Washingtonian magazine
100 Very Best Restaurants: The Finest Dining in DC, Maryland and Virginia
February 2001
You will find a few things other than its namesake dish on Pizzeria Paradiso's succinct menu: very good sandwiches of house-roasted lamb or pork, roasted vegetables, or premium cold cuts and Italian cheese, all stuffed between halves of excellent house-baked rolls; mixed baby lettuces tossed with a spare amount of vinaigrette; an antipasto plate of assorted Italian cured meats and cheeses; and cannellini beans tossed with oil-packed tuna. But who other than a neighborhood regular could justify a patient wait for one of Pizzeria Paradiso's 40-odd chairs and order anything other than pizza?
Beyond its intrinsic goodness, what sets this pie apart from its area-wide competitors is its consistent quality: its oven-blistered crust has the flavor of honest rustic bread, and despite its thinness, it never folds under the weight of its toppings. Although you can choose toppings from a list that looks like the inventory of an Italian grocery, the garnishes that best show off this wonderful crust are suggested on the menu: the classic tomato-basil-mozzarella Margherita, the spicy Atomica, and the luxurious all-cheese pie. Whatever the choice, the pies that emerge from Pizzeria Paradiso's ovens elevate pizza from junk food to art form.
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