At Carbonara, our Italian Restaurant in Arlington, VA brings a fresh take on Italian dining with dishes made to satisfy every craving. Guests have rated us 4.80 stars across 4870 reviews, and many love our great service and quality plus easy accessible facilities.
Popular Items
Frequently ordered and highly recommended items at Carbonara
Our Story
Welcome to a place where great food meets warm hospitality. We believe dining is more than just a meal - it's an experience to be savored and shared.
Our kitchen is dedicated to creating dishes that bring people together, using recipes that honor tradition while embracing innovation.
Photos
A glimpse of our restaurant experience
Food & Drinks
italian prosciutto spinach, white sauce
marinara sauce, cheese, pepperoni & italian sausage
marinara sauce, cheese, shiitake, button mushrooms & white truffle oil
marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella & tomatoes
apple, bacon & balsamic honey glaze
with garlic and oil
sliced potato with caramelized onion
sliced potato with caramelized onion
with garlic and oil
apple, bacon & balsamic honey glaze
scaloppini of tender veal with prosciutto, sage, and mozzarella cheese in a wine sauce, served with ziti pasta
fresh milk-fed veal topped with prosciutto, eggplant & mozzarella in a wine sauce with a touch of tomato served w/ spaghettini
breaded/pounded thinly, sunday sauce, parmigiano, mozzarella, served with spaghettini
our creamy house three cheese filling with sunday sauce
potato based dumplings baked with bolognese meat sauce, melted mozzarella cheese
our creamy house three cheese filling with sunday sauce
potato based dumplings baked with bolognese meat sauce, melted mozzarella cheese
lightly battered eggplant baked with tomato sauce & melted mozzarella cheese, served with spaghetti
linguini pasta with white wine garlic butter sauce
fresh clams, chili flakes, garlic, natural juices
in a lobster sauce.. the perfect combo!
homemade ravioli filled with lobster meat, sauteed green peas
fresh clams, chili flakes, garlic, natural juices
linguini pasta with white wine garlic butter sauce
ground angus beef, touch of cream and sunday sauce
artisanal pasta, broccolini, rock shrimp, cherry tomatoes, creamy wine sauce with a touch of sunday sauce
stuffed with spinach, italian cheese, cherry tomatoes shitake mushrooms, creamy truffle pesto sauce
with roasted chicken & shaved pecorino
mushrooms, grape tomatoes, peppers, spinach, broccoli in a light cream sauce
angel hair, cherry tomatoes, fresh garlic & fresh basil
stuffed with slow braised brisket of beef with a light sauce of mushrooms, brown butter a touch of cream
served with sunday sauce
artisanal pasta, broccolini, rock shrimp, creamy wine sauce with a touch of sunday sauce
with roasted chicken & shaved pecorino
angel hair, cherry tomatoes, fresh garlic & fresh basil
stuffed with spinach, italian cheese, cherry tomatoes shitake mushrooms, creamy truffle pesto sauce
mushrooms, grape tomatoes, peppers, spinach, broccoli in a light cream sauce
stuffed with slow braised brisket of beef with a light sauce of mushrooms, brown butter a touch of cream
served with sunday sauce
homemade bucatini sautéed with chopped sweet onion, pancetta, and egg yolk
ground angus beef, touch of cream and sunday sauce
served with sliced fresh tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil
creamy mozzarella cheese breaded and lightly fried, drizzled with a creamy vodka sauce
fresh clams stuffed with garlicky breadcrumbs baked in white wine and butter
italian arborio rice rolled & stuffed with mozzarella, bolognese meat, and tiny peas. 3 per order, served with homemade sunday sauce
jumbo shrimp wrapped in applewood bacon baked with mozzarella, breadcrumbs & italian seasoning with a butter white wine sauce
calamari, cherry peppers, zucchini, spicy marinara
40 year old family recipe, beef, veal & pork, rich blend of italian seasonings, finished in sunday sauce & parmigiano cheese
prince edward mussels sautéed in red or white sauce
avocado, mango & baby frisée *CONSUMING RAW OR UNDERCOOKED MEATS, POULTRY, SEAFOOD, SHELLFISH, OR EGGS MAY INCREASE YOUR RISK OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE CERTAIN MEDICAL CONDITIONS
italian arborio rice rolled & stuffed with mozzarella, bolognese meat, and tiny peas. 3 per order, served with homemade sunday sauce
calamari, cherry peppers, zucchini, spicy marinara
served with sliced fresh tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil
40 year old family recipe, beef, veal & pork, rich blend of italian seasonings, finished in sunday sauce & parmigiano cheese
baked jumbo mushrooms stuffed with crab meat & Italian herbs
fresh clams stuffed with garlicky breadcrumbs baked in white wine and butter
creamy mozzarella cheese breaded and lightly fried, drizzled with a creamy vodka sauce
jumbo shrimp wrapped in applewood bacon baked with mozzarella, breadcrumbs & italian seasoning with a butter white wine sauce
pancetta, grated parmigiano cheese & croutons
an assortment of cured italian meats and cheese, with roasted vegetables
traditional italian vegetable soup served with grilled bruschetta
cherry tomatoes, roasted peppers, olives, red onion slices, and shaved parmesan cheese in italian vinaigrette
pancetta, grated parmigiano cheese & croutons
traditional italian vegetable soup
an assortment of cured italian meats and cheese, with roasted vegetables
cherry tomatoes, roasted peppers, olives, red onion slices, and shaved parmesan cheese in italian vinaigrette
vanilla gelato
ricotta cheesecake with a shortbread cookie crust, topped with blueberry & strawberry sauce
pistachio and ricotta creams separated by sponge cake, decorated with crushed pistachios & dusted with powdered sugar
pastry cream with a hint of lemon covered with pinenuts, almonds & powdered sugar
italian classic features the same old world recipe cream with a delicious shell
italian classic features the same old world recipe cream with a delicious shell
pistachio and ricotta creams separated by sponge cake, decorated with crushed pistachios & dusted with powdered sugar
vanilla gelato
pastry cream with a hint of lemon covered with pinenuts, almonds & powdered sugar
ricotta cheesecake with a shortbread cookie crust, topped with blueberry & strawberry sauce
salami, provolone, mortadella, capicola, prosciutto di parma, lettuce, tomato, onions, cherry peppers, oil, and vinegar on italian bread
breaded chicken cutlet, slices of prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, roasted peppers, basil topped with a balsamic glaze on hero bread
made with our hand-rolled meatballs, with sunday sauce melted mozzarella, and romano cheese on italian bread
boneless, tender white chicken breast sautéed in a creamy lemon sauce, prepared with white wine, basil, and
vodka sauce, mozzarella & parmigiano reggiano served with spaghettini
stuffed chicken breast with smoked provolone and basil, mushrooms, seared asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes served over spaghetti
seared scaloppini of chicken, wild mushrooms reduction, served with roasted potatoes & broccolini
boneless, tender white chicken breast sautéed in a creamy lemon sauce, prepared with white wine, basil, and
breaded chicken breast, arugula, tomato, onion, parmigiano salad
vodka sauce, mozzarella & parmigiano reggiano served with spaghettini
Hear from our valued guests
This was our first visit to Carbonara, and we had an excellent lunch celebrating my husband’s birthday. We started with a Caesar salad and Nonna’s meatballs, both of which were outstanding. We also appreciated the complimentary focaccia and semolina bread, served with olive tapenade and a side of sauce—a very nice touch. The main dishes were truly the highlight. My husband ordered the Bucatini Carbonara prepared tableside, which was both fun to watch and incredibly flavorful. I had the Chicken Parmigiana alla Vodka, and it was perfectly cooked with a rich, yummy sauce. Portions were very generous—we even had enough leftovers for another meal. Our server, Margarita, was exceptional: attentive, kind, and detail-oriented. She even surprised my husband with a small piece of tiramisu on a birthday plate, which made the celebration feel extra special. We’re excited to hear Carbonara is opening a location in Gainesville and look forward to enjoying it closer to home—without the parking hassle. Highly recommend!
This spot was highly recommended on social media, and it did not disappoint. I decided on the Spinach Agnolotti with breaded chicken with the help of our server Potter. It was the tastiest pesto pasta I’ve ever had. Throughout our dinner service, Potter was attentive and kind. Very enjoyable dinner to end date night 😌 Glad we chose this restaurant for our one night in the DMV area. Sad there isn’t anything like it in Seattle😭
The stuffed pepper appetizer was super yummy. We were first time carbonaras so we got the table side bucatini which was great and the vodka chicken parm which was incredible! Great sauce. Thanks to our server Potter for great service. We will definitely be back in the future
I finally visited Carbonara after hearing so many amazing things and I completely understand the hype. The atmosphere was lively, service was smooth, and the drinks absolutely delivered. I ordered the Biscotti Cookie Espresso Martini, Ferrero Rocher Espresso Martini, and a Hugo Spritz. The espresso martinis were rich, smooth, and perfectly sweet without being overpowering. You can tell they take their cocktail program seriously. For food, I had the Margherita pizza (added pepperoni), which paired perfectly with the drinks simple and flavorful. They also have an impressive lineup of espresso martini variations (pistachio, tiramisu, s’mores, Dubai white chocolate, and more), so if you love dessert-style cocktails, this is definitely your spot. As a local content creator, I love discovering places like this and hope to collaborate with them one day. I’ll definitely be back!
We were able to get a reservation last minute. Although we could not bring 6 family members, I was able to bring my wife. If I had one world for the place in general, it would be “exquisite”. From start to end, the service was phenomenal, our server Taylor did an amazing job at explaining the menu. The food items we ordered were phenomenal. Definitely would love to be back for more.
This was our first time here. We visited for my girlfriend’s birthday. Potter was our server, who made our night exquisite! He was very attentive and provided excellent recommendations! We started our meal with the meatballs and the fried mozzarella. The meatballs were very filling and authentic. For our main dishes we had the short rib lasagna and the crab cake ravioli topped with shrimp and scallops. Both were absolutely delicious. For drinks we ordered the Santa cider mocktail and the boozy hot chocolate. The cider was perfection! The hot chocolate was strong and cozy. The tiramisu was top tier!!!! We will definitely be back to try the tomahawk for two!!!
I’ve been waiting to try this place for months and it lived up to the expectations. Phenomenal food and service across the board. Our server Margarita was amazing extremely knowledgeable about the different appetizers and entrees. Once she realized it was our first time she had a list of recommendations. She learned we were celebrating what would have been my mom’s 80th. She immediately said no worries y'all will be taken care of and she wasn’t wrong. Someone next to us was getting the cheese wheel and my dad had never seen it so she explained to him the whole process. Other servers came by checking on us for water or answering any questions we had. The food was amazing my dad loved the spaghetti and meatballs. I tried the famous chicken Parmesan & vodka
What an amazing experience! My husband and I went to this place for our anniversary. This was my first time at this restaurant and let me tell you we had such amazing service, our server was so kind, he knew the menu so well and gave great advice when we weren’t sure of what to get! Then the food was just the best I’ve ever had at any restaurant I’ve been to in a while. We will be coming back for sure! Can’t wait!
We chose this for my husband’s birthday dinner. Amazing service from Margarita. Food was exceptional. Loved the ambience and outdoors set up. They kept it warm during winter time. Margarita surprised us at the end by bringing a birthday cake and sang happy birthday 🥳 Highly recommend if visiting this area!!
Can’t say enough about this place!! Authentic, genuine, INCREDIBLE Italian food. Saba took care of me; I had 2 glasses of the Cabernet, the meatballs, the bucatini carbonara, and the tiramisu. The carbonara and the tiramisu came prepped tableside. Can’t stress enough, absolutely phenomenal! Everything was authentic, the meatballs were seasoned incredibly, the guanciale paired with the pasta beautifully, and the tiramisu was just legendary. The best tiramisu ive had in 26 years. It’s not too sweet, the sweet cream pairs with the lady fingers and the espresso harmonically. 15/10, please come here if you haven’t yet!
Common questions about Carbonara
Carbonara is located at 3865 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22203, United States, Arlington, VA, United States.
You can reach Carbonara by calling +1 703-721-3905.
Carbonara has a rating of 4.8 out of 5 based on 4870 customer reviews.
Carbonara features the following accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible car park, Wheelchair-accessible entrance, Wheelchair-accessible seating, Wheelchair-accessible toilet.
Carbonara features the following service options: Outdoor seating, Delivery, On-site services, Takeaway, Dine-in.
Carbonara features the following highlights: Fast service, Great cocktails, Great dessert, Great wine list, Serves local specialty.
Carbonara features the following popular for: Lunch, Dinner, Solo dining.
Carbonara features the following offerings: Alcohol, Beer, Cocktails, Coffee, Comfort food, Happy-hour drinks, Small plates, Spirits, Vegetarian options, Wine.
Carbonara features the following dining options: Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert, Seating, Table service.
Carbonara features the following amenities: Bar on site, Restroom.
Carbonara features the following atmosphere: Casual, Cozy, Romantic, Trendy, Upmarket.
Carbonara features the following crowd: Groups, Tourists.
Carbonara features the following planning: Lunch reservations recommended, Dinner reservations recommended, Accepts reservations, Usually a wait.
Carbonara features the following payments: Credit cards, Debit cards, NFC mobile payments.
Carbonara features the following children: High chairs.
Carbonara features the following parking: Free street parking, Paid parking lot, Paid street parking, Somewhat difficult to find a space.
Carbonara features the following pets: Dogs allowed outside.
Business Features
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