“Buona” at All-Purpose
1250 Ninth St., NW; 79 Potomac Ave., SE
The chewy, partly whole-wheat crust stands up to pepperoni, basil, and a drizzle of hot honey.
“Ca-Lamb-ity J’s” at Comet Ping Pong
5037 Connecticut Ave., NW
Zesty lamb sausage and sweet pickled onions are mellowed with tzatziki and feta.
“Vongole” at 2 Amys
3715 Macomb St., NW
The crust is faithfully Neapolitan, holding cockles, capers, and grana padano cheese.
Bottarga at Pizzeria Paradiso
Dupont Circle, Georgetown, Spring Valley, Hyattsville
Shavings of briny mullet roe cut through the richness of this egg-topped red pie.
Cheese at Vace
3315 Connecticut Ave., NW; 4705 Miller Ave., Bethesda
The cheese-on-the-bottom, sauce-on-top formula hasn’t changed in more than 40 years.
Margherita at Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana
12207 Darnestown Rd., Darnestown
It’s hard to choose a favorite at Tony Conte’s tiny spot, so we’ll go with this faithfully rendered classic, always on the ever-changing menu.
“Green Monster” at Timber Pizza Co.
809 Upshur St., NW
This one is loaded with pesto plus feta, zucchini, and kale.
“Grandma” at Wiseguy Pizza
Chinatown, Navy Yard, Foggy Bottom, Rosslyn, Pentagon City
Most pizzas here are New York–style, but these puffy, crunchy-bottomed squares, topped with fresh mozzarella and basil, are our go-to.
“Hot Mess” at Frankly Pizza
10417 Armory Ave., Kensington
Our favorite white pie in the area is done up with pickled jalapeños, cubes of bacon, and caramelized onions.
Butter-Chicken Pizza at Bella Indian Italian Cuisine
7423 Van Dusen Rd., Laurel
Two excellent takeout foods deliciously come together at this fusion spot.
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.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
