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Pete's Apizza, New Haven-Inspired Pizza in Four Area Locations with Delivery


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Finally made it to Pete's tonight for my first visit. Not to open up the "pizza debates" or anything, but I simply enjoyed Pete's a lot. It's right there with Two Amys, Pietanza and Cafe Pizzaiolo for me--I can't really say I enjoy one a bunch more than the other.

I will say this though. The service my daughter and I received was great. Efficient counter service. Engaging, energetic, friendly staff. Fast delivery of product.

The proscuitto-wrapped asparagus with truffled fontina cream was really well-prepared and the asparagus was cooked perfectly.

I wish it was closer--especially after driving through tonight's hailstorm and awful downtown rush hour traffic to get there and back from Arlington. 45 minute drive there, 45 minutes to get back home. :D I'd like to go more often.

Does anyone know if there are slow periods on Sundays so I can go again on the weekend without getting jacked in traffic and I'll be able to get a table?

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Finally made it to Pete's tonight for my first visit. Not to open up the "pizza debates" or anything, but I simply enjoyed Pete's a lot. It's right there with Two Amys, Pietanza and Cafe Pizzaiolo for me--I can't really say I enjoy one a bunch more than the other.

I will say this though. The service my daughter and I received was great. Efficient counter service. Engaging, energetic, friendly staff. Fast delivery of product.

The proscuitto-wrapped asparagus with truffled fontina cream was really well-prepared and the asparagus was cooked perfectly.

I wish it was closer--especially after driving through tonight's hailstorm and awful downtown rush hour traffic to get there and back from Arlington. 45 minute drive there, 45 minutes to get back home. :D I'd like to go more often.

Does anyone know if there are slow periods on Sundays so I can go again on the weekend without getting jacked in traffic and I'll be able to get a table?

You do know the quick way from Arlington, right? Key Bridge to Whitehurst to Virgina Ave to Rock Creek to the Zoo/Adams Mill to Irving. About 15 minutes unless things are particularly screwed up, even at (evening) rush hour. If you pick me up a slice, you can park in my driveway.

Sunday off-hours seems relatively calm but, of course, you have to eat at an off hour. Try 4-ish.

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You do know the quick way from Arlington, right? Key Bridge to Whitehurst to Virgina Ave to Rock Creek to the Zoo/Adams Mill to Irving. About 15 minutes unless things are particularly screwed up, even at (evening) rush hour. If you pick me up a slice, you can park in my driveway.

Sunday off-hours seems relatively calm but, of course, you have to eat at an off hour. Try 4-ish.

If I knew the "quick way", I would have taken it. :D PM me the exact details if you don't mind. I'm a 395 guy and would love to know another route!!

ETA: I know it seems like Waitman gave me enough directions with his post, but I really am a horrible navigator and need to know "lefts" and "rights".

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Went last night.

The spinach salad was good, the spinach was fresh and the salad was nicely dressed, I love pine nuts so a good choice.

We had half margarita and half of the Boola Boola I think (Hubby and Brother ordered). The roasted garlic, carmelized onions and peppers on the Boola Boola kicked the margarita's butt, even without the fact that the boola boola half also had meat. Hubby who likes NY pizza, but accepts that their are other pizzas in the world liked it a good bit. One thing I thought was a little odd was that the cheese seemed to get thick and congealed rather quickly, although the roof of my mouth is burnt. I don't know if it just cools very quickly or what. Didn't really take away from the taste. I still like thin crust pizza with a little less cheese better, but always good for the hubby to be happy. I would definitely eat it again. And it would be great delivery pizza, the kind of pizza you have for a big group. Definitely go for some with roasted garlic though it really makes it much tastier.

Would like to try the crispy goat cheese salad next time. And we saw people with ice cream that I think they got at the counter, but wasn't on the menu? The need to let people know about that, it looked like pretty good ice cream.

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I tried three slices at Pete's the other night: New Haven, Sweet Sausage and Mushroom, and Pepperoni (total cost with tax, $9.90). While not particularly clammy, this was still probably the best New Haven slice I've had here, mainly because it wasn't oversalted. I preferred it to both the others, because the ladle of zesty tomato sauce made the crusts of the other two somewhat soggy. However, I still enjoyed the sweet sausage and mushroom slice; the pepperoni was spicy, and produced a "tang-on-tang" effect that didn't appeal to me. For $9.90, I'm not complaining - I remain a fan of Pete's.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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I tried three slices at Pete's the other night: New Haven, Sweet Sausage and Mushroom, and Pepperoni (total cost with tax, $9.90). While not particularly clammy, this was still probably the best New Haven slice I've had here, mainly because it wasn't oversalted. I preferred it to both the others, because the ladle of zesty tomato sauce made the crusts of the other two somewhat soggy. However, I still enjoyed the sweet sausage and mushroom slice; the pepperoni was spicy, and produced a "tang-on-tang" effect that didn't appeal to me. For $9.90, I'm not complaining - I remain a fan of Pete's.

Cheers,

Rocks.

Since when do Pepe's, the Spot or Sally's have "slices" of pizza? I'm not trying to be difficult but there is no such thing as a slice of pizza on Wooster street. This just doesn't exist. It doesn't. I'm posting here because it is just wrong to create the impression that New Haven pizza has anything to do with pizza by the slice. The ONLY thing that comes out of the three coal ovens are whole pizzas. If Pete's is calling a slice of pizza a "New Haven slice" it is, in truth, absolutely meaningless. There is no such thing.

Pete's has nothing, absolutely nothing in common with Wooster street. Whether it is by the slice or the pie or by the oven. Nor Modern either. I'm sorry, but I'm just not a fan of Pete's pizza. Obviously, I believe it has nothing in common with Wooster street either(i.e. Pepe's, Sally, the Spot).

Having said all this I just got off of a plane from L. A. A return visit to Pizzaria Mozza only confirmed my belief that D. C. has an unbelievable distance to travel before we can even approach great pizza here. It is just incredible how good some crust can be. I would probably even put Mozza ahead of Pepe's and Sally's. I really don't mean to be contentious but there is just nothing in D. C. that even approaches this or New Haven.

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Since when do Pepe's, the Spot or Sally's have "slices" of pizza? I'm not trying to be difficult but there is no such thing as a slice of pizza on Wooster street. This just doesn't exist. It doesn't. I'm posting here because it is just wrong to create the impression that New Haven pizza has anything to do with pizza by the slice. The ONLY thing that comes out of the three coal ovens are whole pizzas. If Pete's is calling a slice of pizza a "New Haven slice" it is, in truth, absolutely meaningless. There is no such thing.

Pete's has nothing, absolutely nothing in common with Wooster street. Whether it is by the slice or the pie or by the oven. Nor Modern either. I'm sorry, but I'm just not a fan of Pete's pizza. Obviously, I believe it has nothing in common with Wooster street either(i.e. Pepe's, Sally, the Spot).

Having said all this I just got off of a plane from L. A. A return visit to Pizzaria Mozza only confirmed my belief that D. C. has an unbelievable distance to travel before we can even approach great pizza here. It is just incredible how good some crust can be. I would probably even put Mozza ahead of Pepe's and Sally's. I really don't mean to be contentious but there is just nothing in D. C. that even approaches this or New Haven.

A bit off topic (sorry), but Joe if you are ever in Davis, WV go to Siriani's Pizza. I think you would like it. They put a lot of thought and work into the dough.

I think I am glad I grew up without a real idea of what pizza should be because I appreciate more pizza. I want to try the clam pizza here really badly. Glad to hear it isn't too salty- I worried it would be I am not a huge salt person.

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Since when do Pepe's, the Spot or Sally's have "slices" of pizza? I'm not trying to be difficult but there is no such thing as a slice of pizza on Wooster street. This just doesn't exist. It doesn't. I'm posting here because it is just wrong to create the impression that New Haven pizza has anything to do with pizza by the slice. The ONLY thing that comes out of the three coal ovens are whole pizzas. If Pete's is calling a slice of pizza a "New Haven slice" it is, in truth, absolutely meaningless. There is no such thing.

Pete's has nothing, absolutely nothing in common with Wooster street. Whether it is by the slice or the pie or by the oven. Nor Modern either. I'm sorry, but I'm just not a fan of Pete's pizza. Obviously, I believe it has nothing in common with Wooster street either(i.e. Pepe's, Sally, the Spot).

Having said all this I just got off of a plane from L. A. A return visit to Pizzaria Mozza only confirmed my belief that D. C. has an unbelievable distance to travel before we can even approach great pizza here. It is just incredible how good some crust can be. I would probably even put Mozza ahead of Pepe's and Sally's. I really don't mean to be contentious but there is just nothing in D. C. that even approaches this or New Haven.

"authentic" or not -- and I think this whole "by the slice" controversy is utterly silly -- I think Pete's is actually superior to Sally's and Moderne, hard as it is to believe it. They don't by the way, claim to be be a Wooster Street Clone and indeed patterned their shop after a favorite pizzaria of their youth. Apparently, there are more than three pizzarias in the New Haven area.

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Since when do Pepe's, the Spot or Sally's have "slices" of pizza? I'm not trying to be difficult but there is no such thing as a slice of pizza on Wooster street. This just doesn't exist. It doesn't. I'm posting here because it is just wrong to create the impression that New Haven pizza has anything to do with pizza by the slice. The ONLY thing that comes out of the three coal ovens are whole pizzas. If Pete's is calling a slice of pizza a "New Haven slice" it is, in truth, absolutely meaningless. There is no such thing.

Pete's has nothing, absolutely nothing in common with Wooster street. Whether it is by the slice or the pie or by the oven. Nor Modern either. I'm sorry, but I'm just not a fan of Pete's pizza. Obviously, I believe it has nothing in common with Wooster street either(i.e. Pepe's, Sally, the Spot).

Having said all this I just got off of a plane from L. A. A return visit to Pizzaria Mozza only confirmed my belief that D. C. has an unbelievable distance to travel before we can even approach great pizza here. It is just incredible how good some crust can be. I would probably even put Mozza ahead of Pepe's and Sally's. I really don't mean to be contentious but there is just nothing in D. C. that even approaches this or New Haven.

They're not claiming they serve a "New Haven slice", instead, they claim they serve New Haven pizza because that is what it is modeled after. The "New Haven" slice referred to earlier is just a slice of their Clam Pizza, which they call the New Haven.

While I agree that New Haven Pizza(Modern for me) is better than Pete's, I still think Pete's makes quite a good pizza. I think a lot of the difference between the two is the fact that Pete's does not use a coal oven like what's used in New Haven. To me, Pete's is the best pizza in DC, and leaps and bounds above Pizza Hut and what not(not saying much) and it has satisfied my cravings for good pizza countless times because it is much easier to go to Columbia Heights than it is New Haven every weekend.

*edit* I forgot to mention, one of the things Pete's does that makes them better than other places is the fact that they undercook the pizzas they use for the slices, and then cook it the rest of the way through when you order it so that it does not come out soggy or anything and instead comes out like what a pizza fresh from the oven would.

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They're not claiming they serve a "New Haven slice", instead, they claim they serve New Haven pizza because that is what it is modeled after. The "New Haven" slice referred to earlier is just a slice of their Clam Pizza, which they call the New Haven.

While I agree that New Haven Pizza(Modern for me) is better than Pete's, I still think Pete's makes quite a good pizza. I think a lot of the difference between the two is the fact that Pete's does not use a coal oven like what's used in New Haven. To me, Pete's is the best pizza in DC, and leaps and bounds above Pizza Hut and what not(not saying much) and it has satisfied my cravings for good pizza countless times because it is much easier to go to Columbia Heights than it is New Haven every weekend.

*edit* I forgot to mention, one of the things Pete's does that makes them better than other places is the fact that they undercook the pizzas they use for the slices, and then cook it the rest of the way through when you order it so that it does not come out soggy or anything and instead comes out like what a pizza fresh from the oven would.

Pete's may be "leaps and bounds" AHEAD OF Pizza Hut but it is not leaps and bounds ahead of the original Ledo's, Luigi's, Vace's, Two Amy's or a dozen other places in the D. C.area. It is a good pizzaria that is convenient for some by the side of a metro stop. I have absolutely no idea what it has to do with New Haven. No idea at all. This is simply not an earth shaking pizzaria. All things considered there is just much better pizza in the D. C. area.

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Pete's may be "leaps and bounds" AHEAD OF Pizza Hut but it is not leaps and bounds ahead of the original Ledo's, Luigi's, Vace's, Two Amy's or a dozen other places in the D. C.area. It is a good pizzaria that is convenient for some by the side of a metro stop. I have absolutely no idea what it has to do with New Haven. No idea at all. This is simply not an earth shaking pizzaria. All things considered there is just much better pizza in the D. C. area.

While all of those places do make good pizza, I personally think it is a different kind of pizza than Pete's, I don't really know how to explain it, there's no good adjective to use to describe the two, at least that I can think of. I guess artsy is the only word that comes to mind when I think of 2 Amy's and some of the other places similar to that whereas Vace is more Italian styled pizza, if that makes any sense at all.

I think Pete's is more New Haven inspired pizza than anything, because it can't be real New Haven pizza since they can't install coal ovens in DC(I think, I might be wrong). I say inspired because I know one of the owners worked in a pizzeria in East Haven for a time, and I think that might be where the New Haven comes from, because although it does not resemble Sally's or Pepe's or Modern, it does resemble some other pizza places AROUND New Haven in Hamden and other places(such as Eli's and Olde World) that use a more traditional pizza oven like Pete's.

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Pete's may be "leaps and bounds" AHEAD OF Pizza Hut but it is not leaps and bounds ahead of the original Ledo's, Luigi's, Vace's, Two Amy's or a dozen other places in the D. C.area. It is a good pizzaria that is convenient for some by the side of a metro stop. I have absolutely no idea what it has to do with New Haven. No idea at all. This is simply not an earth shaking pizzaria. All things considered there is just much better pizza in the D. C. area.

hmmmm...I wonder who knows more about New Haven pizza, a family who grew up in the area or some guy who passes through every now and again?

It is as though we have become French, and must have an AOC system for pizza, just like our wines, fromages and bleu chickens. We will apply Cartesian logic and precision to our definitions, take metric measurements to the ninth decimal place and strictly control ingredients down to the soil in which the garlic for the sauce is grown. And should anyone violate the sacred trust of our AOC, should any pizza maker claim to be "inspired" by New Haven or serve "New Haven-style" pizza; should young punks who were barely born when Frank Pepe was carried somberly to what was surely a coal-fired crematorium invoke the hallowed image of Wooster street, or some flighty artiste dare refer to her creation as a "tomato pie," they will tied to the tracks of the Volcano Blast Coaster and executed, as men's justice, and God's, demand.

And there ain't a dozen places in DC better than Pete's.

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As a New Yorker to the bone ( when it comes to pizza ) I find the previous six or seven postings amusing. Only outside of these pizza AOC's (good one Waitman) do people argue about what is authentic and what is not. Where I grew up, it was pizza. Period. If it was made in a way that was not Joe's on 6th ave or Rocco's around the corner from my house, then it was just different pizza. :rolleyes:

C

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And there ain't a dozen places in DC better than Pete's.

Is it real New Haven pizza? I have no idea, and frankly could care less, but based on the New Haven* I had tonight I would say that I can name 12 pizzeria’s that offer better products in the area. They are (in no order):

2 Amy’s

RedRocks

Italian Store

Vace

Café Pizzoalo

Church Street

Mama Lucia’s

American Flatbread

Matchbox

Pupatella

Pizza Paradiso

Pie-Tanza

*others at the table compared the crust to “boarding on cardboard” and “having no clam flavor, but overwhelmed with garlic.” Not wishing to add a pall to this thread I will keep my own opinions to myself.

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hmmmm...I wonder who knows more about New Haven pizza, a family who grew up in the area or some guy who passes through every now and again?

It is as though we have become French, and must have an AOC system for pizza, just like our wines, fromages and bleu chickens. We will apply Cartesian logic and precision to our definitions, take metric measurements to the ninth decimal place and strictly control ingredients down to the soil in which the garlic for the sauce is grown. And should anyone violate the sacred trust of our AOC, should any pizza maker claim to be "inspired" by New Haven or serve "New Haven-style" pizza; should young punks who were barely born when Frank Pepe was carried somberly to what was surely a coal-fired crematorium invoke the hallowed image of Wooster street, or some flighty artiste dare refer to her creation as a "tomato pie," they will tied to the tracks of the Volcano Blast Coaster and executed, as men's justice, and God's, demand.

And there ain't a dozen places in DC better than Pete's.

Good points. Unless one can clearly define what is, and what is not, a certain style of pizza, by some method-say a department of agriculture document that goes so far as to list specific ph levels and nutritional information in addition to acceptable ingredients and methods of preparation, how can one clearly say they are making said certain style of pizza?

Everything else, and perhaps even the clearly defined and documented pizza, is just marketing or PR..

What truly matters is the taste, and as we all know, taste is subjective.

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Speaking of subjective taste...

Did a pizza tasting last night at Red Rocks and Petes. At Red Rocks ordered the Margherita, Salsiccia and Pesto. At Pete's ordered a New Haven pie.

Will put what I thought of Red Rocks on their thread. But if you compare multiple styles against themselves I think Red Rocks won.

The clam pizza was salty. I will admit I don't like salt as much as some people, but the pizza to me was a little dry so the salt really stood out. If the clam flavor had been bolder maybe I wouldn't have noticed it. The crust was really chewy- too chewy, almost cardboard chewy. It just was dry overall. Needed a bit of a flavor boost and some more white sauce and to be cooked a little less.

I liked their Staven pizza I had on a previous visit much better. Although the crust was a bit chewy then it wasn't nearly as chewy as this time. And the flavor combination on the Staven is really nice.

I have no idea if New Haven style pizza is supposed to be chewy, maybe I am just not a New Haven style kind of girl. Or maybe they just overcooked our pie. But with Red Rocks three blocks away it is a tough choice for someone who isn't looking for any particular style. It is the best delivery pizza in that area though.

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Pete's has never disappointed me for the pizza. I took a friend (we were kids together quite near New Haven) there a few weeks ago and I keep getting text messages telling me that I've created a monster :-)

The New Haven is one of those things that I crave if it's been a while, although the straight up plain cheese is hard to pass up.

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ARLnow.com is reporting that Pete's will be opening a new place in Clarendon. Now that is some news I can use.

If they deliver that would be really great. If not, it will be a really hard for me not to choose American Flatbread over Pete's. We are getting lots of good pizza in the area, with Pupatella opening a store and Pizzeria Orso in Falls Church. It is going to be a competitive market, tasty, but competitive.

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If they deliver that would be really great. If not, it will be a really hard for me not to choose American Flatbread over Pete's. We are getting lots of good pizza in the area, with Pupatella opening a store and Pizzeria Orso in Falls Church. It is going to be a competitive market, tasty, but competitive.

In my personal opinion, the pizza in Clarendon needs some healthy competition. Pete's will will certainly raise the bar and I can't wait for it to open.

(Liberty, Italian Store and American Flatbread are fine pizza places, but I personally don't prefer their pizzas over Pete's. They're the best we can get right now, though.)

ETA: I don't mean this as a slam or anything towards any of these places. I truly do enjoy their pizzas very much. I just like Pete's better.

Edited by shaggy
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I tried the Tenleytown Pete's location tonight and really enjoyed it.

We had the "Edge of the Woods" (sauteed spinach, caramelized onions, ricotta, and fried eggplant). I thought the crust was the right balance of charred and chewy, and appropriately salted. The toppings were pretty well-seasoned too. Something in there had a little bit of pepper, but it was fleeting - I would have liked a little more of that, if anything the pizza needed just a little more bite. The eggplant slices were maybe a bit too large, in some cases, larger than the pizza slices. Thankfully the eggplant was super thin, because it was only a little oily (in a good way) but it could have easily become a total oil sponge. I suspect it might not reheat that well though.

They claimed at the counter that a whole pizza could take up to 45 minutes, which led some people to order slices instead from the sort of dessicated looking display. I'm glad we ordered a whole pie instead, and it took only about 20 minutes.

I've never tried the CH location, and I've never had pizza in New Haven. So I have no idea what "New Haven" style pizza is, and maybe Pete's sucks by that standard, but I wouldn't know. It reminded me of NYC pizza, so I was happy. (Except more expensive. One pizza, one large side salad, and two draft beers came to $47. One pizza would feed me for several days though, so maybe it's not that bad.)

The space is nice too - airy and high-ceilinged, but not so loud that we couldn't converse. Very friendly service. For a very brief period there was a wait for tables, but by 9 or 9:30 there were plenty of seats again. Based on the number of tables and chairs stacked up outside it looks like they will have plenty of outdoor seating at some point. This is a really welcome addition to the Tenleytown restaurant "scene" (such as it is :) ).

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Went to Pete's tonight and thoroughly enjoyed it. The space was quite nice and open, lighting was perfect and no unruly children ruling the roost. Staff actually seemed happy that you were there.....COMPLETE OPPOSITE of 2 AMY's :) Pizza can be hit or miss even the best of places..but we got a whole pie with different toppings on half. Crust was perfect as was the flavor. The ceasar salad was tasty, yet a dissapointing size for $7.95..not enough for two. Boylans soda on the fountain is a great touch. Looking forward to going back and ordering delivery!!!!! Will still go to 2 AMY's occasionally, but not anytime soon.

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I've gotten take-out pizza from the new Tenley/Friendship store twice in the past two weeks, and have been really pleased: so much better than Listrani's, our neighborhood pizza joint. They were really slammed on Monday night, but when I called they were honest about that, and I agreed to the 40 to 50 minute wait time. I arrived 45 minutes after I'd called, and the pizza was in my hands five minutes later. No complaints! The manager was turning people away because the kitchen was so much in the weeds, but he and the staff were really nice.

Both pies, the first with sausage, pepperoni, caramelized onions and hot peppers; the second with meatball, sausage, mushrooms, roasted peppers and onions, were both excellent. (They were on the house specials list, but I can't recall their names--the second was "down the hill" IIRC.) The crusts were thin and crispy-chewy both times. A bit pricy, as pizza goes, but big enough for dinner for two and lunch the next day.

We don't get take-out pizza that often, but this is our go-to place now.

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Stopped by at lunch today for my first try. I'm sorry, but in my opinion this pizza doesn't approach the best of what NYC has to offer (and unfortunately I haven't been to Mozza, so i can't comment on that comparison).

Ordering slices, both the "plain" and the clam, I found the crust on these two varieties to be quite tough, and pizza is all about the crust, isn't it?

I will say that my Caesar salad, topped by a nice frico, was quite good. I look forward to trying a few of the others listed above...have already tried Two Amy's, and thought that it was better than this.

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Stopped by at lunch today for my first try. I'm sorry, but in my opinion this pizza doesn't approach the best of what NYC has to offer (and unfortunately I haven't been to Mozza, so i can't comment on that comparison).

Ordering slices, both the "plain" and the clam, I found the crust on these two varieties to be quite tough, and pizza is all about the crust, isn't it?

I will say that my Caesar salad, topped by a nice frico, was quite good. I look forward to trying a few of the others listed above...have already tried Two Amy's, and thought that it was better than this.

DC has very few places to get a good slice and coming from one of the slice capitals of the world, it's hard. Currently, I like Vace's in Bethesda.

I read your blog postings on pizza. Good stuff. Thanks for the link to Jeff Varasano's NY Pizza Recipe, equally good stuff. I use to read SliceNY, but this site slipped by.

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Stopped by at lunch today for my first try. I'm sorry, but in my opinion this pizza doesn't approach the best of what NYC has to offer (and unfortunately I haven't been to Mozza, so i can't comment on that comparison).

I am not a pizza fanatic, but I have been to Mozza, and it's better than any other pizza I've had. Anywhere. Hands down. (Never been to Italy. Or New Haven. But Arturo's Coal Oven used to be my neighborhood place when I lived in the South Village, now Soho.) I really don't expect to find anything as good as Mozza, I just want a decent pizza that's a reasonable distance from my house to get as takeout on nights when I don't want to cook and he doesn't want to go out. I like Two Amy's, he doesn't. We were both very disappointed by Comet Ping-Pong the last time we got pizza there. Pete's doesn't rock my world the way Mozza did, but right now, it's the best option I've got. Have you tried getting a whole pie there--fresh out of the oven? When I've been in, the "slices" in the display case looked dried out and unappetizing, I don't think that you can really judge a place on a piece of possibly hours-old pizza that's been reheated.

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Stopped by at lunch today for my first try. I'm sorry, but in my opinion this pizza doesn't approach the best of what NYC has to offer (and unfortunately I haven't been to Mozza, so i can't comment on that comparison).

Ordering slices, both the "plain" and the clam, I found the crust on these two varieties to be quite tough, and pizza is all about the crust, isn't it?

I will say that my Caesar salad, topped by a nice frico, was quite good. I look forward to trying a few of the others listed above...have already tried Two Amy's, and thought that it was better than this.

I am not a pizza fanatic, but I have been to Mozza, and it's better than any other pizza I've had. Anywhere. Hands down. (Never been to Italy. Or New Haven. But Arturo's Coal Oven used to be my neighborhood place when I lived in the South Village, now Soho.) I really don't expect to find anything as good as Mozza, I just want a decent pizza that's a reasonable distance from my house to get as takeout on nights when I don't want to cook and he doesn't want to go out. I like Two Amy's, he doesn't. We were both very disappointed by Comet Ping-Pong the last time we got pizza there. Pete's doesn't rock my world the way Mozza did, but right now, it's the best option I've got. Have you tried getting a whole pie there--fresh out of the oven? When I've been in, the "slices" in the display case looked dried out and unappetizing, I don't think that you can really judge a place on a piece of possibly hours-old pizza that's been reheated.

Heh. New Yorkers are forbidden -- on penalty of being exiled to the unhip sections of the Outer Boroughs ("no Williamsburg for you!")-- to say anything nice about pizza not made n NYC. As when pimping asset-backed securities swaps, they can not be trusted in this matter.

They have the bagel thing down pretty cold, though.

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Heh. New Yorkers are forbidden -- on penalty of being exiled to the unhip sections of the Outer Boroughs ("no Williamsburg for you!")-- to say anything nice about pizza not made n NYC. As when pimping asset-backed securities swaps, they can not be trusted in this matter.

They have the bagel thing down pretty cold, though.

Actually, I've had pizza in Florida that was better than this...that Florida pizza wasn't as good as Arturo's, but not much is, imo.

The "whole pie" thing always enters into my decision. But as we arrived, they were just pulling the whole plain pie out of the oven, so I didn't have any qualms about ordering it.

As a lower east sider, however, I take issue with NY having the "bagel thing down pretty cold," but then again, Washingtonians can't really be trusted in that matter.

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Actually, I've had pizza in Florida that was better than this...that pizza wasn't as good as Arturo's, but not much is, imo.

The "whole pie" thing always enters into my decision. But as we arrived, they were just pulling the whole plain pie out of the oven, so I didn't have any qualms about ordering it.

As a lower east sider, however, I take issue with NY having the "bagel thing down pretty cold," but then again, Washingtonians can't really be trusted in that matter.

And, I've had pizza in New Haven that sucked compared to Pete's. Though, I might take Arturo's over any of them. All in good fun.

BTW, "The bagel thing down pretty cold" was indeed a tip of the hat to New Yorkers' judgment regarding that iconic foodstuff, not a slam. And, Washingtonians cannot be trusted when we say: "we're from the government, and we're here to help you."

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It has been awhile since I've gotten a take-home pizza from Pete's. J. thinks they are too expensive, and too far to go, if he's the one who is going out to pick something up. Cheap and close really limits our options. But recently, when I couldn't face another cheap Chinese glop meal from Chen's or Bambu, we went for a pizza at Listrani's--haven't had one of those in eons, It's going to be the last time. It was HORRIBLE. They must have different people making their dough and baking the pies, it was much worse than my memory of Listrani pizzas of the past. I don't know how they managed to simultaneously under-cook the crust and overcook the sausage on top, but they did. It was almost $10 cheaper than Pete's, after taxes are added. But I'm holding out for Pete's next time pizza is being considered. And I'll go pick it up, if I am able.

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Pete's is slightly pricier than what I like to pay for pizza but since I don't get pizza that often I think it's worth it. I'm a big fan of the caramelized onions & peppers slice. DC continues to have a total lack of good pizza, so for me Pete's still stands out as better than the rest.

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Pete's is one of my guilty pleasures. I just love the stuff.

Someone suggested that we order delivery from Radius a few weeks ago, just for a change. I heard it was decent stuff.

Let's just say I'll continue to be loyal to Pete's. A few bucks more, but it arrives the way we ordered it...and hot. This was in sharp contrast to that other place.

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I tried Pete's in Clarendon last Friday for lunch with my daughter and had a pleasant experience.

You enter the space and immediately see a counter, at which you place your order, take a number, seat yourself, and await food delivery. I am not sure how this set up will work during busy times as there is not much room to congregate between the entrance and the counter. Anyway, we placed our orders, after getting cheerful and instructive answers about the menu from the gentleman behind the register. We both opted for the lunch special - 2 slices with drink. I added a small spinach olivada salad. Our total came to $15-something, which seemed ok to me and seemed to dispel some of the chatter I had heard about the place being pricey.

I ordered 2 veggie slices, my daughter 2 cheese slices. They have Boylan's fountain drinks, which I really like. Our food was delivered promptly and, apart from a couple small nits, was quite good. I think it was broccoli raab on the veggie slices and it was quite bitter. I actually like this flavor alot so I liked it but for those less accustomed to that strong flavor, they may find it overpowering. The crust was a tad chewy. I actually liked the crust on the cheese slices better as it was less toothsome and seemed to be seasoned better. I thought the slices could have been served a bit warmer as well. Those small points aside, I liked the pizza overall. I am more of a Neopolitan style pizza fan so I don't think I will ever fully appreciate the New Haven style but this was a solid offering.

Also, the salad was outstanding. I actually think it was the high point of the meal. It's simply spinach, goat cheese, dried tomatoes, and toasted pine nuts dressed with an outstanding olive-y vinaigrette. The spinach tasted fresh, the goat cheese was tangy and the dressing was outstanding. Really a good salad.

The salads, sodas, service, and pizza were enough to make me want to return if I am in the area. I am not sure this will ever be my go-to pizza but it's good and worth a try.

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The +1 and I hit up Pete's in Columbia Heights for the first time on Saturday. I have to admit that after all the rave reviews I was slightly disappointed. There wasn't anything bad necessarily, but I guess it just wasn't as great as I was expecting. We only ordered slices (1 New Haven, 1 cheese, 1 pepperoni, and 1 sausage and mushroom), so I'm willing to bet that if we had ordered a whole pizza we would have ended up with a fresher taste. However, I do balk a bit at paying upwards of $24 for a pizza. The slice price is a bit more palatable. Our slices were ok, but a little dry and not super hot.

After the review on the salad above I would like to go back and try one of those. The crispy goat cheese salad sounded pretty amazing (what's not to love about crispy goat cheese, candied pecans, dried currants and a caramelized shallot vinaigrette?). Yum.

Overall it is a good option for a quick bite when out shopping at DC USA. Not sure how long it takes when you order a whole pie, but our slices were out to us in under 5 minutes.

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Hit up the Wisconsin Ave location for dinner last night...overall a good experience.

Three slices of pizza (pepperoni, white with clams, veggie), large salad with gorganzola, small order of fried risotto balls, and two Port City Wit set us back a fairly reasonable $35, not bad for a casual dinner for two.

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Ordered a whole pie this afternoon, half New Haven, half Cutler's. The crust was way too chewy - my jaw felt sore trying to eat the damn pizza. Flavor-wise, it wasn't too bad, the clam pizza had loads of garlic and large chunks of clams but we really don't like the crust.

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The +1 and I hit up Pete's in Columbia Heights for the first time on Saturday. I have to admit that after all the rave reviews I was slightly disappointed. There wasn't anything bad necessarily, but I guess it just wasn't as great as I was expecting. We only ordered slices (1 New Haven, 1 cheese, 1 pepperoni, and 1 sausage and mushroom), so I'm willing to bet that if we had ordered a whole pizza we would have ended up with a fresher taste. However, I do balk a bit at paying upwards of $24 for a pizza. The slice price is a bit more palatable. Our slices were ok, but a little dry and not super hot.

After the review on the salad above I would like to go back and try one of those. The crispy goat cheese salad sounded pretty amazing (what's not to love about crispy goat cheese, candied pecans, dried currants and a caramelized shallot vinaigrette?). Yum.

Overall it is a good option for a quick bite when out shopping at DC USA. Not sure how long it takes when you order a whole pie, but our slices were out to us in under 5 minutes.

I would never compare a slice of any pizza on earth to a whole pie. Pepe's, Sally's and the Spot do not sell pizza by the slice. Nor does L. A.'s Mozza or Pizzaria Bianco in Phoenix. I've never heard of a NY pizzaria that sold slices spoken of in the same breath with a whole pie. Not to be overly critical but for me pizza by the slice is just a different thing from a whole pie. I'm not trying to disparage "pizza by the slice." It's really just different. Sliced, piled with more mozz and warmed over. Having said this I am not a fan of Pete's Apizza. I think you can do better elsewhere. But you'll have to order a whole pie.

For a slice my standard would be the "original" Famous Ray's on Avenue of the Americas. Still, it's different. And doesn't approach, say, Mozza, Sally's, Pepe's, DeLorenzo's on Hudson, etc.

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I don't know why Pete's doesn't get the same love as some of the other (deservedly lauded) pizza spots in this area. Maybe it's the fact they have more than one location. Maybe it's because they don't do the individual sized, neopolitan inspired pizza that DC seems to love. Maybe it's the sticker shock at seeing a pie cost $26. Pricy as it appears, those pies will feed 4 people easily and make three people leave stuffed. They're more than happy to do half-and-halfs if you're with a group that can't decide on just one variety. Try all you want, but I'm not sure there's a better topping combination in the area than the Edge of the Woods (Sauteed Savoy Spinach, Caramelized Onion, Ricotta, Fried Italian Eggplant) ($24.95). The toppings provide a contrast of both salty and sweet as well as softness and crunch. Better still, for a heavily topped pie things don't seem out of proportion. That crust (thin, crispy, just slightly charred) was more than able to handle the load.

Washed it down with a delicious Port City Essential Pale Ale ($5.50) on draft, which I'm starting to think might be a better beer than DC Brau's equivalent.

We also split an antipasti platter that was middling at best. And your mileage will definitely vary when it comes to ordering by the slice depending on what time you're there (sometime they look they've been hanging out a bit too long). But the whole pizzas? Damn. They are killer.

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