Mission Unaccomplished: Who’s Winning D.C.’s Pizza War?
In a city forever grappling with its culinary identity—I’m sorry but the half smoke is more museum piece than ongoing concern for local sausagemakers and cooks—D.C. chefs have recently latched onto pizza to make their mark. Never mind that most of these pies are rooted in traditions borrowed from other cities, whether the New Haven–style ’zas at Comet Ping Pong or the Neapolitan rounds at RedRocks Fire Brick Pizzeria (which I wrote about last week) or the Chicago-style pizza at Alberto’s.
Still, I have to agree with a number of commentators out there in the blogosphere: This is an exciting time to be eating pies in D.C. (You New Yorkers can stop rolling your eyes and go back to counting rats.) In just the past year or so, we’ve witnessed a boomlet of new pizza outlets. Aside from Comet and RedRocks, both in the District, there’s Bebo Trattoria in Crystal City, Moroni & Brother’s on Georgia Avenue NW, Circa at Dupont, and Pizza Zero and Mia’s, both in Bethesda. Some cook their pies in wood-burning ovens, others in traditional pizza ovens.
It appears that some of these newcomers are giving the old guard—namely, 2Amys, Pizzeria Paradiso, and Vace—a run for their money. Folks at both DonRockwell and DCist have been lighting up the boards over who’s doing the best pies these days. My own list is still in its formative stages, but I’m beginning to think 2Amys may surrender its crown soon. What’s your take? Give me your current Top 5.
20 Responses to “Mission Unaccomplished: Who’s Winning D.C.’s Pizza War?”
Leave a Reply
Recent Posts
- The Republican Party is Really White Roundup (4
)
… - Help Off Our Backs Get On Its Feet (1)
… - Washington Wasn’t Reformed in a Day (0)
It occurred to me last night that Sarah Palin is Jim Zorn without a headset. Both were obscure insig… - Just Why Did that Game Suck So Bad? (2)
Newark Star-Ledger reporter Mike Garafolo has a strong theory on why the Skins-Giants game was so aw… - Convention HD Update: Inspecting McCain (4)
…
- The Republican Party is Really White Roundup (4
September 18th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
[...] looks like it caught the attention of Tim Carman, and Adam Kuban of Slice/Serious [...]
September 19th, 2007 at 9:11 am
RedRocks–by far the best pizza in DC right now. Smoky, lightly charred crust with just enough bite/chew to it. The sausage and peppers pie with homemade fennel sausage is insanely good, as is the pesto, the clam pizza…I am getting hungry thinking about it!
September 19th, 2007 at 10:13 am
Sorriso makes the best (authentic!) pizza in DC. A close second is Vace.
September 19th, 2007 at 11:53 am
Man, I am so not on the Vace bus. I cannot understand how ANYONE would think it’s a good idea to put sauce on the outside of the pizza. And it’s not even good sauce! Pizza in D.C. is doomed as long as this continues to be a town that supports Vace.
September 19th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
i grew up eating vace and went back for a couple slices last time i was in town. i’ll agree: it could be a lot better. if you get a fresh out of the oven slice it’s one thing, but those hours-old warmed over slices are airport-quality. the white slices are still damn good though.
September 19th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
1. 2Amys
2. RedRocks (great crust but not as flavorful as 2Amys)
3. Cleveland Park Bar & Grill (deserves more recognition)
4. Mia’s (good but inconsistent)
5. Ella’s or Radius
People should realize that these places (with the exception of Radius) aren’t trying to make NY-style street pizza. It’s neapolitan pizza — not gourmet or yuppy pizza, as haters call it — which isn’t meant to compare or compete. They satisfy different urges.
September 19th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Tim — which joint do you think is taking 2Amys’ crown?
September 19th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Comet’s gotten a lot better and less stingy with their toppings. I still think Pizza Paradiso is pretty damn good too.
September 19th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Damn, Beane, I knew somebody would call me out. I hate to tease and not deliver, but I’m going to hold off on revealing my pizza hierarchy. I think that will come at a later date, after eating many more pies. Consistency, to me, is key; on any given night, it’s easy to claim one place makes pizza better than another–but do they consistently do it?
September 19th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Regarding consistency, Red Rocks - where I’ve been a several-times-weekly visitor since they opened - has become FAR more consistent. Initial complaints about soggy centers were fair (though I still thought the pizza was good), but I’ve gotten nothing but great product in the last month or so.
Comet’s always been a little of a different beast. I like their pizza a lot, though. It would be hard for me to rank Comet against Red Rocks, because the styles are very different. I think Comet has the edge on the sauce… Carol G. can do wonders. Red Rocks is a chewier, more satisfying crust and great toppings, more variety, great fresh mozz. Both fine pizzas.
I haven’t had a 2amys ‘za in months, so can’t compare. The screaming babies (and echo-chamber tiles) make that place intolerable. Not to mention the lines. I can’t fathom waiting 45 minutes to be subjected to that kind of aural torture. And it’s too far for carry out. Thank god for Red Rocks.
September 19th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
Nice aside about NY rats; made me smirk. I have to say that last time I was in Adams Morgan after dark, I counted no less than 30 of the little beasts scurrying back and forth across Champlain. I think it’s time for a DC vs. NYC “rat off” — you could even combine it with the pizza question: Coordinate with NYC folks one evening, and place a D.C. pie on a sidewalk in Adams Morgan and a New York pie on a sidewalk in Chelsea and then see which one disappears first. It wouldn’t end the debate on NY vs. DC pizza, but it might clarify how the rats would vote, and while they’re not big tippers, they probably eat a comparable amount of pizza.
September 19th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
1. 2 Amys
2. Comet
3. Red Rocks
4. Pizzeria Paradiso
5. Vace
Haven’t been to Bebo, so I can’t include it in my list. For consistency, 2 Amys has been a model (as it should be–that place is a pizza factory, given the volume they do). I don’t give a shit about whether the pie is cooked at 600 or 750–2 Amys pizza is flavorful, has great texture, and always makes me want to come back for more. Comet is the anti-2 Amys, up and down. But when it is up, their pies are awesome. I’ve only been to Red Rocks once, so I can’t comment on consistency, but it was good. More investigation required. And the last two–I never complain about eating pizza at either Vace or Paradiso.
Really, it’s a good time for a DC pizza fan–can’t we all just get along?
September 19th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
how can any of you even stand setting foot in 2 amy’s? the vace thing has mystified me since i first moved to dc–agreed with the comment that dc pizza is basically doomed as long as vace is considered “good” here. red rocks is delicious, totally welcome addition! their brunch is awesome, btw–bottomless mimosas for $9 (and they do mean bottomless, the waiter will not even wait for you to ask him for another one), and the eggs in hell are goooooood.
September 19th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
also the paradiso in gtown has insane deals on really awesome beers during happy hour during the week. though unfortunately when they say “happy hour” they totally mean the “hour” part of it and it’s kind of early to boot, which means i miss it 99.9% of the time.
September 19th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Never been inside Red Rocks, but when I’ve driven past it, it always looks a little too perfect, like a movie set.
September 19th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
[...] some 30 years ago, he traveled to Rome. Despite the obvious differences—the quality of pizza being one—the similarities in architecture in the two cities floored [...]
September 19th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
OK folks.
Pizzeria Paradiso was the first brick oven back in the day.
Then there was Coppi’s.
I love Coppi’s. They have the best crust in town. The price has gone up over the years, but they are quietly serving up some great pies. I used to get the same thing for years. Then I got yelled at for it and discovered that there was lots more to choose from.
September 19th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
None in DC make a good pizza and anyone who thinks they do is full of shit and does not know what a good pizza is.
September 19th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
I thought we settled this.
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/index.php/2007/06/21/yippie-pie-yay/#comments
September 19th, 2007 at 10:33 pm
Go away Rees. No one cares what you think. About anything.