For those who have been to Washington DC you know that Georgetown is a great area to spend the day and walk around. For those of you who have never been, I highly recommend for you to carve out some time between visiting the museums and monuments to walk along the shops on M street.
Georgetown is full of restaurants, but knowing which ones are the best ones is crucial for a day when you are out and about. I’ll spare you the trial and error routine and just recommend one of my favorites in the area. Il Canale is a great place to grab a pizza in the middle of the day or for a casual dinner.
The owner Giuseppe “Joe” Farruggio was born in Sicily and came to America when he was 17, so you can trust that these pizzas are as authentically Italian as they can get. Don’t be surprised if he approaches your table and chat, he is a really pleasant man who clearly loves what he does. This restaurant is a great place you can go with your family or a group of friends. They are really good with seating you if you don’t have a reservation; I have never had to wait more than 15 minutes for a table.
When you walk into the restaurant the first thing you see is the pizza oven and the chefs who welcome you into the restaurant. You can immediately smell the pizzas cooking which obviously make your mouth water. Lucky for you because they always have a pizza in the waiting area from which you can grab a slice before you get seated (This is my favorite part).
I always say that you can tell if a restaurant is going to be good based on the bread they bring out, and Il Canale does not disappoint. The regular bread they bring is really good, and we usually order the focaccia as well because, well, why not? As for the appetizer, I love the Calamari e Zucchine. The combination of those two ingredients work great, they are perfectly crispy and it’s really easy to share among the table.
For the main event I like to stick with pizza but fear not, they have other great things on the menu as well. My favorite pizza is the Il Canale which has ricotta cheese, prosciutto di parama, eggplant, and cherry tomatoes topped with fresh basil. They are really flexible with ingredients, so you can easily add or remove anything on them. The pizzas are super thin and have the perfect ratio of ingredients, they really are authentically Italian.
Il Canale is the perfect place for a quick lunch or a casual dinner. Among my friends it is our go to place before going to the movies just a couple blocks from there. Stay tuned for more Georgetown restaurant recommendations!
by: Nicole Meyer
Nicole Meyer grew up in Mexico City, with a family who always loved to travel, experience new things and dine out. After high school, she moved to Washington DC, where she currently attends George Washington University. Nicole never misses a chance to try a new restaurant and experience new flavors. As DC’s culinary scene grows she loves to follow it along. Stay tuned for reviews on the latest and best restaurants of the district.
