Fiola

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

The Soul of Italy, in the Heart of Washington

There are restaurants that serve food, and there are restaurants that tell a story. Since opening on Pennsylvania Avenue in Penn Quarter in 2011, Fiola has been Washington D.C.'s most celebrated Italian restaurant — a place where every plate carries the weight of Italian tradition, the precision of mastery, and the warmth of a table set with genuine care. Washington Post critic Tom Sietsema put it simply: "This much is certain: Fiola is fantastic."

Fabio Trabocchi and the Road to Penn Quarter

Fiola is the flagship of chef and restaurateur Fabio Trabocchi, who grew up in Le Marche on Italy's Adriatic Coast, eating food his father grew from the earth. That early connection to land and season shaped everything that followed: formal training at the Istituto Alberghiero Panzini, an apprenticeship under Gualtiero Marchesi — the founder of modern Italian cuisine — and a career spanning London, Spain, Moscow, and New York, where he earned three New York Times stars and a Michelin star at Fiamma. By the time he opened Fiola, Trabocchi was already a James Beard Award winner for Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic. The restaurant was his homecoming, and his most personal statement as a chef.

The Kitchen: Antonio Mermolia

The daily expression of Fiola's vision belongs to Executive Chef Antonio Mermolia, a Southern Italian native whose culinary philosophy centers on what he calls "the complexity of simplicity" — the belief that creating a dish with only two or three ingredients is the hardest challenge a chef can face. Raised near the Amalfi Coast and trained through kitchens in Calabria, New York, and Miami, Mermolia brings soulful depth and regional authenticity to every menu.

His tasting menus are thematic and intentional. The Pascoli celebrates Italy's land and heritage meat preparations; the Marino honors the sea through pristine fish and seafood; the Verdi elevates vegetables with the complexity they deserve. The nine-course Brumidi — named for the Italian artist whose work celebrates unity through intricate detail — offers the full arc of the kitchen's ambition. A four-course Leggero menu and à la carte selections round out the options for guests seeking a more concise experience.

Recognition and the Wine Program

Fiola has held a Michelin star continuously since 2017, earned three stars from the Washington Post, and was ranked #7 Best Italian Restaurant in the World by 50 Top Italy in 2026. Gambero Rosso has recognized the restaurant with its top 3-fork distinction. These accolades reflect not just the kitchen, but the full dining experience — including one of the most serious Italian wine programs in the country. Under Corporate Wine & Spirits Director Casper Rice, the cellar has maintained the Wine Spectator Grand Award since 2019, with deep verticals of top Italian producers and selections from vineyards that are, in some cases, no longer in production.

The Experience

Fiola's dress code is upscale, the atmosphere refined without being stiff. On Fridays and Saturdays, the full tasting menu format applies; Tuesday through Thursday, à la carte dining is also available. The restaurant does not permit outside wine — the team prefers to guide guests through a list they consider among the finest Italian programs in the world, and it's difficult to argue otherwise.