Dupont Circle has a new neighborhood restaurant built around Chicago pizza, scratch-made pasta, house-made cheese and a welcoming Midwest spirit.
La Merna Gives Dupont Circle a Chicago Neighborhood Bar
Husband-and-wife team G. Bradley Shorten and Meg Schmitt have opened La Merna at 2153 P Street NW, bringing Midwest hospitality to the west side of Dupont Circle. The Washington, DC restaurant reworks the classic neighborhood bar with Chicago tavern-style pizza, handmade pasta, Italian wine, local beer and classic-minded cocktails.
Inside, moody Midwestern wood paneling, cozy banquettes and dim lighting give the room instant neighborhood-bar energy. It has the vibes! Shorten brings experience from Chicago restaurants Pizza, Fried Chicken, Ice Cream and Kim’s Uncle, while Schmitt brings years of cheesemaking expertise.
House-Made Cheese Shapes the La Merna Menu
Schmitt trained in cheesemaking in Italy, and La Merna makes ricotta, mozzarella and stracciatella in house. That expertise appears throughout the menu. Start with stracciatella served with melon, prosciutto, Calabrian chili, honey and grilled bread, or try fried ricotta and spinach gnudi with vodka sauce.
Pasta includes nduja-stuffed ravioli and fazzoletti with short rib ragu, Castelvetrano olives, mozzarella and ricotta. Prices remain approachable for Dupont Circle dining, with starters beginning around $4 and larger pasta dishes reaching $32.
Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza Takes Center Stage
The 14-inch Chicago thin-crust pizza gives La Merna one of its strongest signatures. Guests can build a $22 tavern-style pizza or order combinations including the Chicago Classic with Italian sausage and giardiniera, Sweet D with pepperoni, stracciatella and hot honey, and La Vodka Piccante with salami and banana pepper. There is also a white Fungi pie with mushrooms, caramelized onions and taleggio.
The menu feels familiar without becoming predictable. Pizza, pasta and cheese make it easy to share several dishes across the table, making La Merna a strong choice for Dupont Circle date nights and group dinners.
Cocktails and Late Nights Give La Merna Staying Power
The drinks match the relaxed neighborhood approach. The Rosata combines tequila, watermelon, lime and ginger tajin, while Ford V Ferrari turns bourbon, cherry bitters and cola amaro into a Cherry Cola Old Fashioned. Italian wines from Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Piedmont, Calabria and Abruzzo round out the bar.
During soft opening, La Merna serves dinner Thursday through Sunday, with Thursday through Saturday hours extending to midnight and more late-night offerings planned. Reservations are available through Resy.
The Washington Lobbyist supports the restaurants, bars and neighborhood businesses that make DC worth experiencing, so gather a few friends and give this new Dupont Circle spot a try!
La Merna is at 2153 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20037, on the west side of Dupont Circle, with an average dinner cost of about $40 to $60 per person before tax and tip.
