• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Girasole Italian Cuisine - The Plains, VA

Girasole

Authentic Regional Italian Cusine

  • Home
  • About
    • Chef Lou & Lydia
    • Private Dining
    • About the Area
  • Menus
    • Featured Specials
    • Dinner Menu
    • Beverages To Go
    • Wine List
    • Pantry
  • Events & Classes
  • Press
  • Contact
    • Join Our Team

About Us

Lydia and Lou Patierno

Chef-owned and operated, Girasole uses only the freshest ingredients to create authentic, regional Italian menus.  In the picturesque village of The Plains, Virginia, you’ll experience exceptional service, a relaxing European atmosphere, and the highest quality food and wine.

Our award-winning menus are rotated to coincide with the seasonal offerings of the area.  Produce from local farms and greenhouses, grass fed and naturally raised meats, truffles hand-selected from Italy, hand-pressed olive oils from small Italian orchards inspire Chef Patierno to create a “spirited” menu, a natural complement to his innate artistry.  The pasta is made fresh daily, be it stuffed or formed, and desserts follow original recipes from France, Switzerland, and Italy. Come enjoy a bit of European elegance in the heart of Virginia’s Hunt Country.

Chef LourPatierno of Girasole in The Plains, VA

Chef Lou Patierno

Inspired by a trip to his aunt’s home in Ferrara, Northern Italy when he was a teenager, Patierno fell in love with the lush countryside and its rich artistic heritage.  He studied art during his stay, but decided on a culinary career, where art could be part of every day.  He brings his unique brand of imagination to every signature dish he creates ­ a love of food, wine, and all things beautiful is evident in every delectable morsel.

After attending Villanova University and graduating from the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, Patierno eventually found himself at the famed Tiberio in Washington D.C. where throughout his twelve year tenure he learned from some of the most talented Italian chefs.

After spending a season working in the French countryside, Patierno decided to venture out on his own. He first opened Panino in Manassas.  Then in 2004, Patierno and his wife, partner and fellow Hyde Park graduate opened Girasole (sunflower) in the countryside of The Plains.  Already a well-respected and successful team; Lydia in the dining room with her exceptional knowledge of food and wine (not to mention her winning smile) and Lou in the kitchen with his extensive culinary training, together they brought Lou’s dream to life.

Lydia Patierno

Lydia Patierno

Born outside of Pittsburgh to an Italian father and Polish mother, Lydia Patierno’s love of food was inevitable. She was fortunate to be exposed to ethnic cooking from both sides of her family.  That love only grew when she minded her uncle’s Italian import food business while others in the family delivered the sought-after Italian provisions to the immigrant coal miners working in the vicinity.  With these experiences, it was only natural for her to be one of the few women to attend The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY.

It was there that Lydia met her future husband, Lou Patierno.  After cooking school, Lydia interned for famed chef Hubert Schmeider, then worked in kitchens in Iowa and Indianapolis before returning to DC with Lou. Because few women were hired to cook in the District at that time, Lydia worked in hotel management where she focused on managing restaurants and overseeing catering operations.

In 1992, she joined her husband in opening their first restaurant, Panino, in Manassas.  Then in 2004, the winning team opened Girasole in The Plains, VA.  Together, and often with the help of their adult children, they bring a bit of old world charm and tastes to Virginia’s Hunt Country.  When not running the front of the restaurant, hosting wine tastings or wine dinners, Lydia leads small groups to Italy where they see sites and experience food as true Italians see the country.

girasoleva

girasoleva

956

View

Sep 23

Open
Rain or shine, we are open! And our generator is ready to go if needed, but so far it has only been a steady rainfall here in The Plains. Drive safe out there! Give us a call if you would like to reserve for this evening, 540-253-5501.
View

Sep 14

Open
House made fettuccine with Chesapeake bay jumbo lump crab, Virginia sweet corn, and tomatoes from our garden
————————————
#chiaroscuro #crab #pasta #summer #sweetcorn #virginia #tomato
View

Sep 6

Open
Join us for a spectacular evening with @flavalentina! Celebrating the traditional varietals and rustic dishes of the region of Abruzzo! Happening this Sunday. Have you made your reservation yet?!

Sunday, September 10 at 6:30pm
4 courses of rustic Abruzzese dishes to accompany the wines of the revolutionary La Valentina winery, hosted by Andrea di Properzio, owner of La Valentina
Call to reserve, 540.253.5501

See our story for more, or click the link in our bio
————————————
#abruzzo #fattorialavalentina #montepulcianodabruzzo #abruzzese #italianfood #rustic #regionsunknown #fromthemountianstothesea #pecorino #cerasuolodabruzzo #riserva #loveloudoun #visitfauquier #fauquierevents #theplainsva #timballoteramano #scapeceallavastese #authentic #organic #native #awardwinning #wine
View

Sep 3

Open
Customers have said our tomatoes are the best they have ever tasted. Maybe it's the heirloom varietals we use, maybe it's nearly 20 years of tilling and composting the soil with all the food scraps from our kitchen, or maybe it's the lifetime of knowledge Chef Lou carries since gardening with his father from when he was a boy........whatever it is, we can't get enough and the tomatoes just keep coming and coming!

Find our garden tomatoes in many forms on our specials this week, and until the end of the summer when Chef Lou’s garden is ready for fall crops!
————————————
📸 Tomato sformato with 24 month aged parmigiano reggiano

- Sushi grade tuna crudo tossed with confit tomatoes

- Heirloom tomatoes topped with an olive caponata
View

Aug 24

Open
Not just wine! We have a beautiful selection of Italian and Belgian craft beers right now. They’re delicate and complex, and wonderfully food friendly. But most importantly, they’re cool and refreshing as summer fades into fall.
————————————
📸 @birraalmond22 ‘Awà’ Pale Ale
Awà was inspired by the hearty peasant cuisine of the Abruzzo mountain region. It is brewed with indigenous heirloom grains and orange peel from neighboring Calabria. Awà is an elegant ale that perfectly reflects the beauty of the Abruzzo region!

📸 @dedollebrouwers ‘Arabier’ Pale Ale
Bitter, aromatic beer with a balanced and smooth overall taste. Aromas and flavors of candied citrus peel, apricot, and banana. The taste is strongly dominated by the hops. 

📸 @dedollebrouwers ‘Boskeun’ Belgian Strong Ale 
Brewed with pale malt, Golding hops, cane sugar, and refermented with native honey. Aromas of yeast, grass, and honey. Spice and tart fruits herald the flavor, which features fruit and malt with a balancing tartness and the grassy, herbal notes of hops. Smooth, rich ,and powerful beer that packs a punch.
View

Aug 19

Open
Life changing mussels steamed with shallots and white wine 💫 On our featured specials tonight, we’ll see you soon!
View

Aug 13

Open
Roasted local beets with wild purslane, orange zest, and hazelnuts, tossed with quince vinegar and extra virgin olive oil

We open at 4:30. Enjoy this and everything else our garden and local farmers are providing us with today on our patio oasis.
————————————
#beets #citrus #quince #vinegar #purslane #forage #summer #patio #theplainsva #sunday #food #yum #parkinglotgarden #0km
View

Aug 10

Open
Calamari ripieni, a dish that can be found along much of Italy’s coast and island regions, with slight variations on the filling and sauces. 

The tentacles are sautéed and mixed with capers, herbs, and breadcrumbs, then stuffed into the body of the calamari and cooked until beautifully tender. The savory filling is lightened with plenty of lemon zest and young pecorino. You can find this delightful appetizer on our featured specials tonight!
————————————
#amodomio #cheflou #girasoleva #calamariripieni #familybusiness #capers #tentacles #breadcrumbs #pecorino #theplainsva #finedining #napoli #baiadinapoli #calamari #huntcountry #loveloudoun #visitfauquier summer #yum #italianfood #eaterdc #foodblog
View

Jul 20

Open
Zucchini alla scapece comes from the Spanish escabeche, referring to fish, meat, or vegetables marinated in vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and herbs. Associated with southern Italy, Chef Lou’s recipe comes from Lydia’s relatives in Le Marche. There are some minor differences between the scapece of Campania and the one prepared by Lydia’s family, the biggest being the zucchini are grilled and not fried. Nonetheless, when the garden has an abundance of zucchini this is one of our favorite dishes, served with a piece of our house made bread to soak up all the juices from the spicy, garlicky marinade. 

📸 Bruschetta with zucchini alla scapece, zucchini from our garden sliced thinly, grilled, and marinated with herbs and vinegar, drizzled with Saba 

📸 Pink Gulf shrimp crudo with burrata and wild fennel pollen, pea and mint purée
————————————
#foodhistory #allascapece #escabeche #zucchini #crudo #gulfshrimp #burrata #fennelpollen #saba #summer #garden #parkinglotgarden #theplainsva #loveloudoun #visitfauquier #vafoodie #eater #marinate #vafoodie #foodgram #italianfood #comfortfood #lovelemarche #italiansinamerica
View

Jul 6

Open
Squash blossoms tempura, stuffed with ricotta and sun dried tomato. From our garden and in very limited quantities.

We are back from our brief Independence Day break and look forward to seeing you this evening.
View

Jun 28

Open
Cool, bitter, and the perfect summer aperitif! But be careful, one too many and you’ll be experiencing a whole different kind of haze. 

📸 Negroni bianco, made with @beefeatergin, @cocchi1891 americano, & @macchiaspiritomediterraneo
View

Jun 22

Open
Chef Lou’s penne all’amatriciana is a 10! He was more than enthusiastic to deliver his penne all’amatriciana, desserts, and a loaf of bread to a customer who is hosting the one and only @reallyboderek today. 
————————————
#almostfamous #boderek #amatriciana #cheflou #stillswooning #theplainsva #girasoleva #tommyboy
Follow on Instagram
Girasole Italian Cuisine - The Plains, VA

(540) 253-5501
4244 Loudoun Avenue
The Plains, VA 20198
Get Driving Directions

Hours

Monday & Tuesday: Closed

Wednesday – Sunday: 4:30pm with the last seating at 8:30pm

Stay Connected

Email Newsletter Sign-up



Copyright © 2023 · Girasole · All Rights Reserved