Don’t visit restaurateur Michael White’s waterfront trattoria if you’re counting carbs. Dishes from the Emilia-Romagna region—nicknamed the breadbasket of Italy—aren’t for slight appetites. Ubiquitous meat and cheese boards have nothing on these antipasti, with nibbles such as pistachio-mortadella spread, Parmesan “gelato,” and fresh-baked flatbreads. A wood grill tempts with steaks and seafood, but don’t skip pastas. Recent favorites include a tangle of squid-ink noodles, scallops, and chilies or wide ribbons sauced with duck-and-mushroom ragu. Expensive.
Also great: Octopus panzanella; poached egg with truffle fonduta; wood-grilled bass with chickpeas and olives; triple-chocolate mousse cake.
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 Logan Circle.
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.
100 Very Best 2015
