Sfizi Cafe
800 W Broad St, Falls Church, VA, 22046
Sfizi Cafe Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Falls Church for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
800 W Broad St
Falls Church, VA, 22046 - Phone (703) 533-1191
- Website https://www.sfizi.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
- Mon : 11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Garage, Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
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.
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Karen B.
if I could give 0 stars I would. IT IS NOT FAMILY FRIENDLY! Our younger child is 2 and not the neatest when eating. Water comes in a glass and there are no straws. Apparently he spilled some noodles on the floor (FYI-there is no kids menu or kids portions). The owner came over and was talking to the waiter and said in a very curt voice, looking at my child's chair, "Jesus, we are going to have to clean that up too. " I asked for the check right after that. I told him that I was under the impression that his place was family friendly since that is actually written on their website. I also told him that you shouldn't say things like that in front of your customers. His reply was, "if I took it personally, it was my problem. " Seeing Laura H.'s comment and some others, I suspect that the power of Yelp is now his problem. ;) Now is the food good enough to overlook the arrogance of the owner and the ineptness of the wait staff? Yes the staff is slow and they even messed up our order and worse they tried to cover it up. I ate the sandwich because I wasn't sure how long it would take them to do another. It wasn't busy but they are not efficient. NOT EVEN CLOSE. I was excited about the prospect of a great Italian market close to home. After moving to FC, I missed having several within walking distance. However, the wait continues. Their prices are high. The sandwiches are on the bland side and served with cheap potato chips. I had the Fellini Panini and for Fellini being the director he was, I expected a sandwich to live up to his name-alas the sandwich lacked seasonings. My kids split a plate of spaghetti which had way too much butter sauce on it. Greens were not to be found anywhere ( you would have to pay extra if you wanted something like that). Yes they have an extensive wine selection but I guarantee that many of those wines are cheaper elsewhere. Perhaps they will improve but in this economy I won't be giving them another shot.
(1)Shaun D.
Very unfriendly. Will not return.
(1)Angie M.
We ate at the Sfizi Cafe with our 3 kids - excited that another new restaurant had come to Falls Church City!!! Unfortunately, we were very disappointed. The male manager/owner (we think) seemed annoyed that we didn't have reservations, even though the rest. was 3/4 empty & didn't fill up while we were there. It was early too! My husband had to sit at the corner of a very small table (while many tables were empty & could have been combined to allow us comfort while eating). They did not have a kids menu & said that they didn't split portions ($14 is high for a kid's dinner). So, we decided we would have to go with the pizza to make it affordable & shareable (& something everyone would like). It was OK pizza...nothing over-the-top. Also, only they only have glasses (which thankfully our kids are used to using) & nothing for the kids to do (crayons, etc.) They seemed annoyed by the kids & stood over us for part of the meal. One waitress was fortunately very friendly to our children. We will not be going back here unless they change their attitude towards family-eating. Good luck being successful with this model in FCC! We frequent much higher-end places with our children & have never felt this uncomfortable (& again, for no other reason than we had children - our kids' behavior was great!) We will stick to the many other great family friendly rest. in the FCC/Arlington area instead of this one!
(1)Ray H.
Gets better every time I go. Prices are good, food ranges from good to great. I had the Porchetta sandwich on focaccia with roasted peppers and smoked mozzarella HOT and it was excellent. Great cup of coffee and the desserts are very good. Service has always been top notch, portion sizes very generous and speed of service was appropriate. Wish I lived closer.
(4)Sarah S.
Went there for the first time last night and had an enjoyable dining experience. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meals from start to finish. We'll be back!
(4)Robert P.
Cute little place. Casual. Bottom floor of The Flower Building in Falls Church. I love that building!! This is not a knock-your-sox-off place, but for a neighborhood Italian restaurant it is a great addition to the neighborhood. Since I do not live in neighborhood, I would not travel to dine there. But that area is lucky to have a neat place to meet friends. This fills that bill. I wish I had a neighborhood place like that near me (redeveloping Columbia Pike is becoming a strip of pubs and taverns. What's wit dat??). I had linguine with clams. Very flavorful. I did not pay enough attention the the menu description. Red pepper added. Packed a little bit of heat that I really do not like in my clam sauce. I would tell them to hold the pepper next time. But hey, if you like it that way, it will be just fine also. Just to remind you. Nephew had Cavatelli con Salsiccia e Bracciol de Rape. He loved it. So, Lucky for you guys in Falls Church. You have a nice, casual Italian place to meet with friends and enjoy pasta and vino!!!
(3)Nancy L.
My boyfriend and I were passing by after doing some shopping in the area and spotted Sfizi Cafe. We walked in and asked for a menu to look at before making a commitment. We decided to stay and glad we did. We were early birds for dinner at 5:00, so there were not many people there yet. We liked the atmosphere of casual but hopefully well-prepared food. We were not disappointed. We got the grilled calamari appetizer - very good and and a nice switch from the typical fried stuff. For our meals, I ordered the wild bass from their specials menu. It arrived deliciously cooked with a very nice portion of steamed veggies that were tender and lightly seasoned (just like I like.) We then got our salads, they were OK, but were a tad tired looking and I wished there could have been another dressing offered besides oil and balsamic vinegar. But I wouldn't base my experience on the salad. My boyfriend ordered a bowtie pasta and veggie dish and loved it. He wished it could have been a bit larger portion, because it was so good, but felt it was generous enough. And then ample bread was supplied - they refreshed us twice, along with keeping our water refilled a lot. We shared a very yummy slice of vanilla/chocolate mousse pie. Great selection of wine and there's a full bar. The hostess also told us that we could purchase a bottle, from their wide selection from the market that surrounds the dining area, and have it opened to drink there, for an additional $10 bottle fee, but we didn't do that. I had my usual glass of Moscato (the sweet stuff that many restaurants don't even offer) and my BF had a nice glass of dry white. We live in Bethesda, but would definitely make the trip to eat there again. Everyone was friendly and helpful from the first contact with the hostess to our final "thanks, it was great" to the chef who came to our table to say hello as we were finished.
(4)Ben J.
I first noticed this place months ago on my runs, as they put up their banner and finally proper signage. It's a tiny little place that tries to do a lot. Last night, my wife and I went there for dinner. Other reviewers commented on the lack of a hostess to seat people, but that's pretty easy to figure out if you want to sit at the high-tops in the bar area. We didn't care; we were hungry. That would be my only complaint of the evening. It seems that most of the staff speak Italian, and when our meal was done, they expected us to linger and were in no hurry to shove us out the door. Certainly something I could get used to! There didn't seem to be one server for our section or our table. A calvacade of different people were by our table. I think everyone that worked the front of the house brought us something over the course of our meal. The guy who took our orders was helpful with the wine list. The house list had six red and six whites, all of them the same price of about $6. He said he liked them all, otherwise they wouldn't be on the list. Good point. The salads were simple and delicious. Tomatoes are still a bit out of season, so I can't fault that. The bread was fresh; the focaccia at the bottom of the basket was chock full of garlic. I must admit I ate all but one slice of the bread. I ordered the clams over spaghetti. There was a generous portion of clams with a simple pasta dressing of parsley, garlic & olive oil. It's what Italian food should be: simple with great ingredients. The clams were tender and briny. The pasta was perfectly al dente. My wife got a scallop pasta dish with pesto. The one scallop she let me have was perfectly cooked, tender and infused with the pesto. For dessert, I had a pistachio gelato cup despite the cold, rainy weather outside. Decadent. My wife ordered a cannoli. She was pleased that the filling was ricotta (I didn't know there was any other way to make it). If she didn't know the shells were fried, she'd have thought they were baked. All in all, a fantastic date night for less than $60.
(4)Joe C.
So apparently they opened about 9 days ago on a Thursday. The space is very nice, with the open kitchen wnd bright dining area. We ordered the mozzarella salad, a meatball sandwich, and an eggplant dish....done sort of like lasagna for lunch. Overall the service was fine. Unfortunately the food was pretty flavorless. The tomatoes served with the mozzarella had a crunch to them.....aren't we in tomato season? The dish also needed to be seasoned in some way. We also received a salad with the eggplant dish. The greens looked wilted and tired and this dish was also bland. The entrees do arrive hot. My meatball sandwich with mozzarella and tomato sauce was OK at best. Unfortunately it was pretty bland, even with the salt I added it still needed something. As for the eggplant dish, it was a total failure. It was just a large flavorless mass of eggplant. We chalked it up as a loss. I Asked for the check and figured i would come back once the kitchen had more time to perfect the food. However, as I was leaving the Owner comes up and asks if we would like to take the eggplant home. We politely refuse and say we are in a rush. He then asks "how was the food?" We both look at each other and then the Owner says "really, you can tell me." I proceeded to extrapolate on only the eggplant dish. I told him it was sorta bland, to which he responded "you like it with strong flavor?" At the end of our exchange of words he let me know that he loves the way this dish is and that "its one of my favorite dishes on the menu" being the Owners exact words. I guess that means the problem starts at the top. Good luck Sfizi. Falls Church wants good food, unfortunately I doubt you're part of the solution.
(2)ro g.
For Karen B re kids....ate there two nights ago...lots of families including little kids in highchairs dropping food on floor...no problem...staff was not rude or annoyed...maybe they read your comments dealt with the problem....as for no kids portions or menu...lots of restaurants don't have kiddie menu...
(4)Nick C.
Never ever going back. Walked in with my fiancee and had no clue whether we should seat ourselves or wait until a busboy came over and made a sweeping gesture indicating we should seat ourselves. We tried to order some of the Italian sodas but the waiter refused to listen and essentially argued with us about it. It took FOREVER at every stage: getting water, getting a refill on water, ordering, dessert, and getting the check. It took even longer after the waiter brought us the check for another table. The food was average at best and did not overcome the incompetent and lack of anything resembling customer service. I am not a complainer, I know wait staff in restaurants has a very tough job but the people here didn't even do their job. Absolutely dumbfounded by what we went through. Don't put yourself through this same experience and please don't believe these super positive reviews, they must be plants.
(1)R B.
I've been here a few times for the charcuterie/deli products and once for dinner on a Friday night. The Deli experience: fantastic. Admittedly, it was 1 PM on a Wednesday, but the staff was relaxed, helpful, and great at helping me pick out products. The pancetta and prosciutto I ordered...fantastic! I wish their selection of dried goods (pastas, sauces, oils) were better but I think I've been spoiled by the Italian store. I'd love to see them move towards a larger inventory. I would give this 4.5 stars. The restaurant: We had very slow service on a reasonably busy Friday night. They appeared to be critcially understaffed for waitstaff, which was slightly annoying and consequently we had to repeat our order several times to a few different waiters. I did like that we were able to browse the wines and pick out one for dinner -- neat! My eggplant pasta dish lacked all flavor -- a trend, apparently, from reading others' reviews -- but my mother-in-law's mushroom ravioli in gorganzola sauce was scrumptious. (Not that a dish like that could ever be bland...) I'll give them another chance for meaitime service, but I'm not sold here. That said...super convenient location and offers something a little different in Falls Church City!
(3)Casey J.
Good authentic Italian in Falls Church. Excellent wine selection!
(3)James H.
Great find. I've been there twice now and the meal has been excellent. I also found the service to be exceptional.
(5)laura h.
When I went over to Sfizi for the first time, I came expecting a delightful, quiet lunch with a few friends. However, we were not greeted at the door, we were not helped for a half hour, another half hour passed and our food came out partially raw. I complained after our server did not understand what to "split a check" was. The owner approached the table and asked "What I wanted". Once I told him that we were unsatisfied with the service we hardly recieved, he told me that "He did not need me to preach to him and to keep my opinions to myself." I have never been so publically humiliated by anyone. I found Sfizi and it's employers rude and hostile.
(1)Gardner H.
Great lunch options, genuine Italian with reasonable prices and nice modern atmosphere.
(4)Laura L.
This is the Italian place Falls Church has been waiting for. I had homemade pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe, which was awesome. The antipasti had killer olives, meat, cheese, and veggies. The dressing on the house salad was so good that I'm going back there to see if they sell it. The space is great - there's a cafe area and a deli/pantry where you can buy Italian treats and premade meals. The eating area is airy and well done. Service was attentive and personal, and it was fun that everyone was speaking to each other in Italian. This has just the neighborhood-meets-tasty vibe that we've been looking for. We've already recommended it to a bunch of friends and are planning our next trip back.
(4)Barry F.
Just came home from a great dinner at Sfizi. Started with antipasto and a bottle of wine. Afterwards we had risoto with porcini mushrooms, and then steak with balsamic and fig reduction. We finished off with cappucino, cannoli and sambuca. Close our eyes and we were back in Italy. Can't be beat!
(5)Melissa C.
Nice little neighborhood Italian joint, understaffed but the gentleman that served us was nice with his genuine Italian accent. We ordered the pizza which was really good, the soup of the day was a lentil soup which was also savory. Would love to come again for their wines and maybe a pasta trial.
(4)Adrienne D.
WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER! This review is specifically based off of the absolutely horrible service my mother and I had there tonight. We didn't even get to the food. When we were sat down we were handed food menus but did not receive a wine list. I had to wait about 5 min before I could catch a busboy and asked for the wine menu. Word to the wine snobs: they only have a list of wines by the glasses, not a list of all of the bottles in the restaurant. I was instructed to walk around the restaurant to view the different wines if I wanted a bottle. Now this could be a charming aspect of the restaurant except their bottles are so low to the ground that I basically had to kneel on the ground to see all of my options. I'm 5'11 so you can imagine that is not a simple task. Also, it would be great to just see a list of bottles and not have to work for my wine. Plus if I had wanted to walk around a wine shop I would have gone to the Swirl&Sip or any other wine shop in the area. Before I could decide on a bottle the waiter kept telling me the prices of the wine I was looking at insinuating that I would not be able to afford a nice bottle of wine. I was insulted at how I was treated by the waiter. Little did he know that I was trying to take my mother out to a nice dinner and treat her to a great experience. She works hard and deserves to be treated well. Unfortunately, I wasn't treated like I could even afford a glass of water. Once I chose a bottle of wine and finally had the opportunity to review the food menu (almost 20 min later) he tells me there is a $10 corking fee. If I had brought my own wine I would have been fine paying it. No big deal. HOWEVER, I basically had to work to pick out my own bottle of wine, get down on the floor to even see the descriptions, was treated like I couldn't even afford air and then he tells me in order to open the bottle of wine in front of me it was going to cost ten extra dollars. I would have rather had the restaurant incorporate all of the fees in one price so I didn't have to deal with a corking fee. It would also be nice if the waiter wasn't extremely rude and condescending in the process. After being treated horribly, my mother and I decided to leave the restaurant without even eating. I had read all of the amazing reviews on yelp about their food (which I didn't even get to try) and was thoroughly disappointed by the service. We ended up going to Pizzeria Orso that had half off bottles and delicious food! As a long time Falls Church resident (going on 30 years now), I have never had an experience in one of our restaurants like I did tonight. This place needs to do better if it is going to survive the tough restaurant market in this area. Also, treating people like people wouldn't hurt either.
(1)Greg B.
So this was the second time we'd tried the food. First time was takeout. I was cautiously optimistic the first time but waited till we went in person to review. We were not disappointed! I am so happy to have discovered this local neighborhood gem. I grew up near Buffalo in an Italian American family and am always disappointed when I go out for rustic Italian food anywhere else. Finally a place with good sauce! Finally! I could kiss the cook. Everywhere else I try seems like they add sugar to the sauce. This place had great food and reasonable prices. We had the grilled calamari appetizer which was delightful, not chewy at all, caprese salad (wife is picky about caprese and loved this version), the homemade gnocchi in meat sauce (incredible!), the eggplant rolatini (stuffed with ricotta and baked to yummy goodness), and tried the grandmother cake and a gelato for dessert. Not disappointed. Even our 3 yr old, who never eats, ate the bread in the dipping oil, ate some of my appetizer salad, ate the calamari (yes, you heard that right), and a bunch of the gnocchi. We were there on a light Thursday night with maybe four other tables, but our service was excellent, and never had to wait for a thing. Wines by the glass had a marvelous selection. And the little store had a nice selection of Italian wines and dry goods. We will most definitely be back. I look forward to sitting at the patio!
(5)Mike S.
What a wonderful experience! Reminded us of the places we frequented when we were dating 40 years ago. Great food with wonderful service in a building with stucco flowers all over it. The owners are friendly and made sure we had I good time. Sat outside on a nice summer summer night. Couldn't get any better!
(5)Jenn S.
This local family run Italian restaurant is one of my husband's and my favorite places for dinner in Falls Church. The food is nothing that you wouldn't expect from a decently authentic Italian restaurant, and portions are generous, which suits us well! What really sets this place apart for us is the welcoming atmosphere. The staff always seems genuinely happy to see you, and it seems that Sfizi has built a following for convivial family gatherings, parties of eight or more, because of their family style options and air of celebration no matter the occasion. Their outdoor patio is cozy, and you may not even need to wait to be seated there on a Friday or Saturday evening. The restaurant happily welcomes pooch companions to join you on the patio. One word of note, they are not open on Sundays! Plan ahead so you won't be disappointed.
(5)Ryan T.
I'll give this place one thing - they are consistent Food is decent, service is horrible. Waiter never grunted more than one word to us the entire visit, and then gave us the wrong bill. When we tried to get it corrected, we had to push back with a manager. I keep hoping they'll improve the service, because it's one of the better Italian places in Falls Church.
(3)Nicole J.
After two visits and multiple plates off the menu, I can tell you this place has truly authentic Italian food and lovely, value priced Italian wine. We have tried four appetizers, six entrees, and one dessert. Everything was traditional and delicious.
(5)Susan R.
It was very quiet, mid-afternoon when we had our meal. My husband and I very much enjoyed our pasta dishes (lasagna and spinach ravioli). Flavorful, chucky tomato sauce and fresh pasta. The meals were accompanied by nice salads, with very fresh greens. The interior atmosphere is surprisingly pleasant and upscale, despite being located in an odd location, underneath a U.S. postal office. Plenty of street parking a block away. There is a wine and Italian market attached. While we had to ask for a water refill and some bread, the waiter was otherwise very responsive, turning down the loud music when I asked. Will definitely add to our list of go-to local restaurants with delicous meals at reasonable prices.
(4)David C.
My wife and I visit Sfizi almost every Saturday night. We've been dining at Sfizi for years and we continue to come back for consistently great food, a great wine selection that tempts you to try something new, caring staff and a truly comfortable experience that always feels like we are eating among family and friends. The value will impress you with most entree's under $19, bottles of wine at competitive retail prices (plus a very reasonable $10 corking fee if you choose to drink with dinner) and wonderful Italian desserts, many made or inspired by Lino's mother. Top it all off with the best cappuccino in the area and al fresco dining on their patio and you too will become a regular.
(5)Lauren T.
So I LOVED this restaurant until I went there to celebrate New Year's Eve with a group of friends. The food is amazing and the wine selection is some of the best you'll find in the Washington D.C.-area. However, our experience (this time) was awful. One of our friends leaned back in the chair and the broke it. Our group laughed about it and proceeded to enjoy our meal...until the owner came over and asked "How would we like to settle up on the chair?" We thought he was kidding! (Seriously, if that had happened at any other restaurant, our meal would have been free!) Needless to say, our waiter and manager talked the owner out of charging us, but we'll never go back--which is unfortunate because half of the group that went live in Falls Church and love that restaurant! It was one of the more interesting New Years Eve I've had in a long time...
(2)Will S.
SIMPLY AMAZING!!!! I am here from California on business and SFIZI Cafe is two doors down from the Hilton Garden Inn. Everything we tried, from the starter salad to the main course pastas had a truly fresh taste. We dined outside on the patio and Giuseppe was our waiter. Excellent service!!! Thank you. The owner, Lino Ricciardi, came out to greet us and explained that all of the Chefs were trained by his 88 year old mother in Italy. That explained A LOT as to why everything was so delicious. They have their own herb garden growing outside and it's not just for looks...its yet another reason for the high quality of food that is flavored just right. Can't wait for my next trip to the area to visit again. Try it out locals. You won't be sorry!!
(5)C L.
Awesomeness! Finally a real Italian restaurant. I love the way the owner came by and talk to everybody outside just made you feel so at home very natural not forced. I'll be back.
(5)Jill M.
I initially went in to check out the Italian grocery, and ended up staying for dinner. The atmosphere is pretty casual (you're basically dining in a gourmet wine shop). They have an awesome wine selection, and all of the wines are from Italy. Their pasta is made in house, they have fresh baked Italian cakes and cookies, buffalo mozzarella, and the menu all seemed pretty authentic. The avvoltini di melazane (rolled baked eggplant) was very good, rich, cheesy, and seasoned with italian herbs, and I loved the grilled calamari with a light lemon flavor and just enough charcoal grill without being overcooked or rubbery. I had no issues with the service at all, as others described. The waiter was great at recommending what to order, and was very friendly and helpful. The grocery area isn't that large, but they have a lot of difficult to find Italian imported ingredients, including deli meats, olives, and cheeses.
(4)Marc E.
I've been here once before when the place first opened. At that time I couldn't really form an opinion because they were working out a few kinks. This time, I must say that the place is really great. Great selection of wine, a limited menu so they can focus on the dishes and provide quality. The service was outstanding. Highly recommended.
(5)Ali L.
Love this place. The Branzino is always excellent. Ambiance is nice and comfortable. Wine selections are very good, especially for a neighborhood restaurant and the staff is always helpful and friendly.
(4)Domonique P.
AUTHENTIC & simply FABOUS! From your self professed Italian New Yorker of another life, this little casual cafe is just fantastic. The price is right, food is good. As for the service; EVERYONE is treated like close friends and family - I even got wave from Momma this afternoon! I was standing against the back clay wine shelf on a conference call (relieving my hubby and boys of my Easter Monday business nonsense) The resident mother walked in, waved and smiled at me very deliberately - I of course blushed feeling quite special. LOVE that! Just one of those places that is worthy of a monthly visit!
(5)Kathy M.
Had really been looking forward to coming to Sfizi. A friend had highly recommended it. It's a really cute place. They have lots if great Italian products and wine in a market area. We arrived around 2:00 pm. Carol ordered a Frittata and I ordered Manicotti. My meal came with a small salad. I also ordered a glass of Nero d'Avolo which was very good. Carol really liked her Frittata, it was very nicely flavored and the ingredients were very fresh. My Manicotti was a bit of a disappointment, it tasted like the noodles were a bit over cooked and it had an odd after taste. I did not send it back or tell any one this. The expresso was excellent and we both had a mini cannoli that was very very tasty. Lunch seem to me to be on the expensive side. The staff was really nice as was the owner. We want to go back and have a pizza rustico.
(3)Erwin S.
Great food, but the service is terrible. Unfortunately the owner is the guilty party. Good service would make this place a must go in Falls Church
(3)Louise T.
Went on a Thursday night and the service was terrible. I don't mind a leisurely dinner, but this was ridiculous. The waiter made several mistakes, and seemed overwhelmed. Perhaps they were short of staff. The food was mediocre. I'd rate the service two stars and the food 2 1/2. We won't be back.
(2)Sriram S.
Great food, great service, great vibe. I've been a few times and was satisfied each time. The have a chef's special where you can basically sample three pasta dishes. The pastas are freshly made and taste fantastic. There's also a bakery attached, where they sell pastries and other desserts (including rainbow cookies!). On Tuesdays I believe they have a wine tasting at the bar... Haven't tried that but would love to go back for that.
(5)Aaron M.
Been going to sfitzi since it was in Fairfax but cant say enough about the beautiful newer location. The only place in northern Va that serves TRUE AUTHENTIC Italian food!! Everything's prepared fresh and cooked to order. Leno and staff will truly cater to your cravings even if its not on the menu. My brother in law couldnt decide on which to get so Leno prepared a fettuccine alfredo cut with his homemade pesto and sausage, definitely one of the best things ive ever eaten. In true italian form, everything is fresh and light, not the heavy processed so called italian were accustomed to in Nova. Salmon in pesto is to die for, my rents live off his homemade cavatelli bolognese, amazing antipasti, insane wine selection but the best thing ive eaten and top 3 things ive ever eaten anywhere is his pumpkin ravioli filled with cheese or lobster!! If your trying to stay away from pasta but still have some Italian in your life, his verdure assortite or broccoli di rape both are full of flavor from his patio herb garden and make you forget about the pasta your leaving behind. JUST GO!!! You will truly be impressed by the quality of fresh ingredients put together in uber flavorful but yet light AUTHENTIC Italian fashion.
(5)Sherri K.
I loved the food!! Cafe style is exactly what you get. Deli, retail and restaurant - these guys know how to multi-task. Casual enough for lunch, but the food is dinner date quality as well. We hit them up for restaurant week and got 20% off our entire tab. The wine was good. The Salmon Pescatore dinner special was unique and not something I would have chosen, but it was truly tasty, and for someone looking for a fulfilling fish meal - divine. I had the clam spaghetti and the clams were plump and good, and the spaghetti was light and cooked perfectly. The bread was an interesting garlic, onion loaf mixed with some traditional pieces. OH! and the Tiramisu! Happy birthday to me! It was light and delicious, You could taste the fresh creme and only a hint of the espresso. It was a nice topper to the evenings meal. I enjoyed my experience here.
(4)Amy G.
Went here for an early dinner with two young kids. We sat on the patio which was really nice. The service was fine but it definitely improved a lot after they found out we were ordering a bottle of wine and dinner. As much as the service slightly irritated me because of the drastic improvement after our bill increased, the food really was great. And the patio really was so nice on a pretty day. We got the pasta with scallops and eggplant rolled in cheese (that have fancier Italian names), both were great. So I would give this place a 5 for food, 4 for the patio, and 2.5 for service.
(3)Mark W.
I went here this evening for my Dad's birthday. We were a 7-top, but that didn't faze the staff too much. We were seated at the one high top table, which was perfectly comfortable, and round so that conversation flowed smoothly.. I'm not a huge stickler, but they could have placed two four tops together just as easily. I'm a bit of an oenophile, and I definitely loved the wine selection, and being able to pick out a bottle to enjoy with dinner (even though there's a $10 corkage fee) was a nice touch The food overall was quite good. We all shared, so I got to try a bit of everything. I had the Saltimbocca, which was pretty darn tasty. The pasta is outstanding. If you're particular about al dente, then this is the place for you. I wasn't the biggest fan of the butternut squash raviolli stuffed with Ricotta, but everyone else loved it. The Vongole was phenomenal. Branzino was tasty. It's a whole fish, and even though that was clearly explained, a member of our party seemed shocked when it arrived, and asked that it be deboned (which I felt detracted from the dish, but she was particular) Nonetheless, Chablis took care of it quickly, and with great poise. A number of people have criticized the service here, but I found it really great. Our server, Chablis-yes, like the wine- did a really great job handling the load of our 7-top. There was a slip-up with one order because of the kitchen, but everyone was having a good time, so I'm not deducting any points. I used to work in the industry, and I know not to blame a server for the kitchen's snafu. Bussers kept the water flowing, and everyone enjoyed their meal.
(4)Brita E.
Disappointing. The wine selection is great, but the food was pretty bland. We had calamari, which was chewy and flavorless. For the entree, I had a chicken dish. The chicken was chewy and overdone - sauce was meh.
(2)Catherine W.
Went for dinner with friends and we decided to go here based on Yelp reviews as have gone past Sfizi but never been here. We will definitely come back. Had early reservation on a Friday night and our friends were late arriving but hostess and waitress were so nice about letting me wait at the table while my husband stood outside. When our friends arrived, we each got a different dish and we all thought the food was delicious. I had overheard people at the table in back of us say that the pasta was delicious as they were leaving and they were so right. We also got dessert, which was also a little unique and so good.
(4)Tommy M.
Update. We have gone back a number of times and we really enjoy this restaurant. The food is really quite good. This restaurant does, however, struggle - consistently - with service. Therefore, I've taken it down a star. Last night our server simply disappeared. We just could not find anyone to get a check. Finally I had to get up and ask someone for a check and she was, frankly, very ungracious about it. One of the things that disappoint me about a restaurant is that the experience is very good, the service is mostly attentive, the food is good, but you just can't leave. In this case it was especially confusing because the restaurant was closing and people were cleaning up and we simply could not get a check. But, as I said, other than that we enjoy the restaurant, although it is very very very loud. The food was excellent. I think they probably just need to train their wait staff a little better.
(3)Eileen S.
If you really want to enjoy a Real Italian experience ..please go here. The wine, the food and the attention you will receive is amazing. We followed the owner from when he was in Fairfax City to now Falls Church...Worth the visit ..you will love it
(5)Justin S.
Wow!. Awesome Service, food and atmosphere. Really great Italian good. We went with a large, multi-Family group and the waiter was very patient and helpful as we tried to order for young kids and friends.
(5)Mark O.
Excellent food. My wife and I have not had a bad meal. The service can be a little slow sometimes, but that doesn't bother me too much because it gives me more time to talk to my cool wife. Check it out. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Samaris F.
Very delicious sandwiches! They are warm and very tasty. Whatever you pick will be delicious. The staff is not very friendly -- specially the Italian old guy, maybe the owner. But other than that it's a go!
(4)Ray R.
Very good place to eat In the Little City. Wine selection is superb and the food very good. Save room for the Tiramisu.
(4)Bob W.
What a great little place! The food is authentically Italian and, by definition, that means it's the real deal and delicious. The venue is clean and attractive, as well as cozy. Access to the restaurant is either street level entrance, or if you want to avoid the weather, just park (for free) in the adjoined parking garage and go directly into the restaurant via the garage entrance. Staffed by real Italians, obviously from the old country and who know what they are doing. Good selection of wines and italian pastas and grocery items available for purchase, too. If you are not too adventurous, start out with their simple dish of spaghetti with meatballs.
(4)John C.
Great Food, Great Service!! Pure Italian Food! Lino is a cool owner, he makes sure everything is in top shape. Every time I come the food gets better and better. Also, if you have a big sweet tooth, try there chocolate cake. The best.
(5)Jerry T.
The server was friendly and apologetic enough but the high ceilings and the wall-to-wall noise was unimpressive. At one point the manager ran up to us frantically apologizing saying she could only do one check per table. There were two of us. The mozzarella salad was limp, the cheese was just tasteless and nasty, they only had ONE type salad dressing. The pasta sauce tasted as if someone had just plopped it out of the jar. The food came out too hot, it must have been microwaved. It practically burned off the roof of my mouth. I won't be back. Thanks for the memories, and the heartburn.
(1)Andrew K.
I enjoyed a great wine and food. Sphagetti alle vongolle was one of the best past we had recently.
(5)Holly A.
Delicious. Hubby and I had a very nice evening here. Friendly staff, and good, homemade, authentic Italian food. There's also a nice market with Italian products. I had the broccoli rabe with sausage and pasta- wonderful! Hubby had veal cutlet with spaghetti. He enjoyed it. The limoncello gelato is a yummy, refreshing dessert. This was our first visit. We will be back. So nice to have a locally owned restaurant with good food in the area.
(4)Jonathan C.
For a neighborhood place, Sfizi works. The marinara is great, as are the peppers and onions, and the cannoli. The grilled calamari were overcooked, and the braciole was bone dry (way overlooked). Tortellini was fine (not made in house). Too much vinegar on the salad. The atmosphere is relaxed and nice. And we'll probably be back to try some other dishes or if we are jonesing for red-sauce.
(3)Bob P.
Great Neighborhood Gem with a hands-on owner - Guiseppe!! The wine selection is as good as being in Italy, portions are great and they have a real cappuccino maker!! You will enjoy the ambiance.
(5)Julie B.
Good food, once you get it. Long delays, short staffed, no customer service. If they hired another cook and apologized for the wait, it would make a difference, but radio silence. It's happened one too many times, and as tasty as the food is, we won't be back. Owner is clueless to the challenges he faces.... So easy to fix these problems. But they have existed since we tried this place when it first opened in F. C.
(2)Scott R.
We loved the food here! We had a hankering for Italian food to celebrate our anniversary, and in the end settled on the Assaggi di pasta for two, a wonderful dish to share on this special occasion, and something we look forward to coming back for. The selection of wine by the glass was very good, but we were surprised that there was no information on the choice of bottled wine, (they offered to tell us, bottle by bottle), since they carry so many. That was more a loss of revenue for the restaurant than an inconvenience for us, it was a very enjoyable night out!
(4)j m.
I had a lunch here today with a friend and WOW; it is the best pasta I've had in a while! Their lunch special was great - pasta and a salad for about $12. They have a list of pastas on their lunch menu that range from $10 to $15. (I also saw paninis available.) I got the Arrabbiata, which was delightful - rigatoni with a nice spicy tomato sauce with lots of diced vegetables. The salad was nice and fresh, with a simple vinaigrette. I'm really excited to have such an outstanding pasta place so close to work - I never knew this was here! We finished with a shared slice of tirimisu - very pleasant.
(5)J G.
I remember customer service was lacking at the Taste of Falls Church. If someone appears interested in your food you probably shouldn't talk about your potential customer. Happy to give my business to another.
(2)Marshall G.
Great food. Homemade pasta and sauces. Didn't know what to expect from other reviews but was pleasantly surprised. Staff was very hospitable and informative in regards to their menu. Happy to have an establishment like Sfizi in the neighborhood.
(4)Robert G.
We went to Sfizi with a large group of 15 over the weekend: The Good - They were very accommodating at seating our large group. The food was overall well prepared and nicely done. The Bad - By far the worst service I have ever experienced. Apparently it was the last night for the waitress (as we later found out). She was rude and unpleasant, and literally threw the plates at us. Asking for a simple request resulted in a snide response or a dose of bad attitude. While this type of experience is probably unusual for Sfizi, what bothered me the most was that the manager was only a few steps away and did nothing to help out. Perhaps he was having words with the waitress, since she stormed out the door at the end of the evening. The manager did not check on our group to see how things were going until the end of the meal when he helped buss the table. Unfortunately, at that point he dropped a glass of red wine, which spilled all over the blouse of the woman next to me. The food was good so I may give this place another try, but the service was so bad it is difficult to go back when there are so many better options.
(2)M S.
We held my son's rehearsal dinner at Sfizi's with about 45 people attending. I coordinated most of the details over the phone with Lino, the owner, since we live in Texas. He was easy to work with and great with details. When we arrived in town, we dropped by the cafe to choose wines and finalize the evening. He is very knowledgeable about wine choices! The evening was a huge success. The setting was perfect, with tables set up beautifully. The buffet was spectacular from the antipasto trays at the beginning, through the main dishes of pasta, chicken and salad, and on to beautiful desserts. The service was excellent. The staff was friendly and attentive. I could not be more pleased with the evening and would highly recommend this location for any party!
(5)Kim S.
I'm torn on this place. My friend and I ordered a pizza the size of Delaware and ate the whole thing in about 20 minutes. Obviously, we liked the food. However, we visited on a Friday around 4pm and were the only people there - that's fine of course but you would think that perhaps, just perhaps, since you're the only people there, that someone might check up on you now and again to see if maybe you want a drink from that bottle of champagne that you bought and is being held captive behind the bar in a tiny fridge. After one of our various eyebrow-raising, shoulder-leaning, hand-reaching techniques was noticed, we took our bottle outside and things were ok after that. Good pistachio dessert that took us more like an hour to finish because our stomachs finally realized how much pizza we downed.
(3)Greg A.
I've driven past this place a dozen times and finally decided to stop in for lunch. When I walked in I noticed that I was the only patron so I assumed the service would be top notch. WRONG. The waiter was fairly impatient and couldn"t provide a clear answer to any question, even something as basic as, "do you have ice coffee?" ... I ordered a panini and a spinach salad. Pretty basic, so I was surprised when it took over 30 min for both plates to arrive to the table. The panini was close to tasteless and came on a standard sandwich roll. I was expect some better bread for the price. The spinach salad was flooded in balsamic dressing which had an odd taste. Mid way thru my meal I noticed the waiter left, (not sure where he went but I watched him leave thru the front door) and did not return. I was left unattended to for some time until as bus boy can over and asked if I needed a refill on my soda and ultimately brought me my check. You would think if you were the only customer in a restaurant the staff would go out of it's way to see that you were satisfied, in this case I felt the opposite. As soon as I left I texted a friend who lives around the corner to make sure they don't plan to dine there, so not only will I not return I made sure Sfizi lost a future customer.
(2)Charles S.
Walked over for lunch at Sfizi. What a nice surprise. The waiter was helpful, the restaurant sun filled and spotless, and the lunch was pretty darn good. My wife had a frittata; I had a roasted vegetable panini. (What's the singular of panini? panino?) Both were very good. I'll withhold more stars until I try dinner. The dinner menu looks promising. Argia's, get ready for a some serious competition.
(3)Pixy F.
Great service, good food, and decent wine selection. They even went out of their way to make me a specialty pizza not on the menu. The pasta dishes are really good. Highly recommend!
(4)Todd F.
Very bad service, mediocre food. Here's why: 1. Seated outside at 6pm, bread brought promptly. 2. Upon ordering (45 minutes later in spite of several requests to do so sooner) my friend asks the waiter for a recommendation between two entrees he was considering. Waiter's response "What is that you want? Next" (and proceeded to take the next person's order...though he did circle back to my friend but with no recommendation). 3. By 7pm there was a light rain and it cooled off a lot--and since NO food had come we asked to be seated inside. 4. Owner gives my friends a very hard time saying we were messing up his seating...which we pointed out that we would have been gone by now if we had been served in a reasonable amount of time. 5. 10 minutes later food arrived (though it took 2-3 minutes to bring out all 8 entrees with reminders of our waiter which entrees were missing) 6. Salad was limp and wilted, my gnocchi dish was just okay, other meals at the table were also just okay. 7. Won't be going back because: service stunk, owner was either an arse or too quick to jump down our throats before understanding our situation, food was very mediocre.
(2)Diana V.
I love this place, the service is great, the food is fantastic. The lasagna is A-mazing! The Barolo wine is fab too. I work almost next door an I have to force myself not to go there everyday.
(5)Rick G.
I moved the office into Falls Church, from Courthouse Arlington, this week. Sfizi is literally right across the street time to work through the neighborhood lunch spots. I was there the week it was open and... it was like a brand new place with brand new staff who couldn't find the water glasses. It's definitely settled in a bit better. For my first lunch visit I opted for a panini - the Verrazano with Prosciutto di Parma, sopressata and fresh mozzarella. It was a pretty good cold cut panini on an italian hard roll, but a pricey to go sandwich with an upcharge for panini vs cold version. 15 minute prep time was inexplicable. I'll try it cold and faster next time. The quality of the bread, cold cuts and cheese show promise. Nice fresh mozzarella. The hangup, as I looked over the clean open kitchen, was the focus on Friday prep for catering or dining. Getting someone to make a sandwich seemed to be an exception. It's across the street. I'll be back and report progress. The box lunches and sandwich platters are promising for meetings.
(3)Alison C.
Just had lunch here today and I was very disappointed with the service. Upon entering, there was no greeting and after standing around for a while we seated ourselves after the busboy (I think) pointed at the empty tables. We were ignored for our entire visit and had to flag down a waiter whenever we needed something. The waiter even argued with us when we tried to order. We wanted to try the Italian sodas, but then were told "no you want a coke." I was also snapped at for trying to order my drink first. I guess here you have to give your food order first. The restaurant has a nice ambiance and a good location in falls church, but I will not be returning. The food was ok, nothing special though. I ordered spinach ravioli, and I was a little disappointed that there was no spinach flavor. I hope that they improve the service because then they might actually do well here.
(1)Ginger H.
I still stick by my 4 Stars.... LAST YEAR; however, having returned, I have to say that the food remains above average, but the friendliness is not there the way we had experienced previously. The wait staff does not seem to be synced although they are nice enough. Danny particularly is nice and attentive. I'll sum this up... if you ask a customer what he/she thinks of the food and the customer nicely states an opinion, don't try and convince the customer he/she is wrong.
(2)Scott P.
3 1/2 stars. Very good pasta. Also allows you to buy wine at their store for your meal with a $10 corking fee I think they have a good concept, they just need to hit their stride which will likely take a few months
(4)Andrea R.
Fabulous pasta, great wine and welcoming service. This is our third visit for dinner this week and the food gets better every time!
(5)Diana E.
i've also passed by this place many times. i've read the mixed reviews, and have opted to head to a place i know will be quality when craving Italian. I wish I had just gone to Argia's tonight. the bread was hard. the olive oil, with balsamic, was super bland, the house salad that came with my meal was totally underwhelming - bag (mostly iceburg) lettuce, two slices of tomato, two olives, three cucumbers, a not spectacular vinaigrette. Whatever. The reviews said to skip it. my meal WAS delish - eggplant, stuffed with ricotta cheese, and baked with marinara and mozzarella. I was reading and enjoying a glass of wine while i ate, but multiple servers started to come by with increasing frequency to encourage me to finish, brushing off my table, asking to clear plates, my glass, bring my bill. I realized it was around 845p and they close at 9. I'm a server and a bartender. it was impossible not to get the hint they wanted me to leave asap. Additionally, I heard a couple who had come in well after I did having a difficult time explaining "gluten-free" to the servers. They weren't especially helpful. it annoyed me they weren't accommodating or even really kind to the customers. anyway, my bill was $30, for meal, plus wine. I placed $40 in the book, planning to leave $7, but they brought me two fives and I didn't have any singles. I could have asked for change, but they had made it clear they wanted me to leave asap, so i left them $5. I don't think I've ever left a stiff tip in my entire life. I nearly always OVERtip. If they had been a little easier on the "we're closing get out of here" message, and kinder to their other costumers, I probably would have left the full $10. That's usually what I do... but this place, while having good "main meals" leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to all the rest of what it takes to bring customers back in the door. Seriously, just got to Argia's. Good people, good main food, good salads, good wine. the overall experience makes their slightly more expensive price well worth it.
(2)M F.
Good food and wine selection and was given a so-so from my babba who is from the Bari region in Italy. But what will prevent me from returning is them charging $10 to open a bottle of wine WE PURCHASED THERE. I have been in the restaurant industry for over 20 years and this is a first. Corkage fees are on wine brought in...at least in every restaurant, country club, and resort I've been/worked in. Forget it.
(1)Pavee S.
They don't honor the first check-in discounts when you are in a group. I showed the badge at the beginning and the server said okay but when i got a bill there was no discount. When i asked about it, he said the discount was not applicable. I asked the manager and she said it was not for a group. Very disappointing. The service is subpar. The food is okay though.
(2)Luther S.
Incredibly rich and delicious ravioli with several delicious sauces to choose from made our first experience nothing short of excellent. The portions are small but so rich, my wife only finished half her portion. The Ceasar salad was average, but it may have simply paled in comparison to the spinach salad. The setting is urban quant and wait staff was attentive and friendly. My wife & I look forward to the next time.
(5)J W R.
Sfizi tries hard. They have a long way to get to being a successful restaurant. The good part first. The food was pretty good. Not great. In fact, some of it was just terrible. The calamari in the seafood special was chewy, rubbery, a real work out. When I asked the waiter if it was fresh, he came back and confirmed the squid was frozen. On the seafood special, I should have paid more attention. It said it came with a house salad and it did. Nothing else. No pasta or anything else. Fish was well presented and was cooked well, except the calamari. Service was rough. It took 40 minutes from the time we ordered to get our food. That length of time seemed excessive. The waiter was friendly and refilled the foccaccia bread several times. The olive oil served with the bread was exceptional. After we received the check, we asked for it to be split 3 ways and provided credit cards. The credit card slips came back and WOW, it was much more than expected. Finally we determined the manager had split the check in half, then charged all 3 of us half. It took at least 15 minutes for her to credit back the pending charges, cancel out that transaction, and recalculate the bill. She apologized - I don't think there was any intent to be disreputable or dishonest...I conclude it is just incompetence. Either way it is still bad. Overall, I won't go back. While the food was decent, I can go to any other Italian restaurant and get something better for less money with real waiters who are attentive, knowledgeable and make me have a pleasant dining experience, all of which is missing from Sfizi.
(1)Jim W.
I usually do not follow Yelp. But, tonight, it pointed us to a new Italian restaurant in Falls Church -- Sfizi Cafe -- and the restaurant was great! Classy, sublime, great food and wine. Authentic. My wife and I enjoyed watching the large silent screen with gorgeous images of Italy -- recalling our recent trip to Fiesole, Lucca etc. Easy parking in the garage or on street, low hassle ... nice way to finish a work week ...
(4)Kim G.
I'd still go here with a group but don't go if you're in a rush for lunch. I can get better spaghetti and meatballs at Pie-Tanza. The Romano sandwich, "Porchetta (slow oven cooked pork) with smoked mozzarella" is a cold sandwich, so don't be surprised when a ham and cheese comes to your table. The "baguette" they speak of is not french or italian bread. It's a sub roll and it looks cheaper than the price I pay. The waiter didn't listen to my specific requests for olives instead of chips, but as with all new restaurants, give them some time to work out the kinks (short staff, delayed service etc.). Unfortunately, it seems with some of these reviews that they should listen more to their customers or they won't be around long enough for a second chance.
(2)James G.
Well-placed in the basement of the "flower building" this place with the hard-to-pronounce name is something Falls Church needs more of. Unpretentious, but high quality food. I picked up a hot panini sandwich to go for lunch but I know this will be a handy spot for casual lunch or a Peroni after work when colleagues come to the office. The place is very clean, service is friendly, the food is great (a small sample size, but it filled my belly). They have a big collection of wine, a coffee bar that smells delightful, and a little collection of Italian groceries. So far so good, Sfizi.
(4)Steve F.
I literally created an account on yelp just so i could review this place. What a great find! I've passed by often and finally stopped in for dinner. The meal was truly one of the best I've had in recent memory, and you can tell the owner takes pride in offering an authentic Italian menu. The food (including the bread appetizer, salad, and dessert) was absolute perfection. I was surprised how affordable it was, which makes me want to go back at least once a week. What I also found nice, aside from the extremely helpful staff, was everything else they had there. There was a small bar area, a counter where you can order special Italian meats or desserts, an extensive wine collection which line the walls (also at great prices), and a back area which looks like you're in a local market store in Italy with olive oil, imported pasta, etc. I highly recommend getting dinner here if you are in the mood for some authentic Italian food at great prices and a friendly staff.
(5)Deb E.
"Wow this was so delicious! The foccacia bread was the best ever. Service and atmosphere were great too."
(4)DW S S.
I had this place recommended but the time never allowed to stop, boy was I surprised. Young waitstaff that was very familiar with the available wines and the menu which is not always the case in Falls Church. I had a whole but small Rockfish that was cooked perfectly. The antipasto which i was told varies seasonally, as it should was alright but missed the sharp flavor of and anchovy or Genoa Salami neither of which is a seasonal item. My guests Fillet was larger than anticipated but it might have done better with less of the Balsamic reduction on the meat and maybe offer it on the side, it being so strong in flavor. i very much look forward to the next trip to try the Pasta as the kitchen has talent. By the way found a wine that was good enough to have a bottle and then buy one to go, this is civilized dining.
(4)Ruth A.
Loved my first visit at lunchtime and wow, I highly recommend trying this new cafe trattoria. I absolutely loved my eggplant & rapini, mozzarella hot sandwich. After a couple of bites I called over the waiter to ask if they bake their own bread because it was so delicious. The inside was carved out to hold more of the filling. Great! Still thinking about that sandwich days later. As for the service, they lose a star for that one. The waiter served me kind of begrudgingly...maybe he was disappointed that I was by myself and not a party of ten! Not friendly at all...but the busboy was!! definitely going back soon with a big appetite.
(4)Sophia L.
GREAT FOOD. My husband and I first started going to Sfizi at the old location with his parents when we were still dating. This location is different and yes there are problems, but it really does get better every time we go for dinner. Yummy Italian food and worth putting up with the service if you ask me.
(5)guy K.
We where there last night after 6 months passing by. It was interesting to go in the place , it is not a restaurant or trattoria or bar . But we where greeted warmly by several people. And went right away to the wine section and found some nice priced wines , some 1/2 the price of other restaurants . We seat ourselves and the waitstaff , all of them try to help you at the same time . But I felled I was in Italy in a little village cafe. messy , laud , and everybody talking. I had the lam ossobocco and was great with a house salad or pasta. My wife had the pasta with shrimp and clams , which was good. my son had a huge pizza with cheese and sauce. He could only eat. Half. We had a Barollo wine from Italy for 30/40% less then other restaurants. The desserts where fantastic. This is a fun place to go to , not a classic Italian restaurant . Just a easy please for a bite to eat with the family.
(3)Kira M.
Sfizi is great! It's definitely the best pasta in the area. The last time I went there I had egg-battered and fried cauliflower - delicious! And buccatini al amatricana. The fact that there's anything al amatriciana on the menu is a good sign, and the dish did not disappoint. Ask if they have fresh cannoli and if they do, get them, because they are amazing. The service was also prompt and friendly but not intrusive. I'll be getting my Italian food fix here for sure!
(5)Tracie L.
Wow. What a disappointment. Where do I begin? I drive by this place all the time and thought--an Italian wine bar...I've been to Italy, love the trattorias and wine bars, awesome to have one so close! Decided to check it out... from the minute I stepped in the door everything went down hill. I waited to be noticed, wondering if I should seat myself, only to finally catch the eye of one of the many servers scurrying about (to what end I'm still not sure as there seemed to be more staff than was required for the patrons...must be why three separate people eventually tried to take my order...). The individual who came over to me seemed to have some sort of seniority--different colored shirt, heavy Italian accent, a bit older...I asked for a table for one, and what followed was right out of a scene from 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall'...after arguing over where I could sit (apparently singletons don't get to sit in the actual dining room...their only option is the bar; I ended up at one of those tall tables with bar stool-style chairs...uncomfortable and very clearly relegated to 'the bar'), they start calling out 'table for one!'...'no, it's only one person--yea, just one' and so on and so on. Mortified? A bit. Annoyed and primed to be defensive, absolutely! I very nearly walked out, but I opted to give the food (and wine!) a chance. The menu did not contain my favorite--pasta (preferably fettucine, but I'll take whatever!) arrabiata, so I opted for an eggplant appetizer (eggplant stuffed with a 'ricotta creme' and baked with mozarella and tomato sauce) and salate caprese. Can't go wrong there, right? Wrong. The $7 caprese consisted of three tomato slices, 3 basil leaves, a drizzle of basalmic, and 2 slices of mozarella (and not even bufalo mozarella--that would have cost an additional $3). On top of that, I had to ask for the bread that supposedly came with the meal...and the dipping sauces advertised on the website were nowhere to be seen. I had to ask for oil/vinegar, too. The focaccia that came was tasty at first, but it was clear it had been microwaved--after 10 minutes, it had gotten hard and nearly inedible. And the appetizer? Practically inedible as well. I have absolutely no idea what was done to that eggplant, but it was extremely unappetizing. Not to mention, the sauce, what little there was, looked, smelled, and tasted like it was out of a can or jar. OK, so service, a bust. Food, a bust. But the wine--boasting so many wonderful Italian wines, at least that was worth the trip? Um... no. When asked what wines were available by the glass, the answer was--red (chianti) and white (pinot grigio). Exactly one of each...?? I'm still puzzled how that is a good business model. Advertise a wine bar and have one type of white and red wine? Crazy. Anyway, I won't be going back. In a nutshell, the service was sketchy, the food mediorcre (bad, even), and the wine was essentially available only by the bottle. As I said, a (big) disappointment...
(1)Georgia T.
I wouldn't even give this restaurant a star but I had to to write a review. The manager/owner was horribly rude and seemed miserable that he even had to deal with a human. It was a set price meal and he charged $15 over per person. When we tried to discuss the issue with him he blew it off and told us to "take it up with her" referring to the girls whose birthday it was. He was incredibly patronizing, rude and unhelpful. The food was average, the ambiance was nothing and service was disorganized. Will never return to this restaurant.
(1)Giancarlo B.
I don't think I have ever seen such a broad range of reviews from very bad to very good for one restaurant. We had a very nice dinner there last night. The antipasti for 2 was excellent, the grilled calamari were very good, the focaccia was good-a little doughy but with tasty sausage and cheese. I had the rigatoni alla Norma which was very good, the pasta al dente but not enough al dente for me-but not over cooked, the tomatoes used for the sauce were very good as was the sauce. I tasted the veal marsala which was tender and the flavor not bad but not a tasty marsala wine was used. The salad was simple but good, another friend had gnocchi which were as good as any gnocchi in town in a nice sauce. The wine selections were great, we had a $22 dolcetto that was excellent. The service was also quite good, the owner roamed the room assisting diners with choices and assisting us as well as other guests. Our waitress Sophia could not have been more pleasant and helpful. I don't think the owner is gregarious but he was attentive and it was nice to see him interact with people who appeared to be regulars as well as people with children and other diners. My thinking is that the bad reviews came either early or "you just can't please some people" . The place was very nice and if I lived in Falls church I'd likely be a regular at the very nice neighborhood restaurant and bar. PS- they also sell Italian dry goods and had some beautiful desserts! And by the way, our meal for 6 with aps , beers and a bottle of wine was $147.00, we would have paid nearly twice that in Old Town for not as good food.
(4)Chris R.
Sfizi did an excellent job catering a party for our organization. The food and wine were excellent and the space was perfect for a party of 70. Jo, the event planner, was incredibly gracious and accommodating. If you are seeking a place to hold an event, I highly recommend Sfizi - a hidden gem in Falls Church. We will certainly be returning.
(5)Rosie E.
What a surprisingly great place! My parents and I were looking for a restaurant to help us avoid traffic. It was between Sfizi and the asian tapas pllace down the block. I was so glad that we chose here. The ambiance is lovely inside with a wall of wine and soft music. The owner even came by during our meal to make sure we were enjoying everything. Typically, when trying new restaurants I avoid ordering veal, but it was wonderfully tender and delicious. My parents and I shared 3 entrees between us and they even went as far as to make sure there were exactly three equal sized pieces on every dish. Couldn't have been coincidence. In short, highly recommended. Great food, great service.
(5)Judy T.
Sfizi has fallen down a bit and needs to step up its game. We ordered an antipasto plate for the four of us to start and it was lackluster to say the least. The grilled peppers were not seeded...never saw that before. The marinated veggies were slimy. Most of us liked our main courses well enough but it wasn't nearly as good as in earlier visits.
(3)