DMV Dining

When one thinks of Hawaiian pizza, ham and pineapple typically come to mind. But rest assured, Flatbread Company brings their own slice of authenticity to the island of Maui. In fact, it very well might be the best pizza on the island.

After a long day of driving the Road to Hana, we were downright exhausted. Having driven all the way to the Seven Sacred Pools, we headed back to town around 3:30pm. By the time we reached Paia, we were starving and looking for a casual place to eat. Flatbread Company fit the bill: pizza, beer, and plenty of seating.

I actually had no idea that Flatbread was a miniature chain as the restaurant has nine locations, all of which are located in New England for the exception of their Maui outpost. The company touts the use of local, organic ingredients and bakes their pizzas in a wood-fire, clay oven grill.

We started the meal off with their organic house salad as well as some local beer brewed by Maui Brewing Co. I had the Bikini Blonde Lager while Rachel got the CoCoNut Porter. Meanwhile the salad featured mesclun and sweet leaf lettuces from Kula, green papaya and carrots from Hale Akua, toasted sesame seeds, arame seaweed, and homemade pineapple vinaigrette.

As for the pizzas, we were torn on what to get considering our patented indecisiveness, but thankfully Flatbread Company has a solution for that: they will let you split your order so you can enjoy two varieties on one pie. Problem solved!

We decided on the Mopsy’s Kalua Pork which featured smoked free-range pork shoulder, pineapple, red onions, goat cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, and mango BBQ sauce. It was exceptional to say the least. The smoked pork was tender while the tangy sauce perfectly complemented the rest of the ingredients, giving the flatbread a nice twist on traditional Hawaiian pizza.

The other half was the Pa’ia Bay Ohana and was topped with caramelized onions, mushrooms, mozzarella, parmesan, and tomato sauce. This half resembled more of a traditional pizza in respect to its components, but the quality was of a higher caliber given the quality of the local ingredients.

Oh, and let’s not forget about the crust. Its thin, crispy texture practically transported me back to the east coast. Sliced into long pieces, it proved difficult to stop reaching for another slice. I really enjoyed both, but the pork/BBQ sauce combo made the Mopsy’s pie the clear winner in my eyes.

Overall, we had a great time at Flatbread Company. Our waitress was very helpful when we were deciding what to order and possessed that contagious, laid-back attitude that is so prominent in Hawaii. If Paia wasn’t so far from our hotel in Kaanapali, we would have come back at least a few more times. Next time we travel to New England, a stop at Flatbread Co. is a must.

We already wrote about Food Wine and Company when they first opened last fall, and while the restaurant definitely had a promising start, we thought the food was just okay yet was lacking some direction. Clearly our hunch was right, as since that time Food Wine and Co. has been through several chefs and growing pains.

One chef, the well-known Carole Greenwood, only made it 48 hours. Since then, we have noticed great changes in the menu and offerings. Their new chef, Michael Harr (formerly of Butterfield 9), brings much experience with him that is clearly evident in his dishes and overall presentation.

We have always enjoyed Food Wine and Co. and welcomed it as a much-needed replacement to the generic Pizzeria Uno’s. This past week was the first time I tried dinner there, and what better way to experience multiple dishes than during Restaurant Week.

Since their happy hour is one of the best in Bethesda (in our humble opinion) we couldn’t resist enjoying some drinks at the bar first. While the place is called Food Wine and Co., we should note their extensive beer selection. It’s one of the best in Montgomery County, which isn’t easy to do given their alcohol restrictions. Even better, their happy hour menu includes both beer and wine flights for $9.

I decided to get the beer flight, which included any four draft beers in 4oz pours. It was a great way to try some new beers that I haven’t tasted before, and after finding one I really liked, I ordered a full draft which also happened to be on special. They also had dollar oysters, so you know we couldn’t pass that up. We tried a mixture of Blue Point, Rappahannock, and Old Salts, and I have to say, they really are some of the best oysters I’ve tried recently, and at a dollar a piece no less!

Happy with our drinks and oysters, we made our way to the dining area for our reservation. I should point out that they did offer a fairly extensive menu for Restaurant Week. It wasn’t the complete menu, but it wasn’t just three entrees either. After some debate, I decided on the watermelon and tomato gazpacho with ricotta. It was light and refreshing, but not too chunky or heavy like some gazpacho dishes I have had. In fact, I had one earlier that day at Assaggi and you couldn’t even compare the two in terms of quality.

The main courses included everything from pizza to salads to sandwiches to mussels, as well as full entrees. I figured I might as well try one of their pricier selections, so I ordered the salmon with English peas, alba mushrooms, radishes, and a horseradish cream sauce. It was perfectly cooked, seared on the outside while medium rare on the inside. The vegetables that accompanied the salmon were so fresh that I felt like I was tasting part of summer. I was really happy with my dish but tried not to eat it all so I could save some room for dessert.

We decided to each pick a different dessert so we could try a few different ones. I ordered the Coconut Joy while my friends got the double chocolate bread pudding and the Elvis. I have to admit, I definitely had some food envy when I tried theirs. Mine was good, but it was originally supposed to have coconut and chocolate sorbet along with coconut macaroons, chocolate almonds, and rum syrup. Turns out they were out of the coconut sorbet and substituted it with raspberry instead. It was still decent, but it didn’t even compare to my friends’ dishes.

I would order the Elvis next time – peanut butter and chocolate ice cream, fudge crispies, sweet and salty peanuts, bananas and chocolate sauce. The bread pudding was to die for as well. And considering that I work in the same building as this restaurant, there will be many next times. I may have forgotten to mention that before, but Food Wine definitely isn’t a bad place to work right above! Maybe we can get a discount for being neighbors?

It’s not often that we write about a restaurant as soon as it opens, but Mike Isabella’s Graffiato was about as flawless as a debut as we could have imagined. Even though the Top Chef alum’s restaurant has now been open for several weeks, we have heard such positive word of mouth that we were eagerly counting down the days until our reservation last Wednesday night.

With our friends Pat and Fraser, we headed to Chinatown while discussing our game plan on what to order. When we arrived, the place was full to the brim but we were immediately seated by the hostess after checking in for our 8:30pm reservation. The modern yet simple interior was very inviting, and with two floors of space with a kitchen on each floor, Graffiato can certainly accommodate many guests.

Once we were seated upstairs, the four of us deliberated over ordering a la carte or getting the tasting menu for $55 per person. The tasting menu limited us to four courses, and while everyone would receive different plates, we still wanted to have the freedom of choosing our own dishes as we went along. Thus, we went the a la carte route. I don’t think any of us could imagine sharing 16 dishes!

Of course before ordering our food, the ladies couldn’t resist indulging themselves with a few glasses of prosecco. And how could you blame them when it’s the only venue in the city serving the sparkling Italian wine on tap? They also carried several local brews including DC Brau and Port City.

Even though Isabella is from Jersey, Graffiato gives off a sense of DC pride as it sources its ingredients from nearby farms and vendors. It emits an authentic neighborhood vibe despite Isabella’s nationally known mug from Top Chef. The fact that Mike himself was making rounds with customers all night made you feel at home which resulted in a nice, laid-back atmosphere.

Sorry for going off tangent – let’s get onto the food!

Up first was the bread basket which featured polenta, focaccia and raisin bread, along with olive oil jam and fresh ricotta. If this was a taste of what was to come, then we were in for one heck of a meal. All four of us devoured the freshly-prepared bread while scraping the ramekin clean of any leftover ricotta. Our only negative comment would be the fact that bread isn’t included and will cost you $5, but maybe they are going for a European feel there.

Next was the fresh stretched mozzarella with fava bean relish. This was one of my favorite dishes of the evening. I have never tasted mozzarella so fresh with such an engaging texture. Well done, Mike.

Following the excellent mozzarella was the polenta, accompanied with three spicy pork meatballs as well as a soft egg. I really enjoyed the meatballs even though they seemed to fall apart a little too easily. Blending the over-easy egg with the polenta and meatballs created a rich sauce which made the dish even more pleasurable.

The next plate was wood-roasted mushrooms with cherry peppers and mustard. While this should have been served earlier given the complexity of the previous dish, plus the fact the fungi are served cold, it was still another solid choice. The mushrooms were rich in flavor and were one of Pat’s favorite items of the night.

Our collective heads then turned towards the chicken thighs featuring Chef Isabella’s infamous pepperoni sauce. In all honesty, it didn’t quite meet the hype after Gail Simmons gushed about it back on Top Chef. That’s not to say it wasn’t good, because it most certainly was, but it wasn’t particularly mind-blowing. It more or less had the taste and consistency of wing sauce (we thought it would be thicker), but with a hint of pepperoni. The chicken, however, was excellently cooked.

While the pepperoni sauce was slightly underwhelming, our next dish shot us right back to euphoria. Words cannot express how delicious the gnocchi was. Just order it – you can thank us later. Served with braised pork shank and burrata, this dish was simply exceptional. The gnocchi was extraordinarily delicate while the pork was the perfect complement to Isabella’s pasta. Kudos to the chef on this one.

Our first pizza of the night (yes, we ordered two) was the Jersey Shore. Featuring fried tomato, provolone, cherry pepper aioli, and pieces of fried calamari placed atop each slice, this wasn’t your average pizza. The ingredients were fun, but there just wasn’t that much flavor coming out of the pizza. The calamari provided a nice, crunchy touch while the aioli almost tasted like the spicy mayo you would find on a California roll. At least the crust was nice and crispy, but as a whole, it was just lacking something.

Following the pizza was the wood-roasted octopus. Served with chickpeas and baby artichokes, we thought it was just average. In fact, I might have enjoyed the artichokes and its sauce more than the octopus. While nicely cooked, it lacked a distinctive char flavor that set it apart from superior versions found at Cava and Isabella’s old haunt Zaytinya.

Up next was the bone marrow. While Rachel and I had never had marrow before, Pat and Fraser recently ate it at Marrakesh and wanted to try it again. Served inside a split-open bone, the marrow was stuffed with pistachio, bread crumbs, and bacon crumbles. It was granular in texture and incorporated a bacon flavor that was a tad overwhelming at times. Interesting dish, but I’ll probably pass on this one next time.

Our second pizza of the evening, for a lack of a better term, knocked it out of the park. If you should order one pizza when dining at Graffiato, we highly recommend the Countryman. I’m glad our waiter purposely served the Jersey Shore first, as the Countryman was just on a whole other level. Topped with black truffles, fontina, and a duck egg whose yolk is spread over the surface by our server, this felt like you were eating deliciously rich pasta that happened to be on top of a pizza crust. Between the gooey egg yolk, robust fontina, and subtle hints of black truffles, it was a hit amongst all four of us. We have heard good things about the White House pizza too and may have to get that one next time as well.

We somehow still had room for dessert, so we ordered the chocolate tart as well as the unlisted zeppoles. Yes, the latter is not on the menu, but within less than a month it’s already achieved “Animal Style”-like status where it’s a secret but, well, not really a secret.

One reason why the zeppoles are not on the menu is because they are cooked to order, and they do take some time before they ultimately reach the table. It was well worth the wait, however, as they were purely outstanding. These fried dough balls, dusted with strawberry flavored powdered sugar, were piping hot and utterly delightful.

Meanwhile the chocolate tart was accompanied with olive oil and sea salt gelato, which gave the dessert a nice balance of sweet and salty. The tart even had some saltiness to it, but in the end, I think the zeppoles might have been our favorite of the two desserts.

Overall, we walked away very impressed with Graffiato. It’s a positive sign when even our least favorite dish was still good, you know? The service was first-rate, the atmosphere was pleasant, and the food was consistently great. We honestly cannot wait to go back and try many more of Chef Isabella’s dishes, as long as we order the gnocchi and zeppoles, of course.

We have already written extensively about the plans for the new Pizzeria da Marco in Bethesda, and last night we were finally able to try the pizza we had heard so much about. Just a week old, the restaurant is offering a special of half off all their pizzas till the end of May. We made sure to get over there last night to take advantage of the offer while we still could!

Entering the large space, I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by how nice it was. It resembled more of a nice restaurant than a casual pizzeria. With white table clothes, friendly waiters, and an extensive wine list, this was drastically different from standing in line to place an order at somewhere like Pete’s. Not that we don’t love Pete’s (because we really, really do), but this was a very nice experience overall.

After being seating as soon as we arrived, our waiter came by and explained the concept since we said it was our first time there. The pizzaiolo came from Naples with more than 20 years of experience, along with their trademark 900 degree oven. All of their ingredients are imported from Italy, and when the menu says tomato sauce, it is actually fresh tomatoes that liquefy on the pizza during the high heat cooking process. Sounds good to me!

We each ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio at an inexpensive price of $6 and quickly made our pizza selections. Even if we didn’t know about the 50% off special, the prices at Pizzeria da Marco were fairly reasonable for individual pizzas. I went the traditional route and got the Margarita P.O.C., which came with tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, basil, buffalo mozzarella, and Parmigiano. The waiter said I couldn’t go wrong with that choice, and he was right.

Now, we have seen some early reviews that lament on the soupy quality of the middle of the pizza. I have to admit, my pizza wasn’t something you could easy pick up by the piece. However, as I cut it with a fork and knife, I couldn’t get over the freshness of the ingredients and how well they went with the doughy crust with a light char on the outside. We discovered another way to eat the pizza is to fold the pieces like you would eat a New York slice, because they are not as crispy as say a slice from Vace.

The Feast posted an enlightening video of Executive chef Dino Santonicola explaining the difference in Neapolitan style pizza, and his explanation of juiciness may be more accurate than soupy. The insides of the cherry tomatoes might have contributed to that texture as well.

Brett ordered the Marco, which was prepared with tomato sauce, smoked mozzarella, mushrooms, Parmigiano, and sausage. His pizza appeared to be a little crispier than mine, but he also remarked on the high-quality ingredients and how fresh everything tasted. The bits of sausage scattered atop the pie were rich in flavor, not too dry, and complemented the smoked mozzarella and liquefied tomatoes.

Our waiter even brought out some fresh olive oil that he recommended we dip our crusts into, and doing so brought out more robustness to our pies. I’ve been to Naples and had their pizza, so I feel comfortable in saying that Pizzeria da Marco is the real deal. The best comparison we can make to other pizzerias in the area is 2 Amy’s. Like 2 Amy’s, Pizzeria da Marco also doesn’t slice their pizza, but with the sharp knives they provide, I didn’t feel like I was giving myself a workout trying to saw off a piece compared to the aforementioned Cleveland Park restaurant.

We brought back home some leftovers of my pizza, but alas, it was too tempting sitting in the fridge and the rest was gone by the end of the night. Overall we were very impressed with the food, service, and atmosphere of Pizzeria da Marco, and will definitely be making frequent appearances to this new Bethesda establishment.

Pizzeria da Marco is located on 8008 Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda.

We have always been big fans of Persimmon, so naturally we were thrilled to hear that the owners were opening up a casual restaurant in nearby Cabin John. While the food and service at Persimmon is top notch, we appreciate an informal alternative that’s friendly on our wallets as well.

We met our friends Dan and Judy for dinner there on a Saturday night at around 9pm. It’s a good thing we waited till then to head over as they do not take reservations, plus the place was packed! The small restaurant is situated in a strip mall on MacArthur Boulevard and is roughly the size of Olazzo in Bethesda in regards to dining space.

As we waited for our table, we were able to find two stools by the bar in the back to congregate by, so we ordered a bottle of Riesling to share. After a few minutes we secured a table and, after glancing at the menu and what other diners were eating, we knew right away we had to try some of their pizzas.

Wild Tomato’s menu is primarily comprised of starters, large salads, 12″ pizzas, sandwiches, burgers, and reasonably-priced entrees such as salmon and roasted chicken. We decided to keep it simple, so each couple ordered a chicken-chopped salad and a different type of pizza.

The salad was fine, but we all agreed that we could have done without it. There was nothing that stood out and we were a little disappointed with how bland it was. Brett and I had the Smokin’ Pizza, which came with bacon, marinated red peppers, mushrooms, smoked mozzarella, chorizo, and spicy tomato sauce. The pie definitely lived up to its name and you could certainly taste the smokiness. I would order that pie again, but perhaps with a plain pizza too in order to balance out the strong flavors.

While there is no shortage of casual sit-down pizza establishments in the area, Wild Tomato definitely has a neighborhood feel to it. The Maryland mascot, Testudo, was drawn on the blackboard, along with “Go Navy” and “Go Rams” illustrations. So while everyone in the Rockville vicinity is still waiting in two hour lines for Matchbox during the weekend, it is definitely worth giving Wild Tomato a try instead.

Well folks, it looks like Bethesda is about to become a pizza haven. And yes, we literally mean that – Haven Pizzeria Napoletana is scheduled to open late spring at 7137 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda.

Haven Pizzeria is a joint venture between founder and partner, Tiger Mullen, and New Haven-born pizzaiolo Marco Stefanelli, who will also manage the restaurant and has an extensive resume in the pizza and restaurant business.

Photo courtesy of havenpizzeria.tumblr.com

The pizzeria will feature New Haven-style pizza, cooked via anthracite coal ovens that give off a distinctive “char” flavor. The dough will be freshly prepared on a daily basis while ingredients such as plum tomatoes (hand-grounded daily) and cheeses will be imported from Italy.

Even the water used to make the dough is filtered in such a way that it “replicates the exact characteristics found in the reservoirs feeding the best pizzerias in the world”, Haven’s website claims.

In addition to pizza, Haven will offer salads, antipasti, and homemade gelato. It looks like Haven will also have a full bar with an extensive wine list to boot. You can even see their construction progress on their Tumblr page. Judging from pictures alone, this place is going to be huge!

Alcohol License Notice

Considering how much we love Pete’s New Haven pizza, which is a couple of miles down the road, we are very excited for Haven to open.

Between this, Pizzeria da Marco, and Naked Pizza all opening very soon, let’s just say we’re not too upset that we’ll have so many great new pizza venues to choose from!

Haven Pizzeria Napoletana will be located on 7137 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda and is scheduled to open late spring.

A few weeks ago, I ran the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler for the first time. As with every race, before the run comes the carbo loading. To make things simple, we decided to eat at Vapiano in Bethesda and sit in the lounge area so we could also watch the Final Four basketball games. I had a lot at stake because if UConn won, there was a good chance I was going to win not one but two pools!

We have been to Vapiano several times and have always thought it was good for what it was. Quick, easy, no frills Italian pizza and pasta. The gimmick is you get a card when you enter, and can watch them make your pasta to order. The pizza takes a little longer, so they usually give you a buzzer while you wait at your table. I have also had some of their salads and soups before, and while you get a good portion for your money, nothing stood out there either.

On this particular night, I decided to order the Fusilli pasta with pesto and pine nuts. On a previous trip I went with a red sauce (which I usually prefer), but I realized that I usually love drowning my pasta in red sauce, and they are fairly skimpy on the sauce here. I had a feeling something like a Pesto sauce would stick better to the pasta, and I was right. There was definitely a generous portion of oil in it, but it was a very satisfying pre-race dish.

Brett ordered the penne arrabbiata which featured spicy tomato sauce. He also added grilled chicken to the dish for additional three dollars, which he thought was rather steep. This was Brett’s second time to Vapiano and he was just as dissatisfied, if not more so, than he was during his first visit. While he enjoyed the spicy marinara, the pasta was mediocre at best. The worst part, however, was the grilled chicken. He had a problem with both the quality (very dry) and quantity (sparse) of the protein which really questioned the supplemental charge.

I will say that any time we have ordered pizza at Vapiano, there hasn’t been any complaints. It’s by no means the best pizza in the area, but you get decent, freshly-baked pizza at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, each time we go we try to get some pasta too, seeing as that it is one of their specialties. We should stick to their pizzas and salads, and keep the place in mind for their decent happy hour deals. Oh, and the bowl of gummy bears when you leave isn’t a bad touch either. Vapiano is a fun chain to have in the area, but if we want real pasta, we’ll stick to Olazzo and Trattoria Sorrento.

We already know that Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza serves up arguably the best pizza in all of DC, but what you may not know is that they offer a terrific happy hour as well.

Rachel and I went to their Friendship Heights location last Friday not only for an early dinner, but to also partake in their great beer specials. All of their draft beer is half price, and considering that they offer some terrific brews, it’s an exceptional deal. Where else in the city can you find a pint of Great Lakes Eliot Ness for fewer than three dollars?

I repped the DMV by ordering a glass of Port City’s Optimal Wit – a fantastic wheat ale brewed in nearby Alexandria. Glasses of house red or white wine are $2.50 each, and you can also order a pint of Moretti and a slice of cheese pizza for $5 as well.

As for food, we started off with a cup of their lentil soup. Normally when you envision lentil soup, you think of a thick, whole-bean texture. Not the case at Pete’s. It had all the flavor (and then some) but with a finer consistency, almost like a bisque. It was very, very good and was accompanied by a warm piece of homemade focaccia.

And then of course, there was the pizza. What more can we say? Pete’s does it right every single time. The crisp, slightly charred crust prepared with high-quality toppings makes this former New Yorker (albeit upstate) and New Jerseyan very happy.

I ordered a plain as well as a chef’s choice (which featured caramelized onions and prosciutto) and I can’t think of a simple complaint about either slice. Rachel ordered a slice of veggie (which included sautéed spinach and roasted peppers) and loved it.

The only problem was that we apparently did not get the memo that we were supposed to bring 300 kids with us. Seriously, the place was jam-packed with tots. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, we simply had no idea it would be like that since we’ve been here for happy hour in the past. Then again, that was on a Tuesday and this was on a Friday afternoon.

Not Pete’s fault by any means. Hell, they must love it what with the line pretty much going out the door. We’ll just have to return for happy hour on any day but Friday. Sorry Rebecca Black, but it seems your demographic already conquers that specific day at Pete’s.

‘Tis the season for games, games, and more games. My friends and I decided to meet up for dinner and drinks last week, and what better place to watch some March Madness games than at the new Redline Gastrolounge right across from the Verizon Center. My friends Alicia and Matthew got there early and we were able to secure a table after waiting a bit at the bar.

Sadly, we did not get one of the coveted booths with table top beer taps. We were staring at the nearby tables in jealousy, as the idea of having the ability to pour as much beer as you wanted without having to wait for a server was very appealing, but also dangerous. We couldn’t tell if you had the option of switching the taps as we would have preferred Dogfish over Bud Light, but it was definitely a cool idea.

With our drafts glasses in hand, we ordered our food and took took in the sensory overload of games and TVs all around us. I decided to get the pita tuna sandwich, with grilled Ahi tuna, toasted sesame seeds, avocado, and cucumber sauce. I asked if they had anything other than tater tots or fries, and the vegetable option turned out to be what looked like a bowl of fajita veggies.

The sandwich itself was huge, and although it was somewhat messy, it had a great combination of rare tuna with the spicy sauce and creamy avocado. The pita was more sandwich-like than a pita pocket, so it fell apart quite a bit, but it wasn’t too heavy or overpowering. The vegetables were okay for what they were, but I should have just stuck with the tots.

Alicia got a make-your-own pizza with pesto sauce, cheese, and tomatoes, and while I didn’t try any, it looked like a respectable size for a personal pizza. Matthew ordered the pulled pork sandwich and I don’t think he had any complaints, although it looked quite small compared to my giant pita that took up almost the whole plate.

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical about Redline given the mixed reviews. However, considering we visited during one of the busiest sports watching periods of the year, our food arrived promptly and it was a fun, if not incredibly loud, atmosphere for checking out games with friends. Just don’t expect to hear too much of each other’s conversations!

Redline is located at 707 G St. NW in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, DC.

When Crossfire closed down at the corner of Edgemoor Lane and Old Georgetown Road, we were curious as to what would replace the mediocre burger spot. About a little over a month ago, Geste Wine & Food opened its doors to downtown Bethesda.

Geste is another welcome addition the neighborhood. Not only do they offer sandwiches and salads, but also calzones, Panini, and even some Indian dishes such as a Chicken Tikka Roll.

Furthermore, the store offers a New York style pizzeria with 10″ and 16″ sizes to choose from.

Lest we forget the name of the store is Geste Wine AND Food, and the former part of the description sets it apart from other wine stores in the area. Geste offers a vast selection of wines to choose from – modern labels along with reasonable prices. You can even pay a $3 corkage fee should you want to drink your bottle inside the store. Cork and Fork this is not, and that’s a good thing.

In addition, Geste offers a variety of beers as well. Patrons can also buy wine or beer by the glass and sip on them at one of several tables in the dining area.

Rachel and I ordered a 16″ Gourmet Veggie Pizza to go as it is always hard to turn down a new pizza place. Being originally from New York myself, it didn’t quite match up to its city’s brethren. While the toppings were very fresh, the crust was rather flimsy and the slices overall didn’t just capture the flavor nor crispiness of our pizza benchmark – Pete’s New Haven.  That’s not to say it wasn’t bad by any stretch, but just okay. We’ll have to try their other menu items on our next visit.

Overall, it’s hard not to imagine Geste as a great lunch spot. Conveniently located next to the Metro as well as the Tripper bus stop to New York City, it’s an excellent location for commuters and office workers alike.

Geste Wine & Food is located on 4801 Edgemoor Lane in downtown Bethesda.