100 Very Best 2019Chef Massimo Fabbri, a 17-year veteran of Penn Quarter’s high-end Tosca, has created the kind of Tuscan-chic neighborhood restaurant where people such as Michelle Obama flock to eat. Rustic plates nod to that region, including rosemary-strewn pork ribs or pappardelle tossed with rabbit ragu. Pasta portions are traditional (i.e., small)—all the better for creating a multi-course meal bookended with stuffed squash blossoms and the best tiramisu we’ve tried outside of Italy. At the end of the evening, you’ll likely agree with Fabbri’s mantra: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Expensive.
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.
