L’ Ardente Branzino
Credit: Rey Lopez
A GUIDE TO WASHINGTON’ S FINEST ITALIAN RESTAURANTS
Osteria Mozza
Credit: Birch Thomas
BY NEVIN MARTELL
In the mood for Italian? You may not be in the Bel Paese, but you’ ve still come to the right city. Washington, D. C. is home to so many trattorias, osterias, and enotecas that it might as well be Italy’ s 21st region. Here are six restaurants showcasing the power and passion of Italian cuisine. Buon appetito!
OSTERIA MOZZA DC
This dazzling collaboration between James Beard Award-winning Chef Nancy Silverton and rock star restaurateur Stephen Starr shines brightly in the heart of Georgetown. The 20,000-square-foot sensation features a menu of delights, including a single massive raviolo concealing a runny egg that blends beautifully with the brown butter sauce, tagliatelle adorned with oxtail ragu, and blistered rounds of focaccia di recco crafted with thin layers of strudel-like dough and stretchy stracchino cheese. 3276 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007,( 202) 292-4800
CUCINA MORINI
Chef Matt Adler, who also helms red sauce favorite Caruso’ s Grocery, took inspiration from Sicily’ s rich traditions and foodways at his buzzy newcomer in Mt. Vernon Triangle. Standouts include an ever-evolving slate of crudos, freshly made egg-rich pastas, and saffron-accented red snapper baked in parchment paper. Weekend brunch is a blitz of hits: cream-stuffed croissant-like cornettos, fluffy ricotta pancakes, and a truffled omelet laced with prosciutto. 901 4th St NW, Washington, DC 20001,( 202) 697-6888
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