Bob Kinkead Dishes on His Soon-to-Open Italian Ancora

Photo: Bob Kinkead

By Olga Boikess

As far as we’re concerned, there is no such thing as too many Italian restaurants. So it was great news that highly regarded chef/restaurateur Bob Kinkead - who just closed his long-running Foggy Bottom powerhouse, Kinkead’s - will soon be opening Ancora, an Italian and Mediterranean seafood-strong restaurant in the Rivers at the Watergate’s former space, opposite the Kennedy Center. He’ll be operating it as a kind-of “pop-up” for some eight months, and then will close for a redo. Our conversation with him about his menu plans was mouthwatering.
Kinkead, who often visits family in Le Marche, a mountainous region on the Adriatic Sea in Italy, plans to serve a version of a local specialty in the form of ravioli with guacaniale, sundried tomato and ricotta salada. Fish lovers will find happiness in the likes of roasted whole branzino with green olives inspired by his visits to markets in the seaside town of Ancona, and a Ligurian seafood stew. He travels widely in Italy and will be bringing a variety of regional specialties, salumi and crudos to the table. There will be lots of Italian vino to wash it all down.

Future plans include a bar and pavilion on the sweeping patio with a wood grill and rotisserie. It sounds like just the kind of citified picnic experience we’ve been hoping to find (600 New Hampshire Ave. NW).