Stellina

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Dreamed in Italy, Made in D.C.

Stellina Pizzeria was born from a partnership between two longtime friends and native Italians: Antonio Matarazzo and chef Matteo Venini. Together they set out to modernize the classic Italian pizza counter for Washington, D.C., bringing the energy of southern Italian street food into a lively, upscale-casual setting at Union Market. The concept has since grown across the D.C. area, but the Union Market original on Morse Street NE remains the flagship — and the location that earned Gambero Rosso's coveted 2 Slices recognition in 2023, placing Stellina among the top-rated pizzerias in the United States.

The Pizza

Chef Matteo deliberately steps away from strict Neapolitan tradition to craft what the team calls a Neo-Neapolitan dough: light, distinctly crispy, and designed to let high-quality ingredients speak clearly. The result is a pizza that feels familiar yet unmistakably its own. Toppings range from a straightforward Margherita and a bracing Cacio & Pepe (Pecorino Romano, mozzarella, toasted black pepper) to bolder combinations like the Piccante — homemade spicy sausage, spicy sopressata, and 'nduja jam — or the Speck & Gorgonzola finished with acacia honey and walnuts. Everything, the team insists, is homemade.

Beyond the Pizza

The menu nods broadly to the street food of the southern Italian coast. Fried seafood and vegetables arrive in paper cones called cuoppo — a direct reference to the family-operated food carts and corner markets of the founders' Italian upbringing. House-made pastas include Tonnarelli Cacio & Pepe and a Carbonara made with crispy guanciale and pecorino Romano. Creative panini are served on Stellina's own signature pizza dough. A full bar rounds things out with Italian wines, beers, and craft cocktails.

The Setting

The Union Market location welcomes walk-ins and reservations alike, with indoor seating and a dog-friendly patio open for lunch and dinner. The atmosphere — lively, warm, and rooted in Italian hospitality — is summed up in the restaurant's own sign-off: Buon appetito, amici. The Italians are back.