The wood-burning oven situated in the heart of Al Dente’s kitchen near our Connecticut Avenue apartments really serves as the focal point of the entire eatery. The chef uses it to cook Neapolitan pizzas to crispy and bubbly, roast seafood to perfectly tender, and sear meats in the true Italian tradition. So regardless of what you order, know that it will epitomize the spirit of classic Italian cuisine.

Start with a few antipasti, such as the fried zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta cheese, mint, and lemon or the freshly baked focaccia with sea salt, oregano, rosemary, and parmesan. Then share a Neapolitan pie such as the Melanzane, topped with roasted eggplant, olives, tomato, and fresh mozzarella, or the prosciutto pizza loaded with prosciutto Crudo, arugula, tomatoes, mozzarella, and fior di latte. Prefer a white pizza or calzone? Al Dente offers both of those, as well, alongside a roster of traditional Italian entrees and fresh pasta dishes. Dig into your choice of pasta tossed with squid, shrimp, mussels, clams, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and basil—AKA the “Calamarata”—or try something simpler, such as the rigatoni cacio e pepe.