Mike Isabella on Graffiato: D.C.'s where he wants to make his mark. (Photo: Jay Westcott)

Chef Mike Isabella’s latest venture, Graffiato, is a restaurant infused with his personal flair. The former head chef at José Andrés’ Zaytinya and recent finalist on Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars is opening his first restaurant, set to serve its first meals in May.

Isabella walks you through Graffiato (video by Chandler Clay)

Located in the heart of Penn Quarter, across the street from the Verizon Center, Graffiato’s restaurant will specialize in pizza and reasonably priced Italian fare (ranging from about $5-10 for small pasta plates to $15 for a pie). Isabella says he has high hopes for the restaurant to become a neighborhood place. He plans to reel in locals on the weekends, serving pizza until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

“I want it to be their hangout, I want them to come in here, and I want to know who all of them are,” Isabella said. “You know, have a drink with them sometimes, and just make it that place.”

The layout of Graffiato is as open as its chef, with the pizza bar located at the center of the main floor where Isabella will be cooking every night.

“Everyone always came to the kitchen when I was at Zaytinya,” Isabella said. “It’s just like, ‘I’m right here, cooking, how you doing?’ ”

From the Italian word for “scratched,” the original form of graffiti, Isabella said the name had a personal connection, and resembled the mark he wanted to leave on the D.C. restaurant industry.

“D.C. keeps growing, keeps expanding,” said Isabella, who signed the lease for the Penn Quarter spot last July and has been working on the concept and construction for months. “For me, that’s where you want to be.”