The Room
Amy Brandwein opened Centrolina in CityCenter in 2015 — the James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic 2017 winner running the most-considered modern Italian kitchen in DC. The dining room is intentionally modern: a long bar at the front, an open kitchen at the back, banquettes along the eastern wall, and a hand-painted Italian-folk-art mural along the back.
The Washington Post review held Centrolina among the year's best new restaurants in 2016. The Michelin DC guide assigned a Recommended designation. Brandwein's pedigree (Casa Nonna, Galileo, Alba Osteria) shows in the kitchen's discipline.
The Food
The pasta programme is hand-rolled in the kitchen daily. The hand-cut tonnarelli, the seasonal-rotating ravioli, the brown-butter agnolotti run as the menu's spine. The wood-fired pizza programme runs four rotating pies. The chef's tasting at $115 is the order for a first visit.
Wine programme runs Italian-classic with a serious by-the-glass programme. Cocktails are aperitivi-led. Service is informed and warm — Brandwein works the kitchen on most services.
Best Occasion Fit
First Date: The bar at Centrolina is one of CityCenter's most-reliable first-date seats. The pasta shares well, the cocktail programme is the conversation.
Close a Deal: Centrolina is the CityCenter Italian-fine-dining alternative to a chain steakhouse for a deal that wants the room to read as chef-driven.
Birthday: Birthdays at Centrolina are warm, pasta-led, modern-Italian affairs the room handles with ten years of practice.