Mia's Pizzas

While there are several pizza parlors in Bethesda, there are only three we would definitely recommend: Vace, Pizzeria Da Marco, and Mia’s Pizzas. We have been to Mia’s several times and it has been solidly consistent on each and every visit.

Located on Cordell Avenue next to the brahness of Caddie’s, Mia’s features a simple interior with an open kitchen in the back, complete with wood-burning oven. The menu features a dozen or so small plates, bruschetta, salads, pasta, calzones, and of course, pizza. They also have nightly specials that range from roast pork loin to Italian-style pot roast.

I went with a known commodity, their Meatball Pie. Featuring homemade meatballs, meat tomato sauce, parmesan, and mozzarella, it’s one of my favorites. That’s attributed mostly to the house-prepared meatballs – they’re full of flavor, nicely seasoned, and most importantly, not dried out during the cooking process.

Since we had eaten all day at home for our “indoor tailgate” during Octobergedden, Rachel wasn’t too hungry and decided to order two kinds of bruschetta and a salad. One came with an eggplant spread and roasted red peppers, and the other was prepared with butternut squash bits, goat cheese, and balsamic. Her salad consisted of arugula, pear, and gorgonzola.

Needless to say, she should have gone with pizza. It’s not to say they weren’t good dishes, but they fell flat in her mind. The cheese with the salad didn’t pair will with the arugula as it stuck together. The bruschetta with squash was actually small squash bits with cheese crumbles and fell apart as she tried to pick up the pieces. She liked the eggplant one better, but it was a little salty in her opinion. Like we said, your best bet is to stick with the pizza. She did eye some of the other small plates, and I’m sure the mac and cheese or deviled eggs would have been tasty too.

Mia’s is even more worth it if you’re with a party of four or more. That way, you can share and sample a variety of their small plates as well as their pies. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a casual night out in an unpretentious setting, Mia’s Pizzas is definitely the way to go.