DC: Masseria

I remember reading, more than a decade ago, that DC wasn’t known for its culinary scene. Well, I can confidently say those days are WELL behind this diverse and dynamic city. Not only can you find every single cuisine imaginable, but it is GOOD. I mean, really good. And if you, too, are a collector of Michelin stars, make sure to put the one-star Italian restaurant Masseria on your list of DC fine dining.

Atmosphere

Tucked away in a warehouse in the industrial-heavy Union Market area, you’ll find the chic and beautifully designed space of Masseria. It seems incongruous, but the transition works flawlessly. The seamless indoor-outdoor design of Masseria captures your eye, as well as that beautiful tile on the floor. The front courtyard, with fire pits and lounge seating, beckon as a perfect spot to enjoy cocktails or a glass of one of their expertly curated wines. The noise level can get quite loud in the dining area, but if you get there for one of their first seatings, you’ll have the space almost to yourself for the first hour of your multi-course meal.

Recommended Dishes

Currently on offer at Masseria is the 6-course La Cucina menu, highlighting the Puglia region of Italy, where Chef Nicholas Stefanelli has family roots. They also offer a supplement menu where you can choose to swap out dishes or add on. Trust me, you will not leave this experience hungry!

In addition to food, Masseria offers a great cocktail and wine list. We opted for one of the offered wine pairings, curated by the restaurant’s sommelier.

Here’s a list of my favorite courses:

Amuse-Bouche

I don’t know about you, but I really love an amuse-bouche. I always find them so creative and full of flavor, and they do exactly what they’re intended to do: Get my taste buds really excited for the full meal!

Your meal at Masseria starts with this delightful starter, with tomato kombucha, cherry tomato, compressed cucumber, and dill. I’m not used to having a drink with my amuse-bouche, so I thought it was an inventive little twist. I also enjoyed the pop of flavor from the cherry tomato.

Antipasti

This course includes multiple small bites of different dishes and was really fun to experience. My favorite antipasti dish was the burrata with oyster, golden ossetra caviar, and crispy cippolini. The flavors in this small dish were out of this world. The bit of crunch from the crispy onion paired perfectly with the creaminess of the burrata and the brine of the oyster and caviar.

And can we talk about how amazing it is that this little oyster dish with accompanying pearl spoon exists in this world?? Adorable.

Lorighittas

It’s obviously not possible to highlight an Italian restaurant and not talk about pasta. And wow! Let’s talk about this pasta.

This course was definitely one of my favorites. Sardinian hand braided pasta with Shenandoah Valley goat ragu, pecorino, and nepitella perfectly married local ingredients with Italian flavor. The texture of the pasta was unbelievable, not to mention those flavors of the ragu. I would go back to Masseria just for a big bowl of this dish! (But, definitely recommend going for all the other great dishes, too!)

Price

The tasting menu is priced at $135, with additional supplements available at varying price. Masseria offers three different beverage pairings: a non-alcoholic option at $60, a premium wine pairing at $125, and a vintage wine pairing at $275. All prices are in USD and per person.