Stephen Starr and Nancy Silverton Expose DC Restaurant Designs

We’ve listened to rumblings of restaurateur Stephen Starr’s plans for a “mega Italian concept” in Georgetown. Now the mastermind behind Le Diplomate and St. Anselm is prepared to make it official: he’s partnered with Georgetown Park developer Jamestown and Los Angeles-dependent chef Nancy Silverton for a big Italian marketplace and the first East Coast site of her Michelin-starred cafe, Osteria Mozza. The 20,000 square-foot undertaking, which requires over the historic setting up previously occupied by Dean & Deluca, is slated to open up in late 2023. 

Starr, who operates just about 40 dining establishments concerning New York, Florida, and his Philadelphia base, is recognized for higher-profile partnerships—including one with outspoken restaurateur Keith McNally he and Starr will open up a spinoff of their Meatpacking hotspot, Pastis, close to Union Market in Might. But the issue that sealed the offer in between Starr and Silverton is not a VIP rolodex. It was Silverton’s focaccia di recco at her “meat speakeasy” Chi Spacca in Hollywood. Starr states the cheesy, cracker-like bread—which Silverton likens to matzo with butter—is “My favourite dish I have at any time eaten in my existence. Anyplace.” (Daring assertion from a male with adequate cooks to assemble a soccer workforce).

“He’s generating this multimillion dollar cafe so that he can have focaccia di recco any time,” Silverton says. “That’s your $10 million focaccia.” 

The Georgetown restaurant will have the Osteria Mozza identify, but Silverton says its menu will be a combine of the “greatest hits” of her three Melrose Avenue places to eat, which also involves Pizzeria Mozza. Wood-burning ovens will convert out Silverton’s signature slender-crust pizzas as perfectly as roasted meats, fish, and greens. Diners can also sample Silverton’s homemade pastas, and cozy up to two counters: a prosciutto bar and a mozzarella bar that is identical to the 1 in LA, where by the creamy cheese is built and matched with ingredients like Ossetra caviar. 

Starr tapped New York-primarily based design and style company Roman and Williams—behind the grand glance at his Le CouCou in Manhattan, between others—to refashion the historic developing. It will return to its 1865 roots as a market with a frontage together M Street. Shelves will be stocked with Italian olive oils, sauces, pantry things, and fresh produce—much of which can also be uncovered in the restaurant kitchen. Silverton claims the aim is for synergy between the marketplace and osteria—so a bartender may possibly duck out to get some new mint for a drink.

“We want to make it as interactive as doable,” Silverton claims. “I like the notion that the process—meaning the food stuff currently being cooked—is seen. When the cooks see the expressions of gratitude for the people today they are cooking with, they make much better meals.” 

Each Silverton and Starr are in an growth mode. Silverton opened a Mozza in Baja, Mexico and London (another Osteria Mozza operates in Singapore). During our interview, Starr exposed that he’s opening a Mexican restaurant called El Presidente in DC appear late March, as perfectly as Pastis in May possibly. But Starr states he has a incredibly special feeling about the challenge at Georgetown Park. 

“The stop result of this is going to be magic,” states Starr. “Magic in the meals. Magic in the space. I have successful restaurants—they’re quite fantastic and they hit the appropriate notice. But not all people has magic. And this 1 feels like the magic is about to occur.”

Osteria Mozza and Marketplace. 3276 M St., NW.