Our Ultimate Guide to D.C. Pizza

Explore the type of pizza your heart and taste buds desire with our guide. 

When you live in a city like D.C. you are surrounded by many options for pizza. What is especially cool is our city has lots of interpretations of pizza from around the U.S. and Italy. We have traditional Neapolitan pizza from Naples, deep dish Chicago pizza and even New Haven-style pizza. Head to the spots listed below to sample pizzas at each one.

Chicago-style pizza

Pi Pizzeria
Chicago is famous for their deep-dish pizza and for good reason. There is no other kind of pizza that is quite as decadent as deep-dish pizza. But no need to travel to Chicago to experience deep-dish glory; just head to Pi Pizzeria downtown. Their deep-dish pizzas are made with a cornmeal crust that is irresistibly thick and chewy, and the kitchen does not hold back when it comes to cheese or toppings. The western addition is a cheesy dream, with mozzarella, ricotta and feta cheese. Spinach and mushrooms bring an earthy note. Looking for even more veggies? Try the Berkeley, which is chock full of veggies like zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, olives and garlic. If deep dish pizzas aren’t your thing, Pi Pizzeria also has thin curst pizzas and, sticking with the pie theme, offer a delectable deep dish apple pie for dessert.

Google Maps: 910 F St. NW, DC
Website // Instagram

Detroit-style pizza

Emmy-Squared
Detroit style pizza is square-shaped with a super-crispy bottom and fried cheese crust. In other words, it is pure heaven. No one does Detroit style pizza in the DMV like Emmy’s does. Their decadent pizzas are next level. Their margherita comes with burrata instead of traditional mozzarella and their angel pizza is made with a truffle infused mushroom sauce, ricotta cheese and lots of mushrooms. With multiple options for vegans and gluten-free crust available, Emmy’s is also inclusive to those with dietary restrictions.

Google Maps: 1924 8th St. NW, DC; 1300 4th St. SE, DC
Website // Instagram

Pupatella. Credit: Chris Schwalm

Neapolitan pizza

Pupatella
Pupatella, which means “little doll,” is affectionally named for one of the owners’ grandmothers. The family hails from Naples, Italy and as such, takes traditional Neapolitan pizza very seriously. The pizzeria, which hosts eight locations around D.C. and Virginia, makes pizza in accordance with the requirements of the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association so that it can be certified as a true Neapolitan pizza. The requirements are that the pizza dough must be made with only four ingredients, specifically water, yeast, 00 flour, and sea salt, the pizza must be cooked in a wood-fired oven, and the pizza sauce must be made of San Marzano tomatoes grown in Italy. The result is the dreamiest of pizzas. While the restaurant’s menu includes a variety of creative concoctions like the spinach pizza with Italian cream sauce, spinach, pine nuts and roasted red peppers, and the tomato artichoke with heaps of roasted tomatoes and marinated artichokes, the best pizza on the menu is simply the margherita, where you can truly appreciate the smoky, airy crust, the fresh buffalo mozzarella, the fragrant basil leaves, and the luscious sweet but savory tomato sauce.

Google Maps: 1801 18th St. NW, DC
Website // Instagram

New Haven-style pizza

Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza
With its super thin and slight charred crust that New Haven pizza aficionados swear by, Pete’s New Haven Style pizza has quite the following in the D.C. area. The fast casual pizza shops have a variety of pizzas, and also offer the opportunity to make your own with toppings ranging from fried eggplant to banana peppers to vegan meatballs.

Google Maps: 4940 Wisconsin Ave. NW, DC
Website // Instagram

New York-style pizza

The Slice Joint
Opened by a former employee of famed pizzeria Roberta’s in New York, The Slice Joint is a classic New York pizza shop, where the pizzas are large and thin and you can fold the slices when you eat them, just the way New Yorkers love to do. The options are simple but delightful; there is nothing better than the classic cheese but if you are feeling more adventurous try the pesto veggie which uses pesto instead of tomato sauce and includes mozzarella, mushrooms, and spinach, or the fun girl, square shaped with three different kinds of cheese.

Google Maps: 1401 Pennsylvania Ave. SE DC, 20003
Website // Instagram

Sicilian pizza

Pizza Serata
If you love bread, Sicilian pizza is the best kind of pizza for you. At Pizza Serata, which is housed inside the Crooked Run brew pub, the dough is thick and slow-fermented and creativity is the name of the game. You will have a hard time choosing with options like the unicorn, with tomato, mozzarella, pickled cherry peppers, onions, honey, lemon ricotta and meaty roasted mushrooms and the classic white, with three different kinds of cheese and plenty of garlic. Insider tip: Pair your pizza with one of Crooked Run tasty beers; their IPAs are especially good.

Google Maps: 550 Morse St. NE, DC
Website // Instagram

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Priya Konings