From the moment that I took my first sip of wine, to when I put down my spoon after sampling three phenomenal desserts, my meal at Lupo Verde Osteria was absolutely divine. Tucked away in the Palisades section of D.C., this rustic Italian osteria is an intimate oasis that serves some of the best food that I’ve had in recent memory. Not to be confused with its sister restaurant, Lupo Verde Cucina & Bar on 14th St, Lupo Verde Osteria has its own distinct menu and also a boutique Italian market that houses a chef’s table for private dinners.
Surrounded by friends old and new, I ate my way through Lupo Verde’s fall menu additions. For our first course, we had pork belly, honey nut squash, and tonno e tonno. And although each appetizer was delicious, I made sure to only sample each one as the first course was one of four. The mix of the flavors from salty, savory to sweet and back again built an anticipation for every single dish. For the second course, we dined on pasta, which Lupo is known for. Plates of carbonara and torchietto nero were passed along the table located in the three-story restaurant’s private dining room. I’m a huge fan of family-style dinners because they allow everybody to taste everything, and judging by the empty plates, the pasta course was a fan favorite. Next, we moved on to an 18hr lamb shank and whole roasted dorade. Both surpassed my expectations in taste and portion size left little room for dessert… or so I thought because the moment that the dessert course was presented I somehow managed to regain my appetite. Plates of lupomisu’, flan and the apple verde were placed in front of us, and omg–they were as delicious as they were beautiful.
After dinner, we made our way to the lower level of the restaurant to visit the Italian market. Complete with olive oils, dried pasta, and other imported foods, this space is the quintessential subterranean Italian market. This dinner was exactly what I needed after a long day and I cannot wait to visit again to dine and shop at the market!
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