Annabelle DC

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Dining Room with History Behind It

Annabelle sits on Florida Avenue in Kalorama, one of Washington's most storied neighborhoods — an enclave drenched in history and bordered by notable embassies. The setting matches the address: an intimate Garden Room at ground level, and an art-filled Gallery Room on the second floor complete with a baby grand piano. The art deco-inspired Bar Barlow, a ten-seat bar named for poet Joel Barlow — who gave Kalorama its name — anchors the experience before dinner even begins.

The Team

Owner Ashok Bajaj, whose Knightsbridge Restaurant Group operates several respected Washington addresses, brought Executive Chef Michael Fusano to Annabelle after a career that spans continents and kitchens. Fusano grew up in Southern California, raised by an Italian father and French-Canadian mother who treated food as an expression of life and love. He trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, then spent years working through the ranks in Los Angeles, Houston, and Chicago before landing in Washington. His DC résumé includes stints at Elisir, Casa Luca, and Sfoglina — where he earned a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin guide — as well as an executive chef role at Fiola in Coral Gables. That depth of classical French training and Italian-influenced fine dining now shapes his modern American à la carte menu at Annabelle, built around ingredients sourced both nationally and locally.

Pastry Chef Bella Paul rounds out the kitchen, while Wine Director Alison Sachs — a former chef and restaurant owner with over four decades in the culinary and wine industry — curates a list designed to reward curiosity as much as connoisseurship. That list earned Annabelle a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence, recognition that reflects both the range of the selection and how thoughtfully it pairs with Fusano's cooking.

Food, Drink, and the Bar Barlow

At Bar Barlow, craft cocktails and an ever-evolving wine list set the tone before guests move into the dining rooms. The bar menu offers approachable, well-crafted bites: cod croquettes with Meyer lemon aioli, MF Sliders on brioche with aji amarillo aioli and crispy shallots, seasonal vegetable tempura, and a charcuterie board with coppa, speck, prosciutto, and salami. It's modern American in spirit — familiar in form, precise in execution.

For guests who prefer to bring their own bottle, Annabelle accommodates with a clear corkage policy: $50 per 750mL, limited to two bottles per party per evening.

General Manager Dina Martire, a hospitality veteran with experience across some of Washington's most prominent dining rooms, oversees service with the same philosophy Sachs articulates plainly: passion that puts service above all else, and the teamwork to make it happen.