Galileo's

Food critics mention Galileo as one of the best Italian restaurants in the country and Roberto Donna as one of the nation's best chefs. The likable Donna opened the white-walled grottolike Galileo in 1984; since then, he has opened other restaurants in the area, including Il Radicchio on Capitol Hill. He's also written a cookbook, and has established himself as an integral part of Washington culture. Donna cures his own ham for salami and prosciutto, and his sausages, pastas, mozzarella, marmalades, and breads are all made in-house. Galileo has long featured the cuisine of Donna's native Piedmont region, an area in northern Italy influenced by neighboring France and Switzerland -- think truffles, hazelnuts, porcini mushrooms, and veal. But at the time of my research, spring of 2004, Donna was preparing Neapolitan cuisine. Some examples: roasted rack of lamb served with a porcini mushroom tart in a black olive sauce; homemade raviolis filled with buffalo ricott ... more

Food critics mention Galileo as one of the best Italian restaurants in the country and Roberto Donna as one of the nation's best chefs. The likable Donna opened the white-walled grottolike Galileo in 1984; since then, he has opened other restaurants in the area, including Il Radicchio on Capitol Hill. He's also written a cookbook, and has established himself as an integral part of Washington culture. Donna cures his own ham for salami and prosciutto, and his sausages, pastas, mozzarella, marmalades, and breads are all made in-house. Galileo has long featured the cuisine of Donna's native Piedmont region, an area in northern Italy influenced by neighboring France and Switzerland -- think truffles, hazelnuts, porcini mushrooms, and veal. But at the time of my research, spring of 2004, Donna was preparing Neapolitan cuisine. Some examples: roasted rack of lamb served with a porcini mushroom tart in a black olive sauce; homemade raviolis filled with buffalo ricotta, ham, and mozzarella in a meat ragu; Mediterranean dorade fish baked in foil with mussels. Whether your menu features Neapolitan or Piedmontese dishes, you will have the choice of ordering a la carte, or from three fixed price menus, $65 for four courses, $75 for five courses, and $85 for six courses. The cellar boasts more than 400 vintages of Italian wine. The atmosphere is relaxed; some diners are dressed in jeans, others in suits. Waiters can be supercilious, though. less

Rated by others as one of the best Italian restaurants in the world (ranked in the Top Twenty), Galileo's is certainly a place for a special occasion. Roberta Dona has created a well-dicersified menu that shows off his talents. The menu is complemented by an extensive wine list and there are some some very good values among the selection offered. I recently had a birthday party celebration there with eight guests at the Chef's Table (in the kitchen proper). The service and attentiveness of the staff was fantastic. The group chose a sampler offering consiting a four very different entrees that showcased what good food is all about. Each dish was well prepared and well presented. For dessert, the group shared a melodie of desserts ( and proceeded to pass the seven different selections from person to person so everyone had a taste of each). The guest of honor was presented a tiramisu repleat with candle and accompanied by a tympany of pots and pans being banged while the ki ... more

Rated by others as one of the best Italian restaurants in the world (ranked in the Top Twenty), Galileo's is certainly a place for a special occasion. Roberta Dona has created a well-dicersified menu that shows off his talents. The menu is complemented by an extensive wine list and there are some some very good values among the selection offered. I recently had a birthday party celebration there with eight guests at the Chef's Table (in the kitchen proper). The service and attentiveness of the staff was fantastic. The group chose a sampler offering consiting a four very different entrees that showcased what good food is all about. Each dish was well prepared and well presented. For dessert, the group shared a melodie of desserts ( and proceeded to pass the seven different selections from person to person so everyone had a taste of each). The guest of honor was presented a tiramisu repleat with candle and accompanied by a tympany of pots and pans being banged while the kitched staff sang a chorus of Happ Birthday to the delight of everyone. The evening was expensive but I came away with the distinct impression that we got what we had paid for and more! Save your pennies (and a lot of dollars) for a special and enjoyable evening of gourmet dining! less