Pastiamo Osteria Is Coming to Woodley Park: The 110-Seat Italian Restaurant and the Jobs It Needs

WASHINGTON, DC — 2614 Connecticut Avenue NW, near the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan Metro stop, is getting its third act. Pastiamo Osteria, an Italian restaurant built around handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza, is moving into the former Elsa Ethiopian Kitchen space and is expected to open this November, with room for about 110 guests.

A 110-seat room with brunch on the weekends needs a full kitchen and a full floor. If you work in restaurants in Northwest DC, this is one to watch.

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📍 Business at a Glance

Business	Pastiamo Osteria
Opening	Expected November 2026 (no firm date announced)
Address	2614 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (Woodley Park)
Size	2,614 square feet, about 110 guests, indoor and outdoor seating
Concept	Traditional Italian osteria: house-made pasta, brick-oven pizza, cocktails, wine, weekend brunch
Owner	Mehdi Zorgani
Industry	Restaurant / hospitality

🏆 What Pastiamo Osteria Is Bringing to Connecticut Avenue

The plan, as announced by the restaurant and reported by PoPville and WhatNow DC, is a classic neighborhood osteria: house-made pasta, wood-fired pizza, seasonal plates, cocktails and a curated wine list. A signature dish is cacio e pepe alla ruota, tossed in a wheel of cheese. It is pitched as an easy weeknight dinner that also works for weekend brunch.

The owner is Mehdi Zorgani, described in launch coverage as a seasoned hospitality veteran. The space was Mediterra, then Elsa Ethiopian Kitchen. Now it gets an Italian concept aimed at the Woodley Park and Cleveland Park dinner crowd, plus visitors heading up Connecticut toward the National Zoo.

💼 The Jobs a 110-Seat Italian Room Needs

Pastiamo Osteria has not published a hiring announcement or a headcount, and we are not going to invent one. What we can say is what a room like this structurally needs, because that math does not change much from one restaurant to the next.

A pasta-and-pizza kitchen typically needs a pizzaiolo or oven cook, pasta and prep cooks, line cooks, dishwashers and kitchen leadership. On the floor, about 110 seats plus a patio and weekend brunch usually means servers, bussers, food runners, hosts and bartenders in shifts, with a manager or two.

New restaurants often adjust staffing in the first couple of months, so a second round of hiring after opening is common. Get your resume ready now and watch for postings.

💵 What Restaurant Work Pays in the District

Starting pay at full-service rooms in Northwest DC usually lands above the legal floor, and tipped roles add gratuities that swing by shift and season. DC's floor differs from Maryland's and Virginia's, and the address where you work decides which applies, not where you live. We broke that down in our guide to the 2026 wage line across the metro. Ask how base pay and tips work before you accept.

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📋 How to Approach a New Restaurant

Bring proof of food safety training. A current food handler or food protection certificate puts you ahead of applicants who promise to get one later.
Lead with pasta or pizza experience. Working dough or a wood-fired oven is a specific skill.
Visit between lunch and dinner. Mid-afternoon on a weekday is when a manager can actually talk. Never during service.
Lead with weekend availability. A room with brunch lives on Saturday and Sunday coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Pastiamo Osteria?

2614 Connecticut Ave. NW in Woodley Park, the former Elsa Ethiopian Kitchen space.

When does Pastiamo Osteria open?

The restaurant has said it expects to open in November 2026. No firm opening date has been announced.

Is Pastiamo Osteria hiring?

No public hiring announcement or headcount has been made. A restaurant seating about 110 guests with weekend brunch needs a full kitchen and front-of-house crew, so get your resume ready and watch for postings.

What kind of food will it serve?

Traditional Italian: handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza, seasonal dishes, classic cocktails, a curated wine list and weekend brunch.

Be First in Line for Northwest DC Restaurant Jobs

Create a free LocalJobPage account and set alerts for restaurant and hospitality jobs so new openings in Woodley Park, Cleveland Park and Adams Morgan reach you the day they post. Browse the Washington, DC Career Center for more role-by-role guides.

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