A Germantown Italian restaurant praised by The Washington Post is continuing to draw attention, with the Taste MoCo team recently stopping by to experience what’s been described as “a piece of Italy in Germantown.” A video of the experience can be seen below.
Mamma Lena, located at 13507 Clopper Road in Seneca Park Plaza, sits in a modest strip mall behind a 7-Eleven and Sunoco, but delivers an experience that feels far removed from its surroundings. It’s the kind of place you might not expect to find such deeply authentic Italian cooking, making it all the more memorable once you step inside.
The restaurant first opened about a decade ago and now operates with reservation-only dining, alongside delivery and carryout options. That demand was clear during the visit, with a relatively packed house even on a Tuesday evening. A 6:30pm reservation quickly turned into a full dining room by around 7:30pm. For many, the biggest surprise may be the setting. What appears at first glance to be just another neighborhood strip center turns into a dining experience that feels much closer to a family-run restaurant in Italy.
During the visit, the team started with complimentary table bruschetta before ordering two glasses of wine at $10 each. From there, the meal included the Fior Di Zucca, featuring fried zucchini flowers stuffed with mozzarella, followed by the Fiocchi Gorgonzola e Pera, a pasta filled with cheese and pear in a creamy gorgonzola sauce. Additional dishes included Limoncello Ravioli with shrimp and the Rosso a la Pescatore, a red pepper fettuccine with mussels, clams, and shrimp in a white wine cherry tomato sauce. The meal ended with a house-made tiramisu.
The restaurant gained wider recognition last year when longtime Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema highlighted it for its “bountiful portions of expertly made pastas and more,” calling attention to a spot many might otherwise overlook. According to Sietsema, the restaurant’s roots trace back decades. The family relocated to the Washington area in 1994 when Carlo Varriale took a role at the Italian Embassy. Meanwhile, Lena Borrello developed her culinary background in Italy, including time at restaurants such as Assunta Madre in Rome. Their son, Giovanni Varriale, later attended Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda.
The menu selection includes staples like tagliatelle alla Bolognese and carbonara, as well as more distinctive options such as fiocchi gorgonzola e pera, featuring cheese and pear-filled pasta in a creamy gorgonzola sauce. Seafood dishes also stand out, including the Rosso alla Pescatore with mussels, clams, and shrimp. Beyond pasta, the menu features entrees like pollo parmigiana with burrata and eggplant parmigiana, along with a variety of pizzas such as the Regina with prosciutto and arugula, and the Bufalina made with fresh buffalo mozzarella and basil.
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