Edera opens today in the Central West End

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Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

The Mastnicola Pizza: guanciale, farm egg, herbs, and pecorino

The Koplar family was determined to open Edera this year but only if it could be done safely and responsibly. The thought was to replace Scape (which closed early in 2019) with a contemporary Tuscan trattoria that applied “refined simplicity” to traditional Italian cuisine.

Lighter, brighter (and, dare we say, completely transformed) surfaces now terminate at an elevated pizza kitchen, where a quartzite high-top dining counter will add kinetic energy and ensure interaction. The challenge: to establish Edera’s essence as patrons wait for indoor dining to fully return. The solution: Equip the pizza station with a walk-up window, where carryout customers can observe the action from under a covered portico.

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Courtesy Edera

The maneuver also takes advantage of the building’s secluded courtyard patio and bar (one of the best alfresco spots in town). Patio guests order at the window; service commences on the patio or at plaza-side tables.

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

Photography by Kevin A. Roberts

Executive chef Erin Ortiz’s inaugural menu consists of such in-demand items as a thin-crust pizza that’s “crispier but not as puffy as Neapolitan-style,” according to concept consultant Mike Randolph, plus and salads and fresh pastas served with house-made focaccia. Classic Italian cocktails, draft beers, and “to-go–priced” wines ($15–$20 per bottle) complement the 20-item bill of fare.

As momentum builds through the fall, Randolph says the team plans to “keep adapting and look to the light at the end of the tunnel—and hope that it’s not a train.”

Editor's Note: This article, originally titled "Mangia on Maryland," appeared the dining section of SLM's print issue for October 2020.