Faccia Luna Trattoria, a popular italian restaurant, sits in the middle of trendy Clarendon, where street-side restaurant patios are perfect for people watching. It opened its doors 18 years ago and, in an area crowded with many restaurants and bars, a place doesn’t last very long unless it has something that sets it apart from the rest.
Faccia Luna Trattoria, a popular italian restaurant, sits in the middle of trendy Clarendon, where street-side restaurant patios are perfect for people watching. It opened its doors 18 years ago and, in an area crowded with many restaurants and bars, a place doesn’t last very long unless it has something that sets it apart from the rest.
“We have a reputation for our gourmet pizzas – probably because we only use quality ingredients,” said Faccia Luna Manager Oliver Copinski.
A good place to enjoy those gourmet pies is Faccia Luna’s patio, which features a good number of tables and is located in front of the restaurant overlooking Arlington’s Wilson Boulevard. On warm spring and summer nights, it is a nice place to relax and have one of Faccia Luna’s many mirco-brews. Customers who would like to sit outside should be prepared to wait for a table, though, as the patio is a popular place to sit.
The inside of Faccia Luna is a completely open space, one can see everything from the bar and the expansive wine collection up front to the kitchen in the back. Populated with booths and tables, the dinning area isn’t overly crowded. The booths are made of bricks, with padded seats and wood trim. The floor is a red, old-world tile and the tables are a dark cherry wood. The walls are adorned with large black-and-white pictures from the 1920s and 1930s that can’t help but draw the eye.
As nice as the restaurants décor is, it quickly fades into the background when compared to the food.
Faccia Luna’s pizza menu features 16 different gourmet pizza options ($8.95 – 22.95) and is available in four different sizes from 10 to 16 inches in diameter. The 10-inch pizza, however, is more than enough for one person and could easily be split with another diner. Standout pies are the Piedmontese ($13.45 – $21.25), topped with meatballs, basil and sun-dried tomatoes, and the Faccia Luna ($12.70 – 20.50) sporting sausage, mushroom and roasted red peppers. The great thing about Faccia Luna’s pizza is the crust. Not too thick or too thin, it provides a nice crunch when bitten. Also, the toppings aren’t lacking. Each bite of the Faccia Luna contains some spice from the sausage, a burst of flavor from the red pepper and that mushroom-y goodness that brings it all together.
Of course, patrons can customize any one of the pizzas to their liking or start with the basic Margherita ($8.95 – 14.50) and add as many toppings as they want, for a nominal charge.
For those looking for something other than pizza, Faccia Luna has a large array of sandwiches and pastas, as well. The Angel Hair alla Marinara ($12.25), is thin pasta with sweet basil, garlic, onions and Faccia Luna’s marinara sauce that is slowly-cooked for six hours.
Faccia Luna also has a couple of specials for those diners on the look-out for a deal. On Mondays customers can get the “2 People for $24.24” deal, featuring two small salads, one 12-inch pizza with up to two toppings and two glasses of house wine. Tuesdays is “1/2 Price Featured Wine” where, as the name would imply, Faccia Luna offers a number of its wines at half-price.
If all that isn’t enough, this week, Faccia Luna is rolling out something new for customers who like to partake in an adult beverage with their meal. “We’re pretty excited to be rolling out our new wine and beer menu,” Compinski said. Faccia Luna will be offering 10 new draft beers, 20 more bottles of beer/micro-brews and 20 more bottles of wine – most of which will be available by the bottle or by the glass – ideal for patrons who want to try a new wine without purchasing an entire bottle.
So, on one of these warm spring nights, grab your best gal (or guy) and head over to Faccia Luna to enjoy some fine spirits and gourmet pizzas under the stars.
Faccia Luna Trattoria
2909 N. Wilson Blvd., Arlington
faccialuna.com • 703- 276-3099
Hours:
Sunday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday: 11 a.m. – midnight
