L’Ardente is a timeless Italian culinary experience for this moment ~ featuring live-fire grilling, hand-made pastas and pizzas in an atmosphere of approachable elegance.
Glittering chandeliers float below wooden farm beams. Wisps of fragrant smoke linger inside a gold-plated pizza oven. Sumptuous fabrics meet impeccable ingredients. This is L’Ardente, the latest hospitality venture from the award-winning team behind Unconventional Diner.
The concept reflects the glorious contrasts of Italy itself: haute yet simple; glam yet rustic; indulgent yet restrained. Above all, it’s a destination DC deserves right now, a Mediterranean balm in the heart of the capital.
Elegant Italian restaurant with chandeliers & a gold-plated pizza oven firing signature pies. Based on 810 reviews, the restaurant has received a rating of 4.6 stars. Price $$
✔️ Dine-in ✔️ Takeout ✔️ Delivery
Address:
200 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 448-0450
Social Profile: 
Hours
| Monday
(Labor Day)
|
11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–10 PM
Hours might differ
|
| Tuesday | 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–10 PM |
| Wednesday | 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–10 PM |
| Thursday | 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–10 PM |
| Friday | 11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–11 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM–2 PM, 5–11 PM |
| Sunday | 10 AM–2 PM, 5–10 PM |
Menu
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Menu Photos
Photo Gallery
Order and Reservations
Reservations: resy.com
Reviews
Juan Farfan
This place was spectacular! Everything we ordered was delicious from the appetizers to the dessert! The service was also exceptional, which made our night out very memorable. We will be back to try more of the menu.
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Arnold
Had a great weekday date night at this place. Ambiance was upscale but still chill enough to be in a t shirt and jeans. Parking is limited, you’ll most likely have to park in a garage. The food was amazing! Everything was cooked to perfection, the pizza and lasagna are a must try. Unique dessert options, also a must try. Look forward to my next visit
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Ferry
EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT!
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Honey B
Loved everything. It was my first time going and I must say I was absolutely satisfied. Our server was GREAT! Shout out to Harry for the wonderful service! The food was so good. Fresh, hot and flavorful. The lasagna was absolutely delicious. The spaghetti was also great. We ordered the meatball appetizer to pair with it. We also had the Margherita pizza. Everything was so so good. The Old Fashion was smooth and the Lemon drop was made perfectly! For dessert we had the tiramisu. No complaints at all! Harry really made our first experience there amazing. We can’t wait to return.
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Adam Riemer
By far the best service and best Italian food in dc. We had the fried cauliflower with the 40 layer lasagna and everything was perfect. I had never seen the wines on the wines by the glass menu so I tried a couple, and each were great. It’s very rare to find a restaurant like this in dc. If you can get a reservation. Go.
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Greg Young
We have found our “special occasion restaurant” in DC—for all birthdays, anniversaries and celebrating those special out of town visitors.
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UHLAWNTAY
Excellent service. We came here to bring in my boyfriends birthday and I was a little apprehensive about picking a late dinner time, but it was worth it. We sat in the galleria and our waiter was very knowledgeable and friendly. He suggested a few dishes and we’re so glad he did! Delicious! Everything we had was soooo good! We’ve been talking about the lasagna, arancini, and Venetian “risotto” nearly everyday since. We will be back! Perfect for a date night or celebration. It’s pricey, but worth it!
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Jasmine Cha
This was the best dining experience I’ve had in a long time. The service was amazing and the food was beyond great. My friend and I went for a girls night dinner on a Thursday at 5pm (opening) and it was so cozy! We were seated in this little nook that was separated from other diners, which we loved because we could easily hear one another. We ordered two cocktails (mine was the fig cobbler which was amazing). We ordered the foccaia, burrata romesco, corn ravioli, and their famous 40 layer lasagna. All of them were delicious and distinct. There were crispy bits in the corn ravioli and the lasagna and they were perfect. I would recommend sharing dishes because the lasagna is a lot of one thing to eat. lt was so good and I can see why it’s what they’re known for but I don’t think I could have eaten all of it alone. Before ordering, our waiter explained the menu and was so attentive! We also ended up with lots of crumbs because of how CRISPY the foccaia was and someone swept those off the table for us which was not necessary but was very lovely. It got noisier as the night got on because we were seated near one of the bars. But it wasn’t super noticeable. It had just been so quiet when we first arrived. I would recommend going on the earlier side if you do want a cozier, quieter experience. This is definitely the perfect place for a treat yourself meal or to celebrate something. It felt indulgent (in a great way) and was worth every penny
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R A
L’Ardente is a cozy and upscale restaurant offering the usual Italian dishes with unique twists. Its spacious room and comfortable seating, paired with high ceilings and tasteful decor, make for a glamorous evening. We joined for our 5:30 reservation, shortly after they opened for service. The place smelled of chemically-soaked kitchen equipment and burnt pizza ovens – not great. It also took quite some time for the server to greet us with water and offer menu recommendations. The server was personable but a bit detached. We only got a few dishes for a quick visit: lasagna and duck hunt paired with some red wine. These dishes were unique and lived up to expectations. However, I will not remember them in a few months. Nothing particularly memorable… the duck hunt had a tasty foam but the ravioli was dry and al dente, borderline undercooked. The lasagna was tasty and worth the try. However, I don’t think it warrants the price ($36). It had a balanced hint of truffle oil and paired well with our wine. I’ll likely bring my family here, as it’s a very safe bet for an upscale meal. It will not blow you away but you will not be disappointed.
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J MJ
A gastronomical delight! That is how to best describe our meal and total experience at L’Ardente. The “Master of Ceremony” was Devin! He guided us through their menu, which in fact was quite easy to navigate. His descriptions and explanations of the choices made us add more and more onto our order. The presentaion of each dish was impressive. The cocktails were delicious. But the meal!!!! Well, I can only say that it MUST be experienced if you are in Washington, D.C.. Of course, I ordered the signature 40 layer Lasagna! I was overjoyed with how delicious it was. It will be hard to try anything else when I go back. And I WILL be back!
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