Came here with reservations on a Saturday night and was seated immediately. It wasn't too busy but also not empty. The meal comes with bread and olive oil/parm cheese for you to blend into a dip. The bread was not too bad but not fresh hot out of the oven or anything. We ordered a variety of food: Appetizer: Fried calamari: pretty ordinary, nothing bad but nothing that stood out either, just your typical calamari like any other restaurant. The calamari did seem pretty fresh though. Mussels: the mussel flavor was a tad bland but the mussels themselves were quite large and plump. Minestrone soup: a little watered down tasting, could have been a bit thicker but this may just be personal opinion Entree: Spaghetti pomodoro with meat sauce: the meat sauce was delicious, packed with flavor. The portion was generous and this may have been the simplest yet most delicious of our entree. Fettuccine Alfredo o el pesto with chicken, linguine alla vongole and the frutti di mare pasta were all a bit bland and too buttery for our taste. The service was was pretty good though. We used the yelp $10 for $20 deal with no issues.
(3)
Stephanie C.
This sweet, unassuming place almost disappears off a side street in Bethesda, but the bright, green awning beckons. Inside is a lovely little restaurant with home cooked Italian food. Independently run, La Panetteria harkens back to the days of neighborhood places where regulars went for a night out. The food here is nicely prepared and rarely disappoints. Bethesda still has more than a fair share of Italian restaurants--many good. But this one endures while chains and lesser offerings come and go. It's been around for decades and one hopes it will still be standing after all the demolition and re-concepting going on around it is over. Hopefully, we'll still have La Panetteria to go to.
(5)
Peggi S.
Delicious Italian food! The fresh bread olive oil and cheese on table is awesome. Will be back...love this place. Even the staff was friendly, courteous and attentive.
(5)
Adrienne L.
3.5 stars A great go-to restaurant for Italian in Bethesda. The people who work there are very kind and didn't rush us out the door for the hour we stayed after getting our check. (We had a carafe of wine to finish!) I ordered the chicken that came in a lemon caper sauce, but the sauce was a bit too sweet for me. I expected more of a bite, but the meal was still tasty. My friend cleaned her plate of spaghetti and meatballs, so no complaints there. For dessert, we split an amazing eclair. It was the perfect amount of food at a good price. I've also heard this is a cute Valentine's Day restaurant, as they give red roses to all female diners that day. :)
(3)
Ben K.
I don't give out 5 stars lightly, but their rollatini alla casa (crab/lobster) was out of this world amazing. I'd say it was the best dish I've had in months.
(5)
Dan M.
3.5 stars, but I round up because they gave ladies a rose on Valentines Day. For appetizer, we shared the grilled calamari. I don't think I've ever had calamari served any way but fried, so I was very intrigued. It didn't disappoint. I went with the lasagna for dinner, and it is a no frills bowl of beef lasagna. That said, the cheese is good, the sauce wasn't too oily, and it tasted good, just like I remember mom making at home. While I gobbled it down like a ravenous ten year old, when I'm eating out I do hope to get something better than we could whip up at home. My date tried the chicken parmesan, and though I normally can't stand parmesan, the cheese flavor was very subdued here, and the chicken was quite good. This one comes with a small side of assorted veggies, which tasted good when dipped in sauce but were just steamed and unseasoned. We ended things with a chocolate mousse cake, which was rich and decadent, just what we were looking for. When you're ordering dessert, they bring around a plate with all their choices. They had quite a few that looked good, including a caramel custard that looked really tempting, but I just don't like when restaurants bring around the choices. It makes me question how fresh their desserts really are. Regardless, we tried one, and it was satisfying. Minus one bonus point because the bread they gave us at the beginning was stale. Finally, the tables are a tad too close for comfort (a lot of waiters whizzing right past your face as you dine), and the decor is a bit too old and stuffy to really set a romantic atmosphere, but it gets the job done if you're looking for Italian classics done right. We enjoyed ourselves, but there's not much to entice us back in.
(4)
Joseph C.
We got the manicotti, and pasta w vodka sauce. The spinach and cheese manicotti was amazing. The bread was fresh and hot. The tomatoes in the salad were very fresh and delicious.
(4)
Amy S.
All I have to say was this was BY FAR the best Italian dinner I have ever had. I spent a very memorable Valentine's day here and my sister and I enjoy coming to La Panetteria when she comes to DC.
(5)
Carmen Z.
I honestly don't know how yelp put together such a good rating for this place. The service here was terrible. The food did not impress me. This would be the first, and last time I shall visit this place.
(1)
Brittany S.
This was a wonderful little restaurant! It was my first time here and I went to lunch with some colleagues in the area... I was VERY impressed! I ordered off menu, as I'm a vegetarian but really like mushrooms sooo I ordered the gnocchi but with mushrooms and a vodka sauce instead of regular red sauce and it was TO DIE FOR! I made everyone at the table try it and they all loved it! It's got the cozy feel of a real Italian restaurant, like ones I've visited in Florence etc. The price was also incredibly affordable (my entree was 10.95) and the staff was ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! If I didn't live all the way in Arlington I would work this restaurant into my regular date rotation! LOVE IT, will try to get back!
(5)
Renee M.
Cockroaches! I killed one on the floor in front of the bar. One of the waiters walked by it and flipped it out of the way. That did it for me!
(1)
Evelyn R.
If I could give this restaurant 0/5 stars I would. The only thing they have going for them are the kind waitstaff. The decor is tacky, and it was so humid in there I wanted to leave, and I was just getting carryout - I was waiting for 30 minutes (a LONG time). On to the meal... I got the vegetable pizza and eggplant parmesan, being a vegetarian. The portions were generous, I'll give them that. But the pasta that was served with the eggplant parmesan was watery, not cooked well, and easily came from a store bought box. I eat barilla pasta a lot at home, so I know Barilla pasta when I have it. That WAS definitely barilla pasta. How can you take 30 minutes to give me carryout if all you have to do it boil water to drop pre cooked pasta in? It did not stop there. The sauce on the pasta was tasteless and bland and lacked the seasoning you would expect of Italian tomato sauce, that you would expect of an Italian restaurant. The eggplant parmesan was mediocre; I could have made better eggplant parmesan and I only have experience watching the Food Network and cooking for my family. I do not know who hired the chef, but he/she did not go to culinary school, is not Italian, and should be fired. The pizza was HORRIBLE; I can equate this pizza to that of Domino's. I got a large, but I should have gotten none. The vegetables on the pizza were overcooked and old; you could taste how they were NOT fresh, at all. The cheese was disgusting and stringy and cheap and not of high quality at all. Again, I could hands down make a better pizza than this. Thinking back on it, I bet Domino's does and has made better pizza than this crap. I'm sorry this is so harsh, but avoid going here - the food is TERRIBLE and is most definitely not worth the price; cook some barilla pasta at home and get the same effect.
(1)
Dave S.
I have never had a bad meal here. The fungi misti appetizer is delicious, as is the simple, yet delicious, salad dressing and the entrees are always more than satisfying. My wife and I always leave here full and happy and love the friendly service.
(4)
Chris M.
Had an excellent dinner with the wife here. Ambience is great, service is attentive, and our food was great. The lamb shank and risotto special was awesome, and my wife loved her shrimp and lobster special. Would have been 5 stars if it was just a hair less pricey.
(4)
Soy L.
The veal parmigiana was decent, at best. Service was excellent. It's a nice looking place, and good for a date.
(3)
Kara S.
I really don't mind that the decor was dated, but the menu was also dated. The appetizer choices were mostly fried and the salads we got with our meals were boring. The main meat dishes were okay, but not amazing and the marinara sauce that came with the pasta was bland. The broccoli we ordered for the children was obviously frozen. It was a good place to bring the kids, but we are glad that we did not choose this restaurant for a special occasion. I don't think we will return.
(2)
Wendy W.
Great Italian food for an early Saturday night family dinner with the kids. delicious meals, attentive service. nice old-fashioned feeling. We will go back.
(3)
Heather J.
We really enjoyed La Panetteria. I had been to the restaurant before, but not for a long time. I was pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. We were greeted by a very friendly waiter, who took us right to our table. Within seconds, we had a basket of warm bread with olive oil and parmesan cheese. We decided to share the minestrone to start. It's a large portion, so it's definitely enough for two to share for an appetizer. It was so, SO good. It's total comfort food - the kind of soup you crave on a cold winter night. I would go back just for that soup. For our entrees, we got the chicken marsala and one of the specials - a portabella mushroom ravioli with chicken, tomatoes, and spinach in a tomato cream sauce. The raviolis were homemade and delicious. The chicken marsala was wonderful, as well. As I was sitting at the table after dinner, I checked in on Yelp and noticed the restaurant was offering a Yelp deal, so I snapped that up for my next trip to La Panetteria. It will be soon, I hope!
(4)
Jess Y.
Solid 4 stars. Atmosphere: Very cozy and inviting. It was romantic but not in a suffocating way. Could be a great place for a nice family dinner out or for a sweet date. On an early Saturday night, it was pretty quiet but relaxing. Food: They started us off with bread (including focaccia slices) with olive oil and parm. The bread wasn't as warm as I would have liked, but it was still nice to munch on! I love focaccia bread! We had a Groupon for two glasses of house wine and two entrees. Prices are a bit steep, but they were worth it with the Groupon deal. The entrees both started us off with a nice salad. I am pretty picky about dressing but I really liked their homemade vinaigrette. I ordered the Scallopine Alla Saltimbocca (Veal slices with prosciutto and provolone cheese in a white wine sauce). The veal was delicious with the melted provolone and prosciutto--I mean proscuitto makes anything taste amazing! It also came with a side of veggies and pasta (with red sauce). I was a little confused that the pasta came with red sauce rather than just complementing the white wine sauce with the veal, but it was still delicious. I must say though that the veal was a little thin... My dining partner ate the Riso Pescatore (rice with shrimp, fish, clams, scallops, mussels in livornese sauce). It was deliciously creamy and chock full of yummy seafood. I might have secretly stolen a few bites from his dish. Overall, the portions were perfect. Not too much but not too little. Just enough to satisfy your appetite. I was curious about the desserts but we were too full to enjoy them. Service: Our waiter was always prompt and very helpful.
(4)
Yumi M.
This is a gem in Bethesda for sure. Located apart from the "downtown" Bethesda, the decor outside the restaurant sure makes it cute. The inside was bigger than I expected, a perfect place for a nice dinner date. They bring you bread to start off the meal, which was very good, but wish it was warm. Ordered mussels with white wine sauce which was on point, flavorful sauce. Raviolini (I believe with pink sauce) and lasagna was delicious too but the lasagna has a somewhat sour tomato taste. All in all, my hub and I had an amazing dinner date here and would absolutely recommend to anyone looking to have a more quiet, chill, yet romantic date.
(4)
Laura K.
I was going to give La Panatteria Ristorante 1 star because the owner really upset my party and I, but the service and food was great until the very end therefore I will concede and give them a 2 star rating. My friends and I were celebrating a friend's birthday yesterday (2/23/2014) and I have to say, the food and service was great until the end of the night. We were a party of 14 and had brought two cakes with us (something we normally do for birthday celebrations) to celebrate the birthday. When we arrived the host was very nice to us and agreed to hold our cakes in the back until we were ready for it. We had appetizers, drinks and dinner, and all was well. When it was time for the cake, we asked the server to bring out the cakes. She brought out the cake and we sang happy birthday to the birthday girls. As the cake was being served, the server informed one of us that there would be a $2 fee/person for them serving the cake for us. I had never had of this before. The server informed me that I could speak to the owner since that was their policy and there was nothing she could do. I talked to the owner of the place, Harry and explained our confusion regarding this cake service fee. He informed us that that was the industry wide standard and that, at which point i informed him that we had never heard of such a fee before. I explained to him that i knew of the industry-wide 18% gratuity restaurants add for large parties which is usually written in the menu so there is never any confusion regarding the tip that shows up on your check at the end of the night. He countered my response by telling me that they provided us with great service and that was part of the fee for the courtesy of them serving us our cake. I then asked him why no one had informed us of the fee when making the reservation or when they took our cakes, and he said that he does not know why but that is their policy. I informed him we would pay the fee but they should not sneak in such fees without informing the customer before hand. My party was a little unhappy when I informed them about the cake service fee because we all felt that it was underhanded for them to tell us about the fee after and not before, at which point Harry came over to try and explain himself again. He apparently got frustrated with us because he said, "it is only $11". Not sure how he came up with that random number or even why he made such a statement because it only got us more upset. So one of my friends asked for his name, at which point he says Harry but refused to give her his last name. His attitude was flat out unprofessional and him refusing to tell us his last name is a clear indication something was amiss. For anyone celebrating birthdays here please be sure to ask about the $2/person cake service fee just so you don't get blindsided like we did.
(2)
Debi R.
Went for my hubby's birthday with another couple. Everyone was delighted with their food, the atmosphere and the staff. We all decided we will go back.
(4)
Jay B.
The food and service have been great, and I like the decor. A bit pricey but my pasta came with bread and a salad. The house red was very good.
(5)
Beth K.
Been here on two occasions. My husband's parents wanted to have Italian for the rehearsal dinner when we got married last month. We scouted out a few places in Bethesda and decided to check this place out. Four of us came for dinner during the week and were seated in the long front space. We liked the ambiance and the bread variety. The house wine was fairly drinkable and the food was pretty good. We ordered the anti pasta tray, the fried zucchini and some calamari for the table. The anti pasta was huge! (To be fair, I got the risotto special and actually didn't like mine. It was like rice with red sauce, not the creamy, buttery risotto I am used to. But everyone else liked theirs.) Due to general laziness, and the fact that we were told we could book that front room for the dinner, we went ahead and chose this place for our rehearsal dinner. The way they do their private parties is rather odd: "We have three semi private rooms, the minimum for each room is 25 ,38 and 50 and max is 35,48,65 respectively." I asked what would we do if we had 36 people... I didn't get a response. They stuck us in this odd horseshoe shaped area in the back, it was decidedly NOT cute. I figured that since it was a Friday night in early January and we were bringing 30+ people in to eat and drink, they could have done us the courtesy of giving us the room we wanted. This is water under the bridge, though, and didn't matter in the end. We ended up just going there, because I didn't care to do any more research. People seemed to like it, and have a good time. I had some fish dish that wasn't memorable, but then again, my mind was on other things :) Would I go again? Probably not.
(3)
Perry P.
I had to check this place out last Friday night after reading all the positive reviews on Yelp. I love Italian food and I was on my way to Olazzo in Bethesda, which I have previously reviewed favorably here. However, this night, I thought we would try something new. La Panetteria has the feel and ambiance of a place that has been around for a long time. The decor is a little droopy and it feels old fashioned. These are not bad things when it is a great family restaurant that can stay in business for generations.... i don't know if that is the story here, but it feels that way. The food was meh --- okay. I had lasagna and DH had some penne with cream sauce dish. Both were passable -- not the worst food I have ever had, but not the best. Both served piping hot and my lasagna had a rich sauce that was very smooth -- did not seem like the type of sauce that was homemade, but I may be mistaken. I didn't ask if they make their own sauces... The salad that came with the meal was basic and they serve the dressing on the side. Again, not necessarily a bad thing, until I realized that the dressing dish is a communal bowl that they set on every table -- just like those bowls or shakers of "cheese" that every Italian place feels like they must have out. I am NOT a germaphobe by any means, but the thought of how many people have dipped into that dressing kinda skeeved me out. i just don't think that is the most hygienic presentation..... Perhaps they should put your individual portion in a small ramekin on your plate. Desserts were a total let down. Clearly brought in from somewhere outside and sitting there for a while. Blueberry Cheesecake was dry and sad and the chocolate mousse cake was dry and boring. Overall, friendly, attentive service. Family friendly and a place that your parents would have gone to for 20 years. But certainly not the most special place for a Friday evening out.....
(2)
Alexandra B.
This is a really sweet Italian restaurant in Bethesda, and we will definitely be coming back. The atmosphere is nice and intimate, with quaint but attractive decorations throughout the restaurant. There is one room for bigger parties and one for smaller, more intimate tables, which is nice because you don't get overwhelmed by noise from the bigger groups. The place is definitely full on a Saturday night, but I did not feel cramped and neither did my boyfriend. The setup was much better-designed than other restaurants I've seen. There are lovely murals all over the walls, nice lighting, and classic decor. Overall, I found it charming and relaxing. The service was very good. The servers are dressed very formally, but it sets up a good atmosphere, and dressing up is not required for customers. I would not suggest going here if you're in a rush, but the pace felt more leisurely rather than slow. I was also pleased because I felt more confident that things were very fresh since it took so long. We asked for recommendations from the waiter and he gave good advice. The food was overall really good. I know there have been some complaints about the bread, but I thought it was perfectly tasty, especially with olive oil. For appetizers, my boyfriend had the calamari, which he thought was very tender. I had the fried zucchini, which was probably the only thing I didn't like. It wasn't overly well-seasoned and the breading was falling off. The marinara sauce was very yummy, though. Our entrees came with salads, which were pretty standard but good. I really enjoyed the vinaigrette, though, and you could tell it was made in-house. For dinner, I had the pasta with wild mushrooms and garlic sauce, which was DELICIOUS. I was very pleased, especially since they do home-make their own pasta. I could definitely tell because the pasta had an excellent consistency. The sauce was very flavorful and the mushrooms had a great taste, too. My boyfriend had the veal tortellini with cream sauce, which he liked very much, too. Overall, a very lovely meal. We will definitely be back.
(4)
Laurie J.
Horrible dining experience!! Food was awful and service was deplorable! Service and food are a direct reflection of owner/manager!
(1)
Emily G.
Super surprised when I dropped in with a friend around this past Christmas. We've been going as our hang out and have girl time spot ever since! She loves the lasagna and I think the fettuccine Alfredo is amazing! I would definitely suggest eating out here.
(5)
Jordan M.
Awful food. Awful service. I could get both better in the frozen food aisle at my local grocery store. Definitely will never be back!
(1)
Preeya K.
Wonderful bread and salad plus great service. I ordered the lamb shank with risotto and linguini with crab and lobster. The lamb was perfectly done and the seafood dish had plenty of morsels and whole pieces of claw meat. Definitely one of the best Italian places in Bethesda
(4)
Abhi K.
I have been to this wonderful restaurant twice now. The place is a little small, but that just means it is cozy. And despite its size, it can still support large groups. We had a group of 6 the first time I went there and a group of 17 the second time. The food is amazing. So far, I have tried the gnocchi (fantastic), linguini with clams (plenty of clams and a light sauce though it could have used more lemon juice), cannoli (amazing), and the appetizer plate that had fried mozzarella, fried cheese, fried zucchini, calamari, white pizza and basil/tomato. The servers are across the board friendly and competent. One server exchanged our wine when we by our own mistake ordered the wrong carafe! There are so many places in Bethesda, but I have a feeling I will be coming back to this one
(5)
Izzat A.
Went here tonight to get some grub. Really like the atmosphere. Very intimate and romantic. The tables are kind of small though. My server was great. Attentive but not pushy. They were swamped so food took a lil while to come out. I got the chicken alfredo and I can honestly say it was the best I've ever had. Came with a side salad too. Pretty pricey at $17. Got a canoli to and it was very good. I had a Groupon so it saved me $10. Total would have come out to $30 for one person, that's a lil steep imo. I'll come back. Finally found another italian place besides Olazzo that I like in the dc area.
(4)
Michael J.
This place feels like its right out of the 1970's-- not that there's anything wrong with that per se; however, even if you're in the mood for their '70s throwback style Italian menu, this place comes up short on the execution. Nothing gross, just underwhelming and really expensive for what it is. Freakin iceberg lettuce salad with your choice of Italian or Italian dressing, kinda says it all.
(2)
Kate A.
Just a good ol' Italian restaurant: they have an extensive menu (including desserts, but make sure to order the cannoli! It's not on the menu!), and the decor is fun since the walls are painted to look like Venice. I'd definitely go back!
(4)
H D.
The atmosphere is good, but the food is average at best. We ordered margitta pizza and 1 inch thick slices of tomato's on it. The pasta sauce was very blant with no taste. I have eaten better italian for much cheaper else where. For some reason I feel like the food has this frozen feel to it, like it was just warmed up in the oven.
(2)
Linda A.
Three adult foodies enjoyed a meal on Sunday. The three of us try many restaurants; from chains to The Inn at Little Washington! The service, wine, well prepared appetizers, entrees, dessert, and coffee were very good. The atmosphere is pleasant and not too loud.
(4)
A C.
Lovely waitress, terrible ambiance, miniscule portions of veal, terrible salad, ok rum cake. This restaurant really needs Gordan Ramsey to pay them a visit. There were flies buzzing about, very loud sounds of tables been bussed and generally poor management.
(1)
Roxanna S.
My friend and I were looking for a good Italian restaurant last night and we came across Panetteria. We were greeted by a very friendly host who sat us down immediately. We were in the garden room, which is beautiful!! It really felt like we were in Italy. After reading some of the reviews about the bread I have to disagree because when I went the bread was moist, not stale at all. I have been to a few restaurants in this area and comparable Panetteria bread was wonderful. Next, we ordered our entrees. I ordered the Tortellini with cream sauce and my friend ordered the muscles with tomato sauce. I have to say the Tortellini was AMAZING!!!! I am pretty picky when it comes to pasta, but I must say everything was great from the sauce to the tortellini itself. My friend had the muscles, she said they were delicious and ate them all. Overall I had a wonderful experience at Panetteria and I will definitely be back very soon.
(5)
Dee B.
The side room of La Panetteria is a wonderful place for lunch on a sunny but cold winter's day. The room has skylights which fill it with natural sunlight, plus the white walls and many hanging plants give it a very comfortable feel. The service here is great - quick, friendly. Our bread basket was brought out with a generous bowl of Parmesan, which was great for mixing with olive oil and using for bread dunking. My two-coworkers and I were all quite pleased with our dishes. I loved my cappuccino, and they said the regular coffee was good. All of this came to only about $50/55 (without tip). One complaint is that the temperature of the room was a bit too cool.
(4)
Paula Z.
Dined there last weekend with family and walked away a fan. Nice choices, even for vegetarians, fresh salad (none of that iceberg mentioned by a previous reviewer), attentive service and excellent organic Montepulciano, Not the hippest of places, but has a nostalgic feel to it. The only drawbacks were the level of noise and the lack of elbow room. Will be back when in the area.
(4)
David W.
Great little neighborhood gem - good for families, great food and service!
(5)
Charles T.
Amazing. Absolutely amazing. The service, the food, the amtosphere were all fantastic.
(5)
Thommee H.
The best thing I can say about this place is that the appetizers and entrees were well cooked, e.g. calamari that was perfectly tender and pasta that was that ideal firmness to the tooth al dente. Other than that, everything else was mediocre to poor. To echo another Yelper, the bread was about the quality of suburban supermarket Italian bread. Ditto the olive oil on the table for dipping -- bland, without the subtlety, nuance, and complexity of great olive oil. That lack of great flavor, seasoning, and balance, sadly, also describes our appetizers and entrees to a T. The food we had as completely standard fare, well cooked, but absolutely nothing special. Lastly, the "chocolate mousse" dessert literally tasted like Jell-O brand pudding.
(2)
Jessica M.
I like Italian food and like cute little restaurants; so I wanted to like La Panetteria. I ended up pretty disappointed. To the Pro/Con-mobile! Pros: -Not busy. On a friday night, there were only 4 table seated. -Cute little garden looking thing we sat in -Typical Italian fare to choose from -Bread for the table -Nice servers -They bring you a plate with desserts on it to choose from. Cute -Great chocolate mousse Cons: -Very slow service for not being busy. Almost 30 minutes to get my check and leave. -Garden was cute & low light, but exposed florescent light from main restaurant shined right in my eyes all dinner & was annoying. -Wine list is not great and is very old & bulky. You can either choose a $40 bottle from one of the little pamphlets in the wine menu, or choose the $9 glass of mystery house wine. I decided not to get any wine. -Communal condiments. I didn't want to think of how many people got the bowls of cheese and dressing before I did. -Appetizer, calamari, did not come out until the dinner did. Was just ok. Oil was pooled in the bottom of the bowl. Very chewy. -Main dish, veal parm, was very tough, breading sloughed off the meat, just ok. There were microwaved frozen mixed veggies that came with the dish. They did not look or smell very appetizing. Also very chewy. -Tables were small, when the food came, we had to scramble to figure out where to fit all the things on the table...salt & pepper shakers, sugar packets, bottle of oil, bowl of parm (seriously, how many people used that bowl of parm before us...ew), bread bowl, bread plates, oil plate, wine menu, dinner plates, meal dishes, glasses. There was a lot going on! -Coffee was typical watery restaurant coffee. Not bad; I just expected better from a high priced Italian restaurant -The bathroom has a very pretty sink, but it's very cramped. The toilets are hard to flush. You have to hold in this push flusher until the water goes down. -Walking back from the bathroom, you'll notice the kitchen has your silverware in a bin on the counter....next to a pair of sneakers and a can of raid. Nice. -And then you'll notice your ice is being scooped out of an old igloo cooler. -And you don't see anyone washing their hands...... -And then you want to leave, but it takes 30 minutes to get the check and have then cash you out. In conclusion, just too many things went wrong for me to like this place. And for the price, I probably won't be back.
(2)
Andy W.
We went there on a Thursday night. We made a reservation, but we didn't need one as the restaurant wasn't too crowded. We stood at the door waiting for a few minutes, then someone came and sat us. The service was good, quick, and attentive. I ordered a linguine with seafood in the red sauce, which was very good. She ordered a tortellini with the creamy white sauce. Her portion was a little small, but mine was pretty big. Each meal came with very good bread and a starter salad. For desert, we ordered the tiramisu which was excellent and the caramel cream. Our bill was around $55 for the 2 entrees and the 2 desserts. I would definitely go back there, as the food was very good and reasonably priced for a date.
(4)
David M.
Authentic Italian cusine with wonderful decoration and art work could be found at this restaurant. The dessert is one of the best parts of the seervice. The Cappucino was just outstanding. Ambiant atmosphere makes it a romantic place for special occasions and celebrations. I highly recommend this place.
(5)
Alan A.
Cozy small Italian restaurant that my godfather and I have dinner at every other weekend. One weekend we forgot to make reservations on a Saturday and didn't get seated (bummer) but ended up going that Sunday. If its crowded, seating is elbow to elbow which can get a little uncomfortable at times. The food is amazing (I love the mussels in the red sauce). Everything is made to order; I haven't had anything over or under cooked yet. The wine list is pretty good, we usually end up ordering the House Chianti which goes great with every meal we've had there. Sweet tooth? their desert menu will rock it! The one problem (which really isn't a problem) is their portions are huge! We end up eating the mussels, salad and bread. By the time our main course arrives we have to bag it up and order dessert lol. Overall the place is great to have a "home cooked" Italian meal. The service, the food and the atmosphere is wonderful.
(4)
Claudia P.
food was good and so was the service. nothing amazing but good.
(3)
Tigeristic T.
Let me start off by saying the reason for the low/average rating was because the host and the bartender were so friggin' awesome and the waiter was kinda...blah. He wasn't horrible...just not grade A...Oh and when he went to move my glass of water , he kept grabbing the rim...maybe I expect too much...or maybe I'm paranoid about roofies in my water 'cause in my head I'm usually James Bond when I'm out at diner. The Food: decent, nothiing to write home about...the dessert selection wasn't all that great. The presentation was pretty good though... Seating: Made reservations and still had to wait a few minutes, which I got over. I felt a bit odd though...when I say it was tight seating I mean I was playing footsie with someone else's date 2 tables away. picture a POW camp...again, I'm James Bond and I like my space...but it could've been a result of Valentine's day diners *shruggs* Drinks: I'd give their wine selection a solid B-, nothing great but if u find a bottle of what you like...why wouldn't you enjoy it....I recommend the Luna.
(3)
Charles P.
I have dined at the Panetteria several times, and always had a pleasant experience. My latest visit in July 2011 was no different. The restaurant is small and cozy, and the side section with the skylights, tile floor and paintings on the wall, give you a unique feeling of dining outdoors. The air conditioning in that section suffers some, so beware. The food has always been delicious, and portions just fine. Unlike some restaurants, I don't frequently need a "doggie bag" after finishing my meal there. I was confused by the so-called house wine, as it was on the wine list as something else. But, the half carafe of red was fine. Prices have crept up over the years, but this is nothing surprising in restaurants. Prices are moderate. The Panetteria does offer an early bird special menu, but you have to request it. The wait staff was excellent, and clearly understood that I was not in a hurry and wanted time to talk. The waiter was knowledgeable, too. Some restaurants never give you the chance to talk, and interrupt frequently in the name of service.
(4)
Richard Z.
A family friendly Italian restaurant with great food and friendly staff. Their tomato, cream sauce & veal dishes are amazing.
(5)
Sarah N.
This is a quaint little Italian place in Besthesda. The restaurant is sectioned off into two parts: the main area for bigger tables and a side room for smaller parties.With hanging plants, a glass ceiling, and wall paintings, the side room has a much more romantic feel. The food is decent. Lamb on risotto is my favorite dish. On the other hand, I felt like throwing up after eating the eggplant rolls, since they have a strange armpit odor despite the raves from other yelpers. The portions here are generous and service is good.
(3)
Catalina A.
The food was great the atmosphere was nice and intimate. Service excellent! Girlfriends and i had an great time. Will return.
(4)
Ron G.
First time having pizza here for lunch. Very Impressed with the quality, taste and freshness. Definitely recommend stopping in for lunch. In and out very quickly!
Friday night graduation celebration for 12 brought killer bread, tasty entrees (I had seafood and rice, and co-eater had tasty baked eggplant spinach rollups, memorable canoli, gracious server, pleasant surroundings. A very pretty room with hanging plants, I will be back to this unpretentious Italian spot on Cordell Ave. Just dont bring me tentacles with the calamari fritta next time!
(3)
Matt C.
I had picked up a Groupon for La Panetteria a week or so ago. We decided to go see a movie at Bethesda Row on Sunday evening, so I suggested that since we were going to Bethesda anyway, we give the restaurant a try. Now first, I'll note that I'm a big fan of Italian food of all kinds. I like fancy, expensive restaurants with menu items written in long strings of Italian (like this one -- as I read out to the waitress that I wanted the "petti de pollo parmegana", she responded "ok, the chicken parmesan"), and I also like divey pizza-pasta-sub joints. Give me tomato sauce and parmesan cheese, and I'm relatively happy. That being said, Italian places are a dime a dozen. With so many around, there's no excuse for settling for mediocrity. Unfortunately, La Panetteria was a mediocre experience in just about every aspect. When we were seated, the waitress started by bringing us a basket of bread (two kinds, an Italian bread and chunks of ciabatta) and a bowl of parmesan cheese. One thing that I expect from a good Italian restaurant is good bread. It goes with the territory -- even a lot of the chain Italian restaurants get fresh bread right. So imagine my disappointment when I found the bread to be pretty much of the quality that I expect to find in plastic bags on the day-old rack in the bakery section of the grocery store. It wasn't awful, but other than hunger I didn't feel a particularly compelling reason to be eating it (a sentiment which would soon become a theme for the evening). We ordered our meals (me the chicken parmesan, she the cannelloni) and waited. As we sat there, another group of four came in. Despite the nearly empty restaurant, the host seated them at the table immediately next to ours. Therein came the second problem -- the place is seriously cramped. We could hear every word of the conversations going on at that table as if we were sitting with them. While there was a larger, more open room in the back, the host only seated larger parties back there -- every party of four people or smaller was crammed into the tiny room in the front. When we finally left at the end, I had to walk out sideways to avoid running into people sitting at their tables, and I'm not a large guy. The waitress brought our salads (fairly pedestrian affairs, other than the odd addition of slices of pickled beet) and a bowl of salad dressing. It wasn't until I thought about it afterward that I noticed another big issue -- the bowls of parmesan cheese and salad dressing that were brought out to us were far too large for a single table of people. Either the restaurant is being incredibly wasteful, or they're re-serving the same bowls of condiments out to multiple tables. I wouldn't mind the latter option quite so much if more closed containers -- a shaker for the cheese, a bottle for the dressing -- were being used, but these were just big, open bowls, which sat exposed on the table for a long period of time. Eww. The food came out, and it was good, but not spectacular. If you've had generic chicken parmesan before, you pretty much know what my meal was like. It came with capellini pasta on the side (I like my pasta al dente, this was definitely over-cooked) and a mix of vegetables. My girlfriend's cannelloni was a bit too meaty for my taste, but she enjoyed it. In both cases, though, we agreed that we had definitely had better elsewhere. Since the Groupon was taking a lot of money off of the bill, we decided that we might as well have dessert. We asked to see the dessert menu, and waited. And waited. Finally, just as we were flagging down another waiter to ask for the dessert menu again, our waitress appeared carrying a dessert tray. The options were fairly unexceptional -- tiramisu, cannoli, and the like. I prefer chocolate desserts, but the only chocolate option on the tray was a rather uninspired looking mousse. The only thing that really looked good was a pecan pie, so we both ordered slices of that, along with cappuccinos. And then we waited again. And waited. And waited. How long does it take to put two slices of pie on plates? Finally the waitress appeared again. She set the pie and the cappuccinos in front of us. Because of all of the waiting, we were seriously pushing for time at that point, so I asked her to go ahead and bring the check. The pie was ok, but, like everything else, not remarkable. It definitely wasn't -- as I discovered much to my shock when the bill came -- $8 a slice pie by any vague stretch of the imagination. The cappuccino was way too heavy on the nutmeg (no one asked if we even wanted nutmeg), which seemed to be covering up some not particularly great coffee underneath. We thought we had allowed plenty of time before our movie to have a nice, leisurely dinner, but with the slow service, we just barely made it. All in all, it was a mediocre experience. With so many good Italian options around, I can see very little reason to return to this one.
(2)
Alicia S.
I love this restaurant especially the decor!!! The waiters were amazing and super nice which is great since we were the only ones. It was kind of expensive but that was dinner time. The bread was sort of gross and the fritti wasn't very good I thought. However the dinner and everything else was AMAZING! Especially loved the feel of the restaurant it was like being in little italy
(4)
Brett W.
Great (but not fancy) food and friendly waitstaff make this a keeper. The lasagna is incredible--cheesy, meaty and a lot of flavor. The salad dressing, which is homemade and thick with pureed veggies and spices is good enough to dip your bread in. Get the small pizza. The crust is thin yet chewy, something the large pizza doesn't always achieve. The soups are full-bodied and flavorful (and the mushroom soup has a ton of mushrooms in it). The atmosphere is warm and cozy. A nice friendly place with good food.
(5)
Elizabeth K.
OK, so where do I begin? I had really high hopes for this place and there were so many things working for me to love this place! Great reviews on yelp? Check. Romantic dinner on a Friday night? Check. Somebody else paying? All checks!! The service was...odd. The waiter was totally scatterbrained, and did not hear half of our appetizer order. The calamari, though good, was really small for what they charged. We also had an order of the garlic bread which tasted stale and quite frankly it kind of annoys me when restaurants charge for garlic bread when I am accustomed to getting better (fresher) bread for free with my meal. I had the veal Parmesan based on popular opinion. Nothing spectacular. The sauce was good. My fiance order the chicken Marsala, I believe. Meh. I am boring myself writing this review but strongly urge those with a car and a sense of adventure to seek out better Italian food at Amalfi in Rockville (see my review). On the plus side, we were sitting next to a couple who was on a first date and my fiance and I love being nosy. The guy seemed totally normal but the gal was botoxed and lip-plumped up the ying yang. Score!
(2)
Rob O.
Very very good authentic Italian food and very reasonably priced.
(5)
Leang E.
I got here late for a dress rehearsal dinner, but I was glad to have gotten there at all. The place is so quaint and intimate even with a group our size. It just feels so customized to each party. The staff is genuinely hospitable and personable - you could have well been asking one of your aunts for extra silverware for the table. The salad was simple but yet very good, and I liked the lasagna. I had a bite of the cannoli and something else I couldn't remember. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I ate everything and added a cup of coffee to end my meal. The wine is actually pretty tasty here. I'm sure it's a spot my family and I will certainly remember.
(4)
lindsay b.
My sister and I went here because we were looking for something a bit more authentic than Mama Lucia's for a change. This place was a bit off the beaten path (meaning, not in Bethesda Row), but well worth the exploring it took to find it. We went around 9pm on a Friday, and the place was pretty much deserted. Sometimes that can be a bad sign, so we were a little apprehensive. But it proved to be unfounded. The food was delicious. I particularly recommend their pesto sauce, it's creamy and rich and quite possibly the best I've ever had. We both tried different stuffed eggplant dishes, and both were excellent. They also have a decent wine selection, available by the bottle or half-carafe. The food was pretty reasonably priced, and the service was great (though that could be because the place was empty). I will definitely go back here from now on when I'm craving Italian food.
(4)
Daisy C.
Dinner-sized portions at lunch! Ok, at 90 lbs, maybe I'm not an accurate gauge of what the average person considers a lot of food. But my 6+ ft male co-worker didn't finish his entree either. Three of us grabbed lunch here before heading to Dulles. I waffled between the gnocchi, seafood risotto, and pasta with clams, finally choosing the last because it came in a white wine sauce, while the others were in a tomato sauce. This was the first place I've had pasta and clams, where they used fresh clams. The sauce was tasty and not oily. Sadly, I was on my way to the airport and couldn't take the leftovers.
(5)
Steve M.
Authentic Italian. Great experience and my partner and I travel a lot (NYC, Philly, NJ, Boston). Gravy (sauce) was outstanding. Veal cut with a fork and the service was superb. Calamari app and mussels in white wine sauce set the tone. Done to perfection and very tender on the calamari. Mussels were perfect and the broth made you want to make a meal of it with the bread service. Save room for the entree as it's worth it. Wine list is limited but you'll make do. Reasonable prices too! Have to come back to this one!
(5)
Cathy G.
We had a luncheon for 100 here recently and were very happy with the service and the food. The staff was very accomodating to our food and drinks requests. The rooms were quaint and the prices were reasonable.
(4)
Megan T.
Wow. Made a last minute reservation here for my small birthday dinner -- looking for a place that was under $20 a person but still fared pretty well with my ever faithful yelpers. We arrived on time and were promptly seated. Ambiance was great and the restaurant was well filled for a Friday night but still fairly quiet, many middle aged and older diners. Our water glasses were filled and then we sat for 15 minutes while waiter after waiter passed us. We were given bread which was mediocre at best -- and tasted a few days old. The oil at the table was so salty I couldn't even continue to eat it and instead chugged my water. After those 15 minutes, our waiter arrived and placed some Parmesan in a GIANT bowl on our table. More than we could ever use if we sat there for three hours, which leads me to believe they just have communal bowls that they circulate between tables. He asked if we wanted to order -- and I replied I think so -- and then he said 'Okay, I'll come back in a few minutes.' And left, without taking our drink order. He returned 10 minutes later and took our orders. 25 minutes into dinner service, and we finally get drinks. He returned shortly after with our salads -- both my sister and I opted to 'upgrade' from the Garden salad to Caesar salads, while our other friend opted for the traditional Garden. For that ONE garden salad the waiter brought out a SOUP CUP full of dressing. Do they just keep those full like the Parmesan? It reminded me of something I'd see on kitchen nightmares. The salad was salty (and I love salt), the croutons soggy, lacking any cheese, and tasted like it was out of a bag. Actually, I've had better Caesar salad out of a bag. Another 20 minutes passed, during which time our waiter passed us several times but did not offer to refill our drinks once. We finally asked him when he dropped off our meals. Our entrees came (margherita pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parm). They were all mediocre, but nothing to write home about -- I ate half and left the rest. I've had better from major chains like Mangiannos and Macaroni Grill. We waited yet another 20 minutes, without the waiter checking in with us, and flagged down our waiter long enough to ask for the check. He was very displeased when we asked him to split the check two ways, but begrudgingly trudged off for 15 minutes to go do it. It was $36 and change for my sister and I, and I paid with a 40. He picked it up, along with my friend who paid with a card, and returned 10 minutes later. He didn't return my change, just kept the rest as his tip. On my friend's receipt in large capital letters at the top it read 'TIP IS NOT INCLUDED.' I'm not sure why I found this to be very, very rude. He only visited us 3 times over the course of an hour and a half long dinner, speaking fewer than 10 words during that time, and we didn't need to be reminded via check that it is customary to tip. I will never go back again, and it was a horrible way to spend my birthday. Luckily the company was fantastic, and it will be a story for many years to come.
(1)
Joel S.
Good food at excellent prices with so so service. I will be back.
(4)
Adela G.
The atmosphere in this restaurant is very cute and cozy. My only criticism would be how snug some of the tables are together, but the staff was very attentive, refilling water glasses constantly after every sip it seemed, and the food was delicious and made quickly, even on a busy Saturday evening.
(3)
Esther O.
Sadly I can't agree with all the high reviews of this place. They really only get a 2nd star because the room where we sat was just so cute, made to look like an outdoor street and even having a roof that is entirely skylight so you can even feel like you're outside with the natural lighting. So the atmosphere is pleasant... but if you're going to a restaurant to, I don't know, EAT, I recommend going elsewhere. Nothing was terrible, but it was not good either. The tomato sauce on my pasta was nowhere near as good as out of a jar (kinda seemed like Hunt's out of a can :( ), and the "basil" it was supposed to be served with was just some small flecks of green, nothing that actually added to the dish. The salad was whatever - some lettuce and a cucumber slice or 2, and the dressing was gloppy and oily, though it had nice flavor. The side of veggies were grossly overcooked, limp and with zero flavor. I'm pretty sure there were no nutrients left in them. Service was attentive, always refilling water glasses, etc, but SLOW. Do not go here if you want a less than 2 hour meal. I think that that is their intent, to provide a place for a nice leisurely meal, so it's not necessarily bad, but just be aware of that going in. With the abundance of Italian restaurants in Bethesda, I do not recommend going here. I haven't tried the others, but they have to be better.
(2)
Jessica C.
I love this place! The atmosphere is very inviting and intimate. The bread is delicious as is the homemade salad dressing that comes with the salad. The pastas are delicious and very reasonably priced especially since a salad comes with them. The staff is always very friendly and accommodating as well. Will keep coming back!
(5)
Ray A.
Food was below par. Service was very slow. The owner suggests that his staff tell him how much to charge and so he charged us 30 crafts of wine for 60 adults when half did not even drink and the other half had max 2 glasses each (i.e., during lunch time). When I told him about how it was totally illogical for our group to drink this much, he reduced it to apx. 15 crafts. What a cheat. I thought the owner was a decent person; unfortunately, totally unprofessional!!!! My suggestion is to pick another restaurant in Bethesda. There are lots of them that are better than this one! Sorry.
(1)
Jeffrey A.
La Panetteria Ristorante is definitely not your average Italian restaurant. The cozy place is just one of those great finds in the Bethesda restaurant district. The dining room features a really beautiful atrium area that makes it feel as though you are dining on a street in Venice, while still giving you the comfort of air conditioning. The meals here are very hearty, and in large portions, so bring a good appetite. Before dining on our main course, we tried out the fried zucchini which was so lightly battered and so good, that I loved it, and typically I hate zucchini. For the main course my girlfriend went with the melanzane al florintina (eggplant wrapped around feta and spinach, covered in cheese) and I went with the spaghetti al pomodoro, which must have had a full pound of meat in the sauce. It was all very good, and the deserts were even better. A fresh chocolate mousse cake which was simply divine. I have had better Italian food, but not by far. For Bethesda, the prices are reasonable, aside from the "Wine book", as a bottom level Ruffino Chianti will cost you roughly $30, while at the store it can be purchased for $8.
(4)
Sarah B.
La Panetteria is a great Bethesda go-to for good authentic Italian and wonderful specials. The staff are friendly and efficient without being overbearing. The owner/host is always watching and ensuring everyone is content. The menu is classic and the food never disapoints. I have learned to go with the specials-the seasonal touches are prepared with care. last night I had a perfectly chilled gazpacho-summer tomatoes and parsley shone through. I asked for a cup and the vowl size serving was enough for my finacee to share. Cold Soup? he said with a grimace- then proceeded to finish it up- "it's like salsa- but better" ( we are working on the couth here- he typically eats what I put in fromt of him, good sport) His Petti di Pollo Cattiatore was a great pick, although when I tasted it I was a bit suprised that he wolfed it down- the taste of green olives was noticible and delicious to me, but he has always told me he does not like olives. Back to the specials - the lamb is always perfect. No matter how prepared, this place masters Italian dishes with lamb. I ordered the lamb shanks with risotto and asparagus. Perfect still crunchy asparagus. Chewy, creamy, not too cheesy risotto- topped with a fork tender seasoned to perfection lamb shank. Heaven. So I am feeling blessed to live in Bethesda- and am heading to Louisiana Kitchen for begneits and cafe au lait. If I can wake him up!
(4)
Michele W.
My cousin and I went here on a Sunday shortly after they opened. Very few people were there. I got garlic cheese bread and Fra Diavolo shrimp & linguine. Both were excellent. My cousin had calamari which she didn't like because she felt it was too greasy. They have their house made salad dressing, I liked it but my cousin did not. She did enjoy her chicken alfredo though. I would go back again. The service was excellent.
(4)
Leila T.
I was greeted by the host with a red rose (it was V-Day), and promptly seated for our 9:00PM reservations. This quaint little classic Italian restaurant is a great choice for intimate dining. Twinkle lights and candles illuminate the long narrow dining spaces and Venetian mural. After deciding on a bottle of wine, I ordered the ricotta and spinach stuffed eggplant which was extraordinary. It accompanied a very ordinary house salad. For dessert they were willing to accommodate us with a bowl of mixed berries (not on the menu). The dessert tray looked divine but our entrees were quite rich so we opted for something on the lighter side. The staff was very friendly and attentive.
(5)
Joanne Z.
Finding Sorrentos (a fabulous Italian restaurant) closed for renovations we headed across the street to La Panetteria. I had not heard great things about L Paneteria but we were with an elderly couple who could not walk very far and were not excited about going to Mia's (adjacent to Sorrentos) for pizza. The service was decent but the food was disgraceful. My husband and I ordered red snapper over pesto rice. The fish was the consistency of rubber and the rice was tasteless. The house salad was nothing but iceberg lettuce and some cucumbers and the tomatoes in the caprese were hot house variety (no excuse this time of year). No apologies from the kitchen just a shot of amaretto at the end of the meal. Try Sorrento Trattoria when it reopens. It is a family run restaurant. The food and service never disappoint.
(1)
Steve W.
Had dinner her for the first time Saturday night. It is right across the street from Caddies Bar. I didn't think that I would eat Italian in Bethesda again after having so many bad experiences, but someone recommended this place to me so tried it. I agree with everyone, that the atmosphere is quaint. They have white lights hanging and the it is intimate without being overbearing. We didn't have reservations and it was packed, but the owner was very accommodating and had us seated in 10 minutes. We had the grilled calamari which was good. I would have preferred if they served it with some marinara, but I was too hungry to ask and wait. I had the veal parm with pasta and vegetables. The veal was pounded thin and fried with marinara and melted cheese. It was very good. I am not a big veggie eater with Italian so I didn't eat that part. The sauce had a good flavor without being overbearing. My girlfriend had the pasta with shrimp,scallops, and mussels. She said that it was also very tasty. The portions are a decent size and left me some room for dessert. We had a pastry that the waited called a "rum". It was like a Napoleon, but without the top glaze. It was very fresh and not too heavy. This is definitely the only place in Bethesda that I would return to for Italian. Very good and not terribly expensive for Bethesda. Around $80 including two glasses of wine, appetizer, two entrees, and dessert.
(5)
Gilda H.
Had lunch there and really thought I wouldn't be able to make it through my afternoon meeting because I was so sleepy from eating all the wonderful food that this "ristorante" had to offer! The service was impeccable and the price was not bad for the amount of food yumminess!
(5)
A. J.
Maybe the reason my wife married me (one of our first romantic dinners in 1991). We have been there many times since and always enjoy the food and service. The owner always makes you feel welcome. We have never had a bad experience and even had my wife's surprise 40th birthday there (another great experience). We will be back on a regular basis for good food at a moderate price. A definate winner in Bethesda.!
(5)
Robin S.
Everything I have tried here has been delicious. I ordered veal parmigiana (sort of my test-dish at any Italian place.) The cutlets were very thin, but that was actually a good thing. The sauce is perfect (not too many onions, not too red, and the dishes are served with angel hair pasta! The bread is tasty and the dessert selection is wonderful.
(5)
Batman '.
My sister and I tried this place the other night. Nice to have valet parking outside the door. We were greeted quickly and taken to a table. The service was excellent and the food is wonderful. I struggled to finish my lasagna. The wait staff was quick to refill my iced tea. The bad stuff. We finished our bread but the basket wasn't refilled nor were we asked if we wanted more bread. I had to ask for butter. The table beside us got butter with their bread. BIGGEST problem was a bottle of American beer was $5.50. 2 beers for $11.00? I'm I at at Nationals or Redskins game? I don't think so. The price for the food was spot on but next time I will have water.
(3)
Bruno C.
Quaint little Italian place in bethesda. Not a destination place by any means, but pretty descent food with very reasonable prices. We specially liked the carbonera. Service was very good and friendly, that goes a long way for us. I recommend it for the bethesda crowd.
(3)
Sol B.
I am not sure whether I got the displeasure of eating at La Panetteria on a way off night, but I have little if anything good to say about the experience. The small Italian eatery has one men's room which led to a 25 minute wait to wash my hands although the restaurant was only a quarter full; they have a full bar, but no unique Italian cocktails or any recommendations to provide; the fungi friti though well friti has little flavor and is served with a ubiquitous marinara sauce which finds itself in most dishes; the gnocchi was a bit chewy but was edible which is more than can be said for the eggplant parmesan which was completely inedible due to its rancid taste. The waiter claimed the dish was freshly made that day, but then after further reflection he said "maybe it's the eggplant"! The only good part was they did not charge us for this item. I will not be going back.
(1)
Henry L.
Cute little restaurant in Bethesda, solid Italian fare. Had the Petit di Pollo Frances, and the sauce was quite tasty. House chianti is decent, but like the restaurant, nothing spectacular.
(3)
M M.
This is one of my favorite places for a good Italian food. Its located on Cordell Ave. and is about 10-15 min walk from either Medical center or Bethesda metro stations. I have been here several times with my friends and also with my office coworkers and had a great experience each time. I completely agree with other reviewers that the staff is very friendly and they make sure you have a good time. The place is very comfortable and nicely decorated to give it an Italian charm. They have a nice sunlit courtyard that provides an extra dimension for seating. Once we sat in the courtyard and it started raining heavily and it felt like we were sitting outside, only untouched by rain, as the rain water washed the glass roof. Being a vegetarian, I was initially bit worried about finding something to eat. They have around 5-6 veg entrees to choose from and I have tried two of them (gnocchi and riso primavera) and they are really good!! They serve a combination of bread, olive oil and cheese along with the order and they are just a great starters. The meat eaters will find lots of options and my coworkers really liked the food they ordered. One of my coworkers has been a regular at this place and has been coming here for many years. I am highly appreciative of good local restaurants that serve food made from fresh ingredients and this is one of them.
(5)
Sarah Z.
I came here for dinner with my family on our vacation. It has a very quaint atmosphere, reminiscent of restaurants in Europe. The food was great, very authentic and generous portions. No one in my family finished their meal. The service was great, very friendly and attentive without being suffocating. I'm deducting one star for the less than stellar bread/olive oil and mediocre vegetables that came with my entree (which was otherwise delicious). Overall, this is a great pick for anyone looking for some authentic Italian food and handmade pasta.
(4)
Steve G.
First time here and it was ok. Not bad, not great. White pizza was flavorful but soggy crust WAY undercooked. My wife had the gnocchi which she enjoyed, to me it tasted a bit bland, I had a lobster/crab ravioli which was ok but not outstanding. Good wine list. Service was ok except we were there on a Tuesday night and they were not very busy but for some reason they hurried our entire meal like they had people waiting! Not cool. The other couple we were with finally told the bus boy to go away! Decor was good and overall atmosphere was nice.
(3)
Sam H.
I came here b/c Ozollo was closed today during lunch for some reason. And I give this place a definate 5 stars. I'll start with the waiter service. It was an older gentleman who was very knowledgeable about his menu and well... recommended everything. He said confidently "you'll like everything on the menu b/c it's good" Well, I decided to get a sea food pasta dish. (didn't write down what it was called) and my friend got one of the daily specials. Portion wise... it will fill the average american up. They are real generous with their sea food on their pasta. The price is reasonable and not out of this world. Ranges about 11-20 bones per person for lunch. The atrium gives you the feeling that your eating outside. (for lunch) b/c there is direct sunlight and the room is filled with paintings that make you feel like you might actually be outside in one of the european streets. So... Yes I'll come again. Apparently if you bring your valentine's here on V day, they'll give you a a complimentary "red rose" for your lady. If it's two guys... make a get who the rose is gonna before and the loser pays for dinner. Or better yet... the one who doesn't get the rose buys dinner. Same goes visa vera.
(5)
Josh E.
Bread...delicious...oil...delicious...pasta...Âdelicious...chicken parm...delicious. If you eat at this place and you don't like it, don't bother going out to eat anymore because you will never be satisfied. If you take a friend here and they hate it...get rid of them...a girlfriend...break up with her....your mom....move and never tell her where you are. This place is cozy, affordable, and unlike half of Bethesda...not pretentious at all. Good service, too. Go here...you won't regret it. If you do...you have no taste.
(4)
Mike C.
This is a fine neighborhood restaurant. Our table of 11 was seated together in a great configuration- a round table connected to a rectangular table. We could all interact. The food is adequate, with the exception of the lasagna, which was great; the veal risotto special was also very good. Service was fine. The kicker was the valet locked the key of one of our cars inside the car, so we had to go home and get a spare. Then when the rest of us went out to leave, we waited ten minutes and no one came; we saw the valet moving cars around the street, apparently to get them closer to the restaurant since it was close to closing. We were finally able to flag her down and she actually had the audacity to say she saw us standing there forever and came over and asked us if we needed anything and we said no! Really?! She never came over. What a jerk! This place is serviceable, but beware of a ditzy female, incompetent valet.
(3)
Lisa Y.
I thought that the food here was really good, hearty Italian food. The atmosphere is really neat with the atrium area. I think that the salad dressing, which is homemade, is terrific, and the desserts were very good. I've had the tiramisu, and I think chocolate mousse on one occasion. I can't remember the name of the entree I had, but it was similar to eggplant parmesan, but stuffed, and it was terrific.
(4)
Amanda H.
This place was great! Beautiful atmosphere and great food. Reasonably priced. I definitely recommend being seated in the back room because the tables are more spacious back there. We were in the front and it was a little tight at a table for two. Definitely check this place out!
(4)
Lisa M.
This little Italian place in Bethesda is sweet, homey, and very cozy. It reminds me of someone's homestead in a vineyard in Italy. The only thing that's missing is a blazing fireplace and someone's grandmother hovering over your shoulder. The waitstaff is friendly and everyone seems to be smiling. The Saturday evening we were there, a wedding reception was taking place and La Panetteria seemed like an ideal setting for it. This place makes me happy. It's good, old-fashioned Italian food - no haute cuisine here! (not that I don't enjoy haute cuisine but sometimes it's good to get back to the basics, especially when they're done well). Our party ordered a bottle of excellent red wine, which was recommended by our waiter. Our salads were large and accompanied by an excellent Italian dressing. The salad itself was nothing special but it was memorable because of what our waiter said about the salad dressing, which comes out in bowls ("Careful! Don't drink it, it's not soup! You laugh, but people have thought it was soup!") Our entrees were wonderfully caloric and tasty. My veal tortellini with white sauce was flavorful and exactly what I was craving on a cold winter night. My friend's osso bucco, one of the daily specials was ginormous and had him happily sucking the marrow out of two large bones. The meat was tender and falling off the bone. Another friend was pleased with her linguine del mar, which was chock full of seafood. The portion was so big that she ended up taking some of it home. Sadly, I can't comment on dessert because we were too stuffed for any more food. All in all, the atmosphere, food, and service make La Panetteria a viable destination in Bethesda's dining scene.
(4)
m m.
I went here with 4 friends inspired by the reviews listed on Yelp. I'm from Los Angeles and I have to say that I have lost faith in my fellow yelpers, at least in the D.C./Maryland area. The waitstaff was wonderful. Extremely attentive and very polite. Everything else was a disaster. I was actually embarrassed because none of us, none of us, enjoyed our meal. Each item served was worst than the last. Sadly it was a night that cost us significantly in terms of time, taste and money. Appetizers, wine and main courses were equally dreadful. I wish I could say anything remotely positive other than overall politeness of the staff, regrettably I cannot.
(1)
PIstachio B.
Come here for solid homemade Italian food. I came here for dinner. Service is great and portions are large. The veal tortellini, lasagna and pesto chicken were great dishes. Aside from not being a chain Italian restaurant, there was nothing exceptional about the food that would make me choose this place over some place like Buca di Bepo.
(3)
Andrew S.
Went tonight based on all the great reviews on here and must say they are spot on. First off, the service was incredible. We felt as if we were dining at a place where the dishes run over $40. The drinks were always filled up and the staff were the most polite and courteous I have come across. The food was very good as well. I must say that it was some of the best veal I have ever tasted. Reasonably priced as well. The rest of the group said their food was top notch as well. Great atmosphere too. Will def be back!
(5)
Matars Z.
Well, I had not eaten at this restaurant for eight years because I had not been too excited the only other time I had visited (nothing was bad, but nothing was great). Now- having revisited the establishment four times over the last six months, I have been very pleasantly surprised. I've had a seafood ravioli special, a lamb shank special, lasagna and the carbonara. I have also gotten to taste six other dishes ordered by friends, and four desserts, two salads, a few appetizers. The salads and appetizers were not exciting, but the food has been quite nice (consistently). Only a single angel hair/primavera-type special at lunch disappointed me- all the other dishes have been solid and in a few cases, such as the lamb, or risotto special, exceptional. The house wine reminds me of little trattorias in Italy - nothing special, but satisfying and enjoyable. There are many things which are just OK /solid at this place, like the bread, or the quality of the olive oil, or the wine selection - but in general you get a great feeling of comfort food, and when 9 of 10 dishes good, I'm happy. Most importantly, service at this place has been just right every time. They don't pester you, but they take good care of you. When I think of Italian food and don't want to have to leave Bethesda, this is where I think of going nowadays. And the price is great!
(4)
Nicole G.
A coworker and I came here for lunch with a Yelp deal I bought. We couldn't agree on a pizza to split so we each got our own. And since the price difference between a small and a large was a couple dollars we both got larges! I think the waiter gave us a funny look but man, what a deal! It was a hot day so it felt a bit stuffy in the restaurant but the service was great. There was fresh bread and oil on the table while we waited and a big bowl of parmesan cheese. So maybe not the best pre-pizza choice but absolutely delicious. I got a classic pepperoni pizza and it was great. Really gooey chewy cheese and the right amount of sauce. My work has also gotten catering through La Panetteria so I can attest that they're pasta dishes are very flavorful as well! I'd like to come back to try even more dishes!
(4)
Mayhah S.
Short version: La Panetteria is a solid Italian restaurant with a nice ambience good for a date or a special meal with the family. The waiters were attentive and friendly. I ordered the Spaghetti alla Carbonara which was chockfull of perfectly cooked pancetta with a creamy carbonara. Despite the excellent texture the sauce needed some black pepper and salt. Be forewarned, five bites of it and I was sure I was about to have a heart attack! But sometimes a creamy, bacon-y pasta dish is what you need in life. My dinner companion ordered the lasagne, which arrived steaming hot in a boat and had a somewhat spicy tomato sauce and perfectly cooked noodles. The entrees came with an ordinary house salad but the tomato-based Italian dressing on the side was delicious.
(3)
Suheil T.
Had lunch at La Pannetteria with three co-workers today and I think we all died and went to heaven. The staff really knows how to treat guests and makes sure your meal is a great experience. We started off with their Mozzarella fritters which are AMAZING-- the perfect consistency and flavor. My buddies got the cannelloni- a lot of food and incredible sauce. I got the pesto, it was life-changing. Would highly recommend this place for an authentic Italian feel and great food!
(5)
Hunter Y.
I used a $20 open table check, and signed a receipt for $41-$20, but was still charged $41 on my credit card.
(2)
Paolini C.
The service is exceptional along with the amazing atmosphere. Genuine and authentic reception. No bar but the tables make up the wonderful decor. Along with the phenomenal food, the waiters and host make sure that you have a fine dining experience. I highly recommend this place when in Bethesda!
(5)
Tandis H.
I ordered the Calemari Napolitano - a heaping plate of angel hair pasta with a tasty tomato basil sauce and topped with a generous amount of squid. I thought the dish was delicious and a great deal - comes with a pretty yummy salad. Very satisfying meal and wonderful warm service! Comfortable setting and overall great experience. Can't wait to come back and try more of their menu - it had a good amount of variety and everything sounded good!
(5)
Mary Jane R.
The meal started with delicious, warm bread. The olive oil was just ok, but we could let that pass. But when the carafe of wine was not very good, and we complained three times with no satisfactory response, what was a three star review (due to the just ok food) went to a two star. Disappointing.
(2)
Jay E.
This is a classy place with nice atmosphere, and service that's warm and attentive without being overbearing. Food is good, judging from the chicken parm dinner which I've had several times. In addition to an appetizer salad (with dressing served on the side without having to ask), the main dish comes with a nice order of vegetables. I'm always satisfied and fell good when I leave here, and I do like to eat. Only complaint is that the bread is never warm.
(5)
Leigh D.
This place is a quaint hidden treasure in the hustle and bustle of downtown Bethesda. This is a family owned business that has been around since I think the '70's. Background story, I was here for a birthday party 6 months ago on Sat., 1/18. There was a dark cloud hanging over this party since I had just lost a girl I went on 5 dates with, who I had invited and agreed to go, but cancelled on me. On Mon. 1/13 I told my friend that I have a +1, and she wrote (my date) Stephanie in her book. After a 3.5 hour break up conversation late Wednesday night of the 15th, causing me to be really tired the next work day since I had gotten less than four hours sleep. That morning, I told my friend the bad news over the phone, but the more important part was that I would not let her down; I will go. Despite the dark cloud, I met some cool people that night and had a great time. The server was very friendly and welcoming, and I'm sure my friend felt that much more special for her birthday weekend. Additionally, the food & wine was great. I remembered savoring every bite. I can't wait to have the opportunity to go there again.
(4)
Ted C.
Just finished a fabulous meal at this restaurant. Great food, atmosphere and service! Ravioli was awesome and the veal special delightful! Will definitely be back. And the wine was very reasonably priced.
(5)
Matt B.
Food is excellent........waiter was a little pushy & impatient in getting us to order quickly. Wasn't very crowded so I'm not sure what the rush was!
(4)
Rochelle C.
Service was really great food was alright. I loved the tiramisu but the special I tried was not really good and the carbonara was so so.
(3)
Preston C.
I love Panetteria. I've been going there for years and years, and I've never had a bad experience. Part of that is that my grandparents love Panetteria, and I love my grandparents. Part of it is that the food is very reasonably priced, and it is good. Panetteria isn't "foodie" food. It's not fancy. But it won't disappoint. The lunch deals are especially great. I highly recommend going with the veal scaloppini.
(4)
I A M.
Delicious, and a really good spontaneous decision to come! Great Monday night deal - 1/2 price on wine. Nice and romantic, if somewhat dated decor. Great wait staff, attentive and friendly. The bread was yummy, hot and fresh, with olive oil and freshly grated parmesan. Good house wine (chardonnay), went nicely with linguini con vongole and the sole dish. The sole in particular was amazing! Linguini was super fresh and (white) clam sauce with tons of clams was quite nice, if a tad salty (probably because there were real clams in there!) We topped off this nice little Monday night meal with a FANTASTIC tiramisu, honestly the best we have both EVER had. We'll have to come back to use my Yelp deal ($15 for $20), because you can't use that along with the 1/2 price wine. Oh well, twist my arm! Guess we'll have to come back and sample other delicious Panetteria fare! (Only real minus is the parking challenge and cost in downtown Bethesda.)
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Katie S.
Came here with reservations on a Saturday night and was seated immediately. It wasn't too busy but also not empty. The meal comes with bread and olive oil/parm cheese for you to blend into a dip. The bread was not too bad but not fresh hot out of the oven or anything. We ordered a variety of food: Appetizer: Fried calamari: pretty ordinary, nothing bad but nothing that stood out either, just your typical calamari like any other restaurant. The calamari did seem pretty fresh though. Mussels: the mussel flavor was a tad bland but the mussels themselves were quite large and plump. Minestrone soup: a little watered down tasting, could have been a bit thicker but this may just be personal opinion Entree: Spaghetti pomodoro with meat sauce: the meat sauce was delicious, packed with flavor. The portion was generous and this may have been the simplest yet most delicious of our entree. Fettuccine Alfredo o el pesto with chicken, linguine alla vongole and the frutti di mare pasta were all a bit bland and too buttery for our taste. The service was was pretty good though. We used the yelp $10 for $20 deal with no issues.
(3)Stephanie C.
This sweet, unassuming place almost disappears off a side street in Bethesda, but the bright, green awning beckons. Inside is a lovely little restaurant with home cooked Italian food. Independently run, La Panetteria harkens back to the days of neighborhood places where regulars went for a night out. The food here is nicely prepared and rarely disappoints. Bethesda still has more than a fair share of Italian restaurants--many good. But this one endures while chains and lesser offerings come and go. It's been around for decades and one hopes it will still be standing after all the demolition and re-concepting going on around it is over. Hopefully, we'll still have La Panetteria to go to.
(5)Peggi S.
Delicious Italian food! The fresh bread olive oil and cheese on table is awesome. Will be back...love this place. Even the staff was friendly, courteous and attentive.
(5)Adrienne L.
3.5 stars A great go-to restaurant for Italian in Bethesda. The people who work there are very kind and didn't rush us out the door for the hour we stayed after getting our check. (We had a carafe of wine to finish!) I ordered the chicken that came in a lemon caper sauce, but the sauce was a bit too sweet for me. I expected more of a bite, but the meal was still tasty. My friend cleaned her plate of spaghetti and meatballs, so no complaints there. For dessert, we split an amazing eclair. It was the perfect amount of food at a good price. I've also heard this is a cute Valentine's Day restaurant, as they give red roses to all female diners that day. :)
(3)Ben K.
I don't give out 5 stars lightly, but their rollatini alla casa (crab/lobster) was out of this world amazing. I'd say it was the best dish I've had in months.
(5)Dan M.
3.5 stars, but I round up because they gave ladies a rose on Valentines Day. For appetizer, we shared the grilled calamari. I don't think I've ever had calamari served any way but fried, so I was very intrigued. It didn't disappoint. I went with the lasagna for dinner, and it is a no frills bowl of beef lasagna. That said, the cheese is good, the sauce wasn't too oily, and it tasted good, just like I remember mom making at home. While I gobbled it down like a ravenous ten year old, when I'm eating out I do hope to get something better than we could whip up at home. My date tried the chicken parmesan, and though I normally can't stand parmesan, the cheese flavor was very subdued here, and the chicken was quite good. This one comes with a small side of assorted veggies, which tasted good when dipped in sauce but were just steamed and unseasoned. We ended things with a chocolate mousse cake, which was rich and decadent, just what we were looking for. When you're ordering dessert, they bring around a plate with all their choices. They had quite a few that looked good, including a caramel custard that looked really tempting, but I just don't like when restaurants bring around the choices. It makes me question how fresh their desserts really are. Regardless, we tried one, and it was satisfying. Minus one bonus point because the bread they gave us at the beginning was stale. Finally, the tables are a tad too close for comfort (a lot of waiters whizzing right past your face as you dine), and the decor is a bit too old and stuffy to really set a romantic atmosphere, but it gets the job done if you're looking for Italian classics done right. We enjoyed ourselves, but there's not much to entice us back in.
(4)Joseph C.
We got the manicotti, and pasta w vodka sauce. The spinach and cheese manicotti was amazing. The bread was fresh and hot. The tomatoes in the salad were very fresh and delicious.
(4)Amy S.
All I have to say was this was BY FAR the best Italian dinner I have ever had. I spent a very memorable Valentine's day here and my sister and I enjoy coming to La Panetteria when she comes to DC.
(5)Carmen Z.
I honestly don't know how yelp put together such a good rating for this place. The service here was terrible. The food did not impress me. This would be the first, and last time I shall visit this place.
(1)Brittany S.
This was a wonderful little restaurant! It was my first time here and I went to lunch with some colleagues in the area... I was VERY impressed! I ordered off menu, as I'm a vegetarian but really like mushrooms sooo I ordered the gnocchi but with mushrooms and a vodka sauce instead of regular red sauce and it was TO DIE FOR! I made everyone at the table try it and they all loved it! It's got the cozy feel of a real Italian restaurant, like ones I've visited in Florence etc. The price was also incredibly affordable (my entree was 10.95) and the staff was ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! If I didn't live all the way in Arlington I would work this restaurant into my regular date rotation! LOVE IT, will try to get back!
(5)Renee M.
Cockroaches! I killed one on the floor in front of the bar. One of the waiters walked by it and flipped it out of the way. That did it for me!
(1)Evelyn R.
If I could give this restaurant 0/5 stars I would. The only thing they have going for them are the kind waitstaff. The decor is tacky, and it was so humid in there I wanted to leave, and I was just getting carryout - I was waiting for 30 minutes (a LONG time). On to the meal... I got the vegetable pizza and eggplant parmesan, being a vegetarian. The portions were generous, I'll give them that. But the pasta that was served with the eggplant parmesan was watery, not cooked well, and easily came from a store bought box. I eat barilla pasta a lot at home, so I know Barilla pasta when I have it. That WAS definitely barilla pasta. How can you take 30 minutes to give me carryout if all you have to do it boil water to drop pre cooked pasta in? It did not stop there. The sauce on the pasta was tasteless and bland and lacked the seasoning you would expect of Italian tomato sauce, that you would expect of an Italian restaurant. The eggplant parmesan was mediocre; I could have made better eggplant parmesan and I only have experience watching the Food Network and cooking for my family. I do not know who hired the chef, but he/she did not go to culinary school, is not Italian, and should be fired. The pizza was HORRIBLE; I can equate this pizza to that of Domino's. I got a large, but I should have gotten none. The vegetables on the pizza were overcooked and old; you could taste how they were NOT fresh, at all. The cheese was disgusting and stringy and cheap and not of high quality at all. Again, I could hands down make a better pizza than this. Thinking back on it, I bet Domino's does and has made better pizza than this crap. I'm sorry this is so harsh, but avoid going here - the food is TERRIBLE and is most definitely not worth the price; cook some barilla pasta at home and get the same effect.
(1)Dave S.
I have never had a bad meal here. The fungi misti appetizer is delicious, as is the simple, yet delicious, salad dressing and the entrees are always more than satisfying. My wife and I always leave here full and happy and love the friendly service.
(4)Chris M.
Had an excellent dinner with the wife here. Ambience is great, service is attentive, and our food was great. The lamb shank and risotto special was awesome, and my wife loved her shrimp and lobster special. Would have been 5 stars if it was just a hair less pricey.
(4)Soy L.
The veal parmigiana was decent, at best. Service was excellent. It's a nice looking place, and good for a date.
(3)Kara S.
I really don't mind that the decor was dated, but the menu was also dated. The appetizer choices were mostly fried and the salads we got with our meals were boring. The main meat dishes were okay, but not amazing and the marinara sauce that came with the pasta was bland. The broccoli we ordered for the children was obviously frozen. It was a good place to bring the kids, but we are glad that we did not choose this restaurant for a special occasion. I don't think we will return.
(2)Wendy W.
Great Italian food for an early Saturday night family dinner with the kids. delicious meals, attentive service. nice old-fashioned feeling. We will go back.
(3)Heather J.
We really enjoyed La Panetteria. I had been to the restaurant before, but not for a long time. I was pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. We were greeted by a very friendly waiter, who took us right to our table. Within seconds, we had a basket of warm bread with olive oil and parmesan cheese. We decided to share the minestrone to start. It's a large portion, so it's definitely enough for two to share for an appetizer. It was so, SO good. It's total comfort food - the kind of soup you crave on a cold winter night. I would go back just for that soup. For our entrees, we got the chicken marsala and one of the specials - a portabella mushroom ravioli with chicken, tomatoes, and spinach in a tomato cream sauce. The raviolis were homemade and delicious. The chicken marsala was wonderful, as well. As I was sitting at the table after dinner, I checked in on Yelp and noticed the restaurant was offering a Yelp deal, so I snapped that up for my next trip to La Panetteria. It will be soon, I hope!
(4)Jess Y.
Solid 4 stars. Atmosphere: Very cozy and inviting. It was romantic but not in a suffocating way. Could be a great place for a nice family dinner out or for a sweet date. On an early Saturday night, it was pretty quiet but relaxing. Food: They started us off with bread (including focaccia slices) with olive oil and parm. The bread wasn't as warm as I would have liked, but it was still nice to munch on! I love focaccia bread! We had a Groupon for two glasses of house wine and two entrees. Prices are a bit steep, but they were worth it with the Groupon deal. The entrees both started us off with a nice salad. I am pretty picky about dressing but I really liked their homemade vinaigrette. I ordered the Scallopine Alla Saltimbocca (Veal slices with prosciutto and provolone cheese in a white wine sauce). The veal was delicious with the melted provolone and prosciutto--I mean proscuitto makes anything taste amazing! It also came with a side of veggies and pasta (with red sauce). I was a little confused that the pasta came with red sauce rather than just complementing the white wine sauce with the veal, but it was still delicious. I must say though that the veal was a little thin... My dining partner ate the Riso Pescatore (rice with shrimp, fish, clams, scallops, mussels in livornese sauce). It was deliciously creamy and chock full of yummy seafood. I might have secretly stolen a few bites from his dish. Overall, the portions were perfect. Not too much but not too little. Just enough to satisfy your appetite. I was curious about the desserts but we were too full to enjoy them. Service: Our waiter was always prompt and very helpful.
(4)Yumi M.
This is a gem in Bethesda for sure. Located apart from the "downtown" Bethesda, the decor outside the restaurant sure makes it cute. The inside was bigger than I expected, a perfect place for a nice dinner date. They bring you bread to start off the meal, which was very good, but wish it was warm. Ordered mussels with white wine sauce which was on point, flavorful sauce. Raviolini (I believe with pink sauce) and lasagna was delicious too but the lasagna has a somewhat sour tomato taste. All in all, my hub and I had an amazing dinner date here and would absolutely recommend to anyone looking to have a more quiet, chill, yet romantic date.
(4)Laura K.
I was going to give La Panatteria Ristorante 1 star because the owner really upset my party and I, but the service and food was great until the very end therefore I will concede and give them a 2 star rating. My friends and I were celebrating a friend's birthday yesterday (2/23/2014) and I have to say, the food and service was great until the end of the night. We were a party of 14 and had brought two cakes with us (something we normally do for birthday celebrations) to celebrate the birthday. When we arrived the host was very nice to us and agreed to hold our cakes in the back until we were ready for it. We had appetizers, drinks and dinner, and all was well. When it was time for the cake, we asked the server to bring out the cakes. She brought out the cake and we sang happy birthday to the birthday girls. As the cake was being served, the server informed one of us that there would be a $2 fee/person for them serving the cake for us. I had never had of this before. The server informed me that I could speak to the owner since that was their policy and there was nothing she could do. I talked to the owner of the place, Harry and explained our confusion regarding this cake service fee. He informed us that that was the industry wide standard and that, at which point i informed him that we had never heard of such a fee before. I explained to him that i knew of the industry-wide 18% gratuity restaurants add for large parties which is usually written in the menu so there is never any confusion regarding the tip that shows up on your check at the end of the night. He countered my response by telling me that they provided us with great service and that was part of the fee for the courtesy of them serving us our cake. I then asked him why no one had informed us of the fee when making the reservation or when they took our cakes, and he said that he does not know why but that is their policy. I informed him we would pay the fee but they should not sneak in such fees without informing the customer before hand. My party was a little unhappy when I informed them about the cake service fee because we all felt that it was underhanded for them to tell us about the fee after and not before, at which point Harry came over to try and explain himself again. He apparently got frustrated with us because he said, "it is only $11". Not sure how he came up with that random number or even why he made such a statement because it only got us more upset. So one of my friends asked for his name, at which point he says Harry but refused to give her his last name. His attitude was flat out unprofessional and him refusing to tell us his last name is a clear indication something was amiss. For anyone celebrating birthdays here please be sure to ask about the $2/person cake service fee just so you don't get blindsided like we did.
(2)Debi R.
Went for my hubby's birthday with another couple. Everyone was delighted with their food, the atmosphere and the staff. We all decided we will go back.
(4)Jay B.
The food and service have been great, and I like the decor. A bit pricey but my pasta came with bread and a salad. The house red was very good.
(5)Beth K.
Been here on two occasions. My husband's parents wanted to have Italian for the rehearsal dinner when we got married last month. We scouted out a few places in Bethesda and decided to check this place out. Four of us came for dinner during the week and were seated in the long front space. We liked the ambiance and the bread variety. The house wine was fairly drinkable and the food was pretty good. We ordered the anti pasta tray, the fried zucchini and some calamari for the table. The anti pasta was huge! (To be fair, I got the risotto special and actually didn't like mine. It was like rice with red sauce, not the creamy, buttery risotto I am used to. But everyone else liked theirs.) Due to general laziness, and the fact that we were told we could book that front room for the dinner, we went ahead and chose this place for our rehearsal dinner. The way they do their private parties is rather odd: "We have three semi private rooms, the minimum for each room is 25 ,38 and 50 and max is 35,48,65 respectively." I asked what would we do if we had 36 people... I didn't get a response. They stuck us in this odd horseshoe shaped area in the back, it was decidedly NOT cute. I figured that since it was a Friday night in early January and we were bringing 30+ people in to eat and drink, they could have done us the courtesy of giving us the room we wanted. This is water under the bridge, though, and didn't matter in the end. We ended up just going there, because I didn't care to do any more research. People seemed to like it, and have a good time. I had some fish dish that wasn't memorable, but then again, my mind was on other things :) Would I go again? Probably not.
(3)Perry P.
I had to check this place out last Friday night after reading all the positive reviews on Yelp. I love Italian food and I was on my way to Olazzo in Bethesda, which I have previously reviewed favorably here. However, this night, I thought we would try something new. La Panetteria has the feel and ambiance of a place that has been around for a long time. The decor is a little droopy and it feels old fashioned. These are not bad things when it is a great family restaurant that can stay in business for generations.... i don't know if that is the story here, but it feels that way. The food was meh --- okay. I had lasagna and DH had some penne with cream sauce dish. Both were passable -- not the worst food I have ever had, but not the best. Both served piping hot and my lasagna had a rich sauce that was very smooth -- did not seem like the type of sauce that was homemade, but I may be mistaken. I didn't ask if they make their own sauces... The salad that came with the meal was basic and they serve the dressing on the side. Again, not necessarily a bad thing, until I realized that the dressing dish is a communal bowl that they set on every table -- just like those bowls or shakers of "cheese" that every Italian place feels like they must have out. I am NOT a germaphobe by any means, but the thought of how many people have dipped into that dressing kinda skeeved me out. i just don't think that is the most hygienic presentation..... Perhaps they should put your individual portion in a small ramekin on your plate. Desserts were a total let down. Clearly brought in from somewhere outside and sitting there for a while. Blueberry Cheesecake was dry and sad and the chocolate mousse cake was dry and boring. Overall, friendly, attentive service. Family friendly and a place that your parents would have gone to for 20 years. But certainly not the most special place for a Friday evening out.....
(2)Alexandra B.
This is a really sweet Italian restaurant in Bethesda, and we will definitely be coming back. The atmosphere is nice and intimate, with quaint but attractive decorations throughout the restaurant. There is one room for bigger parties and one for smaller, more intimate tables, which is nice because you don't get overwhelmed by noise from the bigger groups. The place is definitely full on a Saturday night, but I did not feel cramped and neither did my boyfriend. The setup was much better-designed than other restaurants I've seen. There are lovely murals all over the walls, nice lighting, and classic decor. Overall, I found it charming and relaxing. The service was very good. The servers are dressed very formally, but it sets up a good atmosphere, and dressing up is not required for customers. I would not suggest going here if you're in a rush, but the pace felt more leisurely rather than slow. I was also pleased because I felt more confident that things were very fresh since it took so long. We asked for recommendations from the waiter and he gave good advice. The food was overall really good. I know there have been some complaints about the bread, but I thought it was perfectly tasty, especially with olive oil. For appetizers, my boyfriend had the calamari, which he thought was very tender. I had the fried zucchini, which was probably the only thing I didn't like. It wasn't overly well-seasoned and the breading was falling off. The marinara sauce was very yummy, though. Our entrees came with salads, which were pretty standard but good. I really enjoyed the vinaigrette, though, and you could tell it was made in-house. For dinner, I had the pasta with wild mushrooms and garlic sauce, which was DELICIOUS. I was very pleased, especially since they do home-make their own pasta. I could definitely tell because the pasta had an excellent consistency. The sauce was very flavorful and the mushrooms had a great taste, too. My boyfriend had the veal tortellini with cream sauce, which he liked very much, too. Overall, a very lovely meal. We will definitely be back.
(4)Laurie J.
Horrible dining experience!! Food was awful and service was deplorable! Service and food are a direct reflection of owner/manager!
(1)Emily G.
Super surprised when I dropped in with a friend around this past Christmas. We've been going as our hang out and have girl time spot ever since! She loves the lasagna and I think the fettuccine Alfredo is amazing! I would definitely suggest eating out here.
(5)Jordan M.
Awful food. Awful service. I could get both better in the frozen food aisle at my local grocery store. Definitely will never be back!
(1)Preeya K.
Wonderful bread and salad plus great service. I ordered the lamb shank with risotto and linguini with crab and lobster. The lamb was perfectly done and the seafood dish had plenty of morsels and whole pieces of claw meat. Definitely one of the best Italian places in Bethesda
(4)Abhi K.
I have been to this wonderful restaurant twice now. The place is a little small, but that just means it is cozy. And despite its size, it can still support large groups. We had a group of 6 the first time I went there and a group of 17 the second time. The food is amazing. So far, I have tried the gnocchi (fantastic), linguini with clams (plenty of clams and a light sauce though it could have used more lemon juice), cannoli (amazing), and the appetizer plate that had fried mozzarella, fried cheese, fried zucchini, calamari, white pizza and basil/tomato. The servers are across the board friendly and competent. One server exchanged our wine when we by our own mistake ordered the wrong carafe! There are so many places in Bethesda, but I have a feeling I will be coming back to this one
(5)Izzat A.
Went here tonight to get some grub. Really like the atmosphere. Very intimate and romantic. The tables are kind of small though. My server was great. Attentive but not pushy. They were swamped so food took a lil while to come out. I got the chicken alfredo and I can honestly say it was the best I've ever had. Came with a side salad too. Pretty pricey at $17. Got a canoli to and it was very good. I had a Groupon so it saved me $10. Total would have come out to $30 for one person, that's a lil steep imo. I'll come back. Finally found another italian place besides Olazzo that I like in the dc area.
(4)Michael J.
This place feels like its right out of the 1970's-- not that there's anything wrong with that per se; however, even if you're in the mood for their '70s throwback style Italian menu, this place comes up short on the execution. Nothing gross, just underwhelming and really expensive for what it is. Freakin iceberg lettuce salad with your choice of Italian or Italian dressing, kinda says it all.
(2)Kate A.
Just a good ol' Italian restaurant: they have an extensive menu (including desserts, but make sure to order the cannoli! It's not on the menu!), and the decor is fun since the walls are painted to look like Venice. I'd definitely go back!
(4)H D.
The atmosphere is good, but the food is average at best. We ordered margitta pizza and 1 inch thick slices of tomato's on it. The pasta sauce was very blant with no taste. I have eaten better italian for much cheaper else where. For some reason I feel like the food has this frozen feel to it, like it was just warmed up in the oven.
(2)Linda A.
Three adult foodies enjoyed a meal on Sunday. The three of us try many restaurants; from chains to The Inn at Little Washington! The service, wine, well prepared appetizers, entrees, dessert, and coffee were very good. The atmosphere is pleasant and not too loud.
(4)A C.
Lovely waitress, terrible ambiance, miniscule portions of veal, terrible salad, ok rum cake. This restaurant really needs Gordan Ramsey to pay them a visit. There were flies buzzing about, very loud sounds of tables been bussed and generally poor management.
(1)Roxanna S.
My friend and I were looking for a good Italian restaurant last night and we came across Panetteria. We were greeted by a very friendly host who sat us down immediately. We were in the garden room, which is beautiful!! It really felt like we were in Italy. After reading some of the reviews about the bread I have to disagree because when I went the bread was moist, not stale at all. I have been to a few restaurants in this area and comparable Panetteria bread was wonderful. Next, we ordered our entrees. I ordered the Tortellini with cream sauce and my friend ordered the muscles with tomato sauce. I have to say the Tortellini was AMAZING!!!! I am pretty picky when it comes to pasta, but I must say everything was great from the sauce to the tortellini itself. My friend had the muscles, she said they were delicious and ate them all. Overall I had a wonderful experience at Panetteria and I will definitely be back very soon.
(5)Dee B.
The side room of La Panetteria is a wonderful place for lunch on a sunny but cold winter's day. The room has skylights which fill it with natural sunlight, plus the white walls and many hanging plants give it a very comfortable feel. The service here is great - quick, friendly. Our bread basket was brought out with a generous bowl of Parmesan, which was great for mixing with olive oil and using for bread dunking. My two-coworkers and I were all quite pleased with our dishes. I loved my cappuccino, and they said the regular coffee was good. All of this came to only about $50/55 (without tip). One complaint is that the temperature of the room was a bit too cool.
(4)Paula Z.
Dined there last weekend with family and walked away a fan. Nice choices, even for vegetarians, fresh salad (none of that iceberg mentioned by a previous reviewer), attentive service and excellent organic Montepulciano, Not the hippest of places, but has a nostalgic feel to it. The only drawbacks were the level of noise and the lack of elbow room. Will be back when in the area.
(4)David W.
Great little neighborhood gem - good for families, great food and service!
(5)Charles T.
Amazing. Absolutely amazing. The service, the food, the amtosphere were all fantastic.
(5)Thommee H.
The best thing I can say about this place is that the appetizers and entrees were well cooked, e.g. calamari that was perfectly tender and pasta that was that ideal firmness to the tooth al dente. Other than that, everything else was mediocre to poor. To echo another Yelper, the bread was about the quality of suburban supermarket Italian bread. Ditto the olive oil on the table for dipping -- bland, without the subtlety, nuance, and complexity of great olive oil. That lack of great flavor, seasoning, and balance, sadly, also describes our appetizers and entrees to a T. The food we had as completely standard fare, well cooked, but absolutely nothing special. Lastly, the "chocolate mousse" dessert literally tasted like Jell-O brand pudding.
(2)Jessica M.
I like Italian food and like cute little restaurants; so I wanted to like La Panetteria. I ended up pretty disappointed. To the Pro/Con-mobile! Pros: -Not busy. On a friday night, there were only 4 table seated. -Cute little garden looking thing we sat in -Typical Italian fare to choose from -Bread for the table -Nice servers -They bring you a plate with desserts on it to choose from. Cute -Great chocolate mousse Cons: -Very slow service for not being busy. Almost 30 minutes to get my check and leave. -Garden was cute & low light, but exposed florescent light from main restaurant shined right in my eyes all dinner & was annoying. -Wine list is not great and is very old & bulky. You can either choose a $40 bottle from one of the little pamphlets in the wine menu, or choose the $9 glass of mystery house wine. I decided not to get any wine. -Communal condiments. I didn't want to think of how many people got the bowls of cheese and dressing before I did. -Appetizer, calamari, did not come out until the dinner did. Was just ok. Oil was pooled in the bottom of the bowl. Very chewy. -Main dish, veal parm, was very tough, breading sloughed off the meat, just ok. There were microwaved frozen mixed veggies that came with the dish. They did not look or smell very appetizing. Also very chewy. -Tables were small, when the food came, we had to scramble to figure out where to fit all the things on the table...salt & pepper shakers, sugar packets, bottle of oil, bowl of parm (seriously, how many people used that bowl of parm before us...ew), bread bowl, bread plates, oil plate, wine menu, dinner plates, meal dishes, glasses. There was a lot going on! -Coffee was typical watery restaurant coffee. Not bad; I just expected better from a high priced Italian restaurant -The bathroom has a very pretty sink, but it's very cramped. The toilets are hard to flush. You have to hold in this push flusher until the water goes down. -Walking back from the bathroom, you'll notice the kitchen has your silverware in a bin on the counter....next to a pair of sneakers and a can of raid. Nice. -And then you'll notice your ice is being scooped out of an old igloo cooler. -And you don't see anyone washing their hands...... -And then you want to leave, but it takes 30 minutes to get the check and have then cash you out. In conclusion, just too many things went wrong for me to like this place. And for the price, I probably won't be back.
(2)Andy W.
We went there on a Thursday night. We made a reservation, but we didn't need one as the restaurant wasn't too crowded. We stood at the door waiting for a few minutes, then someone came and sat us. The service was good, quick, and attentive. I ordered a linguine with seafood in the red sauce, which was very good. She ordered a tortellini with the creamy white sauce. Her portion was a little small, but mine was pretty big. Each meal came with very good bread and a starter salad. For desert, we ordered the tiramisu which was excellent and the caramel cream. Our bill was around $55 for the 2 entrees and the 2 desserts. I would definitely go back there, as the food was very good and reasonably priced for a date.
(4)David M.
Authentic Italian cusine with wonderful decoration and art work could be found at this restaurant. The dessert is one of the best parts of the seervice. The Cappucino was just outstanding. Ambiant atmosphere makes it a romantic place for special occasions and celebrations. I highly recommend this place.
(5)Alan A.
Cozy small Italian restaurant that my godfather and I have dinner at every other weekend. One weekend we forgot to make reservations on a Saturday and didn't get seated (bummer) but ended up going that Sunday. If its crowded, seating is elbow to elbow which can get a little uncomfortable at times. The food is amazing (I love the mussels in the red sauce). Everything is made to order; I haven't had anything over or under cooked yet. The wine list is pretty good, we usually end up ordering the House Chianti which goes great with every meal we've had there. Sweet tooth? their desert menu will rock it! The one problem (which really isn't a problem) is their portions are huge! We end up eating the mussels, salad and bread. By the time our main course arrives we have to bag it up and order dessert lol. Overall the place is great to have a "home cooked" Italian meal. The service, the food and the atmosphere is wonderful.
(4)Claudia P.
food was good and so was the service. nothing amazing but good.
(3)Tigeristic T.
Let me start off by saying the reason for the low/average rating was because the host and the bartender were so friggin' awesome and the waiter was kinda...blah. He wasn't horrible...just not grade A...Oh and when he went to move my glass of water , he kept grabbing the rim...maybe I expect too much...or maybe I'm paranoid about roofies in my water 'cause in my head I'm usually James Bond when I'm out at diner. The Food: decent, nothiing to write home about...the dessert selection wasn't all that great. The presentation was pretty good though... Seating: Made reservations and still had to wait a few minutes, which I got over. I felt a bit odd though...when I say it was tight seating I mean I was playing footsie with someone else's date 2 tables away. picture a POW camp...again, I'm James Bond and I like my space...but it could've been a result of Valentine's day diners *shruggs* Drinks: I'd give their wine selection a solid B-, nothing great but if u find a bottle of what you like...why wouldn't you enjoy it....I recommend the Luna.
(3)Charles P.
I have dined at the Panetteria several times, and always had a pleasant experience. My latest visit in July 2011 was no different. The restaurant is small and cozy, and the side section with the skylights, tile floor and paintings on the wall, give you a unique feeling of dining outdoors. The air conditioning in that section suffers some, so beware. The food has always been delicious, and portions just fine. Unlike some restaurants, I don't frequently need a "doggie bag" after finishing my meal there. I was confused by the so-called house wine, as it was on the wine list as something else. But, the half carafe of red was fine. Prices have crept up over the years, but this is nothing surprising in restaurants. Prices are moderate. The Panetteria does offer an early bird special menu, but you have to request it. The wait staff was excellent, and clearly understood that I was not in a hurry and wanted time to talk. The waiter was knowledgeable, too. Some restaurants never give you the chance to talk, and interrupt frequently in the name of service.
(4)Richard Z.
A family friendly Italian restaurant with great food and friendly staff. Their tomato, cream sauce & veal dishes are amazing.
(5)Sarah N.
This is a quaint little Italian place in Besthesda. The restaurant is sectioned off into two parts: the main area for bigger tables and a side room for smaller parties.With hanging plants, a glass ceiling, and wall paintings, the side room has a much more romantic feel. The food is decent. Lamb on risotto is my favorite dish. On the other hand, I felt like throwing up after eating the eggplant rolls, since they have a strange armpit odor despite the raves from other yelpers. The portions here are generous and service is good.
(3)Catalina A.
The food was great the atmosphere was nice and intimate. Service excellent! Girlfriends and i had an great time. Will return.
(4)Ron G.
First time having pizza here for lunch. Very Impressed with the quality, taste and freshness. Definitely recommend stopping in for lunch. In and out very quickly!
(5)Ari C.
Skip Pines of Rome. Come here. At least every once in a while. So far, I've been to La Panetteria four times--twice for lunch and twice for dinner. The wait staff was competent in my opinion, but if you're the type that likes check-ins every five minutes, La Panetteria is not for you. I went at around 4, so the place was deserted, but it gets crowded around 7, so it's probably best to make a reservation, now that they seem to be putting out Groupons. If you get a seat in the side room, you're lucky. There are skylights that let in plenty of natural light, and the plants hanging on the wall help, too. It's a little colder than the rest of the restaurant, though. The main dining room is nice, too. The food can vary, based on some other reviews that I've read. My experience with the actual attraction wasn't half bad. For one, the salads that they bring before your entrée are delicious--served in glass dishes and full of freshly washed veggies. For dinner, the Fettuccine in Alfredo sauce is excellent, and the marinara served with the Gnocchi is not half bad too. As for dessert, the Chocolate Eclair is your best bet (hard to screw up pastry filled with cream), and the Mousse had a bit too much of an eggy texture (but that's just my opinion). The Flan was just so-so. The wine list is extensive and reasonably priced. The beer is something to avoid. It's pricey and it's typical Super-Bowl fare (Miller Lite, Heineken, etc.) They don't have any Italian cocktails or anything, so that was a bit of a disappointment, but it's not too big a deal. La Panetteria deserves five stars, but there was one incident with the wait staff that was completely inappropriate. Their bar happens to be open, in full view of the main dining room. They also keep the desserts in a fridge behind the bar. One waiter was stocking the dessert fridge, and whenever he got whipped cream or chocolate sauce on his hand, he'd lick his fingers and then handle more dessert plates. I went up to him and had a little talk; he said "OK, I won't do it again." I told him that he needed to wash his hands. "I do? Oh, right. I will." was his reply. Then he made a joke about it. He never went to wash his hands. Then again, if I'm so concerned about germs, I shouldn't eat out. Overall, the food is good, the service is okay, and the atmosphere is excellent. It ain't cheap. Save your money. La Panetteria is a restaurant meant for a special treat.
(4)Mike K.
Friday night graduation celebration for 12 brought killer bread, tasty entrees (I had seafood and rice, and co-eater had tasty baked eggplant spinach rollups, memorable canoli, gracious server, pleasant surroundings. A very pretty room with hanging plants, I will be back to this unpretentious Italian spot on Cordell Ave. Just dont bring me tentacles with the calamari fritta next time!
(3)Matt C.
I had picked up a Groupon for La Panetteria a week or so ago. We decided to go see a movie at Bethesda Row on Sunday evening, so I suggested that since we were going to Bethesda anyway, we give the restaurant a try. Now first, I'll note that I'm a big fan of Italian food of all kinds. I like fancy, expensive restaurants with menu items written in long strings of Italian (like this one -- as I read out to the waitress that I wanted the "petti de pollo parmegana", she responded "ok, the chicken parmesan"), and I also like divey pizza-pasta-sub joints. Give me tomato sauce and parmesan cheese, and I'm relatively happy. That being said, Italian places are a dime a dozen. With so many around, there's no excuse for settling for mediocrity. Unfortunately, La Panetteria was a mediocre experience in just about every aspect. When we were seated, the waitress started by bringing us a basket of bread (two kinds, an Italian bread and chunks of ciabatta) and a bowl of parmesan cheese. One thing that I expect from a good Italian restaurant is good bread. It goes with the territory -- even a lot of the chain Italian restaurants get fresh bread right. So imagine my disappointment when I found the bread to be pretty much of the quality that I expect to find in plastic bags on the day-old rack in the bakery section of the grocery store. It wasn't awful, but other than hunger I didn't feel a particularly compelling reason to be eating it (a sentiment which would soon become a theme for the evening). We ordered our meals (me the chicken parmesan, she the cannelloni) and waited. As we sat there, another group of four came in. Despite the nearly empty restaurant, the host seated them at the table immediately next to ours. Therein came the second problem -- the place is seriously cramped. We could hear every word of the conversations going on at that table as if we were sitting with them. While there was a larger, more open room in the back, the host only seated larger parties back there -- every party of four people or smaller was crammed into the tiny room in the front. When we finally left at the end, I had to walk out sideways to avoid running into people sitting at their tables, and I'm not a large guy. The waitress brought our salads (fairly pedestrian affairs, other than the odd addition of slices of pickled beet) and a bowl of salad dressing. It wasn't until I thought about it afterward that I noticed another big issue -- the bowls of parmesan cheese and salad dressing that were brought out to us were far too large for a single table of people. Either the restaurant is being incredibly wasteful, or they're re-serving the same bowls of condiments out to multiple tables. I wouldn't mind the latter option quite so much if more closed containers -- a shaker for the cheese, a bottle for the dressing -- were being used, but these were just big, open bowls, which sat exposed on the table for a long period of time. Eww. The food came out, and it was good, but not spectacular. If you've had generic chicken parmesan before, you pretty much know what my meal was like. It came with capellini pasta on the side (I like my pasta al dente, this was definitely over-cooked) and a mix of vegetables. My girlfriend's cannelloni was a bit too meaty for my taste, but she enjoyed it. In both cases, though, we agreed that we had definitely had better elsewhere. Since the Groupon was taking a lot of money off of the bill, we decided that we might as well have dessert. We asked to see the dessert menu, and waited. And waited. Finally, just as we were flagging down another waiter to ask for the dessert menu again, our waitress appeared carrying a dessert tray. The options were fairly unexceptional -- tiramisu, cannoli, and the like. I prefer chocolate desserts, but the only chocolate option on the tray was a rather uninspired looking mousse. The only thing that really looked good was a pecan pie, so we both ordered slices of that, along with cappuccinos. And then we waited again. And waited. And waited. How long does it take to put two slices of pie on plates? Finally the waitress appeared again. She set the pie and the cappuccinos in front of us. Because of all of the waiting, we were seriously pushing for time at that point, so I asked her to go ahead and bring the check. The pie was ok, but, like everything else, not remarkable. It definitely wasn't -- as I discovered much to my shock when the bill came -- $8 a slice pie by any vague stretch of the imagination. The cappuccino was way too heavy on the nutmeg (no one asked if we even wanted nutmeg), which seemed to be covering up some not particularly great coffee underneath. We thought we had allowed plenty of time before our movie to have a nice, leisurely dinner, but with the slow service, we just barely made it. All in all, it was a mediocre experience. With so many good Italian options around, I can see very little reason to return to this one.
(2)Alicia S.
I love this restaurant especially the decor!!! The waiters were amazing and super nice which is great since we were the only ones. It was kind of expensive but that was dinner time. The bread was sort of gross and the fritti wasn't very good I thought. However the dinner and everything else was AMAZING! Especially loved the feel of the restaurant it was like being in little italy
(4)Brett W.
Great (but not fancy) food and friendly waitstaff make this a keeper. The lasagna is incredible--cheesy, meaty and a lot of flavor. The salad dressing, which is homemade and thick with pureed veggies and spices is good enough to dip your bread in. Get the small pizza. The crust is thin yet chewy, something the large pizza doesn't always achieve. The soups are full-bodied and flavorful (and the mushroom soup has a ton of mushrooms in it). The atmosphere is warm and cozy. A nice friendly place with good food.
(5)Elizabeth K.
OK, so where do I begin? I had really high hopes for this place and there were so many things working for me to love this place! Great reviews on yelp? Check. Romantic dinner on a Friday night? Check. Somebody else paying? All checks!! The service was...odd. The waiter was totally scatterbrained, and did not hear half of our appetizer order. The calamari, though good, was really small for what they charged. We also had an order of the garlic bread which tasted stale and quite frankly it kind of annoys me when restaurants charge for garlic bread when I am accustomed to getting better (fresher) bread for free with my meal. I had the veal Parmesan based on popular opinion. Nothing spectacular. The sauce was good. My fiance order the chicken Marsala, I believe. Meh. I am boring myself writing this review but strongly urge those with a car and a sense of adventure to seek out better Italian food at Amalfi in Rockville (see my review). On the plus side, we were sitting next to a couple who was on a first date and my fiance and I love being nosy. The guy seemed totally normal but the gal was botoxed and lip-plumped up the ying yang. Score!
(2)Rob O.
Very very good authentic Italian food and very reasonably priced.
(5)Leang E.
I got here late for a dress rehearsal dinner, but I was glad to have gotten there at all. The place is so quaint and intimate even with a group our size. It just feels so customized to each party. The staff is genuinely hospitable and personable - you could have well been asking one of your aunts for extra silverware for the table. The salad was simple but yet very good, and I liked the lasagna. I had a bite of the cannoli and something else I couldn't remember. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I ate everything and added a cup of coffee to end my meal. The wine is actually pretty tasty here. I'm sure it's a spot my family and I will certainly remember.
(4)lindsay b.
My sister and I went here because we were looking for something a bit more authentic than Mama Lucia's for a change. This place was a bit off the beaten path (meaning, not in Bethesda Row), but well worth the exploring it took to find it. We went around 9pm on a Friday, and the place was pretty much deserted. Sometimes that can be a bad sign, so we were a little apprehensive. But it proved to be unfounded. The food was delicious. I particularly recommend their pesto sauce, it's creamy and rich and quite possibly the best I've ever had. We both tried different stuffed eggplant dishes, and both were excellent. They also have a decent wine selection, available by the bottle or half-carafe. The food was pretty reasonably priced, and the service was great (though that could be because the place was empty). I will definitely go back here from now on when I'm craving Italian food.
(4)Daisy C.
Dinner-sized portions at lunch! Ok, at 90 lbs, maybe I'm not an accurate gauge of what the average person considers a lot of food. But my 6+ ft male co-worker didn't finish his entree either. Three of us grabbed lunch here before heading to Dulles. I waffled between the gnocchi, seafood risotto, and pasta with clams, finally choosing the last because it came in a white wine sauce, while the others were in a tomato sauce. This was the first place I've had pasta and clams, where they used fresh clams. The sauce was tasty and not oily. Sadly, I was on my way to the airport and couldn't take the leftovers.
(5)Steve M.
Authentic Italian. Great experience and my partner and I travel a lot (NYC, Philly, NJ, Boston). Gravy (sauce) was outstanding. Veal cut with a fork and the service was superb. Calamari app and mussels in white wine sauce set the tone. Done to perfection and very tender on the calamari. Mussels were perfect and the broth made you want to make a meal of it with the bread service. Save room for the entree as it's worth it. Wine list is limited but you'll make do. Reasonable prices too! Have to come back to this one!
(5)Cathy G.
We had a luncheon for 100 here recently and were very happy with the service and the food. The staff was very accomodating to our food and drinks requests. The rooms were quaint and the prices were reasonable.
(4)Megan T.
Wow. Made a last minute reservation here for my small birthday dinner -- looking for a place that was under $20 a person but still fared pretty well with my ever faithful yelpers. We arrived on time and were promptly seated. Ambiance was great and the restaurant was well filled for a Friday night but still fairly quiet, many middle aged and older diners. Our water glasses were filled and then we sat for 15 minutes while waiter after waiter passed us. We were given bread which was mediocre at best -- and tasted a few days old. The oil at the table was so salty I couldn't even continue to eat it and instead chugged my water. After those 15 minutes, our waiter arrived and placed some Parmesan in a GIANT bowl on our table. More than we could ever use if we sat there for three hours, which leads me to believe they just have communal bowls that they circulate between tables. He asked if we wanted to order -- and I replied I think so -- and then he said 'Okay, I'll come back in a few minutes.' And left, without taking our drink order. He returned 10 minutes later and took our orders. 25 minutes into dinner service, and we finally get drinks. He returned shortly after with our salads -- both my sister and I opted to 'upgrade' from the Garden salad to Caesar salads, while our other friend opted for the traditional Garden. For that ONE garden salad the waiter brought out a SOUP CUP full of dressing. Do they just keep those full like the Parmesan? It reminded me of something I'd see on kitchen nightmares. The salad was salty (and I love salt), the croutons soggy, lacking any cheese, and tasted like it was out of a bag. Actually, I've had better Caesar salad out of a bag. Another 20 minutes passed, during which time our waiter passed us several times but did not offer to refill our drinks once. We finally asked him when he dropped off our meals. Our entrees came (margherita pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parm). They were all mediocre, but nothing to write home about -- I ate half and left the rest. I've had better from major chains like Mangiannos and Macaroni Grill. We waited yet another 20 minutes, without the waiter checking in with us, and flagged down our waiter long enough to ask for the check. He was very displeased when we asked him to split the check two ways, but begrudgingly trudged off for 15 minutes to go do it. It was $36 and change for my sister and I, and I paid with a 40. He picked it up, along with my friend who paid with a card, and returned 10 minutes later. He didn't return my change, just kept the rest as his tip. On my friend's receipt in large capital letters at the top it read 'TIP IS NOT INCLUDED.' I'm not sure why I found this to be very, very rude. He only visited us 3 times over the course of an hour and a half long dinner, speaking fewer than 10 words during that time, and we didn't need to be reminded via check that it is customary to tip. I will never go back again, and it was a horrible way to spend my birthday. Luckily the company was fantastic, and it will be a story for many years to come.
(1)Joel S.
Good food at excellent prices with so so service. I will be back.
(4)Adela G.
The atmosphere in this restaurant is very cute and cozy. My only criticism would be how snug some of the tables are together, but the staff was very attentive, refilling water glasses constantly after every sip it seemed, and the food was delicious and made quickly, even on a busy Saturday evening.
(3)Esther O.
Sadly I can't agree with all the high reviews of this place. They really only get a 2nd star because the room where we sat was just so cute, made to look like an outdoor street and even having a roof that is entirely skylight so you can even feel like you're outside with the natural lighting. So the atmosphere is pleasant... but if you're going to a restaurant to, I don't know, EAT, I recommend going elsewhere. Nothing was terrible, but it was not good either. The tomato sauce on my pasta was nowhere near as good as out of a jar (kinda seemed like Hunt's out of a can :( ), and the "basil" it was supposed to be served with was just some small flecks of green, nothing that actually added to the dish. The salad was whatever - some lettuce and a cucumber slice or 2, and the dressing was gloppy and oily, though it had nice flavor. The side of veggies were grossly overcooked, limp and with zero flavor. I'm pretty sure there were no nutrients left in them. Service was attentive, always refilling water glasses, etc, but SLOW. Do not go here if you want a less than 2 hour meal. I think that that is their intent, to provide a place for a nice leisurely meal, so it's not necessarily bad, but just be aware of that going in. With the abundance of Italian restaurants in Bethesda, I do not recommend going here. I haven't tried the others, but they have to be better.
(2)Jessica C.
I love this place! The atmosphere is very inviting and intimate. The bread is delicious as is the homemade salad dressing that comes with the salad. The pastas are delicious and very reasonably priced especially since a salad comes with them. The staff is always very friendly and accommodating as well. Will keep coming back!
(5)Ray A.
Food was below par. Service was very slow. The owner suggests that his staff tell him how much to charge and so he charged us 30 crafts of wine for 60 adults when half did not even drink and the other half had max 2 glasses each (i.e., during lunch time). When I told him about how it was totally illogical for our group to drink this much, he reduced it to apx. 15 crafts. What a cheat. I thought the owner was a decent person; unfortunately, totally unprofessional!!!! My suggestion is to pick another restaurant in Bethesda. There are lots of them that are better than this one! Sorry.
(1)Jeffrey A.
La Panetteria Ristorante is definitely not your average Italian restaurant. The cozy place is just one of those great finds in the Bethesda restaurant district. The dining room features a really beautiful atrium area that makes it feel as though you are dining on a street in Venice, while still giving you the comfort of air conditioning. The meals here are very hearty, and in large portions, so bring a good appetite. Before dining on our main course, we tried out the fried zucchini which was so lightly battered and so good, that I loved it, and typically I hate zucchini. For the main course my girlfriend went with the melanzane al florintina (eggplant wrapped around feta and spinach, covered in cheese) and I went with the spaghetti al pomodoro, which must have had a full pound of meat in the sauce. It was all very good, and the deserts were even better. A fresh chocolate mousse cake which was simply divine. I have had better Italian food, but not by far. For Bethesda, the prices are reasonable, aside from the "Wine book", as a bottom level Ruffino Chianti will cost you roughly $30, while at the store it can be purchased for $8.
(4)Sarah B.
La Panetteria is a great Bethesda go-to for good authentic Italian and wonderful specials. The staff are friendly and efficient without being overbearing. The owner/host is always watching and ensuring everyone is content. The menu is classic and the food never disapoints. I have learned to go with the specials-the seasonal touches are prepared with care. last night I had a perfectly chilled gazpacho-summer tomatoes and parsley shone through. I asked for a cup and the vowl size serving was enough for my finacee to share. Cold Soup? he said with a grimace- then proceeded to finish it up- "it's like salsa- but better" ( we are working on the couth here- he typically eats what I put in fromt of him, good sport) His Petti di Pollo Cattiatore was a great pick, although when I tasted it I was a bit suprised that he wolfed it down- the taste of green olives was noticible and delicious to me, but he has always told me he does not like olives. Back to the specials - the lamb is always perfect. No matter how prepared, this place masters Italian dishes with lamb. I ordered the lamb shanks with risotto and asparagus. Perfect still crunchy asparagus. Chewy, creamy, not too cheesy risotto- topped with a fork tender seasoned to perfection lamb shank. Heaven. So I am feeling blessed to live in Bethesda- and am heading to Louisiana Kitchen for begneits and cafe au lait. If I can wake him up!
(4)Michele W.
My cousin and I went here on a Sunday shortly after they opened. Very few people were there. I got garlic cheese bread and Fra Diavolo shrimp & linguine. Both were excellent. My cousin had calamari which she didn't like because she felt it was too greasy. They have their house made salad dressing, I liked it but my cousin did not. She did enjoy her chicken alfredo though. I would go back again. The service was excellent.
(4)Leila T.
I was greeted by the host with a red rose (it was V-Day), and promptly seated for our 9:00PM reservations. This quaint little classic Italian restaurant is a great choice for intimate dining. Twinkle lights and candles illuminate the long narrow dining spaces and Venetian mural. After deciding on a bottle of wine, I ordered the ricotta and spinach stuffed eggplant which was extraordinary. It accompanied a very ordinary house salad. For dessert they were willing to accommodate us with a bowl of mixed berries (not on the menu). The dessert tray looked divine but our entrees were quite rich so we opted for something on the lighter side. The staff was very friendly and attentive.
(5)Joanne Z.
Finding Sorrentos (a fabulous Italian restaurant) closed for renovations we headed across the street to La Panetteria. I had not heard great things about L Paneteria but we were with an elderly couple who could not walk very far and were not excited about going to Mia's (adjacent to Sorrentos) for pizza. The service was decent but the food was disgraceful. My husband and I ordered red snapper over pesto rice. The fish was the consistency of rubber and the rice was tasteless. The house salad was nothing but iceberg lettuce and some cucumbers and the tomatoes in the caprese were hot house variety (no excuse this time of year). No apologies from the kitchen just a shot of amaretto at the end of the meal. Try Sorrento Trattoria when it reopens. It is a family run restaurant. The food and service never disappoint.
(1)Steve W.
Had dinner her for the first time Saturday night. It is right across the street from Caddies Bar. I didn't think that I would eat Italian in Bethesda again after having so many bad experiences, but someone recommended this place to me so tried it. I agree with everyone, that the atmosphere is quaint. They have white lights hanging and the it is intimate without being overbearing. We didn't have reservations and it was packed, but the owner was very accommodating and had us seated in 10 minutes. We had the grilled calamari which was good. I would have preferred if they served it with some marinara, but I was too hungry to ask and wait. I had the veal parm with pasta and vegetables. The veal was pounded thin and fried with marinara and melted cheese. It was very good. I am not a big veggie eater with Italian so I didn't eat that part. The sauce had a good flavor without being overbearing. My girlfriend had the pasta with shrimp,scallops, and mussels. She said that it was also very tasty. The portions are a decent size and left me some room for dessert. We had a pastry that the waited called a "rum". It was like a Napoleon, but without the top glaze. It was very fresh and not too heavy. This is definitely the only place in Bethesda that I would return to for Italian. Very good and not terribly expensive for Bethesda. Around $80 including two glasses of wine, appetizer, two entrees, and dessert.
(5)Gilda H.
Had lunch there and really thought I wouldn't be able to make it through my afternoon meeting because I was so sleepy from eating all the wonderful food that this "ristorante" had to offer! The service was impeccable and the price was not bad for the amount of food yumminess!
(5)A. J.
Maybe the reason my wife married me (one of our first romantic dinners in 1991). We have been there many times since and always enjoy the food and service. The owner always makes you feel welcome. We have never had a bad experience and even had my wife's surprise 40th birthday there (another great experience). We will be back on a regular basis for good food at a moderate price. A definate winner in Bethesda.!
(5)Robin S.
Everything I have tried here has been delicious. I ordered veal parmigiana (sort of my test-dish at any Italian place.) The cutlets were very thin, but that was actually a good thing. The sauce is perfect (not too many onions, not too red, and the dishes are served with angel hair pasta! The bread is tasty and the dessert selection is wonderful.
(5)Batman '.
My sister and I tried this place the other night. Nice to have valet parking outside the door. We were greeted quickly and taken to a table. The service was excellent and the food is wonderful. I struggled to finish my lasagna. The wait staff was quick to refill my iced tea. The bad stuff. We finished our bread but the basket wasn't refilled nor were we asked if we wanted more bread. I had to ask for butter. The table beside us got butter with their bread. BIGGEST problem was a bottle of American beer was $5.50. 2 beers for $11.00? I'm I at at Nationals or Redskins game? I don't think so. The price for the food was spot on but next time I will have water.
(3)Bruno C.
Quaint little Italian place in bethesda. Not a destination place by any means, but pretty descent food with very reasonable prices. We specially liked the carbonera. Service was very good and friendly, that goes a long way for us. I recommend it for the bethesda crowd.
(3)Sol B.
I am not sure whether I got the displeasure of eating at La Panetteria on a way off night, but I have little if anything good to say about the experience. The small Italian eatery has one men's room which led to a 25 minute wait to wash my hands although the restaurant was only a quarter full; they have a full bar, but no unique Italian cocktails or any recommendations to provide; the fungi friti though well friti has little flavor and is served with a ubiquitous marinara sauce which finds itself in most dishes; the gnocchi was a bit chewy but was edible which is more than can be said for the eggplant parmesan which was completely inedible due to its rancid taste. The waiter claimed the dish was freshly made that day, but then after further reflection he said "maybe it's the eggplant"! The only good part was they did not charge us for this item. I will not be going back.
(1)Henry L.
Cute little restaurant in Bethesda, solid Italian fare. Had the Petit di Pollo Frances, and the sauce was quite tasty. House chianti is decent, but like the restaurant, nothing spectacular.
(3)M M.
This is one of my favorite places for a good Italian food. Its located on Cordell Ave. and is about 10-15 min walk from either Medical center or Bethesda metro stations. I have been here several times with my friends and also with my office coworkers and had a great experience each time. I completely agree with other reviewers that the staff is very friendly and they make sure you have a good time. The place is very comfortable and nicely decorated to give it an Italian charm. They have a nice sunlit courtyard that provides an extra dimension for seating. Once we sat in the courtyard and it started raining heavily and it felt like we were sitting outside, only untouched by rain, as the rain water washed the glass roof. Being a vegetarian, I was initially bit worried about finding something to eat. They have around 5-6 veg entrees to choose from and I have tried two of them (gnocchi and riso primavera) and they are really good!! They serve a combination of bread, olive oil and cheese along with the order and they are just a great starters. The meat eaters will find lots of options and my coworkers really liked the food they ordered. One of my coworkers has been a regular at this place and has been coming here for many years. I am highly appreciative of good local restaurants that serve food made from fresh ingredients and this is one of them.
(5)Sarah Z.
I came here for dinner with my family on our vacation. It has a very quaint atmosphere, reminiscent of restaurants in Europe. The food was great, very authentic and generous portions. No one in my family finished their meal. The service was great, very friendly and attentive without being suffocating. I'm deducting one star for the less than stellar bread/olive oil and mediocre vegetables that came with my entree (which was otherwise delicious). Overall, this is a great pick for anyone looking for some authentic Italian food and handmade pasta.
(4)Steve G.
First time here and it was ok. Not bad, not great. White pizza was flavorful but soggy crust WAY undercooked. My wife had the gnocchi which she enjoyed, to me it tasted a bit bland, I had a lobster/crab ravioli which was ok but not outstanding. Good wine list. Service was ok except we were there on a Tuesday night and they were not very busy but for some reason they hurried our entire meal like they had people waiting! Not cool. The other couple we were with finally told the bus boy to go away! Decor was good and overall atmosphere was nice.
(3)Sam H.
I came here b/c Ozollo was closed today during lunch for some reason. And I give this place a definate 5 stars. I'll start with the waiter service. It was an older gentleman who was very knowledgeable about his menu and well... recommended everything. He said confidently "you'll like everything on the menu b/c it's good" Well, I decided to get a sea food pasta dish. (didn't write down what it was called) and my friend got one of the daily specials. Portion wise... it will fill the average american up. They are real generous with their sea food on their pasta. The price is reasonable and not out of this world. Ranges about 11-20 bones per person for lunch. The atrium gives you the feeling that your eating outside. (for lunch) b/c there is direct sunlight and the room is filled with paintings that make you feel like you might actually be outside in one of the european streets. So... Yes I'll come again. Apparently if you bring your valentine's here on V day, they'll give you a a complimentary "red rose" for your lady. If it's two guys... make a get who the rose is gonna before and the loser pays for dinner. Or better yet... the one who doesn't get the rose buys dinner. Same goes visa vera.
(5)Josh E.
Bread...delicious...oil...delicious...pasta...Âdelicious...chicken parm...delicious. If you eat at this place and you don't like it, don't bother going out to eat anymore because you will never be satisfied. If you take a friend here and they hate it...get rid of them...a girlfriend...break up with her....your mom....move and never tell her where you are. This place is cozy, affordable, and unlike half of Bethesda...not pretentious at all. Good service, too. Go here...you won't regret it. If you do...you have no taste.
(4)Mike C.
This is a fine neighborhood restaurant. Our table of 11 was seated together in a great configuration- a round table connected to a rectangular table. We could all interact. The food is adequate, with the exception of the lasagna, which was great; the veal risotto special was also very good. Service was fine. The kicker was the valet locked the key of one of our cars inside the car, so we had to go home and get a spare. Then when the rest of us went out to leave, we waited ten minutes and no one came; we saw the valet moving cars around the street, apparently to get them closer to the restaurant since it was close to closing. We were finally able to flag her down and she actually had the audacity to say she saw us standing there forever and came over and asked us if we needed anything and we said no! Really?! She never came over. What a jerk! This place is serviceable, but beware of a ditzy female, incompetent valet.
(3)Lisa Y.
I thought that the food here was really good, hearty Italian food. The atmosphere is really neat with the atrium area. I think that the salad dressing, which is homemade, is terrific, and the desserts were very good. I've had the tiramisu, and I think chocolate mousse on one occasion. I can't remember the name of the entree I had, but it was similar to eggplant parmesan, but stuffed, and it was terrific.
(4)Amanda H.
This place was great! Beautiful atmosphere and great food. Reasonably priced. I definitely recommend being seated in the back room because the tables are more spacious back there. We were in the front and it was a little tight at a table for two. Definitely check this place out!
(4)Lisa M.
This little Italian place in Bethesda is sweet, homey, and very cozy. It reminds me of someone's homestead in a vineyard in Italy. The only thing that's missing is a blazing fireplace and someone's grandmother hovering over your shoulder. The waitstaff is friendly and everyone seems to be smiling. The Saturday evening we were there, a wedding reception was taking place and La Panetteria seemed like an ideal setting for it. This place makes me happy. It's good, old-fashioned Italian food - no haute cuisine here! (not that I don't enjoy haute cuisine but sometimes it's good to get back to the basics, especially when they're done well). Our party ordered a bottle of excellent red wine, which was recommended by our waiter. Our salads were large and accompanied by an excellent Italian dressing. The salad itself was nothing special but it was memorable because of what our waiter said about the salad dressing, which comes out in bowls ("Careful! Don't drink it, it's not soup! You laugh, but people have thought it was soup!") Our entrees were wonderfully caloric and tasty. My veal tortellini with white sauce was flavorful and exactly what I was craving on a cold winter night. My friend's osso bucco, one of the daily specials was ginormous and had him happily sucking the marrow out of two large bones. The meat was tender and falling off the bone. Another friend was pleased with her linguine del mar, which was chock full of seafood. The portion was so big that she ended up taking some of it home. Sadly, I can't comment on dessert because we were too stuffed for any more food. All in all, the atmosphere, food, and service make La Panetteria a viable destination in Bethesda's dining scene.
(4)m m.
I went here with 4 friends inspired by the reviews listed on Yelp. I'm from Los Angeles and I have to say that I have lost faith in my fellow yelpers, at least in the D.C./Maryland area. The waitstaff was wonderful. Extremely attentive and very polite. Everything else was a disaster. I was actually embarrassed because none of us, none of us, enjoyed our meal. Each item served was worst than the last. Sadly it was a night that cost us significantly in terms of time, taste and money. Appetizers, wine and main courses were equally dreadful. I wish I could say anything remotely positive other than overall politeness of the staff, regrettably I cannot.
(1)PIstachio B.
Come here for solid homemade Italian food. I came here for dinner. Service is great and portions are large. The veal tortellini, lasagna and pesto chicken were great dishes. Aside from not being a chain Italian restaurant, there was nothing exceptional about the food that would make me choose this place over some place like Buca di Bepo.
(3)Andrew S.
Went tonight based on all the great reviews on here and must say they are spot on. First off, the service was incredible. We felt as if we were dining at a place where the dishes run over $40. The drinks were always filled up and the staff were the most polite and courteous I have come across. The food was very good as well. I must say that it was some of the best veal I have ever tasted. Reasonably priced as well. The rest of the group said their food was top notch as well. Great atmosphere too. Will def be back!
(5)Matars Z.
Well, I had not eaten at this restaurant for eight years because I had not been too excited the only other time I had visited (nothing was bad, but nothing was great). Now- having revisited the establishment four times over the last six months, I have been very pleasantly surprised. I've had a seafood ravioli special, a lamb shank special, lasagna and the carbonara. I have also gotten to taste six other dishes ordered by friends, and four desserts, two salads, a few appetizers. The salads and appetizers were not exciting, but the food has been quite nice (consistently). Only a single angel hair/primavera-type special at lunch disappointed me- all the other dishes have been solid and in a few cases, such as the lamb, or risotto special, exceptional. The house wine reminds me of little trattorias in Italy - nothing special, but satisfying and enjoyable. There are many things which are just OK /solid at this place, like the bread, or the quality of the olive oil, or the wine selection - but in general you get a great feeling of comfort food, and when 9 of 10 dishes good, I'm happy. Most importantly, service at this place has been just right every time. They don't pester you, but they take good care of you. When I think of Italian food and don't want to have to leave Bethesda, this is where I think of going nowadays. And the price is great!
(4)Nicole G.
A coworker and I came here for lunch with a Yelp deal I bought. We couldn't agree on a pizza to split so we each got our own. And since the price difference between a small and a large was a couple dollars we both got larges! I think the waiter gave us a funny look but man, what a deal! It was a hot day so it felt a bit stuffy in the restaurant but the service was great. There was fresh bread and oil on the table while we waited and a big bowl of parmesan cheese. So maybe not the best pre-pizza choice but absolutely delicious. I got a classic pepperoni pizza and it was great. Really gooey chewy cheese and the right amount of sauce. My work has also gotten catering through La Panetteria so I can attest that they're pasta dishes are very flavorful as well! I'd like to come back to try even more dishes!
(4)Mayhah S.
Short version: La Panetteria is a solid Italian restaurant with a nice ambience good for a date or a special meal with the family. The waiters were attentive and friendly. I ordered the Spaghetti alla Carbonara which was chockfull of perfectly cooked pancetta with a creamy carbonara. Despite the excellent texture the sauce needed some black pepper and salt. Be forewarned, five bites of it and I was sure I was about to have a heart attack! But sometimes a creamy, bacon-y pasta dish is what you need in life. My dinner companion ordered the lasagne, which arrived steaming hot in a boat and had a somewhat spicy tomato sauce and perfectly cooked noodles. The entrees came with an ordinary house salad but the tomato-based Italian dressing on the side was delicious.
(3)Suheil T.
Had lunch at La Pannetteria with three co-workers today and I think we all died and went to heaven. The staff really knows how to treat guests and makes sure your meal is a great experience. We started off with their Mozzarella fritters which are AMAZING-- the perfect consistency and flavor. My buddies got the cannelloni- a lot of food and incredible sauce. I got the pesto, it was life-changing. Would highly recommend this place for an authentic Italian feel and great food!
(5)Hunter Y.
I used a $20 open table check, and signed a receipt for $41-$20, but was still charged $41 on my credit card.
(2)Paolini C.
The service is exceptional along with the amazing atmosphere. Genuine and authentic reception. No bar but the tables make up the wonderful decor. Along with the phenomenal food, the waiters and host make sure that you have a fine dining experience. I highly recommend this place when in Bethesda!
(5)Tandis H.
I ordered the Calemari Napolitano - a heaping plate of angel hair pasta with a tasty tomato basil sauce and topped with a generous amount of squid. I thought the dish was delicious and a great deal - comes with a pretty yummy salad. Very satisfying meal and wonderful warm service! Comfortable setting and overall great experience. Can't wait to come back and try more of their menu - it had a good amount of variety and everything sounded good!
(5)Mary Jane R.
The meal started with delicious, warm bread. The olive oil was just ok, but we could let that pass. But when the carafe of wine was not very good, and we complained three times with no satisfactory response, what was a three star review (due to the just ok food) went to a two star. Disappointing.
(2)Jay E.
This is a classy place with nice atmosphere, and service that's warm and attentive without being overbearing. Food is good, judging from the chicken parm dinner which I've had several times. In addition to an appetizer salad (with dressing served on the side without having to ask), the main dish comes with a nice order of vegetables. I'm always satisfied and fell good when I leave here, and I do like to eat. Only complaint is that the bread is never warm.
(5)Leigh D.
This place is a quaint hidden treasure in the hustle and bustle of downtown Bethesda. This is a family owned business that has been around since I think the '70's. Background story, I was here for a birthday party 6 months ago on Sat., 1/18. There was a dark cloud hanging over this party since I had just lost a girl I went on 5 dates with, who I had invited and agreed to go, but cancelled on me. On Mon. 1/13 I told my friend that I have a +1, and she wrote (my date) Stephanie in her book. After a 3.5 hour break up conversation late Wednesday night of the 15th, causing me to be really tired the next work day since I had gotten less than four hours sleep. That morning, I told my friend the bad news over the phone, but the more important part was that I would not let her down; I will go. Despite the dark cloud, I met some cool people that night and had a great time. The server was very friendly and welcoming, and I'm sure my friend felt that much more special for her birthday weekend. Additionally, the food & wine was great. I remembered savoring every bite. I can't wait to have the opportunity to go there again.
(4)Ted C.
Just finished a fabulous meal at this restaurant. Great food, atmosphere and service! Ravioli was awesome and the veal special delightful! Will definitely be back. And the wine was very reasonably priced.
(5)Matt B.
Food is excellent........waiter was a little pushy & impatient in getting us to order quickly. Wasn't very crowded so I'm not sure what the rush was!
(4)Rochelle C.
Service was really great food was alright. I loved the tiramisu but the special I tried was not really good and the carbonara was so so.
(3)Preston C.
I love Panetteria. I've been going there for years and years, and I've never had a bad experience. Part of that is that my grandparents love Panetteria, and I love my grandparents. Part of it is that the food is very reasonably priced, and it is good. Panetteria isn't "foodie" food. It's not fancy. But it won't disappoint. The lunch deals are especially great. I highly recommend going with the veal scaloppini.
(4)I A M.
Delicious, and a really good spontaneous decision to come! Great Monday night deal - 1/2 price on wine. Nice and romantic, if somewhat dated decor. Great wait staff, attentive and friendly. The bread was yummy, hot and fresh, with olive oil and freshly grated parmesan. Good house wine (chardonnay), went nicely with linguini con vongole and the sole dish. The sole in particular was amazing! Linguini was super fresh and (white) clam sauce with tons of clams was quite nice, if a tad salty (probably because there were real clams in there!) We topped off this nice little Monday night meal with a FANTASTIC tiramisu, honestly the best we have both EVER had. We'll have to come back to use my Yelp deal ($15 for $20), because you can't use that along with the 1/2 price wine. Oh well, twist my arm! Guess we'll have to come back and sample other delicious Panetteria fare! (Only real minus is the parking challenge and cost in downtown Bethesda.)
(4)