A local man’s passion for great pizza is about to fuel Arlington’s next great culinary obsession. Ravenna Pizza, the brain child of Mustafa Durran, is preparing to take the local dining scene by storm, reports local media outlet ARLNow.
The brand new concept is moving into 1500 Wilson Boulevard, a spot which formerly housed Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop. Durran is hoping to open by mid-January of 2025.
Durran spoke to What Now DC about the inspiration that led him from insurance to pizza. “It was more a spark of passion.” he explains. “I visited Rome a few years ago and that’s when I fell in love with Roman style pizza. I became more interested, learned more about it, then became obsessed, and here we are!”
Durran believes the Arlington community will be the perfect location to launch his pizza career. He states: “Arlington is very high energy, vibrant, alive. And I decided what better place to bring this concept in.”
Durran is working with Chef Massimiliano Saieva to craft and perfect his authentic Roman pies. Durran praises Saieva, saying “He’s an amazing guy with a wealth of knowledge. I attended one of his master classes in New York. We’ll have a team of chefs that will be trained by myself and the master chef.”
While Virginia has no shortage of pizzarias, Ravenna will bring something new and unique to the table. Durran describes his vision for the concept, saying “Ravenna Pizza will specialize in Roman style pizza, which is completely different from that of New York style, Chicago, or Neapolitan. The fermentation process is longer; it’s 2 stages: first 48 hours, second 24 hours. Then it’s brought back to temperature before it’s stretched; then it goes into specialized ovens for the first stage of baking. The use of extra virgin olive oil and flour that’s used gives you a crunch on the bottom, airy in the middle, soft on the top. The toppings are minimalistic.”
Customers can choose between two main bases; base bianca (white pizza), and base Rossa (tomato sauce pizza).
Future regulars will be able to choose between dining in or out. Durran states that the restaurant will be about 3,000 square feet, with seating for between 40 and 50 patrons, spread between a dining room and the bar.
Ravenna will also help visitors satisfy any sweet cravings with delicious gelato, made in-house.
Durran’s vision extends beyond simply crafting delectable cuisine; he is hoping to create an entire dining experience that invites everyone to comfortably enjoy a slice of pizza or a scoop of gelato. He describes his vision as: “Warm, welcoming. All will be welcome. Even though technically we are a casual sit in, the vibe will be a lot more welcoming, inviting than that. If you wish to sit at the bar, by all means, if you want to enjoy a scoop of gelato, that’s fine too.”
