About Etto
We’ve spotted locavore pioneer Alice Waters here a few times, and it’s easy to see why: The craftsmanlike Italian spot specializes in procuring top-quality ingredients and serving them with minimal fuss. Witness the luscious oil-cured tuna belly accompanied by drops of house-made red-wine vinegar. Or the puckery but smooth cocktails dashed with locally brewed vermouth. The restaurant even mills its own flour for stretchy-crusted pizzas, which have improved over time. (They’re not charred to death anymore.) One pie is satisfying enough for a couple, but this is really a place for grazing. Focus on the chalkboard specials, salads, and anything anchovy—including brittle-fried bones served with runny eggs. Moderate.
Also great: Celery salad; watercress Caesar salad; burrata; Calabrese salami pizza; cotechino pizza with egg; prosciutto ice cream; chocolate “salami.”
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
Kristen Hinman has been editing Washingtonian’s features since 2014. She joined the magazine after editing politics & policy coverage for Bloomberg Businessweek and working as a staff writer for Voice Media Group/Riverfront Times.
