Altamarea Group, the restaurant operator behind Osteria Morini in Navy Yard, is opening Cucina Morini at 910 4th Street, Northwest in D.C.’s Mount Vernon Square neighborhood.
Osteria Morini, one of the first restaurants to stake a claim to Navy Yard more than 10 years ago, focuses on Northern Italian cuisine. Cucina Morini will focus more on Southern Italian dishes.
Cucina Morini opens March 26, as the rebranding of the restaurant group’s former Nicoletta Italian Kitchen.
Cucina Morini reunites Altamarea Group with D.C. chef Matt Adler, of Caruso’s Grocery. Adler led Osteria Morini’s Navy Yard debut in 2013.
“Over the past decade, Osteria Morini has been part of the D.C. community and a favorite for its authentic cuisine,” said Altamarea Group founder and CEO Ahmass Fakahany. “We now want to extend those lessons to another part of the city in Mount Vernon, but accented by a touch of Southern Italian charm.”
The redesigned Nicoletta Italian Kitchen space, and adjoining Brew’d coffee bar, includes terra-cotta and wood with hand-painted ceramics. There is a main dining room bar and an Aperitivo Bar up front, serving spritzes and cicchetti. It also promises $7 martinis.
The menu includes fresh crudi, or small plates for snacking, handmade pastas and larger sharing plates.
Altamarea Group also runs Nicolette Pizzeria, a seasonal waterfront pizza kiosk at Navy Yard.
Altamarea Group operates a total of 17 restaurants in New York, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and India.
Cucina Morini will be open for dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays starting at 5 p.m.