ABOUT US
Masseria, Chef Nicholas Stefanelli’s first restaurant, is a celebration of big, harmonious flavors and the fine Italian cooking that shaped Chef’s palate as a child. The restaurant is named for the charming agricultural estates of the Puglia region, where Chef Stefanelli’s family heritage is rooted. With such inspiration, Chef Stefanelli approaches hosting guests in his own restaurant as more of a lifestyle than a profession, taking the pretense out of fine dining in favor of heartfelt hospitality and honest cooking. Featuring an open-air courtyard with relaxed seating, a covered pergola seating area, and an indoor sala with a view of the seafoam green-tiled open kitchen, Masseria, an exclusive restaurant for 60 guests, brings together the rustic but welcoming aesthetic of an Italian country estate, the industrial grit of the Union Market district, and the undeniable chic of its fashion-savvy chef-owner.
Chef Stefanelli’s innovative Italian tasting menu sings with touches of coastal cultures and features his satisfying, diverse signature cuisine. Although our cooking is rooted in the traditions of Southern Italy, the Masseria culinary team draws inspiration from across the Italian culinary landscape. Fresh, hand-crafted paste along with artfully prepared pesci and inventive carne dishes comprise the traditional yet refined progression of courses.
With such attention and care, the Masseria concept has achieved considerable acclaim. In 2016, Masseria earned one star in Washington, DC’s, first-ever Michelin Guide, an honor it has received every year since. In 2015, Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema selected the newly opened Masseria as third among his top 10 favorite restaurants in Washington, DC. Washingtonian Magazine selected Masseria to the #12 spot in its list of the city’s ‘Top 100 Very Best Restaurants’ for 2016. The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington nominated Masseria in the category of ‘New Restaurant of the Year’ and ‘Pastry Chef of the Year’ for 2016. The following year, RAMW named their ‘Pastry Chef of the Year,’ and in 2018, Masseria was awarded the distinction of ‘Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year.’
About Chef Nicholas Stefanelli
Nicholas Stefanelli is the chef and owner of Masseria in Washington, DC. Stefanelli grew up in suburban Maryland with a strong influence coming from his close relationship to his Greek and Italian grandparents whose culinary heritage was a fact of life. Visiting Puglia, the source of his Italian roots, Stefanelli became enchanted by the masseria, centuries-old agricultural estates whose residents worked the land, created their own food, and hosted visitors, neighbors, and friends with great warmth.
Striking out on his own and building his culinary career in the Nation’s capital, Stefanelli was determined to recreate that sensibility in his first establishment. The result is Masseria. With such attention and care, Masseria in 2016 earned one star in Washington, DC’s, first-ever Michelin Guide, an honor it has received every year since.