Starr, Silverton to Open Osteria Mozza in Old Dean & Deluca Space
By • November 21, 2022 0 4076
It’s not just one star, it’s two — and, yes, it’s a big deal.
Award-winning restaurateur Stephen Starr confirmed on Friday that he was partnering with Michelin star chef Nancy Silverton to bring an Italian restaurant to the former Dean & Deluca space at 3276 M St. NW and said, “I am confident that what we create together will knock the socks off of D.C.”
Starr announced his restaurant intentions in June of 2021 at a Georgetown meeting. Now, it’s official: Osteria Mozza will include an Italian market, mozzarella bar, and restaurant spanning more than 20,000 square feet within the historic Georgetown Market building — next to the C&O Canal and less than one block from the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street.
“Projected to open in late 2023, the market and restaurant will offer guests the opportunity to shop and savor regional Italian cuisine, wines, and specialty items,” according to the company. “The market will have frontage on M Street and feature fresh fruits & vegetables, olive oils, house-made rubs, and jarred/canned Italian products. The restaurant will showcase a variety of mozzarella, pizzas, fresh pasta, and wood-fired meat, fish, and vegetables. The wine program will be anchored by the leading producers in the major wine-producing regions of Italy. The space, a historic market dating back to 1865, will be thoughtfully designed by Roman and Williams, a New York-based design studio known for its work on restaurants and retail spaces.”
“Finding the perfect location is my primary motivation. It has always been my superpower,” said Starr, founder and CEO of Starr Restaurants, in a statement. “Location drives the concept, cuisine, design, service and all things that factor into opening a successful restaurant. When I saw the space in Georgetown, I knew it would be a project that I would get excited about. Finding the right partner for this was easy –– I’ve always wanted to collaborate with Nancy Silverton and her amazing menu at Osteria Mozza was a perfect fit.”
“I want people of D.C. to have a place to celebrate life with the great Italian flavors of Mozza,” said Silverton, chef and co-owner of Osteria Mozza in a statement. “For me, I know it’s going to be a terrific experience finally getting to work with Stephen Starr, one of the best restaurateurs in America. Throw in the renowned Roman and Williams design team and the vibrancy of this city, and we’re talking about a dream team.”
In addition to his role in Osteria Mozza at Georgetown Park, Starr owns Le Diplomate and St. Anselm in D.C., along with several restaurants in Philadelphia, New York, Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
The original Osteria Mozza opened in Los Angeles in 2007. The restaurant received a Michelin star in 2008 and maintained its rating in 2019 and 2021. Silverton was also one of seven chefs in California to receive a Green Michelin star in 2020 for the restaurant’s efforts in sustainability. Osteria Mozza has since opened a second location in Singapore. The Georgetown location will be its first on the East Coast and the first location to include an Italian market.
Stephen Starr of Le Diplomate fame and chef Nancy Silverton of Mozza will be opening a mega-Italian themed market and restaurant at the former site of Dean & DeLuca at 3276 M St. NW in late 2023. Georgetowner photo.
