[Photographs: Elizabeth Laseter]

Graffiato

707 6th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20001 (Map); 202-289-3600; graffiatodc.com Pizza type: Neapolitan-inspired
Oven type: Wood-fired stone
The Skinny: Neapolitan-inspired pies with creative toppings are well-executed but pricy. Try Isabella's excellent (and more reasonable) small plate Italian fare. Price: Personal-size pies range from $12-$18, small plates are $6-$15.

On paper, Mike Isabella cuts an impressive figure. He's moved around the country, working with the likes of Marcus Samuelsson, Jose Garces, and José Andrés, and made appearances on Top Chef and Top Chef Masters. But pizza is a notoriously tricky endeavor, even for the most accomplished of chefs.

Graffiato is Isabella's first restaurant and an ode to his Italian-American upbringing in Jersey. The menu features small plates, pasta, wood oven-cooked meats, and, of course, Neapolitan-style pizza.

Graffiato's crowded, high-energy scene fits the liveliness of the surrounding Chinatown neighborhood. 8 p.m. on a Monday found us with a 35-minute wait for a table, so we skipped the line and slid into the first-come, first-serve pizza bar, instead. We loved watching the pizzas fly in and out of the stone oven. Isabella keeps the temperature between 700 and 800º F, for a three to four minute cook.

The menu offers two traditional pies and seven more imaginative combinations. Isabella describes his pizza as "similar to Neapolitan," but with "fun toppings like fried calamari or a sous vide egg and more garnishes than a classic Neapolitan pizza." I have to agree. Isabella has an eye for combining ingredients in an interesting way, using the pizza crust as a kind of palette for experimentation.

We started off with the American Pie ($14), Graffiato's take on a Margherita. Pillows of melted, rich mozzarella cheese top a thin layer of lightly seasoned crushed tomatoes. The basil, however, was a bit over-charred and too sparsely distributed.

We saw some nice leopard-spotting on the crust, with a fluffy, soft interior. Spots of char are well-distributed throughout the top and on the underbelly of the pie. Isabella uses a two-year-old mother dough, which he feels allows for a more flavorful crust. Each new batch incorporates a portion of the previous day's leftover dough.

The serving trays have narrow grooves to help keep the pizzas dry as they sit, but I found them to be ineffective. By the time you're onto slice number two, the weight of the toppings overtake the crust. We had some difficulty picking up the slices.

Next up was the Jersey Shore ($16), with tomato sauce, provolone, and fried calamari drizzled in a cherry pepper aioli. The tangy aioli had a nice kick to it and the calamari emerged crisp and impressively tender. I don't recommend taking home leftovers, though...soggy, day-old fried calamari just isn't as appealing.

So, yes, Graffiato serves up good pizza. They aren't the best in D.C., but they're fun and fit the hip vibe of Isabella's flagship restaurant. One thing to keep in mind is that Isabella's pizzas are downright expensive. The most costly, at $18, is the Countryman, with black truffles, Fontina cheese and a runny egg. That's a lot to pay for a personal pizza, even if it does have truffles.

If the prices of Graffiato's pizzas disconcert you, give Isabella's small plate Italian fare a close look. Not to be missed is the charred octopus, or a dish of creamy yogurt Brussels sprouts with pancetta and maple syrup. Even the most earnest of Brussels sprouts haters may find themselves converted.

About the author: Elizabeth Laseter is food writer and professional cook living in Washington, D.C. Follow her foodies adventures in the District on her blog, D.C. Food Rag.

The oven-roasted tomatoes and mozzarella pie [Photograph: Brian Oh]

There's something to be said for the pizza joint that pours all of its energy into the pies, while the brick and mortar suffers. If the pizza is good, the rundown space can be endearing. If they're not, it's a dump. Conversely, the pizzeria that's immaculately and luxuriously appointed runs the risk of drawing too much attention away from the pizza. With the opening of Matchbox's cavernous new location on 14th St., multi-tiered and boasting extravagant flourishes like booths suspended in midair, this question has been more relevant than ever. With several locations in and around DC (each one more elaborate than the last), the question still remains: is the pizza any good?

Matchbox offers a wide range of pizzas to choose from (in addition to a substantial list of non-pizza entrées), ranging from a simple oven-dried tomato and sea salt number to the more elaborate shrimp and potato pie. There's a heavy focus on variety, but none of the pies are ever overwrought with never more than a few toppings each. The many other options notwithstanding, judgment of any pizza shop begins with their most basic pie, which in Matchbox's case is the oven-dried tomato and fresh mozzarella pie (10" for $13/14" for $21).

A cross section of the crust on the prosciutto and Black Mission fig pie

Topped with oven-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and sea salt, it's Matchbox's Margherita equivalent. Like all of the pies, it's baked in a wood-fired oven at over 800 degrees, which produces a light charring. The crust is thin throughout, but not flimsy. A light dusting of corn meal on the bottom adds a little to the crispness. The outer rim is only slightly thicker and not exactly an airy, bready crust. Still, it provides a uniformly crisp and flavorful base for the pie. The sauce is billed as a "zesty tomato sauce." True to its name, there's a generous dose of herbs and spices in the sauce lending a strong tangy quality to an already sweet sauce. At times it can be almost too sweet and tangy, but the presence of the sea salt adds a balancing element. The basil is chopped and dried, instead of in whole leaves, so not as fresh as I'd have liked, but it adds the necessary herbal element. Dollops of mozzarella are applied liberally and are melted into creamy puddles that work nicely to tie the whole pie together. The end result may not be your traditional Margherita, but it's an eminently edible pie that's accessible for Matchbox's target audience, which is just about everyone. It won't satisfy purists, what with using dried basil and a heavily seasoned sauce, but it's tasty and a great introduction to Matchbox's style of pizza.

The prosciutto and Black Mission fig pie

Venture further into the expansive menu and you'll find the prosciutto and Black Mission fig pie ($14/$22). Served on the same thin, crisp, and lightly charred crust, the prosciutto and fig is a white pie. Topped with a layer of mozzarella, gorgonzola, roasted garlic, prosciutto, figs, and arugula, each mouthful is a nice balance of textures and salty and sweet. Each fig is a potent burst of sweetness that's countered by the smokiness of the garlic and salty, thinly sliced prosciutto. With such strong flavors, the cool and light arugula does a great deal to cut some of the intensity.

There are 3 sliders hidden under that mountain of onion straws

So the answer to the all important question is that, yes, Matchbox slings some solid pies. Perhaps not good enough to sustain its business if they were served out of something as tiny and grimy as Dom DeMarco's one room operation, but pizza isn't the only thing Matchbox has going for it. It's telling that the slogan "3-6-9" is emblazoned on shirts and floor mats at all of the Matchbox locations. Telling because it has nothing to do with pizza. One of the most popular items are the sliders (they come in orders of 3, 6, or 9 for $9, $16, or $20 respectively). Little juicy burgers on extremely buttery brioche buns served underneath a mountain of dangerously snackable onion straws, they're extremely popular and rightfully so. If you're not careful, it's frighteningly easy to ruin your appetite with a plate full of these and you'll likely be picking at the onion straws long after the sliders and your pizzas are gone.

There are a lot of reasons people flock to the Matchbox locations around DC—the ambiance, respectable bar and happy hour scene, sliders, and, of course, pizza. Any one of these is a defensible excuse to check out Matchbox, but for our purposes, I'd recommend it with a caveat. With the surge of Neapolitan pizzerias opening in DC lately, Matchbox is far from being the best or most authentic pizza in the city. What it is, however, is an extremely accessible and easy product with options for everyone. You're not likely to have to go out of the way to find a Matchbox and if you do, you don't have to feel like you settled.

Matchbox 14th Street

1901 14th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009 (map)
202-328-0369; matchbox14thstreet.com

About the author: Brian Oh is a Washington, DC based international development professional, food lover, and photographer. In his free time, you can usually find him chasing down a good burger or slice. Follow him on Twitter @brianoh11

2Amys' classic DOC-certified Margherita pizza. [Photographs: Brian Oh]

Since its opening a little more than a decade ago, Cleveland Park's 2Amys has become a household name in Washington, DC. Even as the Neapolitan pie scene becomes increasingly more crowded, there has yet to be a real contender to challenge 2Amys' reign for best pizzeria in the District. That said, we recently became aware of the glaring omission of never having formally reviewed 2Amys' pies here on Slice. So, to remedy this, we made it out to Cleveland Park to check in on how the pizza is doing at the longtime DC favorite.

First things first is, of course, the Margherita ($11.95). Especially for a DOC-certified pizzeria, the Margherita is the baseline from which it should be judged. 2Amys offers three DOC pizzas: the Marinara, Margherita, and Margherita Extra. The Margherita is the classic topped with a light layer of sauce, a few dollops of uncut buffalo mozzarella, some basil, and some extra virgin olive oil. Like the rest of the pies, the Margherita is baked for a couple of minutes in the wood-burning oven at 600°F, which gives the crust its distinctive leopard-spotting. All the ingredients are of extremely high quality. The San Marzano tomato sauce is balanced and applied sparingly, the buffalo mozzarella is light and creamy, and the basil is fresh, but the real star here is the crust.

Beautiful hole structure in the crust.

2Amys pizzas have a crust that's thin, but raised and pillowy on the edges. The center is thin, but usually stands up to the weight of the toppings. The few minutes in the high heat oven produces a light charring all around the crust and on the bottom. The inside of the crust is soft, chewy, and exhibits a very pretty hole structure. It's the ideal crust: a thin crisp shell with a chewy, yeasty interior. It's the kind of crust you'll scoff at your carb-counting friends for discarding and shamelessly grab off of their plates to stuff in your face. There are, however, some slight consistency issues that can arise—the center of the pie can get a bit too soupy if it's taken out of the oven a few seconds too early or if it's a little over-sauced—but it's usually excellent. Some minor lapses can be understood, if not condoned, for a kitchen that pumps out the volume of pies 2Amys does on a regular basis.

The Norcia. Salami, peppers, and grana.

The second pizza we had is the Norcia ($12.95). A non-DOC pizza topped with tomato sauce, salami, grilled peppers, mozzarella, and grana padano. The Norcia shares the same great crust as the Margherita, but has a little more going on. The spicy, smoky slices of salami, sweet peppers, and subtle sharpness from the grated grana lend an extra dimension of flavors and texture that's complex, but not overcomplicated. 2Amys' philosophy is largely driven by minimalism, and the Norcia is just one example of how their pies can be adorned beyond the baseline but still remain true to their roots (another excellent example you should try is the house-made meatball-topped Abruzzese pie ($12.95)).

As much as DC residents flock to 2Amys for stellar Neapolitan-style pizza, the "little things" menu sees just as much action as the pies. The suppli a telefono (fried rice balls stuffed with cheese) and deviled eggs with green sauce are more common than not in the dining room. It doesn't hurt that 2Amys also offers an expansive and affordable selection of Italian wines (actually, it helps a lot).

When you consider how long 2Amys has topped the DC pizza charts, the 30-plus-minute waits you'll often encounter will cease to surprise you. With a casual, welcoming space, sub-$15 pizzas that hit your table within minutes, and an impressive selection of extras, you won't mind waiting. Just grab a seat at the bar with a snack and a glass of wine and prepare yourself for one of what are still the best pies in the city.

2Amys

3715 Macomb Street NW, Washington D.C. (map)
202-885-5700; 2amyspizza.com

About the author: Brian is a Washington, DC–based international development professional, food lover, and photographer. In his free time, you can usually find him chasing down a good burger or slice. Follow him on Twitter @brianoh11

District of Pi has the benefit of being located in one of the most tourist and young professional laden areas of Washington, DC. [Photographs: Brian Oh]

While the Neapolitan pizza scene in D.C. has been booming of late, there's little in the way of options if you're in the mood for a deep dish pie. There are a few standouts, if you're not desperate enough to slum it at Uno's, including District of Pi. A branch of a St. Louis based chain, Pi opened late last year in Penn Quarter after a stint as a food truck only operation (the truck is still running). Pi serves reasonable facsimiles of Chicago-style deep dish pies (and thin crust pies), but is a far cry from some of the Windy City greats.

If you've ever had a slice from Two Boots, you'll have a pretty good idea of what you're getting at District of Pi, at least in terms of the crust. What Pi has in common with Two Boots is the liberal use of cornmeal in the crust in both its deep dish and thin crust pies—mixed in with the dough for the deep dish and sprinkled on the bottom for the thin crust (that and they both originally hail from southern states). The result is a largely uninteresting crust in both. The deep dish crust is doughy and stiff. The thin crust is cracker thin and shatters like one toward the outer edges.

Pi's deep dish pies are the best thing going for it. Skip the thin crust.

Where the deep dish pie is saved is its sauce and toppings. The sauce is applied liberally and is thick and zesty with an abundance of herbs, which masks the blandess of the crust. The Kirkwood ($18/$24) is topped with mozzarella, Italian pork and beef meatballs, red peppers, and basil. The meatballs are substantial and do a great deal to add a smoky flavor to balance the slightly oversweet sauce. The thin crust North Beach Classico ($16/$21) is not so lucky. The featureless crust and thinly applied sauce are overwhelmed by peppers and onions. I could barely taste the sausage and mozzarella. If you find yourself seated at District of Pi, I wholeheartedly recommend sticking to the deep dish pies.

The thin crust doesn't have enough flavor in the dough or sauce to balance its toppings.

This raises the question: why visit District of Pi? After all, Matchbox is right around the corner. Well, the amount of traffic around Metro Center and Gallery Place necessarily yields ungodly levels of traffic for any business in the area. Both Matchbox and Pi offer accessible, family friendly environments and menus, but being one of the few options for Chicago-style deep dish draws consistent crowds to Pi. It doesn't hurt that it has a stellar beer selection and excellent wings ($10), which may actually have been my favorite part of the meal. Since its opening, District of Pi has been succeeding in providing an easy dining option in a busy neighborhood where pizza seekers and families with small children alike can congregate. Expect to have an enjoyable time, but don't expect to renounce Chi-Town anytime soon.

As an ending note, I'll say that I suspect District of Pi's approach is better served by their food truck. The prospect of a quick, no fuss deep dish pie for lunch is more appealing than the overwrought production of Pi's cavernous space. Stay tuned for a visit to the food truck.

District of Pi

910 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004 (map)
202-393-5484; www.pi-dc.com

About the author: Brian Oh is a Washington, DC based international development professional, food lover, and photographer. In his free time, you can usually find him chasing down a good burger or slice. Follow him on Twitter @brianoh11

Enzo at work and Pupatella's Forno Napoletano oven. [Photographs: Brian Oh]

For pizza enthusiasts, the montanara (fried Neapolitan pizza) isn't exactly breaking news. New York pizzerias like Giulio Andriani's Forcella and La Montanara have been churning out the fried pies for months now and Slice has been following the trend ever since. Even Eataly has gotten in on the montanara action. Down in the nation's capitol, we haven't been as lucky. Until, that is, a few months ago. Enzo Algarme, a friend of Andriani, and his excellent food truck-cum-pizzeria, Pupatella, started offering the Montanara ($12) on a limited basis earlier this year.

The last time Slice checked in with Arlington-based Pupatella was in November 2010. Since then, Enzo's been turning out the same great, authentic Neapolitan pies, with the exception that they've been VPN certified as of January 2011. The certification, incidentally, was overseen by Andriani, during which the two discussed the prospect of bringing the montanara to their respective cities. As we all know, Andriani went on to launch the fried pies at Forcella a few months later, but Enzo was limited by the size of his operation. After seeing the montanara take off in New York, however, Enzo eventually decided it was time to do it in the District.

The montanara lacks the charring of the margherita, but is richer and crisper.

For a long time, Enzo has been doing most of the heavy lifting at Pupatella. Although he's had the montanara in the back of his mind since his food truck days, having grown up eating it on the streets of Naples as a child, he didn't want to stretch himself too thin, lest the quality of his other pies suffer. When he was able to bring on some more employees earlier this year, he seized that opportunity to start offering the montanara on a limited basis. For those unfamiliar with what a fried pizza might actually entail, it's not all that different from a standard Neapolitan pie, save for a minute or two in the fryer before being topped and thrown in the oven. The oil gives the dough a light crispness and airiness, while adding a dimension of savoriness not found in the montanara's unfried cousins.

The texture of the montanara is very different from a standard Neapolitan pie. Think carnival fried dough and you'll get an idea.

Pupatella is also a traditional friggitoria, offering staples like an assortment of arancini. One of Enzo's favorite items is the pizze fritte (a fried calzone), but it hasn't taken off as he'd hoped. He has high hopes for the montanara and depending on the level of demand, Enzo would love the opportunity to make it a permanent menu item. As he brings on employees he can trust to fry them to perfection, it could become a mainstay at Pupatella. If you're as happy as I am that D.C. is keeping up with New York's pizza scene in even the remotest aspect, it is your solemn duty to make it out to Pupatella and demand the montanara as frequently as possible.

All that said, I'd be remiss if I didn't check in on the quality of Pupatella's standard Neapolitan pies. The Margherita DOC ($12) is still going strong. The crust is at once crisp and chewy with a light char and beautiful leopard spotting. The sauce, mozzarella, and basil are well balanced and fresh. In other words—the same great, authentic pies with which Enzo has made Pupatella a D.C. favorite.

A well crafted Margherita pie is a thing of beauty.

If you're in the D.C. area and haven't had Enzo's montanara, you owe it to yourself (and to the rest of us) to try it (be advised—your best bet is to call ahead or check Pupatella's Facebook page to make sure they're offering the montanara that evening). If you've never been to Pupatella period, there's never been a better time to try one of the best pies, fried or otherwise, in D.C.

Pupatella

5104 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22205 (map)
571-312-7230; www.pupatella.com

About the author: Brian Oh is a Washington, DC based international development professional, food lover, and photographer. In his free time, you can usually find him chasing down a good burger or slice. Follow him on Twitter @brianoh11

[Photographs: Dave Konstantin]

Pizza CS

1596-B Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852 (map); 240-833-8090; PizzaCS.com
Pizza Style: Neapolitan
Oven Type: Stefano Ferrara wood-fired
The Skinny: Respectable Neapolitan comes to Rockville Pike.
Price: 11-inch pizzas, $8 to $13

Reaching north from the nation's capital, choked with traffic and strewn with strip malls and big-box stores, is Rockville Pike; normally a boulevard to be avoided at all costs. But just as one traverses a particularly dreary stretch and hopes are fading, there appears Pizza CS, a new and respectable Neapolitan joint in an unremarkable shopping center.

Operated by local restaurant veterans Jon Allen and Ankur Rajpara, CS's Stefano Ferrara oven offers up a nice pie at a good price. While not exhibiting the depth of flavor or dazzling execution of a Pupatella (the region's standard-bearer across the river), pizzas at CS are satisfying and the atmosphere is friendly, if fluorescently drab.

The prosciutto pie is a pleasing balance of salty cured meat, creamy fresh mozzarella, and bitter arugula, with a nice jolt of Grana and garlic. The crust at Pizza CS is fine but not great, considering the potential of that oven. It's well-bubbled and lightly charred, but lacks complexity in both taste and texture—maybe these traits needed a bit more time to develop. That said, if this was your first Neapolitan pie you'd find it startlingly good.

CS's Margherita pizza is a good example of the classic, made with crushed San Marzano tomatoes and offered with mozzarella from either a water buffalo or cow. Again, the crust is average for the style, but perfectly acceptable.

A telling test of dough quality is whether you go back and eat the scattered crusts once you've consumed the interior of the pie. Here the answer is probably not, but the potential is there for improvement.

The CS white pizza is what might be called a filetti or filetto elsewhere. The wan grape tomatoes, in place of the usual brilliant cherry variety, diminished what could have been a beautiful composition and suggested a lapse in ingredient quality that the best pizzerias never allow.

This inattention to detail was also evident in the house salad, served in a sad little woven-wood cafeteria bowl, with an astringent and curiously viscous dressing. The same ingredients spread on a simple white plate and properly dressed would have turned a miss into a hit.

In short, Pizza CS is a welcome addition to a Neapolitan-starved swath of the Maryland suburbs, and a fine place to eat while out shopping. With a little more effort and focus, it could someday become a destination in itself.

Daily Slice gives a quick snapshot each weekday of a different slice or pie that the folks at the Serious Eats empire have enjoyed lately.

[Photographs: Hawk Krall]

I'm definitely doing it wrong. Having my first taste of New Haven style Apizza in Washington D.C. is sort of like trying your first Half-Smoke in Connecticut. While I can't say if Pete's is comparable to the real thing, I can definitely tell you it's a damn fine slice of pizza. The Margherita has a thin crisp crust, a light layer of flavorful sauce, and just the right amount of oozing mozzarella and chopped fresh basil.

The sausage pie was a little sloppier, but definitely still satisfying, especially with the crumbled knobs of fennel sausage. Not life-changing, or all that different from other thin-crust pizza I've had, but definitely a solid slice that made me seriously think about booking a trip to Connecticut.

Pete's New Haven Style Apizza

4940 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington D.C (map)
818-980-8555; petesapizza.com

About the author: Hawk Krall is a Philadelphia-based illustrator who has a serious thing for hot dogs. Dig his dog drawings? Many of the illustrations he has created for Hot Dog of the Week are available for sale: hawkkrall.net/prints/.

[Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

We, the Pizza

305 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington DC 20003 (map); 202-544-4008; wethepizza.com
Pizza Style: Roughly New York–style
Oven Type: Gas deck
Price: Slices, $3 to 4; 14-inch pizzas, $16; 16-inch pizzas, $18

When Slice reporter Dave Konstantin previously reviewed Spike Mendelsohn's (of Top Chef fame) new pizzeria We, The Pizza, he pointed out some serious flaws in their basic product. Namely, the dough was dense, and the bones were far too fat.

Seeing as I'd just made a quick detour through Washington D.C. to check out Spike's next door burger joint Good Stuff Eatery (check out my review over on A Hamburger Today. Spoiler: it's not good), I figured it'd be worth an update to see if any of the problems have been fixed in the half year that's passed since they first opened.

The good news: most of Dave's concerns had been addressed and remedied.

The bad news: it's still bad pizza.

Unlike with Good Stuff Eatery, where the chef clearly knows what makes for a delicious burger, but fails to deliver on it, I think the basic problem at We, The Pizza is that Spike simply doesn't know what good pizza is. I can think of no other way to explain the poor New York-style pies the place is pumping out.

At first glance, the pies do resemble a typical New York by-the-slice pizza, but the crust is painfully bland. Dense, underseasoned and flat tasting, with very little browning on the top. The undercarriage comes out an even dark golden brown and is crisp enough, but lacks any sort of proper chewiness. Thick and doughy, it's simply unpleasant stuff to chew on.

Things take another turn for the worse with the sauce, which lacks brightness, freshness and acidity and tastes heavily of dried herbs and tinny tomatoes. The only saving grace—and it barely saves these slices—is the cheese, which is fine. Creamy and stretchy, at least when it's melted.

Perhaps the most frustrating part of the entire experience was the service. After placing my order with a rather confused cashier ("A plain slice and a pepperoni slice, please." "That'll be $7.77" [hands over money, receives change] "Oh, by the way, we don't have pepperoni right now. Is sausage ok?" "Uh... I guess so?") and balking at how crazy expensive it is, I expected to see my slices picked up from the display case and immediately popped into the oven to reheat.

No such luck. I was handed a beeper and told to wait. A full 17 minutes later (I know, because I checked the time stamps on my photos), I was finally paged back to pick up two lukewarm slices, the cheese on the sausage slice barely melted.

Spike has claimed that Una Pizza Napoletana (formerly of New York) and Grimaldi's were two of the inspirational pies he tasted while developing his pizza style. I would believe Sbarro or perhaps Famous Famiglia, though there, at least your food is served hot and fast.

He's also said in interviews that he aims to expand the concept nationally, and from the way it's set-up, you can tell. I can think of few things more frightening than a nation dotted with yet another completely mediocre pizza chain, this time hiding behind the curtain of "seasonal and local."

It's places like this that truly makes one appreciate the mom-and-pop's that continue to put out delicious pies all over the country—pizzas built on the love of good food, not the desire for world domination. Ed has a theory that every single good pizzeria in the world is owner-occupied, and with several great options in D.C., there's simply no reason to ever set foot in here. We, The Pizza is further evidence that "pizza concepts" simply do not work.

With enough training, you could teach a monkey to make good burgers. Not so with pizza. It requires skill, attention, and above all, care at every step of the process. We, The Pizza delivers none of these.

[Photographs: Dave Konstantin]

Pizzeria da Marco

8008 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814 (map); 301-654-6083; pizzeriadamarco.net
Pizza Style: Neapolitan
Oven Type: Stefano Ferrara wood-fired
The Skinny: Finally—serious Neapolitan in Bethesda.
Price: 12-inch pizzas, $8.50 to $13

Just over the line from the Nation's Capital, Bethesda, MD boasts an impressive array of upscale bars and restaurants, but has always lacked a true Neapolitan pizzeria. Not any more. Pizzeria da Marco occupies an impressive building of its own, conveniently located on Woodmont Avenue, and after only a month is turning out some terrific pies. Well-known pizzaiolo Dino Santonicola is at the helm of an Italian-made Stefano Ferrara wood-burner (one of only a few in the US), and plating some really nice pizzas.

Da Marco's Margherita D.O.P., with mozzarella di bufala and cherry tomatoes, is a worthy rendition of the classic, with a yeasty, crisp-chewy crust. Yes, it's a little wet in the middle, but deal with it, Yelp whiners—that's just how it's done. A million people in Naples like it that way.

A sauceless Porchetta special was on the menu the day we visited. While not the prettiest pizza in the place, the smokiness of the pork and chew of the mushrooms worked beautifully with the rich mozzarella for a very pleasing result. The ample cheese and salty meat made for a very luxurious pie.

Santonicola uses a blend of two Caputo flours, Pizzeria and general-use Farina (both superfine 00) for a crust that's excellent—tender, flavorful, and with real character—but not quite at the astonishing level of a Pupatella. Very respectable nonetheless.

A virtually perfect and extremely satisfying pizza was the Ruchetta, with smoked mozzarella, prosciutto, arugula, cherry tomatoes, and shaved Parmesan. This combination is simply dynamite, and it was a relief to see this pie made with fresh tomatoes instead of sauce. Don't miss this one—it's salty, juicy, and smoky, with fresh greens that are just bitter enough for a perfect balance.

Alessandro Ferro, da Marco's general manager and an owner, welcomes customers warmly and keeps a close eye on the spacious and handsome dining room. He shared his experience in getting a building permit in Montgomery County: Even though the structure is ideal for a straight-through-the-roof chimney, inspectors insisted that a huge exhaust hood be installed directly above the oven (see photo at top). This is surely getting some laughs in the old country, but you do what it takes to get that permit.

Appetizers and salads are excellent as well, with first-rate ingredients evident across the menu. Ultimately, Pizzeria da Marco is a valuable addition to the DC pizza scene and brings top-notch Neapolitan to Bethesda at long last.

[Photographs: Dave Konstantin]

The Liberty Tavern

3195 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington VA 22201 (map); 703-465-9360; thelibertytavern.com
Pizza Style: Neapolitan-inspired
Oven Type: Earthstone gas-fired
Price: 12-inch pizzas, $12 to $16

The street-level bar at The Liberty Tavern in Clarendon is one of the hottest nightspots for young professionals in the DC suburbs. The burgers and bar menu are well-regarded, and its reputation as a serious restaurant is firmly established. What many people don't realize is that there's a gas-fired Earthstone oven upstairs turning out some decent pizza.

Though not Neapolitan in the strict sense, their 12-inch pies are well-crafted and feature top-notch ingredients. Liberty's take on the Margherita is the Classico, a bit steep at $15 but nicely done. The crust is much crisper than expected in a true Neapolitan pizza, but still flavorful and pleasing overall. The cheese is billed as bufala mozzarella, but if true it has a surprising chewiness. Bufala needs to be drained of excess liquid, and it's possible this was taken to an extreme.

Liberty's Forest Mushroom pie is a rich and savory combination of mushrooms, truffles, mozzarella, provolone, arugula, and sage—though of course for $15, the truffles aren't actually visible. It's a really nice pizza, but again the crust is almost cracker-like, with no spring at all. This may be due to too much time in the oven at less-than-optimal temperatures—the display on the Earthstone read only 550-600 degrees.

Housed in a beautifully renovated, historic Arlington building, the atmosphere at Liberty Tavern is warm and relaxed, and the service is attentive. Pizza is just one element in a creative American menu, and the gas-fired oven (with an occasional log) is used in the preparation of other dishes as well. Liberty Tavern may never be a pizza destination, but there are many reasons to visit, and while you're there the pies are fine.

More DC and Northern Virginia Reviews

Il Canale »
Faccia Luna »
Pupatella »
Fire Works »

[Photographs: Dave Konstantin]

Faccia Luna Trattoria

2909 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington VA 22201 (map); 703-276-3099; faccialuna.com
Pizza Style: New York–style
Oven Type: Gas deck
Price: 10, 12, 14, and 16-inch pizzas, $8.95 to $22.75

With wood-fired pizzerias sprouting up all over the Washington area (some great, some not-so-great), it's easy to forget about the New York-style, deck-oven pizza that dominated the scene until very recently. Five years ago, most people here thought Neapolitan was a type of ice cream. Where did we even eat before 2 Amys and Paradiso and RedRocks?

Faccia Luna in Arlington has been a standby for nearly two decades, and still serves a very satisfying pie. The handsome restaurant, in a prime Clarendon location, is a favorite with families and singles alike and offers terrific pizza along with a well-rounded Italian menu. All pies are available in miniature-to-gargantuan sizes and could almost hold their own if transported north to the tri-state area.

Faccia Luna's Margherita (we'll indulge the use of that name) is your basic tomato and mozzarella incarnation, and is about as close as you'll come to NY-style in DC. The endcrust is somewhat puffier than the archetype, but it's yeasty, beautifully browned, and has a pleasing spring. The cheese is commercial mozzarella, and while there's a bit more than absolutely necessary, it adds a good chew to the slice. There's a well-balanced sauce, not too sweet and wisely applied, that completes the formula and doesn't draw undue attention to itself.

Beyond this, the offerings are nearly limitless, with no fewer than thirty toppings available and a dozen named pizzas on the menu. The Melanzane Bianco is a real winner, with generous slices of rich sauteed eggplant and creamy goat cheese on a mozzarella base.

While no one outside the region has yet been able to replicate the magic formula that results in what people in New York call "pizza," Faccia Luna makes a valiant effort and succeeds in numerous ways. You're happy while you're there, you're happy when you leave, and—with any luck—you're happy the next day when you see the box in the fridge.

[Photographs: Dave Konstantin]

il Canale

1063 31st Street, NW, Washington DC 20007 (map); 202-337-4444; ilcanaledc.com
Pizza Style: Neapolitan
Oven Type: Wood-fired
Price: 12-inch pizzas $10-17

Real Neapolitan pizza has finally come to Georgetown. Joe Farruggio's Il Canale on 31st Street at the C&O Canal boasts an impressive wood-fired oven built on site by Italian craftsmen. Though not quite in the same league as Orso in Falls Church (Slice review) or Pupatella in Arlington (Slice review), Il Canale certainly serves Georgetown's best pizza. Housed in a smartly decorated townhouse with two levels of dining and a charming rooftop terrace, it's an inviting place to relax and enjoy an affordable meal.

Georgetown is home to congressmen, senators, and diplomats, and is also a popular destination for tourists and young locals—Il Canale is right in the heart of it. Some would say that Pizzeria Paradiso on nearby M Street also serves a Neapolitan pie, but that's quickly disproven by Paradiso's dry, crunchy, cornmeal-coated crust. Wood-fired, yes. Neapolitan, no.

Il Canale will more likely satisfy a craving for Neapolitan-style pizza. The Margherita is thoughtfully assembled from top-quality ingredients (including Italian buffalo mozzarella), and overall is a pleasure, though I'd like to see a lighter hand with the sauce. The crust is has a slightly crisp exterior and good chew but lacks the character and depth of flavor found in a truly excellent pie. I'd say this pizza falls in the 95th percentile of DC pies, and 15 years ago, it would have been in the 99th.

The Filetti, with its creamy buffalo mozzarella and juicy cherry tomatoes, is a delight, but again the crust comes up just a bit short, with a certain uniformity of color and surface texture in the cornicione.

The Italia is a white pizza topped (after baking) with salty, paper-thin prosciutto, a generous handful of peppery arugula, and shards of shaved Parmesan. The sauce is wisely left off, as tomato and prosciutto never really play well together. It's a brilliant combination of flavors and textures, and a very satisfying pie.

Il Canale offers a full Italian menu for both lunch and dinner, along with a compact but well-rounded wine list. With friendly service and a welcoming atmosphere, it's quickly becoming a favorite among Georgetowners and visitors alike. The pizza may not be the DC area's absolute best, but it's close enough to warrant a try.

[Photographs: Dave Konstantin]

We, the Pizza

305 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Washington DC 20003 (map); 202-544-4008; wethepizza.com
Pizza Style: Roughly New York–style
Oven Type: Gas deck
Price: Slices, $3 to 4; 14-inch pizzas, $16; 16-inch pizzas, $18

Spike Mendelsohn has cooked at Bouchon and Le Cirque. He's a decorated graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and was a contestant on Top Chef. So why are the pies at his newest venture, We, the Pizza, so disappointing?

The much-ballyhooed new pizzeria, just three blocks from the U.S. Capitol, has a cool vibe and is doing great business, but the pizza just doesn't stack up. Tasty toppings and a nice sauce just can't overcome a crust that's shamefully dense and bland.

The crust is lacking in both flavor and crispness—and there's just so much of it. An extra-wide cornicione adds insult to injury; as you gnaw the toppings off, the fat discarded "bones" pile up.

Located next door to Mendelsohn's burger joint, Good Stuff Eatery, We, the Pizza is in a beautiful two-level space. As the only high-end pizzeria within walking distance of the Capitol and its many attendant office buildings, the business potential is huge. It's a real shame Mendelsohn didn't whip his crust into shape.

If you trimmed off the tube of third-rate bread that surrounds it, We, the Pizza's White Pie would actually be quite good, with its high-quality commercial mozzarella, tangy fontina, fresh ricotta, and mellow roasted garlic. The ingredients melt together beautifully and impart a creamy, savory richness.

The same is true for the pepperoni pie. The wide, thin medallions of meat have an intense spiciness and the oregano-accented sauce is tasty, but the moat of crust around it was just discouraging. On a better base, this would be a really admirable pizza.

We, the Pizza also offers pasta, salads, subs, and some good-looking chicken wings. Top Chef fans may swarm to Spike's latest spot, but true pizza aficionados, especially those who are all about the crust, will not be pleased.

Daily Slice gives a quick snapshot each weekday of a different slice or pie that the folks at the Serious Eats empire have enjoyed lately.

[Photos: Dave Konstantin]

Serious wood-fired pizza has finally come to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, just across the Potomac from the nation's capital. RedRocks Pizza Napoletana, the first expansion effort by the DC-based RedRocks is a success in many ways—the location is ideal, the space is beautiful, and the pies are solid.

While not quite reaching the heights of a Pupatella (Slice review) or 2 Amys (Slice review), RedRocks turns out a very respectable Neapolitan pizza. The crust is slightly breadier than others, but with a nice crispness on the outside and good flavor overall. We had the Filetto (mozzarella, tomato confit, and basil). It was very well-balanced, with a pleasing contrast between the creaminess of the cheese and the concentrated flavor of the tomato. Unlike a traditional filleto made with fresh cherry tomatoes, RedRocks uses strips of roasted tomato to excellent effect.

Service was very friendly and attentive, and the menu features a good range of non-pizza options such as calzones, antipasti, panini, and salads. RedRocks should have a long and successful run on historic King Street. They already have a challenger in Pizzeria Paradiso, now open for business a block or two from the river, but prices at Paradiso look significantly higher for comparable pies.

RedRocks Pizza Napoletana
904 King Street (between Alfred and Patrick Streets; map)
Alexandria VA 22314
703-717-9873
redrocksdc.com

[Photographs: Dave Konstantin]

Fire Works American Pizzeria & Bar

2350 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington VA 22201; map; 703-527-8700; fireworkspizza.com
Oven Type: Wood-fired
Price: 10-inch pizza, $10 to $11; 14-inch pizza, $16 to $17

I had high hopes for the recently opened Arlington outpost of Fire Works American Pizzeria. It's owned and operated by Tuskies Dining Group, known for the excellent Tuscarora Mill in Leesburg (and other respected venues)—by all rights it should be terrific.

Fireworks is located close to two of the finest pizzerias in the DC area—Pupatella (Slice review) and Pizzeria Orso (Slice review). Fireworks is just not in the same league.

The restaurant space is contemporary and very attractive, with glass all around and a comfortable feel. Service is excellent. But the pizzas are largely disappointing. We started off with the restaurant's signature pizza—the Fire Works—with sausage, onions, and peppers. It was a sloppy mess.

The display on the wide-mouthed, wood-fueled Wood Stone oven showed a floor temperature of only 500F and an ambient temp of 645F, so it's possible the pies are drying out from spending too much time in there. It was dry, dense, and bland.

Fire Works doesn't claim to be a Neapolitan joint (they serve "American" pizza, whatever that means), but I expected more from the Margherita. It seemed compressed, like it was losing a fight with gravity. There was too much sauce and the cheese was all wrong. This is a reminder that the mere presence of a wood-fired oven does not guarantee that great pizza is being served.

But the toppings on the Black Sheep pie (lamb sausage, spinach, feta, red onion) were quite tasty, helping this pizza rise above the plebian platform on which it was built.

With a great upscale location, just blocks from Courthouse Metro, and close to countless offices and apartments, I'm sure Fire Works will do fine as a bar that happens to serve pizza—they have more than 30 beers on tap. But as an actual pizzeria, in a region with so many superb alternatives, it just doesn't get off the ground.