I am italian and I also cook for my friends, I think I can be qualified
This is my list.

1. Antica posta (absolutely perfect, no difference from an italian restaurant)
2. Sotto Sotto (Virginia Highland, great food, noisy restaurant, wine list expensive)
3. La grotta (good food, definitely not a causal restaurant)

If you like pizza then you can go to:
1. Fritti (Virginia Highland)
2. Baraonda (close to the Fox Theater)

Anything else like Maggiano's, Buca di Peppo, Maccaroni Grill, they are not original italian, you may like them but they are not original.