Photo by Jordan Hanna courtesy Oro
1. Whole Menu
$60 at Oro
Operating pop-ups out of Hatch Cafe RVA on Sundays and Mondays, Oro serves up Bolognese sauce and tiramisu that will make you howl with pleasure, but it’s the noodles that will take your breath away. Suggestion? Order the entire menu, a seasonal and rotating cast of pastas, antipasti and desserts.
2. Baked Ziti
$12 from Curds and Whey RVA
A former cheesemaker for Italian delis in New York, owner John Ernst has brought his Staten Island burr to Richmond. Double up on pans of baked ziti “ree-got” — aka ricotta — one for dinner and one for the freezer, each paired with a pint of his family marinara sauce. Order online or purchase at The Farmers Market at St. Stephen's.
3. Spaghetti al Limone
$10.95 at Gersi
A citrusy gem and a menu staple both here and at Gersi’s original Brooklyn, New York, location, this plate of savory, Parmesan-flecked noodles adorned with half a lemon is simple, yet divine. Take it up a notch and add a scoop of fresh ricotta di pecora as rich as ice cream or sub out the noodles for gluten-free penne.
4. Strozzapreti Dinner for 2
$25 at Polpetti Catering
For their online pasta shop and catering biz, husband-and-wife team and ex-Brooklynites Peter and Georgia Riccobono use recipes from their Italian elders. The tender strozzapreti features a puttanesca sauce made with three kinds of olives, DOP San Marzano tomatoes, anchovies, capers and lots of love.
5. Fettuccine di Parma
$22 at Casa Italiana
Casa Italiana nails to-go orders, cooking fettuccine just enough so that it can reheat at home without compromising the texture. House-made noodles come stacked with frizzled prosciutto, nuggets of lump crab, toasted walnuts and arugula. Salad and bread are included.
