Pacci’s Trattoria & Pasticceria

Living in the neighborhood, with Pacci’s being the only restaurant within walking distance, we have visited many times. Each time we’ve left feeling like what we got fell just short of expectations for the money spent — and this is not a very expensive restaurant.
I am ambivalent about Pacci’s kitchen, which is competent but does not reward experimentation or risk-​taking. We splurged once on relatively pricey specials and were served cooking-​school examples of sous-​vide cuisine — not bad, but not in any way ‘special’. Best to stick with the tried and true: the simpler pasta dishes are good; the pizzas are decent. Any dish that really depends on fresh, quality ingredients in order to shine will not shine here, so skip the bruschetta, the buffala, and especially the calimari which are the same rubbery gaskets that get doled out any place that has a fryer and pretensions of Italianhood.
The service is more of a letdown: indifferent and amateurish, but what’s worse (for a neighborhood place) is the coldness. After our 10^th visit or so, having the same unsmiling, curt server stare blankly when I ask ‘what’s good tonight’ gets to be old. And it’s been a rare occasion when we’ve gotten any attention after the meal is served; more than once I’ve had to flag down another staffer for the check because our guy decided he was done with us. My wife and I have both worked waiting tables and are habitually generous tippers unless something has really gone awry, but this place makes us feel like we’re suckers for doing so.
For all that, if these guys are convenient to you, by all means give them a shot, just with your expectations set at a minimum.

Terrific food and service in a unique and casual environment. Reasonable prices. Had bruschetta (excellent); tagliatelle in two versions — excellent, especially with the prosciutto. Ended with pizza with Nutella and strawberries.
Happy place to celebrate my birthday. We will be back.

Very good and authentic but my one complaint is the customer service. Waiters (some) have no patience and urge you to order too fast. I think the restaruant as a whole is very nice and has some of the best Italian food in silver spring.

My partner and I have been to Pacci’s about 8 times in the past year.
I am shocked by the negative reviews. Due to its popularity, this local establishment is very busy during peak times. Please, don’t expect perfection at 6:00 PM on a Friday evening. The staff has been consistently friendly and attentive whenever we visit; we go late to avoid the madding crowd.
The meals, including appetizers, entrees and desert are consistently very good. Our favorite is the Lasagna and when we indulge, the pistachio ice cream. All of the salads are very good. The bread is consistently fresh, served with a high grade virgin olive oil. For a small neighborhood establishment, this is as good as it gets, especially considering the very reasonable prices.

Pacci’s is a neighborhood gem! How have I not reviewed Pacci’s before? I’ve never had anything here that wasn’t good, and much that has been excellent.
Tiny place — it’s one of just a few small commercial properties, at an intersection in a completely residential neighborhood. Small parking lot in front and another behind; on busy nights those both fill up fast. Rooms are small, which helps control the noise, but it’s a popular place — on a Saturday night during prime dinner hour, it’s generally packed, with a line at the bar waiting to be seated, so it can get a little loud.
I was there tonight with my mother-​in-​law; we both ordered the linguini in white wine and cherry tomato sauce, with mussels. The mussels may have been the best I’ve ever eaten — they were certainly the plumpest, by far! And melt-​in-​you-​mouth tender. Pasta was delicious — and I had enough leftover pasta that it will make me a hearty lunch tomorrow.
The menu tends heavily toward seafood, vegetable, or chicken dishes with pasta; a few dishes have prosciutto, and one has meatballs, but there’s no beef or veal per se on the regular menu. But there are very often veal specials, of which I’ve had several, and they’ve all been quite good. Also, they have a very good hand at seafood, and their catch-​of-​the-​day is usually something terrific. My mother-​in-​law loves their caesar salad at lunch, and their salmon bruschetta is wonderful.
Portions are quite generous. Unless you’re starving, or sharing with a large table, you probably don’t need an appetizer — though their appetizers are tasty. I don’t think I’ve ever left Pacci’s without a doggy bag! I’ve never had room for a dessert, though they look delicious when I see them walk by.
Wine list isn’t terribly extensive but has a decent range. Same with beer, and they have a full bar. Service is generally quick and cordial, and reasonably professional.
Being a tiny place in a residential area, they close EARLY … dinner is served until 9 pm.

I am a firm believer in supporting neighborhood business but I think I have made my last trip here. We were seated in the pack porch area which was supposed to be heated but ended up being a meat locker. I asked the waiter if the kitchen could split the salad in the back and he replied «they were too busy». When the wrong salad came to the table he argued with me about what I ordered. Then about half way thru the salad the entrée came and voila, 6 plates crowding the table. The food isn’t good enough to get past this. They just aren’t friendly enough. Sorry I used to like it there

A delicious place! Intimate and comfortable. The pizza is thin and I like it a lot. Lots of vegetarian options.

Came here on Christmas Eve after touring the LDS Temple lights. The staff was fast but to me the food was just mediocre. We ordered the Brushetta, pizza with ham, bacon, mushoom and something else. It was weird because each item was sectioned to a side, we also ordered the eggplant pizza along with pizza and meatball. Personally, I thought the pizza was rubbery, and soggy, the brushetta was delicious, it had tomato, feta and olives. I loved it but not the pizza. My sister’s boyfriend really enjoyed his spaghetti, if this was his review i’m sure it wouldve been 5 star. The service was great though and everyone was friendly.

This place has really grown on me. Staff is great, place is comfortable and food is of good quality. A little expensive overall except for the Sunday brunch which is a deal for the price. We are very fortunate to have this gem in Forest Glen.

Meant to leave this a while ago when I was in DC. The food in in original, the owner an arrogant person that should consider anything other than the restaurant business
As we say in Greek Kako Mati. When you treat people poorly Karma bites you
Never will eat here again !

Best Sunday brunch in town! They’ve got a great selection of entrees and desserts. Their pizza and gnocchi are excellent. There’s something for everyone here!
The staff were very friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is casual and light-​spirited. If you’re planning on taking a group of four or more people for Sunday brunch, I suggest getting there before noon, when it fills up with a lot of people coming from church.
The brunch buffet offers a wide selection of foods, which they keep well-​stocked, and it’s always easy to find a plate full of good things to eat!

Nice ambiance. Clean and smelled wonderful walking in.
Then we sat down.
Couldn’t understand the server. He had broken English and spoke very soft and fast. He made us feel rushed. Annoyed.
He tells us the specials. Ooh, fish. Cool, I’m on Weight Watchers for Fat Fucks, so I go with it. $ 30! Special? For dried up fish! Tasted «pretty good,» but not for $ 30. Rip off.
The 2 Calzones our table ordered were bready and overdone. My wife makes them better with our pizza stone. And no side marinara or something to combat your carbed up piece of shit? #ugh
Beers were expensive. $ 4 for a small 12-​ounce glass of bud light. Geez, please don’t give me a pint, I would hate to actually feel a buzz after 3 beers. Whatta joke.
Salad was eh… coulda used more dressing for that price too. Side salad for $ 8? The thing was small and you’re charging $ 8? You out ya damn mind! You can’t just have one for $ 4 with the same size? I mean God forbid we actually feel full after spending $ 75 for 2 of us!
What else? Oh yeah, I’ll never go back. Place is a joke.

We went here last weekend and I was pleasantly surprised. We’ve been to their sister establishment in downtown Silver Spring a couple times, so I’ve had their pizza before… and Pacci’s does a decent Neapolitan style pizza (I still think 2 Amy’s is better!).
I like the ambiance at this location better than their more sleek and modern pizzeria downtown, plus they have lots of parking around (check out their website for all the places to park after 5pm). The restaurant is surprisingly spacious and has a very very cute interior. There were some kids here, though it mostly seemed to be groups of 50+ adults… something I’m not so used to seeing in DC or downtown Silver Spring (we brought our 3 year old and he enjoyed his pizza).
We got the caesar salad; it was ok, but I wouldn’t be quick to order it again. We also got the eggplant appetizer, which was nice. For mains we had pizza and calzones — though next time I’m getting their pasta… the super-​wide tagliatelle looked awesome! Also, their mixed appetizer board looked great (and we’ll be getting that as well next time!).
For dessert, we got the cannolis; super delicious. Prices aren’t cheap here, but they aren’t outrageous either; it’s a good place for a family dinner.
My only complaint was that the service seemed a little spotty/​slow. Not sure if they were short a waiter or what when we were there. The place was busy, but is pretty spacious, so at least we were seated promptly. It also looks like they have a nice enclosed sun-​porch out back.
Also, despite someone saying they thought the portions weren’t generous… I thought they were quite adequate (and I’m a big eater) — we definitely took home some leftovers.

Pacci’s is a cute, cozy restaurant with great pasta. They also make pizza and calzones.
We started off with the Piatone di Pacci’s, which is the appetizer sampler. It came with bruschetta, artichoke, smoked salmon, prosciutto wrapped in cantaloupe, arugula, and mozzarella and tomatoes. Not a bad app to start with. They also give free bread.
I really like their Tagliatelle Boscaiola. It is fettucine noodles in light cream sauce with sausage and mushrooms. It was delicious. I was not too crazy for the Bucatini Carbonara. This had pancetta, eggs, and Parmesan. It was too cheesy and did not have too much flavor. The pasta was like spaghetti pasta with a hollow center so it was kind of weird eating it. My friends all seemed to really enjoy their pasta dishes (Pollo Alla Milanese, Lasagna Napoletana, and a penne dish).
I also tried their Limoncello shortcake, which was really good. It was light in lemon flavor so it was not too sour. The cake was moist. Big enough to share with another person.
Service was excellent. Our server was really attentive. It looks like they have limited parking, but they recently added more parking behind the «castle». The restaurant is not that easy to find. You can easily drive past it so make sure you have your GPS on. It really is a hidden gem!

My sister recently moved a distance that I’m sure could easily be measured in «feet» away from Paccis Trattoria in Forest Glen. I decided to hop in and pick something up for myself and the busy mom. Bringing my notepad to get some work done while the order was being made was surely in vain. They were just too quick!
— Caesar Salad
— Appetizer Meatballs
— Bruschetta Capri
— Al Tartufo Pizza
After I put in the order, it was ready in record time. It was probably done 6 – 8 minutes after I started a conversation with a kind woman at the bar who decided to try putting a single garlic clove in her wine for fun and experimentation.
The Caesar salad was great. I think it could have used a little bit more dressing, but that’s completely personal preference.
The Bruschetta Capri was delicious and exactly what I had remembered it being the last time I ate it. Closely inspired by a Greek dish i know to be «Imam Baildi» which is a half of a roasted eggplant stuffed with chopped eggplant, pine nuts, and tomato. I love that dish, it brings me back to my first real job of working in a Greek kitchen in Potomac.
The Meatballs were flavorful, soaked in enough marinara, and had the distinct flavor of being a few different types of meat… I believe.
The Al Tartufo Pizza which is a white pizza with mushrooms, truffle oil and provolone is wonderful. I love how they sauté the mushrooms and season them before throwing them on the pizza to cook. It makes all the difference in the world.
A wonderful meal with lots of leftovers for my brother in law to come home to. I wouldn’t hesitate to order from there again. Spiro, the owner, has definitely got something special there.

Can you say dessert! Yes!!! Tried two, the tiramisu and cheesecake… oh so good. To be honest I just had dessert and would go again just for dessert.
Friendly service but this place needs a GPS to find. You will miss it if you’re not looking for it. The restaurant is next to a castle, but maybe not for long since the castle is for sale…
The parking lot is, well, a little tricky get right. But there is space.

I was super excited to try this restaurant out! Pacci’s Trattoria was Week 3 Unilocal’s Hidden Gem! Pacci’s is right next to a «castle» and while there is ample parking, parking is very tight.
I sat down at a table with some friends. The waiter informed us that we could get ½ priced Bruschetta Capri; sundried tomato tapenade bruschetta and mussels as our hidden gem prize. Also there was a pizza deal $ 8 each vs $ 12 originally. That totally pushed me to try their pizza.
I ordered the Tartufo truffle pizza, and we also got the Marinara (no cheese), and
Naninella; imported buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, arugula, parmesan, and basil.
The bruschetta app had a very strong sundries tomato flavor which I loved, but other people might think it’s a bit much. The mussels were also tasty. I wish it came with bread to dip into the sauce. So I asked the waiter for bread and we were dipping like crazy.
All the pizzas were tasty when they came out. I liked my truffle pizza the best. It had a good truffle flavor. I loved how the Parmesan was freshly grated and I sprinkled it on top of my pizza like crazy! Haha the Naininella was very fresh tasting, but had a light flavor. The Marinara no cheese pizza had a good strong flavor.
At the end we wanted to try the limoncello cake, but were too full. We got our gems and paid. I would love to come back and try their unlimited brunch buffet one of these Sundays, it’s $ 20 per person!
I love supporting mom & pop places! Everything seemed to be made fresh and you could see the store owners cooking. I would love to come back!

Quaint little restaurant in the Forest Glen area of Silver Spring. I discovered this place partaking in a Unilocal Scavenger Hunt. Little did I know this place was here especially since I like Italian food. It is located off of Capitol View Avenue and even though it is near a metro, it is not metro accessible.
When I first got there, I saw a very small parking lot (facing the restaurant) and I thought to myself — this is crazy… this can’t be the parking lot. The spots were minimal and it was very hard to maneuver within the area. As I tried to get my bearings, I saw a white building next to the restaurant and there were a lot of available spaces (bigger parking lot). I still was not sure if I could park there (since I entered it using an exit gate). Luckily, one of the staff informed me that it was okay for me to park there… after 5pm.
As I walked in the door, I saw the tall bottle of Unilocal Gems and I knew I was in the right place for this Scavenger Hunt (Wk3). I came with Unilocaler Joy B and so we were seated facing the entrance to the restaurant. I was looking forward to eating and I made sure to have a light lunch that day. Once we checked in using our Unilocal app, I saw that we would get 50% off Bruschetta Capri and Mussels. Our waitress also let us know that if we ordered any pizza, we could get it for $ 8. So we decided to try everything that had a discount with it. These great discounts ended on Sun 7−13−14.
I have never really tried Mussels, but decided why not… it was 50% off. So we ordered the Bruschetta Capri (sundried tomatoes, tapenade, eggplant, pinenuts and grana padano) and the Impepata di Cozze (sautéed mussels, cherry tomatoes, shallots, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, parsley and hot peppers). The Bruschetta Capri was okay (price was $ 3.50 down from $ 7). I was enjoying it until I found out it has eggplant and since I don’t like eggplant, I couldn’t eat any more of it. The mussels were great although I didn’t take the opportunity to try dipping the bread in the sauce. Can’t beat 50% off (price went from $ 10 to $ 5). For pizza, I got the Margherita (tomato, mozzarella, parmesan, basil, extra virgin olive oil) and it was very delicious. Sauce was light and so was the cheese and the pizza overall was thin crust. Nothing was left in my plate afterwards.
For drink I wanted to try the Neroli (Prosecco, limoncello, liquor, lime soda, oranges and mint). There was a picture of one on the Unilocal page that looked like it had several fruits in it, so when I received what looked like seltzer water, I asked the waitress what exactly did I order and she said a Neroli. Our waitress said that the Neroli in the picture was made by the owner of the restaurant and he added his own items to the drink (more like a special drink). So even though my Neroli looked nothing like the one in the picture, it still tasted great — a very light drink.
One of the things I always order at all Italian restaurants (for dessert) is Tiramisu. This one had espresso-​soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, topped with cocoa powder. It is called the heavenly dessert and for good reason. At this place it is home-​made and it is among the top 3 in my book (Maggiano’s Little Italy in Tysons Corner, VA is #1 for me). Very light, very tasty and it is topped with some berries. Yummy!!! Great end to a great evening.

I finally went here after putting it off for months because I always opted for the other Pacci’s location (which is one of my favorite restaurants ever!). The restaurant is in a wonderful location! It’s right next to the train tracks in forest glen a mile or so off of Georgia Avenue.
We sat on the back porch which was nice, but I found that the décor and service were not as impressive as at their other location. Our waiter was nice, but all he told us about the specials were «cheese ravioli and salmon” – no prices, no description. The inside was minimally decorated and there was really nothing special about the restaurant. Parking is also strange as it is next to a «castle» with a very small lot.
As at the other location, the wine list is fantastic. This location also has a fair beer selection and a pretty good cocktail list. They have the same pizzas as the other location (try the la diavola!) but they also offer pasta dishes. I had the gnocchi alla sorrentina which was good, but I’d like to try something else next time.
Overall, I was pleased but I like Pacci’s Neopolitan Pizzeria better.

I can sum up my experience in one word: LEGIT. Right down to the Italian music playing in the background.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is an extremely authentic take on Neapolitan pizza. I know this because I’ve had it… and it’s AMAZING!
Perfectly cooked crust that isn’t too thin or thick, with just the right amount of sauce… and the cheese… WOW…the freshness is incredible.
I had the pleasure of dining here during lunch, and I don’t remember there being any pasta dishes offered on the menu. This particular establishment closes at 2:30pm, and reopens at 5. The lunch menu includes salads, pizza, subs, and a few other items.
We ordered the cherry tomato salad, which was a very generous amount considering the $ 8 price. It came with sliced cherry tomatoes topped with fresh mozzarella and surrounded by sliced cucumbers. The vinaigrette was PERFECT and the sliced basil tasted like it just came off a plant. I couldn’t believe how good it was.
After sharing the salad, our pizza arrived… and the wait was definitely worth it! I ate the entire personal cheese pizza which was the size of a large plate. The entire thing… and I’m not ashamed. Oh no, in fact I was thrilled. I even tried my coworkers Tartufo pizza… MMMMM. There’s no sauce, but it doesn’t need it. Garlicky with mushrooms and just the right amount of spices made it a delicious choice. The absence of food coma afterwards is a clear indication of how fresh the ingredients are… which is why you shouldn’t get put off by the prices!
It’s not the cheapest place to dine for lunch (or dinner), but it’s only because they use top of the line ingredients. The mozzarella in my salad tasted imported. It felt like I was back in Italy again.
I sh*t you not.
After our meal, the owner surprised us with fresh gelato in a little cup to finish it off. I don’t even like gelato. Seriously, I’m one of those women that likes savory desserts, like cheesecake and sfogliatelle… but this was good. Better than good. Delicious. Like I was chomping on a vanilla bean soaked in cream.
Final verdict? Do yourself a favor, and come back for dinner with a date. Or a group of friends, but given the relaxed romantic ambience I’d go for the date.