The pasta party at Ama. | Tierney Plumb/Eater DC Ama, Navy Yard’s all-day Italian affair from husband-and-wife industry vets Micah Wilder and Johanna Hellrigl, is rooted in love (that’s what “ama” translates to, after all). Hellrigl pays tribute to her northern Italian heritage along the Ligurian Sea and mountainous Alto Adige region, all while tapping into her integrative nutrition training (watch her recent TEDX talk on the elimination of plastics in restaurants here). She’s always been on board the anti-additive train in a non-bipartisan way, and Capitol Hill power players from both sides of the aisle are known to break (bouncy focaccia) bread here. What to order Fugassa (Genovese focaccia) is impossibly thin, dimpled, and doused with Ligurian extra-virgin olive oil ($6). It’s hard to go wrong on the pasta front, but a good gateway is a twirled nest of spaghetti al pomodoro ($23), made with Monograno Felicetti Kamut flour pasta, D.O.P. San Marzano tomato, and basil sauce. Branzino fished from nutrient-rich estuaries near Cádiz, Spain sits around a bed of braised local escarole and leek salsa verde ($45). What to drink Tenured mixologist Micah Wilder taps into his herbalist background with a whole arsenal of zero-proof libations. Ama’s namesake digestivo opens up the palate with Gentian root, dandelion, juniper, orange peel, organic coconut, glycerine, and seltz. Negronis spiked with everything from vintage-1980s Campari to Calendula mezcal join a large-format spagliato that pays homage to Milano’s iconic Bar Basso with a house blend of red bitters and vermouth. The vibe Covered in Venetian plaster, copper pots, and lustrous woods, the charming dining room and bar recreates the romance of a Milanese cafè. In short, Ama is giving Valentine’s Day and Italy’s Winter Olympic Games year-round. Insider tip You can make a whole day out of Ama starting at 8 a.m. daily, when the front wooden bar fueled on Caffè Vergnano (the oldest coffee roaster in Italy) joins pastries and that fabulous focaccia. During its 3 p.m.-to-6 p.m. aperitivo hour, all beverages (including goblets spritzes for $10) come with complementary Italian snacks. ...read more read less