Eat Handmade Pasta at Corso Italian
Corso Italian Restaurant and Market opened its doors in Shirlington in 2024 in the space long occupied by Cheesetique. The transformation is the result of a collaboration two decades in the making: cheesemonger and entrepreneur Jill Erber — founder of the beloved Del Ray cheese and wine institution Cheesetique — and James Beard–nominated chef Cathal Armstrong, who was also named one of Food & Wine magazine’s 10 Best New Chefs in 2006.
Erber and Armstrong have known each other since she opened the original Del Ray Cheesetique in 2004, when Armstrong quickly began shopping there for his then-new Restaurant Eve in Old Town. That long friendship eventually evolved into a creative partnership, and the duo say they launched Corso because of their shared history and passion for Italian specialty cheeses.
The concept they’ve landed on is best described as a “neo-retro” trattoria — elevated and playful, but not old-school red-sauce Italian, and not neo-futuristic either. It’s twists on classics designed to give guests something unique. Armstrong, who grew up in Dublin and credits his father — a tour operator — with his early appreciation of Italian cooking, brings a menu that ranges widely through regional specialties.
The food is the heart of the experience. Every day, guests can watch pasta being made by hand in the front window, with everything crafted from fresh ingredients. Standout dishes include artichoke agnolotti, cioppino, and a bone-in veal chop served plate-engulfingly large, adorned with a variety of sauces. The kitchen makes as much as possible in-house: cheeses, sauces, Italian sausage, guanciale, pancetta, and bresaola.
As one would expect from Erber — known as the “Cheese Lady” — there are more than a dozen cheeses on offer, including several kinds of gorgonzola, Robiola, Taleggio, and her personal favorite, Piave Vecchio, aged similarly to Parmesan.
The beverage program is equally thoughtful. The all-Italian wine list is complemented by a cocktail menu featuring Negronis, spritzes, and an amaro bar. Erber notes the Shirlington crowd wants flexibility — a quiet glass of Barolo with house-made pasta on a weeknight, and a festive Negroni with an indulgent veal parm on the weekend.
Beyond the dining room, Corso doubles as a gourmet market. The retail shop offers fresh pasta, salumi, cheese, and wine — so you can recreate a little of the magic at home.
The softly lit contemporary dining rooms provide a stylish and cosmopolitan backdrop, and the versatile menu suits everything from a casual weeknight dinner to a special occasion. Corso Italian is located at 4024 Campbell Ave., Arlington, VA.
Italian films play continuously on the screen.
