Modern industrial has been taken to another level with the design of Nick Stefanelli's new Masseria restaurant. There's rust on the doors, work tables in the restaurant and plenty of distressed cement and wood throughout the eye-catching 70-seat restaurant, designed with the firm Repose.
Masseria has a huge indoor/outdoor courtyard that will be open for a large portion of the year, with flower planters and fire tables (they'll have blankets in the colder months). There's an entire cigar menu for the outdoor diners to peruse.
Masseria will be a tasting-menu centric restaurant. There will be three course, five course and eight course options at the Italian restaurant, which is planning dishes like sausage-stuffed roast quail. The restaurant also has a chef's table. The lounge and bar will serve a small bites menu.
It seems no detail is going unnoticed by Stefanelli, whose waiters and waitresses will be dressed in navy ties and scarves with Italian sneakers. He even has a custom-blended candle for the restaurant tables that emits a scent of blood orange, sea salt and rosemary.
Masseria's soft opening is scheduled for next Tuesday, though the restaurant won't formally open until August 4. UPDATE: During the soft opening phase, food will be 50 percent off and they'll offer free corkage.
They will turn the kitchen over to former White House health care advisor Zeke Emanuel on the mornings of July 25 and 26 and August 1 and 2. He's hosting a breakfast pop-up to talk about healthy eating and raise money for food programs.
Masseria, 1344 4th St. NE, website
