Ashok Bajaj is getting ready to roll out Rosselli, a new Italian restaurant a few blocks from Metro Center in the downtown Washington space that formerly housed Modena. The plan is a chef-driven menu served in an intimate room wrapped around a marble-topped U-shaped bar. Bajaj’s Knightsbridge Restaurant Group says Rosselli will lean on modern Italian technique and seasonal ingredients while trying to spark more evening energy in the office-heavy core. Rosselli is expected to debut by the end of March.
As reported by the Washington Business Journal, Knightsbridge tapped a former Michelin-starred chef to lead Rosselli and brought in Martin Vahtra of Project Design Associates to shape the interior. According to that account, Vahtra’s layout is compact and a bit theatrical, maximizing counter and bar seating. The U-shaped bar is positioned as the star of the show, designed to pull in late-night traffic within a tight downtown footprint.
Chef Carlos Cardona To Lead The Kitchen
Bajaj told WTOP that the kitchen will be run by Carlos Cardona, who most recently cooked at NOI by Paulo Airaudo in Hong Kong. Cardona’s background points to a refined, ingredient-forward style that Bajaj believes will translate to Italian dishes built around seasonal produce. That chef-driven focus is central to Bajaj’s push to make Rosselli feel like both a neighborhood standby and a draw for diners from across the region.
Design Aims For Energy And Intimacy
The Washington Business Journal notes that Vahtra’s design is crafted to keep the dining room lively despite a smaller square footage, using materials and sightlines that pull attention toward the bar and open kitchen. The plan mixes counter seating with small tables so the room can move quickly while still giving guests a sense of occasion. For Bajaj, who has relied on design-forward builds before, Rosselli is meant to be a late-night pivot that keeps the area active after office hours wind down.
What Rosselli Could Mean For Downtown
Bajaj told WTOP that “Downtown, as you know, has been not very busy,” casting Rosselli as one attempt to reintroduce evening life to the streets around Metro Center. The move fits a wider pattern of operators betting on high-quality, chef-led concepts to coax diners back into central business districts that lost foot traffic after the pandemic. If Rosselli hits the mark, it would signal that restaurateurs still see real upside in downtown D.C.’s hospitality scene.
Bajaj’s team has yet to release a full menu or reservation timeline, and specific opening-night plans are still under wraps. For now, Rosselli stands as a closely watched bet on downtown dining that could subtly shift how, and when, people gather near Metro Center this spring.
