Italian Restaurant Recommendations?

Can anyone recommend a fancy Italian restaurant in the area or surrounding areas, Leesburg, Herndon, Reston for a nice dinner? I'm not looking for any pizza places, or chains or someplace in a strip mall. Looking for something with an extensive menu and nice atmosphere for a dinner, similar to something like Filomena in the city, but closer. It there anything like that around here?

Or if you have any other restaurant recs that are not Italian I'm also looking for that too, someplace nice and fairly close that's similar to Tuskies or Lightfoot.
Thanks!

 

Dante's in Great Falls. On Walker Rd. somewhat behind Colvin Run Mill.

 

Fiore de Luna in Great Falls has excellent food. Although, I heard the ownership changed a few months ago, but the same chef is there. It's located on block north of Rt 7 on Georgetown Pike, so not deep in the heart of Great Falls. It's in a small, yet very nice shopping center.

There's Dante's, again in Great Falls. Wonderful food. In an old Victorian home at the corner of Colvin Run & Walker Roads.

 

Dante's is good! Also Zeferellis in Herndon.

 

We tried Ciro Ristorante in Stone Bridge awhile back and the food was pretty good. Not extremely fancy, but definitely finer dining.

 

One of my favorite restaurants for a somewhat special occasion is El Manantial in Reston. Here's the link to their website:

http://www.elmanantialrestaurant.com/home/index.html

It is really a combination of Spanish & Italian (with some French influence). The food really is something special, especially the homemade desserts. Fish dishes and lamb are also very good. Excellent wine list that includes plenty of Spanish & South American wines.

It's in the Oaks Village shopping center in Reston. However, don't let the strip mall exterior fool you--it's a nice place inside. I really cannot say enough about it. I've eaten there many times over the past few years and it never disappoints.

 

Ride out to Tysons and hit Maestro:

http://www.gruppoftf.com/

 

Bonaroti's in Vienna (on 123 just as you come into Vienna from Tyson's) never disappoints.

 

Zefferelli's in HERNDON!! Don't go to the leesburg location it is NOT the same. If Nino is working the front tell him Puccio recommended you go there. He's a friend of the family.....

 

interesting that the herndon location gets lots of recs. i've never tried that one because we went to leesburg and hated it. is the mgmt the same? menu similar?

 

We have not been in a couple of years but we frequented the Herndon Zeff's often (before child) and I can truly say we have never had a bad meal.

 

I love Zefirelli's in Herndon! We had a rotten experience at the Leesburg location.

Great, now I'm craving their veal chop!

 

Leesburg 'rant has same menu however a different chef who has a pissy attitude, plus the ambiance just doesn't do it for me in leesburg. The Herndon location has it all, plus the food and staff is soooo much better!

 

The Herndon one is wonderful place to go! Great romantic tables....good food, it's definitely not the same as the one in Leesburg.....

 

While the food at Zeff's was good, we will probably not be back because of the service we got when we visited. As soon as our waiter realized we would not be ordering alcohol, we were snubbed and basically forgotten for the rest of our meal. I was visibly VERY pregnant at the time, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise that I wouldn't be drinking. Either way, we were quite ticked.

 

Zefferelli's in Herndon is our favorite Italian restaurant. Been there many times and had superb food and service every time.