The Feast of the Seven Fishes is a Southern-Italian Christmas Eve tradition adopted by Italian-American Catholics, but you don’t have to be Italian–or even celebrate Christmas–to appreciate a seafood feast on December 24. Most of the restaurants offer the meal for one night, though some have extended service for the holiday.
1340 4th St. NE
Chef Nick Stefanelli’s hot new tasting room near Union Market will serve a prix-fixe menu complete with fritto misto (a seafood mixed fry); curried linguine al farouk; and poached cod with tomatoes, onions, and potatoes. As a bonus, every guest is sent home with a house-made pannetone cake.
Details: Thursday, December 24. Tasting is $95 per person; reservations available starting at 5:30.
1401 T St., NW
This 14th Street osteria serves a festive holiday menu from chef Domenico Apollaro, including tuna carpaccio with poached pears and ginger-poppy-seed dressing; seared baby octopus, and house-made tagliolini with mussels.
Details: Thursday, December 24 from 5 to 11; $65 per person.
2201 14th St., NW
The feast begins early at Mike Isabella’s restaurant, which serves an evening seven-course feast starting December 16. Creative dishes include oysters with warm miso butter, hand-cut pasta with snow crab, and seared black bass.
Details: Wednesday, December 16 through December 24; $65 per person; wine pairings an additional $35.
1112 F St., NW
New chef Matteo Venini serves an eight-course tasting menu, which includes dishes like risotto with sea snails and cuttlefish, and parsley-encrusted Chilean sea bass with red beets and cannellini bean puree.
Details: Thursday, December 24. Tasting is $105 per person (a small a la carte also available).
1100 New York Ave., NW
Chef Jake Addeo’s Christmas Eve meal begins with an amuse bouche of Italian caviar before continuing into five courses. Among them: Nantucket Bay scallop crudo, Maine lobster raviolo, and giant grilled shrimp with puntarelle, lemon preserves, and wild sea urchin butter.
Details: Thursday, December 24. Tasting is $65 per person (note there’s a 48-hour cancellation policy and a $25 deposit per reserved seat).
601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Chef Fabio Trabocchi serves a five-course tasting menu with luxe dishes such as Alaskan king crab and mussel risotto and Maine lobster and Venetian baccalà with black truffle. There’s also a four-course prix-fixe with a range of oceanic options.
Details: Thursday, December 24. Tasting menu is $150 per person; add $80 for wine pairings. The four-course prix-fixe is $145 per person.
3251 Prospect St., NW
This classic Georgetown see-and-be-seen spot offers a six-course menu with roasted grouper, a house-made seafood spaghetti, and a bacalao (salt cod) trio.
Details: Thursday, December 24. Set menu is $95 per person. Reservations available 4 to 11.
6361 Walker Lane, Suite 140, Alexandria
The feast arrives early at this Alexandria Italian, which serves five courses all week long. Dishes include an appetizer assortment (fried smelt, branzino crudo, and oyster gratinee), as well as squid ink pasta, and lobster and spinach-stuffed ravioli.
Details: Dinner Friday, December 18 through December 24. Menu is $60 per person.
2121 P St., NW
You’ll find a Feast of the Seven Fishes menu for the entire month of December at this Dupont Italian. Dine on a six-course tasting menu that includes Nantucket Bay scallops, squid ink bucatini, black sea bass, and more.
Details: Available for the month of December; reservations encouraged for Christmas Eve. Menu is $65 per person.
