccer-playing middle-schoolers in there, and they seated us in there anyway without a second thought. We could barely hear ourselves chew, and the meal was generally headache-inducing. We complained to one of the owners (one of whom is almost always there), the old one, and he was quite bristly and unaffected. This, despite our thousands of dollars in patronage? My family vowed never to return solely on this principle, but we eventually did. That particular owner may have died, as he was getting up there. But the other one is an awesome dude.

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