Food

Restaurants Serving the Feast of the Seven Fishes Around DC

Where to find the Italian holiday meal for Christmas Eve and beyond.

Urbana by Ivan Tagki.

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is a Christmas Eve tradition with roots in Italy that marks the holiday with a bounty of seafood. While the feast typically takes place on December 24, restaurants around DC are offering special menus before and after the holiday.

All-Purpose Pizzeria  
79 Potomac Ave., SE
Head to the Navy Yard location for a six-course seafood feast featuring brown butter scallops and crispy frito misto. Staying true to the restaurant’s pizzeria roots there’s even a sardine pizzette topped with caramelized onion and fried rosemary. Details: Wednesday, December 18 to Thursday, December 19; $150 per person or $205 with the optional wine pairing.

Centrolina 
974 Palmer Alley., NW 
Chef Amy Brandwein‘s four-course meal is served family-style for celebrating the holiday together. Dive into pasta dishes like shrimp cavatelli and braised octopus linguine before a chocolate truffle mousse dessert. Details: Tuesday, December 24; $75 per person.

Fiola Mare 
3050 K St., NW 
The restaurant serves coastal Italian fare year round, so Christmas Eve calls for a special five course menu. Dishes include octopus carpaccio, clam and XO sauce linguine, and Maine lobster with nduja-lobster stuffing. Details: Tuesday, December 24; $185 per person, $50 for kids.

Shellfish plateau at Fiola Mare. Photograph by Scott Suchman

Hank’s Oyster Bar 
1624 Q St., NW; 633 Pennsylvania Ave., SE; 1026 King St., Alexandria; 701 Wharf St., SW
Jamie Leeds is welcoming Will Artley into the oyster bar’s kitchen — a peek into their partnership at the soon-to-open Hank & Mitzi in Alexandria. Hit all seven fishes in one $32 bowl courtesy of Artley’s seafood stew with lobster, calamari, mussels, and more, available until Monday, December 23. The Alexandria location is also hosting a prix-fixe dinner with dishes from across Italy. Details: Friday, December 20 to Monday, December 23; $65 per person.

Iron Gate
1734 N St., NW
The romantic restaurant nestled in an old carriageway is serving a three-course menu with plenty of options in each section—whether you’re in the mood for grilled oysters with goat’s milk butter and chilies or oak grilled swordfish steaks. Chef Anthony Chittum‘s holiday lineup ends with orange blossom Greek donuts. Details: Monday, December 9 to Monday, December 23; $75 per person.

Iron Gate is celebrating Christmas Eve with a seafood-laden dinner. Photo courtesy of Iron Gate.
Iron Gate is celebrating Christmas Eve with a seafood-laden dinner. Photo courtesy of Iron Gate.

Lupo Verde and Lupo Verde Osteria 
1401 T St., NW, 4814 MacArthur Blvd., NW
Both Lupo locations are serving seafaring spreads for the holiday. The osteria in the Palisades is preparing pasta dishes like lobster ravioli and squid ink risotto. The 14th Street branch’s seafood dinner also includes a bottle of sparkling wine for the table. Details: Tuesday, December 24; $95 per person.

Masseria 
1340 4th St., NE 
Chef Nicholas Stefanelli’s Michelin starred Italian tasting room near Union Market is serving a Southern Italian take on the feast including courses like tuna crudo with sea beans,  spaghetti nero with sea urchin, and stoccafisso with cod, potatoes, tomatoes, and olives. Details: December 24; $115 per person. An additional $115 for the optional wine pairing or an additional $265 for the optional vintage wine pairing.

Officina 
1120 Maine Ave., SW
Stefanelli’s tri-level culinary complex at the Wharf serves a more rustic Southern Italian feast with options such as Pugliese octopus salad, fried anchovies, and pasta frutti di mareDetails: December 24; $85 per person.

Masseria. Photo by Scott Suchman

RPM Italian
650 K St., NW
Start the meal with seafood cicchetti (Italian small snacks) before moving on to the decadent dishes like roasted main lobster and filet mignon with king crab bearnaise at this retro-chic Italian-American downtown restaurant. Details: December 24; $85 per person, optional wine pairing available for an additional $65 per person.

Urbana 
2121 P St., NW 
The Dupont Circle spot is serving a seven-course menu for the seven-fish feast. Work your way through cod fritters, black truffle scallops, and sea bass with hazelnut butter. Save room for dessert: chilled espresso affogato is paired with Nutella ice cream. Details: Tuesday, December 24; $65 per person.

Daniella Byck
Lifestyle Editor

Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.