Recently I had the pleasure of dining at Pines of Florence, a quaint Italian restaurant located in Arlington. Conveniently located near the Virginia Square Metro, the restaurant has been a neighborhood staple for years. White table clothes line the room and give the place a warm, friendly atmosphere. We were seated immediately upon arrival and handed menus. While perusing our options we enjoyed the house wine and some fresh bread with a very nice olive oil. I’m a sucker for Italian food and many items looked appealing so I asked the waitress for some recommendations on what to order. Pasta? Meat? She made an assortment of recommendations and I decided to go with her suggestions.
We began the meal with an appetizer: fresh zucchini covered in Italian bread crumbs, fried to a golden finish and served with marinara sauce. The sauce was rich and full of tomato flavor and the zucchini were crisp and lightly seasoned. I could have easily eaten the entire plate, but luckily I had a dinner date to help me finish them because we still had a LOT of food to try. We were satisfied and I would order them again (though I may have to try the calamari next time).
For the main course we shared two entrees. I had the Fettuccine Florence; fresh fettuccine and shrimp served with mixed vegetables and marinara sauce. My dinner date ordered Veal Francese; veal dipped in eggs, flour, and sauteed in lemon and butter. Both were quite tasty but I definitely prefered my dish. I found the sauce to be flavorful but light enough that it didn’t overwhelm the shrimp and pasta. The veal was tasty, with a rich buttery lemon sauce that was well seasoned.
For dessert we shared a single order of tiramisu. I’m a sucker for sweets and this might just have been my favorite part of the meal. It was served chilled and even though were were quite full we managed to devour the cake. The liquor-soaked ladyfingers were surrounded by rich mascarpone whipped cream. I would come back to the restaurant just to order this dessert.
Overall we had a very enjoyable dining experience. The service was friendly and attentive and the food is what you’d expect at a classic family-style Italian restaurant. Thanks to Pines of Florence for wonderful service and a delicious meal!
Pines of Florence
3811 Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22203
