Trattoria Villagio Restaurant, Clifton, Virginia

 

“Italian food really reflects the people. It reflects like a prism that fragments into regions.”

Lidia Bastianich

While visiting a good friend of ours who lives in Manassas, Virginia, we decided to go out to lunch. She said, “I know of a great place to go.” We said, “Lets go.” We loaded up in her car and off we headed to Clifton, Virginia a short drive from her home.

Our first impressions of the historic town of Clifton in Western Fairfax County was it was charming and felt like we had stepped back in time. It is a quaint town with the train track crossing the main road at one end and we couldn’t help but notice, there was not one traffic light. I could almost imaging the horse and buggies parked on a dirt road outside of the restaurant.

Clifton was once known at Devereux Station. It became a town during the Civil War when Union soldiers served here guarding against Confederate attacks. This was the southern-most point where the Union soldiers were stationed and they could be seen marching through town often. Many small battles occurred right here along the creek. After the war, Harrison Otis developed the town and wanted to modernize it. Otis first tried his luck by growing grapes but failed so instead opened a hotel in town which now serves as the Hermitage Restaurant. Fortunately the town remains looking not much different than it had years ago.

In later years, this vintage town became a retreat for the city folk from Washington. Many famous people came to Clifton to eat including Nancy Reagan when this restaurant was then known as the Heart and Hand Restaurant. It was in the mid- 1980’s when she came to eat here putting Clifton on the map.

Clifton was also the first community in Fairfax County to have electricity. The railroad was constructed to supply the Union Army with supplies. The railroad depot in 1868 was named “Clifton Station.” There is no train station here anymore but the train track is used by Amtrak now and rarely stops there.

We parked and headed to the red painted wooden building known as Trattoria Villagio. This restaurant is an historic building built around 1900 and was made to look like an Italian train station. They are open for both lunch and dinner and are located at 7145 Main Street, Clifton, Virginia. It is a part of the building that is known as the Buckley Brothers General Store. The general store has closed since but was known to carry everything from a pin to a plow.

Trattoria Villagio serves gourmet pizzas, calzones, pasta, chicken Parmesan, lasagna, and other Italian dishes. Along with your meal, you can order a tasty glass of wine to complement your meal from their large wine collection. They have a great menu with a large selection of dishes to choose from.

This elegant restaurant offers both inside and outside seating. The outside courtyard is lovely with tables made from wine barrels and in the middle stands a gorgeous large tree adorned with lovely hanging plants and is surrounded by flowers. They have a lovely stone fireplace and heaters so you can still enjoy the patio even when it is chilly. This was a great place to sit and enjoy a glass of wine. You feel like you are sitting in a piazza somewhere in Italy.

The inside was nicely designed with decorative brick walls with gorgeous accents. We ordered our lunch and the service was great. Our waitress was very nice and helpful. We had a great meal and went home stuffed and well served. The food was delicious. 

They have an upstairs they call Toscana where they can seat fifty people. They recently remodeled it and it looks fabulous. The antique wooden floors have been refinished and look fantastic along with the gorgeous vaulted ceiling. There is a gorgeous intricate black wrought iron railing on the steps, and a thick curved antique door that leads to the restrooms. This area is very elegant and would be a great place for a special affair.

They have a wine shop and market attached that sells wine and imported olive oil, vinegar, spices, sauces, and other gourmet Italian specialties. It is worth your time to check it out.

If you are looking for a good restaurant with wonderful food and atmosphere, you’ve come to the right place. The ambiance will make you want to sit and relax for a while with friends and family. We really enjoyed it here and will be back. Cheers.

Till next time. Bye for now.