Tracing its origins to Southern Italy, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is a traditional Christmas Eve spread revived by Italian-American families. DC-area restaurants are commemorating the holiday meal with multi-course seafood menus—and plenty of takeout and delivery options—on and around Thursday, December 24.
Centrolina
974 Palmer Aly., NW
Amy Brandwein’s upscale Italian restaurant is offering a four-course seafood menu for two ($150). The feast features dishes like paccheri pasta with octopus ragu and salt-baked branzino. Details: Order by December 20 for pick-up and delivery on December 23 and 24. Dine-in available on December 24.
Fiola
601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Fabio Trabocchi’s elegant flagship is serving a Feast of the Seven Fishes menus with seafood pastas and seasonal desserts. Reserve a seat at the restaurant for a five-course dinner ($195 per person). Details: Order by December 20 for pick up on December 23. Dine-in available on December 23, 24, and 26.
Hank’s Oyster Bar/Hank & Mitzi’s Italian Kitchen
1624 Q St., NW; 1026 King St., Alexandria; 701 Wharf St., SW; 600 Montgomery St., Alexandria
No need to wait until Christmas Eve — the Feast of the Seven Fishes menu at Jamie Leeds’ restaurants is available two weeks leading up to the holiday. The three-course meal is priced at $35 per person with dishes like seafood fritto misto and grilled branzino with puttanesca sauce. Details:Dine-in only from December 9 to 23.
Iron Gate
1734 N St., NW
Order carryout or dine by a fire pit on the romantic patio for Anthony Chittum’s seafaring prix-fixe menu ($75 per person). In addition to Sicilian-style seafood stew, the chef is making a “charcuterie” board with octopus sopresseta, scallop chorizo, and smoked catfish pate. Details: Dine-in, delivery, and pick-up on December 24.
Masseria
1340 4th St., NE
Nicholas Stefanelli’s Michelin-starred dining room near Union Market market is serving a four-course feast dinner for two with Southern Italian dishes and an optional wine pairing. The $150 tasting menu features a variety of fish crudo, squid-ink bucatini with prawns and uni, and more. Details: Dine-in, delivery, and pick-up on December 24.
Modena
1100 New York Ave., NW
Ashok Bajaj’s Penn Quarter restaurant is celebrating the Yuletide season with a five-course seafood menu for $85 per person. Linguine is dressed up with anchovies and caviar, and seafood soup is imbued with lobster broth. Details: Dine-in for the Feast of the Seven Fishes menu; pick-up also available on December 24.
Napoli Pasta Bar
2737 Sherman Ave., NW
The Columbia Heights trattoria is putting together a $110 menu of ready-heat courses like seafood rigatoni or eggplant-wrapped swordfish—just add your oven. The holiday feast is available before and after Christmas Eve for a cozy dinner at home. Details: Pick-up from December 22 to 24 and December 25 to 27.
Nina May
1337 11th St., NW
Cornbread slathered with trout butter kicks off the Christmas Eve dinner at Shaw’s locavore restaurant (serves two for $120). The seven-dish menu also includes items little neck clams with XO sauce and rainbow trout. Details:Dine-in, takeout, and delivery on December 24.
RPM Italian
650 K St., NW
The Italian-American spot is offering different four-course menus for dine-in and carryout, both for $95 per person plus an optional $65 wine pairing. Head downtown for a cross-country seafood spread of Alaskan king crab salad, Nantucket Bay scallops, and Maine lobster. At-home offerings include king crab agnolotti pasta and tiramisu. Details: Dine-in, pick-up, and delivery on December 24.
Stellina
399 Morse St., NE
The neo-Neapolitan pizza shop is serving a takeout dinner with five courses of comfort food. Think squid-ink lasagna, seafood stew, flourless chocolate cake, and more ($95 per person). Add-on wine pairings and Italian holiday treats — hello, panettone — for an additional price. Details: Order by December 21 for pick-up on December 23 and 24.
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.
