Ama

Perks

• Complimentary glass of prosecco any time you dine at the restaurant

About

Opened last June, this all-day eatery that borders the Navy Yard and Capitol Hill starts serving coffee and pastries in the morning and morphs into a stylish aperitivo bar and dinner spot in the evening. And it does that so artfully that it was named to Eater’s list of “38 Essential DC Restaurants” and Infatuation’s list of “Best Restaurants for Special Occasions.” Ama is led by hospitality veterans and married couple Johanna Hellrigl — formerly of Doi Moi, Proof, and Mercy Me — and Micah Wilder, formerly of Chaplin’s, Zeppelin, and L’Ardente. Hellrigl is the chef, while Wilder runs the beverage program. Chef Hellrigl grew up around the kitchens of her restaurateur father, whose Michelin-acclaimed restaurants in Italy and New York shaped her deep connection to food. At Ama, which means “love,” she is delighting diners with dishes like fritto misto, vitello tonnato, coniglio (rabbit stew), maiale farcito (pork tenderloin filled with leek, mushroom, and chestnut), and other such splendors.

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Category

• Restaurants