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CHEF MICHAEL SCHLOW TO BRING ALTA STRADA TO WASHINGTON

January 27, 2016

James Beard award winning chef’s famed Italian restaurant

to open in Mt. Vernon Squares City Vista in late winter

WASHINGTON, January 27, 2016 –Award-winning chef Michael Schlow, owner and operator of TICO on DC’s 14th Street corridor, and The Riggsby in the Carlyle Hotel in Dupont Circle, will soon bring his popular Italian restaurant, Alta Strada to Mt. Vernon Square’s City Vista development at 465 K Street, NW. The 3,900 square foot space, designed by Brian Miller of Edit Lab at Streetsense, will also feature a separate crudo bar. Opening is slated for March 2016.  

Alta Strada’s Washington location will offer antipasti, thin crust pizzas, authentic house-made pastas, and seasonal secondi, all served in a casual and approachable setting. Chef Michael Zentner has relocated from Boston and will follow the much beloved recipes from which Schlow has learned through working and traveling in Tuscany, Piedmonte, Emilia-Romagna, and Campania. “These are the dishes I learned in Italy; they are simple, incredibly satisfying, and have become classics for a reason,” said Schlow. “This kind of cooking doesn’t need any of my ‘creativity’ to make them better. My job at Alta Strada is to recreate these dishes the way they were taught to me, hopefully transporting the guest to a simple, authentic restaurant in Italy. My ultimate hope is that Alta Strada becomes everyone’s ‘neighborhood restaurant.”

The beverage program, overseen by veteran bartender, Anthony Marlowe, and sommelier, Eric DiNardo, will boast an extensive all-Italian wine list, well-chosen wines by the glass, and both craft and classic cocktails. The menu will also feature Amaros, Italian liqueurs as well as Italian craft beers.

Schlow will transform a separate part of the space to create a unique crudo bar, which will have its own identity and separate name from Alta Strada. The small, intimate 25-seat space will have a rotating selection of international crudo, as well as other imaginative offerings, depending on the season and the chef’s whims. The crudo bar is scheduled to open after Alta Strada, with more details to follow.

In the warmer months, Alta Strada will open a sidewalk patio. The restaurant will first open serving dinner only, with plans to soon add lunch and Sunday brunch. Final food and beverage menus, along with operating hours, reservations, and other information will be made available closer to opening.

EDITORS NOTE: For photography and interview requests, contact Charissa Benjamin at charissa@savor-pr.com or 202-415-4461 or Elaine Mazanec at elaine@savor-pr.com or 301-922-0741. For more information on chef/owner Michael Schlow, please see boilerplate notes.

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About Michael Schlow

With restaurants spanning the country, Michael Schlow is one of the most influential and respected chefs in America today. His ability to capture a variety of global cuisines and techniques has led to appearances on Bravo¹s Top Chef Masters, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Nightline, and The Food Network. Michael's been the recipient of many awards including being named “Best Chef in the Northeast” by the James Beard Foundation. His restaurants have been recognized as some of the best in the world by Esquire, Food & Wine, Conde Nast Traveler, and Gourmet. He also authored "It¹s About Time, Great Recipes for Everyday Life." Originally from Brooklyn NY, Michael travels extensively and enjoys golf, music and photography. He splits his time between his home in Boston, MA with his wife Adrienne and his two daughters Petra and Axelle; and Washington, DC.