District of Pi - Penn Quarter, DC

My younger cousin is pretty much at our place every other weekend. We hang out, eat, watch TV and eat some more! After eating healthy during the week, we justify weekend fattiness by ordering pizza when he's over. Eventually, this habit turned into a new tradition we call Pizza Saturdays (creative, I know). We've tried so many places around our Rockville, and decided to head into DC to try District of Pi.

 Don't drive unless you want to pay a lot for garage parking, waste time looking for a meter, or deal with traffic. It's like 1 block from the Gallery Place-Chinatown station on the green/yellow/red line.

This was the coolest looking pizza joint I've ever seen. The lighting made it look more upscale, while the napkins and tile floors kept it casual.

Look at that chandelier! Fancy stuff I tell you. They also have an upstairs seating area that overlooks the ground floor.

As their front sign suggests, they have pizza and beer! They have an extensive bar with over 20 beers on tap. I ordered the Allegash White, which I've had elsewhere and enjoyed. I'd recommend it if you are a fan of Belgium White beers that are slightly fruity and crisp tasting.

For our appetizer, we ordered the Garlic Bread (warm fresh bread served with a blend of butter & extra virgin olive oil and a bulb of roasted garlic) for $5. I was a bit hesitant when the bf ordered it since I didn't want to fill up on bread, but wow! If you are a garlic fan, you will be jumping for joy. They give you toasted bread along with a roasted bulb of garlic. The garlic has been softened in the roasting process, so you just scoop a clove out with your knife and spread it like butter. 

What originally brought us here was my cousin's recent love of Chicago deep dish. He went to Chicago earlier this year and his pizza experiences just haven't compared since. The only other places we've tried with deep dish are Armand's and Uno's.

We ordered the South Side Classico (mozzarella, sausage, mushrooms, green bell peppers, onion) for $23, which was massive! We ordered the large, though we should have ordered the small for $18. Don't forget to take into consideration the thickness of this pizza, so you are getting a lot of food for the price. 

Doesn't it look amazing? The sauce was chunky, tangy and prevented the toppings from sliding off. The crust had a flaky texture, which I actually ate and didn't pawn off to the bf. I know the new "thing" is brick oven pizzas, but don't forget about deep dish folks! I enjoyed it, the bf was impressed, and the Chicago-loving-cousin was satisfied. 

Our server was friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. Food came out in a timely fashion. I have no complaints! I'd love to come back since it's close to the Metro, fun, trendy, and delicious. If you're not in the mood for deep dish, they also offer thin crust pizzas.

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

Haven Pizzaria Napoletana - Bethesda, MD

Bethesda has a new pizza place - Haven Pizzaria Napoletana! The bf and I were invited to check out what makes their pizza different.
Look at all the food bloggers listening to Chef Mark Bergami speak. It's nice being around people asking interesting food questions, and knowing NOT to eat until we've all taken pics =)

The their bar has a gorgeous wine display and their casual, yet upscale decor fits for families, business lunches and dates. 

Other than pizza, their menu consists of Starters: Arugula Salad, Romano Salad, Haven Arance Salad and Have Potato Chip.

The ovens are 'one of a kind'! They have two 1000lb ovens that are 12x12 ft wide and completely coal operated. This picture doesn't do it justice, but they are huge! I wonder how many times people have tripped over or got hit with the pizza peels.

We washed down our meal with Foxen Park Sodas that are very poplar in Haven, CT.

The we tried many of their pizzas but shown below are the Tomato Pie and Haven White Clam Pie (my favorite!). The char on the bottom of the pizza gives it a nice flavor and the dough has a nice chew to it.

I don't know if you can see how they slice the pizza, but it's cut into 4ths, then each 4th is cut into 3rds diagonally. This is to prevent one from folding it like a NY-Style slice. Cool, huh?    

They also make their gelato in-house daily in their Italian batch freezer! It's half the fat of ice cream and have a smooth silky texture.

Definitely a place to check out! 

7137 Wisconsin Ave
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 664-9412
havenpizzeria.com

Comet Ping Pong - Chevy Chase, DC

Pizza and ping pong anyone? The bf and cousin helped me use my Living Social deal at Comet Ping Pong. Interestingly enough, I had driven by this place a bazillion times going downtown, yet it was an episode of Food Network's Diners, Drive-In's and Dives that caught my attention. There is outdoor seating and ping pong tables when the weather is nice. There is street parking around the restaurant. The closest metro station is Tenleytown-AU on the red line.

I had no idea what to expect, but the decor reminded me of an 80's tennis court (?) The splotchy concrete and iron benches didn't make the place feel welcoming even though it is a chill place. I wonder if it looks cooler at night. It gets really loud with the concrete and metal throwing off the acoustics too.

The bf thought it was awesome that Bruce Lee was on the menu. If you haven't seen the clip of "him" playing ping pong with nunchucks, it's really tight.

The main focus of the menu is brick oven pizza, which comes in one size - around 10 inches. It's a good personal size. A limited amount of starters and desserts are also offered along with a full bar.

My cousin ordered The Hottie (Jalapeno, Comet Sauce, Pepperoni, Fontina) for $11. I don't mind fattiness, but do you see the puddle of grease? It wasn't spicy as the name would suggest either, and tasted like a typical pepperoni pizza. This was the bf's preference.

The bf ordered The Smoky (Smoky Mushrooms, Smoky Mozzarella, Smoky Bacon, melted onions, garlic) for $13. He wished there was marinara sauce (like on The Hottie) and found the flavors too smoky. This was my preference.

After seeing this pizza on TV, I ordered the Yalie (Fresh Clams, garlic, melted onions, Thyme, Parmesan, Lemon) for $15. It tasted fresh and it was a very different pizza, yet I found it a bit bland for my taste. This was my cousin's favorite.

We shared a dessert of Salted Caramel & Praline and Coconut ($5 for 2 scoops). The ice cream was made of local and organic ingredients. The texture was very creamy, but they both tasted very much the same, which was like vanilla. So that was disappointing.

Check out the back room! Who doesn't love free entertainment?

I lost every game we played after lunch but it was fun, and the boys had a blast.

As my pizza comments suggested, we all preferred someone else's pizza. So 2/3 of the way through the meal, we traded clockwise. The environment and concept is very different from other brick oven places in the city, but the pizza itself didn't shine. For the portion size, I found the price to be high. As a group, we felt the ping pong was the highlight of our lunch. The demographic is inclusive of everyone because there was a kid's birthday party at the same time yuppies were grabbing some drinks at the bar.

5037 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20008
(202) 364-0404
www.cometpingpong.com

Matchbox - Rockville, MD

I was waiting forever for this location to open! I've heard so much about Matchbox's wood-fired pizza in Chinatown, so when their new Rockville location opened I went with a group of friends to try it. Located in Wintergreen Congressional Plaza, there is plenty of parking. The closest metro stop is Twinbrook on the red line.

The space is so HUGE! There is a full ground level, part of a second floor and then one larger table above everyone else, which is where we sat. I love the front wall. It reminds me of some alien-invaded barn (strange, I know), but it looks super cool. Even though it looks nice, I think there is a lot of wasted space. When the weather is nice, there are 2 outdoor patios and fire pits.

I ordered a cocktail, Pamatea (firefly sweet tea vodka, pama pomegranate liquor, lemon zest) for $8, which I actually hated. It was so strong I couldn't enjoy it and ended up giving it to a friend.

2 of my friends ordered Cream of Crab Soup (jumbo lump crab, sherry, gruyere) for $6. We all tried it and it was delicious! It is very rich though, so perhaps a cup rather than a bowl would be better if you were ordering pizza too.

The wood-fire masonry oven heats up to over 800 degrees, which gets a nice crispy crust. Our group of 7 shared 4 pizzas (clockwise from left):
-Veggie (cremini mushrooms, spanish onions, roasted poblano peppers, roasted garlic, mozzarella, fresh herbs, fingerling potato crisps) for $18 with chicken $2
-Fire & Smoke (fire roasted red peppers, spanish onions, chipotle pepper tomato sauce, garlic puree, smoked gouda, fresh basil) for $19
-Prosciutto white (kalamata olives, fresh garlic puree, ricotta, extra virgin olive oil, mozzarella) for $13
-Sweet sopresatta & wild mushroom (fresh herbs, zesty tomato sauce, mozzarella) for $19. 
I enjoyed the Prosciutto white the best! It was the only small we got and it was 1 of 2 that didn't have tomato sauce. A table favorite was the Fire & Smoke because it was spicy.

How cute! My cousin and I's birthday is 6 days apart, so we both received a Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding (banana, rum caramel, fresh whipped cream) for $8 with candles on them. I'm very critical of bread puddings, so I thought it was good but still didn't compare to Gordon Biersch.

The service was great because the server was very competent and food came out quickly. The pizza was good, but I wouldn't say it was better than any other wood-fired pizza I've had before. They're also a bit pricey at close to $20 for a large, thin pizza. They also offer a unique seating arrangement in front of the wood-fire oven where you can watch the pizzas being made.

1699 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 816-0369
www.matchboxrockville.com

Flippin Pizza- Bethesda, MD

The bf and I were craving pizza one night and we usually order from Pizza Hut or Papa John's but I wanted us to try something new. I checked Yelp and found good reviews for the New York-Style pizza of Flippin Pizza.
Located in a shopping center at Old Georgetown Rd and Democracy Blvd, there is plenty of parking. The closest metro stop is Grovesner-Strathmore on the red line.

The interior is casual, slightly industrial. This is the counter where you place your order. It's open enough for you to see the ovens they use.

This place is tiny! There are some tables lining one wall, and maybe 3 tables around the register.

Right next to the register is their display of pizza that you can buy by the slice for $3 each. They offer 6 types to choose from.

On their menu, they offer 8 different types of pizza for $18 each. They only come in 1 size (18"). They also offer a cool deal, '2 slices and a drink for $5', so we both got that.

I got 'Whitestone (Delicious ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan and fresh garlic, lightly sprinkled with basil) and Triboro (A hearty offering of meatballs, sausage and pepperoni'. I liked the Whitestone better, and the consistency of the pizza. Yes, they're a bit greasy, but that's ok in my book.

The bf got 'Bronx (A hefty offering of pepperoni, sausage, onions, black olives, green peppers and garlic) and Tomato Basil (A blend of garlic, fresh chopped basil, parmesan and mozzarella, topped with freshly sliced tomatoes'. The bf the actually didn't care for the consistency of the pizza. He thought it was too dry.

Personally I enjoyed the pizza and thought it was flavorful. I like the price and size of the slices. Good place for a quick bite, or delivery because it is free within a certain radius. The service was poor though. We were only spoken to when we were told the price, then it was back to texting on a cell phone. Whatever, we all had a high school job once... They also offer salads and calzones to go along with your meal.

10400 Old Georgetown Rd
Unit 5-D
Bethesda, MD 20817
www.flippinpizza.com


Sunday-Thursday: 10:30am-10pm
Friday-Saturday" 10:30am-11pm

Giuseppi's- Rockville, MD

Dinner and a movie is such a relaxing way to start off a weekend. The bf and I went to see Alice in Wonderland 3D at Regal in Rockville Town Square, and had dinner at this pizza place called Giuseppi's a few doors down. We wanted something fast and affordable. There is free parking a few blocks away and garage parking. The closest metro stop is Rockville on the red line.

Very fun and colorful interior! The yellow part of the wall shows off their love for the Pittsburgh Steelers. There are arcade machines in the back to entertain the kids.

Plenty of tables and seating along the walls.

I got the 'Everyday Pizza Special- 2 slices of cheese and a large soda' for $4.50. Each extra topping is 25 cents. I got mushroom and pineapple on different slices. I thought the mushroom slice was better only because it was a lot of crushed pineapple and it wasn't that sweet. The pizza itself is thin and chewy with a crispy bottom layer.

The bf ordered the '12in Giuseppi's Italian Sub- ham, cappacolla, salami, provolone cheese' for $8.50. No complaints from him on this sub!

It's a family-owned and run place. You can tell they support their community with all of the photos and items hanging on the walls. The owners are very funny and personable when they're working there. The food is very affordable and they serve pizzas, salads, subs, calzones, platters and appetizers. Their 'Dinner and a Movie' deal is awesome: with each $5 purchase, get a movie ticket for $6.50.
199-L E. Montgomery Ave
Rockville, MD 20850
301-424-0413
Website

Mia's Pizzas - Bethesda, MD

The bf and I were starving the other week, so we decided to try Mia's Pizza on a whim. Its located in downtown Bethesda with metered street parking and metered garage parking. The restaurant is also accessible by metro on the red line via the Bethesda stop.

The exterior is simple but very inviting, and I love the outdoor dining option for the approaching warm weather. I love enjoying a meal outside when the weather is beautiful.

The interior is quite small. This picture shows pretty much the entire space minus the bar and foyer. I love the high ceilings, the soft lighting, and the clean lines and paint colors. It's a causal restaurant with a splash of elegance.

The bar is a nice spot to grab a glass of wine, get a quick meal, or even a place to relax and catch on the the day's news. 

In the foyer there were a bunch of awards from local papers and magazines. I actually heard about the restaurant after reading it on the Downtown Bethesda Guide. 

Sorry for the dim pics... oh the soft lighting. Ok, onto the good stuff!

Even though it's called Mia's Pizzas, they offer some other entree options. The bf ordered their 'Meatball Sub - Hot Italian meatballs, marinara sauce, melted fontina cheese on a hoagie roll' for $9.95. The sub came with a small side of salad too. He said it tasted good and high quality, but was small.

I ordered one of their wood fired pizzas, 'Alsace - Pancetta, gruyere cheese, parmesan, caramelized onions & thyme' for $12.95. I actually loved it a lot! I think it was the flavor combinations between the salty pancetta (similar to bacon), the sweet caramelized onions and the freshness of the thyme. I thought the dough had a nice chewiness, and I enjoyed the crust, which is my least favorite part of any pizza. The server also came by to grate fresh parmasean cheese over the pizza.

I was only able to finish 3/4 of it, so I took the last bit home. This is what it looks like close up. Some advice, don't reheat it in the microwave regardless of how hungry you are because it ends up really chewy.

The 13 pizzas are all made in a wood fire oven and only come in one size, which is pretty much a personal size. They offer calzones, sandwiches, salads and appetizers between $3.50-12.95. I wished they offered complementary bread and dipping olive oil, but you can get it on the menu for $3.50. Cupcakes are offered on their dessert menu, which is a neat idea.  The prices are a bit pricey for a small pizza and small sub, however the quality is high, and $25 for 2 is awesome.

4926 Cordell Avenue Bethesda, MD 20814

301-718-6427