Nancy Silverton and Stephen Starr's Osteria Mozza splashes into Georgetown

Catch up quick: Silverton, now 70, came up in California cuisine's golden era working alongside Jonathan Waxman and Wolfgang Puck. Her chic fleet of LA restaurants embodies effortlessly stylish Cal-Ital cooking, including three Hollywood hotspots that informed this venture: Osteria Mozza, Pizzeria Mozza and "meat speakeasy" Chi Spacca.

• Starr's orbit spans 40 East Coast restaurants. That includes high-profile partnerships like the one with Silverton, whom he wooed after tasting her famous focaccia di recco — a crackling, cheese-filled snack that guests in D.C. can top with extras like prosciutto, caviar or black truffles.

Between the lines: Starr tells Axios the focaccia is "top three" best things he's eaten (also short-listed: Eisenberg's tuna sandwich and White Bear's #6 dumpling in NYC).

Zoom in: Mozza D.C. marks the largest venture yet for either restaurateur. It spans a luxurious 20,000 square feet and features two circular marble bars — one dedicated to mozzarella, the other to cocktails. The space also includes a cheffy market, a dining room with power booths and a lush, solarium-style patio. Over it all, a 20-seat private room lords from the mezzanine.

• New York-based design firm Roman and Williams — behind svelte Starr spots like Le Coucou — transformed the 19th-century building, keeping its gorgeous brick bones and voluminous windows while adding modern touches.

The vibe: Soho Farmhouse-chic. Silverton is a darling among Hollywood insiders, and VIPS like Tyra Banks and Henry Winkler, aka The Fonz, are already popping by.

• Forget olive branches — before opening, special D.C. someones were gifted olive saplings (including this black thumb; wish me luck!).

Dig in: The menu pulls from Silverton's beloved repertoire, offering favorites like wood-fired lunchtime pizzas and "Nancy's Caesar." Diners can enjoy homemade breads and pastas, along with hearty, rustic secondi. Showstoppers include dishes like whole branzino and a porcini-rubbed tomahawk steak.

• Classic Italian cocktails are a natural fit, as are aromatized wines for before or after dinner.

• The mozzarella bar showcases Italian- and California-made cheeses like buffala and burrata dressed up with accompaniments like artichokes and mint pesto. Full menus are available at both bars.

The intrigue: The building's lease mandated a market, but the mercato doesn't feel like an afterthought.

• Silverton's curated shop is like her home and restaurant pantry, stocked with beloved and hard-to-find olive oils, anchovies, pasta and perishables like Anson Mills polenta or Araucana eggs.

The bottom line: Silverton is in Mozza expansion mode, having brought the concept to London, Singapore and beyond. But each restaurant is different, and this may be the most exciting version yet.

If you go: Osteria Mozza, 3276 M St. NW. Open nightly for dinner starting Nov. 10, with lunch and brunch coming soon. Valet parking available.

Cheat sheet: Starr and Silverton recommend a few early favorites from their pre-opening tastings.

• Buffala mozzarella condimenti — Creamy cheese with DIY toppings like pesto, tapenade and romesco, like Silverton serves at home.
• Spaghetti alla Calabrese — A Starr fave with fancy anchovies and olive oil croutons.
• "Chicken on toast" — A zesty diavola-style chicken with roasted onions and chicken jus.
• Duck "under a brick" — No rubbery breast here. Crackly skin and confit meat with Brussels sprouts and pear mostarda.
• Homemade gelato — A Silverton specialty. The equipment and process, she says, "are more than some people put into a restaurant."