As a New Yorker, I know pizza very well, and one of my favorite styles of pizza is Neapolitan. Small roundels of dough and toppings with soft, puffy crusts, pure tomato sauces, sizable chunks of fresh mozzarella, and a wide array of toppings to choose from like soppressata, Calabrian chilies, arugula, and countless more. Here are eight of the best Neapolitan pizza places in DC.
Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana
Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana, found just outside Gaithersburg, Maryland, is often hailed as one of the best pizza places in the DMV area, and even one of the best restaurants period in the DC area. Head chef Tony Conte cooks up hundreds of these beautiful pizzas daily in his 750-degree wood-fired oven, while also serving a variety of delicately plated appetizers, from roasted beets with pecans and maple vinegar to burrata with fig mustard. Although it's quite a trip from central DC, it's absolutely worth the journey.
2Amys Neapolitan Pizzeria
Located in the picturesque neighborhood of Cathedral Heights, 2Amys has been dishing out Neapolitan pies daily since 2001, to critical acclaim. Customers can find a huge number of toppings available, from cockles to fried eggplant to proscuitto di parma. All ingredients utilized by chef Peter Pastan and his brigade of highly skilled cooks are fresh and pair well with 2Amys extensive wine list. Despite suffering a flood in July 2018, 2Amys has continued to produce some of the best pizzas in DC.
Pupatella
Founded by Naples native Enzo Algarme, this Arlington restaurant has been firing some of the finest Neapolitan pies in Virginia. Pupatella is verified by the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association (VPN), meaning Algarme uses imported buffalo mozzarella, Italian flour and San Marzano tomatoes and follows precise regulations to ensure his pizzas are certified as authentic Neapolitan pies. Whether you find yourself shopping in the Ballston Quarter mall or craving some high-quality pizza, Pupatella is sure to hit the spot.
Il Canale
Located just off bustling M Street in Georgetown, Il Canale has been serving some of Georgetown's best pizza for several years, and was even included in the "70 Best Restaurants with Pizzeria in the World." Like Pupatella, Il Canale is VPN certified to have truly authentic Neapolitan pizza. If you're not in a pizza mood, then Il Canale has an array of well-crafted modern Italian dishes.
Pizzeria Orso
Opened in 2010 in Falls Church, Virginia, Bertrand Chemel's Pizzeria Orso serves up hundreds of wood-fired, VPN certified pies daily. Many of Orso's high-quality ingredients are shipped from Italy to ensure an authentic rendition of Neapolitan pizza is always produced. If you find yourself hungry in Northern Virginia, then this is one of the best places to go to.
Stellina Pizzeria
A relative newcomer to the DC restaurant scene, Matteo Venini's Stellina Pizzeria has been a welcome addition to the Union Market neighborhood. Only a couple of blocks from NoMA/Gallaudet U station, Stellina has already received rave reviews, and has become a neighborhood mainstay. Although it is not VPN certified, Stellina still serves up fantastic Neapolitan pies with several out-of-the-box pizzas such as the Tonno & Cipolle (pictured above) which comes with yellow tomato sauce, tuna, caramelized onions, fior di latte (cheese), and mint on top.
Pizzeria Da Marco
Pizzeria Da Marco, located just a couple of blocks from the Bethesda Metro station, serves up many creative pies as well as some of the classics. The crew of Da Marco utilize an extremely hot oven, made by the legendary Stefano Ferrara, ensuring pizzas are cooked very quickly to order. With over 25 toppings to choose from, there are tons of possible combos to satisfy your pizza urges.
Pizza CS
Ankur Rajpara and Jonathan Allen opened up their VPN certified pizzeria back in 2011 to impressive reviews, including an impressive 2-star review by the Washington Post. Although it's quite a journey from central DC, it's certainly worth it to enjoy some of the best pizza in the DMV area.