At one point in my Washington, D.C. life I lived in Van Ness. Situated basically in-between the National Zoo and American University, it’s a pretty quiet city neighborhood. I had a few local hangout spots and would walk by Sfoglina every day on my way to work.

Sfoglina, pronounced “sfoal-yee-nah,” is an Italian word for women who create pasta by hand, rolling it out in sheets with a rolling pin. You’ll see that when you walk into the restaurant – older machinery used to make the pasta, along with rolling pins and tables. A smaller venue, you instantly feel at home when you walk in.