La Panetteria Ristorante

This restaurant used to be a family favorite before the pandemic under old ownership, recently came back for the first time under new ownership based on Savor Bethesda restaurant week advertising and had a very friendly and pleasant dining experience. When we arrived, it turns out the restaurant is not participating in the special, but the owner was nice enough to give us a 10 percent discount off our normal bill. Both of our adult entrees (zuppetta di mare and salmon) were very fresh and generously sized. Good variety of seafood. Overall I'd say the style with Argentine influence has changed to be a little bit more Mediterranean and less heavy NYC style Italian like it used to be. Was less thrilled with the calamari appetizer which tasted frozen and slightly tough, but overall would recommend a try if you like seafood.

This was a great little Italian place we went to while staying in Bethesda. My total rating is 4.5/5 and here is my breakdown:Food: 5/5The table bread they serve is great! I ordered the Lasagna and my wife ordered the Eggplant Parmesan. My lasagna was very good! It was hot, fresh and had great flavor! My wife also loved her dish. Ambiance: 5:5The ambiance here was really cool. Se sat in a covered area that can also double as an open air section of the restaurant. The restaurant has a feel that you are eating at a cool quaint Italian house in the country side. Customer service: 4/5I was going to rate 3.5, however they did hold our reservation when we were running a little late, so we were very appreciative! Our server was very nice. However, we did order a side that did not come out before or during our meal. We mentioned it to our server during our meal and she had forgotten. Once we finished our entrée, the server brought out our side.Area and Parking5/5:This was a cool, walkable area in Bethesda. There was also a large parking garage right across the street.

This is a charming neighborhood restaurant with nice potential. Sadly was a miss on the night I went. I had the lasagna dinner for two which included salad, lasagna, pana cotta and 2 glasses of wine for about $50.00. I do have to say this is a bargain, I just wish the food was better. First, let's talk about the bread. It was homemade, nice crust and soft interior. This and the wine, were my favorites. The salad was overdressed making it inedible. The lasagne was only lukewarm. It definitely needed some Italian seasoning in the sauce and some fresh basil on top would have livened it up. Service was a little off.

Favorite restaurant in Bethesda. A combination Argentine and Italian restaurant that does it right. I love the milanesa and the salmon. The homemade complimentary bread is to die for! Tonight I came and the owner and waiters were a delight. They treated my Argentine friend and I to free empanadas, which were incredible, and panqueque con dulce de leche-which was one of the most memorably delicious desserts I've had in a restaurant recently. Highly recommend splitting the panqueque con dulce de leche for dessert-it's worth the calories, its that good.

This place has great food. There are so many great items on the menu the hardest thing is to choose what great dish to choose. You start with fresh hot bread. The calamari is some of the best I have ever had. They offer large portions. No one is going home hungry. The food is very good.The service is also fantastic. They are fast and courteous. The restaurant exudes old world Italian charm.

The food is excellent however the service is the worst I have ever had. Worst of all the owner blamed the service on his workers.

Good food and friendly customer service. You get served with fresh bread with oil and parmesan. The waitress was patient as we studied the menu and helpful describing the menu. We enjoyed the food and would like to visit again to try other entrées on the menu. ORDER:* La Burrata *Delicious burrata cheese, tomatoes, baby arugulabasil oil, and balsamic glaze cupped in lettuce. The flavors topped over toasted bread was amazing. * Fettuccine Alla Carbonara * This creamy Fettuccine pasta sautéed with juicy smoked apple-wood bacon, and caramelized onions. * Rigatoni Alla Caprese * Savory Rigatoni pasta sautéed with fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and basil oil. Don't forget to check out their drink menu. There's a nice selection of wine and cocktails. Parking is available off the street or in surrounding parking lots. The location is off Cordell Avenue between Georgetown and Norfolk roads.

So my date picked this place and I've never heard of it going to Bethesda a million times! I was excited to check it out since the menu looked pretty good! He had called right when it opened at 5pm to make a reservation at 7pm. The man on the phone said that there were no spots available at 7pm. He even asked prior or after 7 and the man said no. I quickly checked online and found many time slots before and after 7 (6:15, 6:45, 7:30, 8, etc), so not sure why he told my date that. I made a reservation at 7:30pm and even called to confirm it was set. The man said he saw it on his system and we were good to go! Not sure why he told my date otherwise.Onto the food-We received bread first and yup, I've had better. It was warm and soft, but that's it! We got olive oil, but again no seasoning. I truly expected better after reading some of the Yelp reviews.I ordered Rigatoni Frank Sinatra 3/5 - I feel like it needed salt or crushed red pepper. There weren't enough mozzarella to add flavor. The grilled eggplant was soggy and mushy and didn't compliment the sauce and pasta at all.My date orderedSpaghetti Al Pomodoro (GF) 4/5 - your basic spaghetti with basic sauce, but again needed salt or some type of seasoning. We got our drinks after our meal, which sucked but I guess is fair because we ordered them after our food. A vodka martini with olives for me and a Jack's sour for my date. His drink was very very sour, he didn't even finish it! For dessert we decided to get Panqueque Dulce de Leche. Weird experience; right as we ordered, a man with dessert came up and put it on our table. We were curious as to what happened/what was wrong with the dessert. They also mentioned that the dessert was on the house. We both ate it reluctantly. As for the decor- it's like leaving Bethesda, MD and entering Naples, Italy. Beautiful greenery everywhere! However, I'd definitely skip this place and try Alatri Bros or Pines of Rome next time.

I wish I discovered this place sooner! I've gone here twice and enjoyed it each time. Recently went and had the Rigatoni Frank Sinatra and the fettuccine carbonara. The portion was a great size and it was a fair price point - something you don't see often anymore, especially in Bethesda! The service was great. Very friendly staff. We went early for dinner on a Sunday and it was a very personable experience. The setting is super cute - makes you feel like you've traveled to Italy for a couple hours. I highly recommend!

Unfortunately the meal and experience was not good. The food was over cooked and the service was poor. A 1 star is generous.