Update: Aggio is now closed

The saying goes “Restaurant Week is the most delicious week of the year” and that couldn’t be more true. Three courses at some of Baltimore’s best restaurants sounds like a no-brainer in my book. After looking over all of the menus, Aggio really stood out to me. I’ve only been to this spot for happy hour (it’s fantastic) and it’s been on my must visit list for some time. Restaurant week is already in full swing and I had a chance to visit Aggio last week for dinner. Spoiler alert, drool worthy pictures of amazing food ahead.

When I came to Aggio for happy hour, I had a chance to try the Tintoretto. I didn’t pass on the chance to order this fruity drink again. Housemade strawberry puree, fernet, ginger beer, and sparkling wine. It’s so refreshing on a warm summer day.

For our first course, the antipasto, my friend ordered the Provolone Fritto. I only have positive things to say about a fried ball of cheese – and this was topped with a tomato-chili agrodulce. Think of this as your adult mozzarella stick – and a must try.

I was in the mood to start with something light and went with the Zucchini Salad. Thin slices of zucchini were rolled up over a parmesan buttermilk dressing, and a nice sized ball of burrata. The cheesy creamy goodness to veggie ratio was on point – this was one of my favorite dishes of the evening.

At Aggio, there’s the option to add a pasta course to your restaurant week meal for an additional $15. So of course we ordered the pasta course. My friend went with the Campanelle mainly for the stuffed zucchini blossom on top. The delicate flower was filled with ricotta cheese and then lightly fried. While that was delicious, the real standout on this dish was the zucchini pesto with the calabrian chilies. It had a subtle heat and my friend throughly loved this – it was her favorite dish of the evening.

I went with the Sage Gnocchi Sardi which tasted like a warm hug in the middle of a cold winter. The gnocchi was accompanied by chicken ragu in a savory broth and topped with cremini mushrooms. I could not get enough of this dish.

When we finished the pasta course, my friend ordered one of Aggio’s signature cocktails, the Aggio Cocktail. It was bourbon, barolo chinato (Italian vermouth), and strega (Italian herbal liquor). This was just a really well done bourbon cocktail that paired with all of the delicious Italian food to follow nicely.

For my friend’s main course the waiter suggested going with the Rockfish. It was served in a pancetta – sweet corn broth which was delicious. The fish was also topped with cherry tomatoes, olives, and a basil mousse. She was glad the waiter steered her towards ordering this – it was fantastic.

For my entree, I went with the Duck. It’s a new addition to the menu and it was great. The duck was cooked perfectly but the real star was the farro. It was incredibly creamy and had a slight sweetness from the cherry mostarda. Without a doubt I would order this again.

Dessert is my favorite part of every meal – my friend and I decided to split the two options offered on the restaurant week menu. Normally I am not a Tiramisu fan – I don’t find the soggy center to be particularly enjoyable but this rendition had a lovely crunchy chocolate shortbread. It was delicious and really the perfect portion after the large meal we just had.

One of the real standouts from this meal was the Beet Panna Cotta. We could truly not get enough of this dish. It was so creamy and the beet left a subtle sweet flavor (and a beautiful color). It was topped with a scoop of fennel ice cream which contrasted the sweet panna cotta to keep the dish from becoming too sweet. We wanted to lick our plates clean it was so good.

To go with my dessert, I ordered the Sgroppino which was a scoop of rhubarb sorbet over a glass of gin and sparkling wine. This wasn’t overly sweet and was such a refreshing way to end the meal.

Aggio is located at 614 Water St, Downtown.

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Looking for a place to eat? Check out Rachel’s Baltimore Restaurant List.

Baltimore Summer Restaurant Week will take place July 28 – August 6, 2017! Baltimore is a delicious city. Try somewhere new, grab lunch instead of eating at your desk, have a date night (or three). Restaurants aren’t skimping on the food, instead they are showcasing their chefs and menus in hopes of luring you back as a forever customer. Two-course brunch and lunch menus range from $12-20. Three-course dinner menus range from $20-$35. Search below all of the dining destinations and make your reservations now. Reservations are not required to get the deals, but recommended.

While this meal was paid for by Dine Downtown Baltimore, all views stated here are my own.