Alexandria takes its Italian food seriously, and nowhere more than in Old Town, where the city’s oldest and most beloved trattorias sit within a few blocks of each other along and just off King Street. This is a neighborhood where a family-run restaurant that opened in the 1970s can still be the place locals book for anniversaries, and where the pizza debate — Neapolitan versus Sicilian versus Detroit-style — is a genuine, ongoing argument among neighbors. Whether you are after a candlelit Tuscan dinner, a brick-oven pizza, or a casual plate of pasta, this guide covers the Italian restaurants Alexandria residents actually return to.

Most of the classic Italian dining clusters in Old Town, within easy walking distance of the waterfront and the King St-Old Town Metro, while a newer, more casual pizza-and-pasta scene has grown up in the Del Ray neighborhood to the north. Here is where to go and what makes each spot worth your time.

Il Porto Ristorante — the original

Il Porto Ristorante holds a special place in Alexandria dining history: opened in 1973, it was the first Italian restaurant in Old Town, and it has spent more than five decades perfecting the old-world formula. The dining room leans cozy and romantic, with a fireplace, white tablecloths, and low light — the kind of room built for a long, unhurried dinner. The kitchen is known for its Neapolitan-style pizzas made with cheeses imported from Italy, house-made pastas, and rustic southern-Italian cooking that has barely needed to change because it works. For anyone who wants to understand where Old Town’s Italian tradition began, this is the starting point.

Landini Brothers — Tuscan classic on King Street

A few steps from the Potomac, Landini Brothers has been a Northern Virginia landmark since 1976, serving northern Italian food in the traditional Tuscan style. The space is all old-world atmosphere: dimly lit dining rooms, exposed brick walls, elegant chandeliers, and a romantic patio that draws couples on warm evenings. It is one of the neighborhood’s enduring special-occasion restaurants — the place people book for anniversaries, birthdays, and proposals — and it manages to feel both grand and genuinely warm. The menu covers the Tuscan classics with care, and the wine list and service match the setting. On weekends, reservations are strongly recommended.

Mia’s Italian Kitchen — Sicilian roots by the river

Mia’s Italian Kitchen, at the riverside end of King Street, brings a livelier, family-rooted energy to Old Town Italian. The menu is built on homestyle recipes traced back to owner Dave Nicholas’s Sicilian grandmother, and the signature move is the Sicilian-style rectangular pizza baked in an 800-degree brick oven downstairs. Upstairs, an energetic open kitchen keeps the room buzzing. It is a great pick for groups, families, and anyone who wants generous, comforting Italian food in a less formal setting than the white-tablecloth spots — while still being firmly in the heart of Old Town.

Emmy Squared and the pizza question

Old Town’s pizza scene is genuinely varied, which is part of the fun. Emmy Squared serves Detroit-style square pizzas — thick, airy crust with crispy, caramelized cheese edges — alongside a well-known burger, giving the neighborhood a third distinct pizza style to argue over. Between Il Porto’s Neapolitan pies, Mia’s Sicilian rectangles, and Emmy Squared’s Detroit squares, you could run a small pizza tour without leaving Old Town. Locals tend to have strong, specific loyalties here, and the best way to find your own favorite is to try more than one.

Casual Italian and pizza in Del Ray

North of Old Town, Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray anchors a more casual, neighborhood-oriented scene where pizza and relaxed pasta dinners fit the low-key, family-friendly vibe of the area. It is the kind of place you go for a weeknight slice or an easy dinner with kids rather than a formal night out. Del Ray’s independent, walkable main street means these spots feel like true neighborhood restaurants, and they round out Alexandria’s Italian options nicely for anyone who lives north of Old Town or just wants something more low-key.

What to order and how to plan

If it is your first time working through Alexandria’s Italian restaurants, a few pointers help. For a classic special-occasion dinner, book Landini Brothers or Il Porto and go for the house pastas and traditional mains. For pizza, decide your style first — Neapolitan at Il Porto, Sicilian at Mia’s, Detroit at Emmy Squared — because they are genuinely different experiences. Old Town restaurants fill up on weekend evenings and around waterfront events, so reservations save you a wait, and parking is easier if you arrive earlier or take the Metro and trolley. Menus, chefs, and hours do change over time, so it is always worth confirming details and asking locals what has been especially good lately.

Why Old Town became an Italian dining destination

Old Town’s Italian tradition is not an accident. As one of the oldest port districts on the East Coast, the neighborhood has always drawn restaurateurs to its historic brick storefronts and steady foot traffic along King Street. When Il Porto opened in 1973 and Landini Brothers followed in 1976, they helped establish Old Town as a place where a serious, family-run Italian restaurant could put down roots and stay for generations. That longevity is unusual in the restaurant world, and it is a big part of why these rooms feel so lived-in and beloved — the same families and staff have been welcoming the same regulars for decades. Newer arrivals like Mia’s Italian Kitchen and Emmy Squared have built on that foundation rather than replacing it, giving the neighborhood a range that runs from candlelit Tuscan fine dining to casual brick-oven pizza. For visitors, the payoff is a genuinely deep bench of Italian options in a walkable few blocks; for residents, it means a special-occasion restaurant and a weeknight pizza spot are never far apart.

Wine, reservations, and making the most of your visit

The classic Old Town Italian restaurants take their wine seriously, with lists that lean into Italian regions to match the food — ask your server for a pairing if you are unsure, since the staff at long-running spots like Landini Brothers and Il Porto know their lists well. For the best experience, book ahead on Friday and Saturday nights and around big waterfront events, when Old Town fills quickly. If you are coming for a romantic dinner, request the patio at Landini Brothers in warm weather or a fireside table at Il Porto in winter. Families and larger groups will find Mia’s more forgiving of noise and energy. And because Old Town parking tightens in the evening, taking Metro to King St-Old Town and riding the free trolley down is often the least stressful way to arrive. Whatever you choose, the neighbors who eat here regularly are the best source for what is worth ordering this season — the specials, the new chef’s additions, and the dishes locals quietly consider the best in town.

Old Town’s Italian restaurants have earned their reputation the hard way, one long dinner at a time, and they remain some of the most reliable tables in the entire Alexandria dining scene for locals and visitors alike.

Buon appetito, and save room for dessert — Old Town has plenty of that too.

Frequently asked questions

What is the oldest Italian restaurant in Old Town Alexandria?

Il Porto Ristorante, which opened in 1973, is generally recognized as the first Italian restaurant in Old Town Alexandria. It is still going strong, known for Neapolitan-style pizzas, imported cheeses, house-made pasta, and an old-world dining room with a fireplace.

Where can I get the best Italian pizza in Old Town Alexandria?

For traditional Neapolitan pizza, Il Porto is the classic pick. Mia’s Italian Kitchen bakes Sicilian-style rectangular pizzas in an 800-degree brick oven, and Emmy Squared serves Detroit-style square pies. Which is ‘best’ comes down to whether you want thin-crust Neapolitan, thick Sicilian, or crispy Detroit-style — locals debate it constantly.

Is Landini Brothers good for a date or special occasion?

Yes. Landini Brothers has served northern Italian food in the traditional Tuscan style since 1976, and its dimly lit dining room with exposed brick, chandeliers, and a romantic patio makes it one of Old Town’s go-to spots for anniversaries, proposals, and special dinners. Reservations are wise on weekends.

Are there good Italian restaurants in Del Ray, not just Old Town?

Del Ray has a growing casual-Italian and pizza scene along Mount Vernon Avenue, in addition to the more traditional white-tablecloth restaurants concentrated in Old Town. If you want a relaxed neighborhood slice or a family pizza night, Del Ray is worth a look; for classic sit-down Italian, Old Town still leads.