The fact that this is the area’s only Salvadoran restaurant and pizzeria makes this Petworth destination one of the most intriguing places to eat in an area full of cross-cultural experiments. The fact that its pizzas are as good as, if not better than, those from more hallowed operations earns it a place on this list.
Owners Jose and Reyna Velasquez spent nearly two decades at Pizzeria Paradiso. Their crust–thin, with a crunchy bottom and chewy perimeter–adheres to the boutique ideal but rejects its austerity when it comes to cheese and toppings. The result is more generous, recalling the pies you find up and down the Northeast corridor.
The carne deshilada (a steak-and-egg scramble) and tamales? Unusual sidekicks, but delicious in their own right.
Also good: Pizzas such as the Explosive (salami, black olives, and roasted tomato), the Puttanesca (anchovies and black olives), and the plain Moroni.
Open Monday through Saturday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Sunday for lunch and dinner.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
