Matera

It's a small hotel restaurant, best visited for its convenience. The food is hit and miss. Breakfast was not memorable, but I loved the pasta with Italian sausage dish and the tiramisu was great.Full review at https://www.marga.org/foodblog/2025/02/dining-in-dc-matera/

A very small and cute restaurant nestled in the lobby of a hotel and just a few minutes from the Kennedy Center. Our visit however, fell short of expectations with the highlight being it's convenient location. The ambiance was great and appealing, the overall experience didn't leave us eager to return. EnvironmentIt's a very lovely place located just a few minutes from the Kennedy Center which made it a convenient stop before our show. The ambiance was lovely, with an inviting aesthetic. Given it's small size, reservations are recommended as seating is limited although it wasn't too busy when we were there. They offer table dining and a small bar for a cozy atmosphere. ServiceThe service was okay. and left something to be desired. We ordered bread for our table, only to notice that other tables were receiving complimentary bread. After bringing this to our server's attention, he neither apologized nor offered to address the oversight leaving us feeling dissatisfied. Tip: be sure to confirm your free bread with your server to avoid a similar issue. Food and drinksThe food was okay. The stand was surprisingly the tomato soup which was both comforting and flavorful especially on a rainy day. I ordered the "Tour of Italy" and my friend tried the chicken parmesan, though neither dish stood out in taste. The cheesecake dessert was similarly just okay. The cocktails were on the sweeter side. OverallMy experience at Matera was a bit underwhelming and didn't quite meet expectations, particularly given the mix-up with the bread service. The best thing is it's proximity to the Kennedy Center making it a convenient choice for a pre-show meal or drink. I hope to return to give it another try, hoping for a better experience.

Just a short 7-min walk to the Kennedy Center makes this a great pre-show dinner option. I had the Gaga Poker Face cocktail, two to be exact, because it was delicious! My friend had their twist on an old fashioned, and she enjoyed hers as well. We saw the hardest working server in DC, handling about a dozen tables, plus going behind the bar to make drinks too! She gave us excellent service too. We ordered a few appetizers for the table to share (we were a party of 5). The garlic jumbo shrimp with white beans and spinach was very good, although a little light on the garlic for my taste. The fried calamari, ordered by my friend's teenaged daughter, was a surprising standout...perfectly seasoned, perfectly tender, and just delicious! We also shared a beet salad, which was a huge portion with plenty to go around between the 4 of us partaking. My one friend and I ordered the chicken piccata, which was good and tender, but nothing resembling a traditional lemon piccata. Good in its own right, but it shouldn't be called a piccata. Not lemony, and it was served with a side of pasta in red sauce! Typically it's served in its inherent beurre blanc over a fettuccini or angel hair of some kind. It was strange to serve it with a red sauce pasta. We had to run to our show so we didn't get a chance for coffee or dessert. Next time!

Chose this quaint, small, attractive space to meet a friend for dinner before a Kennedy Center performance. The KC is about 3 blocks away, so the location is convenient. The background music was on-point. However, once the place filled the combo of music and diners talking made the small restaurant extra loud. My dining companion and I had to raise our voices to hear each other speak. What is it with waiters not introducing themselves? I don't want to have to ask their name. Didn't feel like asking so I don't know who served us. Pleasant male appearing person w tats. Ordered a moscato and greek salad and added chicken. The standard greek salad was overpriced at $20. Adding chicken made it $28. Few salads are worth $28 unless it has sushi grade tuna or fresh salmon on it, maybe . The chicken was super dry and tough to the point of being difficult to cut and chew. In hindsight I should not have eaten it. And, because I didn't have the energy to do anything to address the problem,I gnawed the dry meat and gulped it down --which is atypical for me. The salad and a glass of wine came to $46 plus tip which took it over $54 dollars! I don't mind paying for a good meal and this cost too much for what it was. I would return for a drink when I'm the area. Wouldn't likely return to eat.

Matera is a decent restaurant before going to the Kennedy Center because it is so close and something different from the usual suspects. The menu is not expensive but there is pasta along with some chicken and steak. I had the seafood pappardelle and the server gave me an option of three sauces. I chose the white sauce. The noodles were tender and the shrimp were fresh. Service was quick and there were no issues with making the show. Staff were friendly. It was not very crowded on my visit, but the ambiance is that of a smaller cafe and the noise level was minimal.

Matera is possibly the worst restaurant we've ever eaten at. 1) my husband's linguine with meatballs was atrocious. The meatballs were dry, one so hard it felt like it could crack his teeth. In other words, they were inedible. The linquine was slimy. 2) The tortellini and shrimp, which I ordered, were seeped in a watery mixture that was supposed to be creamy pesto sauce. The shrimp were all right but the dish itself was not.Our server didn't know what he was doing or anything about food. For example, he characterized the tortellini as plain, without cheese, just colorful. It was the opposite which I demonstrated by cutting one open for him to display the cheese.But yes, as another reviewer mentioned, some of Wegman's wonderful dog paintings were on the walls which does not make up for the awful food -- which was not cheap.

This is a small hidden gem in this neighborhood. There are not many dining options within walking distance from Kennedy Center, and most are overpriced or low quality. The food here is amazing and the drinks are delicious. Since it is a small restaurant with a few staff members, services can feel slow at times, but they try their best to overcome this by hospitality. Definitely recommended.

I was in DC on business and stayed at The River Inn (great hotel) where Matera is located. Service, ambience, and good were all superlative, especially considering it's a hotel restaurant. The salmon was fantastic! I don't remember the server's name, but he was attentive without hovering. Thumps up!

I visited this restaurant with my partner on Valentine's Day for a quick meal before heading to a show at the Kennedy Center. Initially, we were turned away at the door due to not having a reservation, but Sakina stepped in and kindly convinced the hostess to seat us in a cozy corner. Truly a Godsend!Pressed for time, we shared the three-course Valentine's Day meal for $85, and it did not disappoint--some of the best Italian food I've ever had. The stuffed salmon was divine! The service was quick and efficient, making our experience even better.A huge thank you to Sakina for making our night special! We will definitely be back.

I wish I could give them a zero.I've been twice. The first time I was excited & ordered a steak which was so inedible. Clearly frozen & not cooked nor seasoned well.The second time for breakfast for try number 2. The eggs were gross. It's breakfast so how hard can it be.Then I tried to go a 3rd time but bc they didn't have enough business they closed early & insisted that the kitchen is never open past 8:45 but they list 9:30 for food & 10:30 for the bar.