Seventh Hill Pizza (2009-2020), Wood-Burning Oven Pizza on Southeast Capitol Hill

[Pat]

Stopped by 7th Hill Pizza (next to Montmartre) a couple of hours ago. I walked in to look around, and they're giving away slices of pizza. I thought the pizza was pretty good (nice brick oven). Apparently they're still lacking an inspection before they can open for business fully. I'll be back when they are.

[leleboo]

My friend Leah (proprietor of Hill's Kitchen, the kitchen store) got a sneak peek of 7th Hill's work -- vegetarian for her -- and raved. We're looking forward to their full opening.

[resting]

Well...not quite open yet.

Waiting on the final papers to be able to accept money for food, Seventh Hill did indeed hand out slices to the neighborhood today. I dropped by a few times, tasted a few different pies and watched the positive reactions to free lunch. Between a few practice pizzas a couple weeks ago and today's offering, I've had "the one with anchovies", "the one with zucchini" and "the one with prosciutto" among others (they all have neighborhood names like Pennsylvania Ave, Stanton Park, etc, but I can't remember which name pairs up with which pie). I've thoroughly enjoyed everything I've tried and am also very excited to see the Orval beer goblets on the shelf.

I think this will be a great addition to 7th street/Eastern Market and I'm interested to see the rest of the menu and how it develops over the coming months.

[resting]

Hooray!

Seventh Hill opened for lunch today with a full pizza menu, a panini and soup of the day (today was roasted vegetable, arugula, pecorino panini and gazpacho) as well as beer (dfh 60 min, orval, leffe among others) and wine. Traffic was steady and service was friendly and efficient. Unfortunately, 7th st is being repaved today so the patio wasn't super pleasant.

[Tweaked]

do they sell pizza by the slice?

[Tujague]

do they sell pizza by the slice?

No, at least not at this point, and I don't know if they have plans for that down the road. They have 8" and 12" pizzas, but last night were only offering the latter. They do plan to offer delivery later on.

I stopped in last night to pick up a pizza; there was a steady stream of customers, most of the bar seats were taken, either with eat-in diners or people waiting on take-out, and the patio was full as well. While there are some nice design details in here, this is not going to be a place to linger leisurely, or that is well-suited for groups of more than 3 or 4. There are about eight metal bar stools, and three tables inside with shorter stools, and a two or three outside tables. The heat from the oven makes the small space a tad uncomfortable, at least on a warmer night like last night, and the lighting inside is quite bright. Take-out or delivery will be the better option for most people, I suspect, though they do offer beer and wine.

But it's a good pie, based on this first sample, and it held up fairly well on the walk back to Lincoln Park. The thin crust has a bit of chew, but the rolled-edge was crunchy and nicely charred, and there was a decent yeasty flavor--I think they got this right. The ingredients were reasonably generous and of good quality, based on my own pie and the others I observed. The pizzas are all named for Hill locations and streets; it was almost like a rejoinder to Taylor's naming their sandwiches after Philly locales. My Eastern Market pizza had tapenade, goat cheese, herbs, and portabellos and was tasty, even though it had cooled somewhat by the time I got home.

Price for a 12" pizza with tax was slightly steep--$17.55--but I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be the best pizza on the Hill. If you want to hang with friends in a good atmosphere, go to Matchbox. If you're dining solo, or a couple who wants a quick bite or something to take home, this may be your better bet.

[Tweaked]

yeah I poked my head in yesterday to scope out the scene...pizzas look good but they don't look like they would be conducive for by the slice consumption.

[leleboo]

No, at least not at this point, and I don't know if they have plans for that down the road. They have 8" and 12" pizzas, but last night were only offering the latter. They do plan to offer delivery later on.

I may only live six blocks away but on cold dark winter nights, I would do flips for delivery of good pizza. This bodes well...

[Banco]

I was here with the family on one of those glorious early fall evenings that make me so glad I live on the Hill. Now I'm even gladder thanks to 7th Hill. These pizzas are probably the best on the Hill right now, which I know isn't saying much, but they are really very good--crispy but chewy, lightly charred, with fresh-tasting and vibrant toppings. I had the Navy Yard, which is with Toulouse sausage. My only quibble is the wine pours. For just short of 8 bucks you get a rather skimpy couple inches of indifferent cab-shiraz in a highball glass. I mentioned this to one of the staff and got the impression this wasn't the first time she had heard the complaint.

I asked about plans for delivery, and it sounds like they have nixed that idea. But you still can order in advance and pick up.

This a real asset to the area. Now when my wife and I are too knackered to consider cooking and feel like corrupting the kids in front of the boob tube, this will be our solution instead of overpriced and nasty take-out pizza.

[New Foodie]

I'd been meaning to try out 7H since it opened but never found the right time to wander by or come pick something up. Last night a semi-rainy, football-watching Sunday night proved to be the right opportunity. We called in our order around 5:45 expecting a bit of a wait but were told it would be ready to pick up in 10-12 minutes! Definitely a quick turnaround (and it was indeed ready and waiting when I walked in to pick it up). I also like they have an area dedicated to carryout pickup back by the oven.

We got two 8" pies so we could try a couple different options. The +1 chose the Navy Yard (tomato, toulouse sausage, oregano, pecorino) and I had the Stanton Park (zucchini, red onion, garlic, roasted red pepper, eggplant, tomato, mozzarella, pecorino, parmesan). All the 8" pizzas are $10.95 regardless of toppings (with the exception of the $9.95 Garfield Park which is just tomato and mozz). The 12" are mostly $15.95 with a couple at $16.95. It's not cheap, but it's priced similarly to Matchbox (taking into consideration theirs are slightly more expensive for a 10" and 14") and is obviously better than ordering chain delivery.

I am a big fan of the crust at 7H. It's thin, but the edges have a really nice chew to them. The middle of my pizza was a big floppy/soggy, but it did have like 6 toppings and 3 cheeses, so that was expected. It was really really good, but I might order something with fewer toppings in the future. I liked my veggie pizza a bit better than the sausage, but I think that's mostly because toulouse isn't my favorite. The BF certainly enjoyed it.

When I went in to pick up the pizzas I saw someone who had just received one with prosciutto and it looked awesome. That might be next on my list for a return visit.

[Pat]

I'm normally not a partisan of white pizzas, but I loved the flavors of the Union Station [goat cheese, mozzarella, pecorino, gorgonzola, garlic]. That combination lent an overall tanginess/sharpness, and it was nicely garlicky. The garlic is what I still remember the next morning--the sense memory of it is still strong, and in a good way. When I saw the amount of cheese on it, I knew it was going to be a fairly wet pizza. Don't usually go for that either . For some reason, I just had a craving for this combination, and I liked it.

[Tujague]

As fine as the pizzas are at Seventh Hill, I've become a big fan of their sandwiches. At $7.50 each ($8.25 with tax) they're one of the best buys on the Hill. Using the same dough as the pizza crusts, they're sliced open something like a pita bread and overstuffed with good-quality ingredients. Tim Carman recently praised the prosciutto sandwich in City Paper, so I tried that one first about a month ago and was very impressed. Last night a friend and I picked up a vegetable sandwich and an Italian sandwich and split them. To be honest, a single sandwich would have satisfied both of us. The vegetable sandwich was filled with grilled and marinated artichokes, zucchini, and other veggies, along with mozzarella. The Italian sandwich was ridiculously huge--about 1.5" of about 5 different meats, arugula, hot peppers, and a bit of cheese--it was almost overwhelming. If there's a downside to these sandwiches, the huge amount of ingredients don't allow individual flavors to stand out, but as you're savoring the bargain in your hands, you won't be thinking much about that. The meats may be better at Taylor (I think I read that Seventh Hill gets theirs from one of the vendors at Eastern Market), but where their sandwiches make the wonderful Sarcone's rolls the star, here that great pizza dough, nicely browned and crisped in the oven, shares the stage. (N.B.: When I went to get a sandwich recently on a Sunday evening, they turned me down, as they were running low on dough and were saving it for pizzas--so ordering these near closing time may not be an option.)

[Sthitch]

7th Hill Pizza.

Did you go or were you just noting the online menu?

Noticed that there was no link to the restaurant's webpage in the thread, so I figured I would be helpful. I am definitely up for another tasting.

[Marty L.]

Sietsema rave.

[leleboo]

Sietsema rave.

Interesting day to go live with a review of a Cap Hill pizza place.

This definitely made me want pizza, though. Hrm ... what am I doing for dinner tonight ...

[lion]

Interesting. He raves about the crust in his review and just last night when I had one of their pizzas, that was part I found the most bland. There was no char even! This was my second visit and I had enjoyed the first one again because the toppings were decent which was the same as last night.

The next time I'm near Seventh Hill Pizza, I want to try the sandwiches, they did look interesting.

I think the growth of restaurants in the neighborhood of Eastern Market is great, but if I'm driving and have a car, then I'd rather go to 2 Amys or RedRocks. The quality is significantly higher.

Recently with all this talk of good pizza, it makes me want to go to Orso, the original Ledo's for the best 'b' movie/pie in the area, or even travel to get a oily skinny slice in NYC.

[Tujague]

Seventh Hill deserved a good review, but I wonder in some ways giving it this sort of write-up does them a disservice. It simply doesn't have the capacity of most of the other comparable pizza places around the area, and I worry that the tiny space will get overwhelmed by people expecting it to be something it isn't. That said, I was pleased Tom singled out the sandwiches; they really are great. I've been getting about one a week during the heat, and they're easily good for two meals. Haven't tried the turkey or chicken, but the Italian, prosciutto, and vegie are all top-notch.

[mstevens]

Seventh Hill deserved a good review, but I wonder in some ways giving it this sort of write-up does them a disservice. It simply doesn't have the capacity of most of the other comparable pizza places around the area, and I worry that the tiny space will get overwhelmed by people expecting it to be something it isn't.

Can't agree more. Well deserved review--7th Hill is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. That said, while sitting at the counter last Saturday around 7:30pm while the place was a madhouse, we watched about eight 20-something interns slowly gather all of the indoor tables together as their group arrived over a period of 30 minutes. One by one they came up to the register and order drinks, insisting that they "may order food later". Really? It is so not that place. Go to Matchbox.

Carryout, yes. Quick place for a really good bite to eat with one or two others or your young spawn, yes. Friendly neighborhood place for a beer and fantastic pizza when you're on your own for lunch, absolutely. Destination place to meet a group of large friends? Fail.

[DanielK]

Destination place to meet a group of large friends? Fail.

Small chairs?

[mstevens]

Small chairs?

Teeny

[JimCo]

Made my first trip here last night for a quick bite before a Christmas Party, and think Seventh Hill may be the finest pizza in Washington DC. As previously noted, the place is quite small. Just a few tables and space at the bar. But fortunately we were able to grab a couple of barstools. My wife and I split a Penn Ave (tomato, olive, pesto, pecorino, spinach) and a Union Station (goat cheese, mozzarella, pecorino, gorgonzola, garlic). The crust had a great char, cripy outside and chewy within. The Union Station was addictive -- cheesy and garlicky, but also with a hint of something tangy that cut the richness. We only wished we lived closer to make this a more regular spot.

[Xochitl10]

Had the Potomac Avenue (olive oil base, mozz, pecorino, felino salami, arugula) for lunch today. As others have already said, the crust has good flavor and chew. I really enjoyed the combination of toppings -- the pecorino's sharpness cut through some of the oiliness of the salami/olive oil combo and the arugula added a nice earthy note to the otherwise very strong flavors.

My only quibble is the wine pours. For just short of 8 bucks you get a rather skimpy couple inches of indifferent cab-shiraz in a highball glass. I mentioned this to one of the staff and got the impression this wasn't the first time she had heard the complaint.

Wish I'd read this far back in the thread before learning that they also offer skimpy pours of indifferent pinot noir.

[Pat]

Got an 8" Potomac Avenue tonight $10.95

olive oil base, mozzarella, parmesan, felino salami, arugula, pecorino

Service was great for takeout, considering that they had plenty of other customers, including eat-in. I added extra stuff at home when I reheated, but the basic pizza was very good.

[Pat]

Posted with no political comment. This is the GQ interview with Godfather's Pizza's Herman Cain done at Seventh Hill. He likes lots of meat on his pizza but, perhaps surprisingly, likes one with arugula too.

[youngfood]

For my money, this place might have the best pizza in town. The crust is just about perfect in every way. The sandwiches though are every bit the equal of the pizzas here. I particularly recommend the veggie sandwich, which is hearty enough to satisfy even the most carnivorous among us. They bake the bread for each sandwich fresh and the ingredients are of the same quality you'd expect to find at Montmartre next door.

[DonRocks]

For my money, this place might have the best pizza in town. The crust is just about perfect in every way. The sandwiches though are every bit the equal of the pizzas here. I particularly recommend the veggie sandwich, which is hearty enough to satisfy even the most carnivorous among us. They bake the bread for each sandwich fresh and the ingredients are of the same quality you'd expect to find at Montmartre next door.

I'm with you - I think it's currently the #2 pizza in the area after Pupatella (possibly #3 if 2 Amys is thrown into the mix on the right day). In response to this post, a PM exchange with Edan Macquaid culminated in him saying "Give 7hill a try, I think you would approve."

While sitting at the bar there, I sent him this text message on November 5th at 7:50 PM:

"Your buddy at 7th Hill flips a good pizza."

Only to get this in return several minutes later:

"Told ya."

[Tujague]

The sandwiches though are every bit the equal of the pizzas here. I particularly recommend the veggie sandwich, which is hearty enough to satisfy even the most carnivorous among us. They bake the bread for each sandwich fresh and the ingredients are of the same quality you'd expect to find at Montmartre next door.

Absolutely; in fact, I've only had pizza once here because I'm hooked on the sandwiches. The Italian and prosciutto sandwiches are also good, as is the turkey (if a bit more mundane). What I love is that I've ordered the veggie sandwich so often that sometimes when I show up and there's a line, if Pilla sees me, he'll start making my sandwich so it's ready when I get to the counter. It pays to be a regular!

(I do hope that the construction taking place around and behind 7th Hill and Montmartre doesn't hurt them; apparently Montmartre has to keep its coolers in the alley now due to lost space.)

[youngfood]

(I do hope that the construction taking place around and behind 7th Hill and Montmartre doesn't hurt them; apparently Montmartre has to keep its coolers in the alley now due to lost space.)

I've been wondering what that construction was about.

[Pat]

I've been wondering what that construction was about.

There's construction being done on a building right there (it might be 666 PA, which has entrances on both PA and 7th) to expand it farther back. That was a/the reason given quite a while ago that the Yes! Market right there on PA was going to move out and/or have their service greatly interrupted. The construction was going to cut well into their square footage. They're now going to be moving into a vacant space on Barracks Row, though I don't know when.

[Mark Dedrick]

I agree with many of the others above, this is my favorite pizza in the city by a pretty clear margin. My wife and I will typically just reflexively order the special and know that we won't be disappointed with the results. I enjoy the overall experience more when I can sit at the bar and Anthony is working, but the quality of the pies seems to remain constant regardless. Not a bad beer selection either.

[DonRocks]

I agree with many of the others above, this is my favorite pizza in the city by a pretty clear margin. My wife and I will typically just reflexively order the special and know that we won't be disappointed with the results. I enjoy the overall experience more when I can sit at the bar and Anthony is working, but the quality of the pies seems to remain constant regardless. Not a bad beer selection either.

They beat an egg on my pizza before putting it in the oven. I personally prefer the sheer joy of a sunnyside-up yolk flowing over everything, but scrambling is an interesting take on that, and I don't remember seeing it anywhere else.

[Mark Dedrick]

They beat an egg on my pizza before putting it in the oven. I personally prefer the sheer joy of a sunnyside-up yolk flowing over everything, but scrambling is an interesting take on that, and I don't remember seeing it anywhere else.

I've gotten eggs on my pizzas there before, but only sunnyside up. Which makes essentially anything better. Would be interested to try it scrambled.

[DPop]

About to order for carryout but can't decide which pizza to order based on this thread. Any favorites? I'm a big proponent of porcine on my pizza, for note.

[youngfood]

About to order for carryout but can't decide which pizza to order based on this thread. Any favorites? I'm a big proponent of porcine on my pizza, for note.

The Navy Yard with house made sausage is pretty terrific. The specials are usually good. We enjoy the sandwiches almost as much as the pizzas, especially the veggie one.

[DPop]

Thanks youngfood, I went with that and added salami as well (the one thing I agree with Herman Cain on is toppings on pizza). First off, I think with the demise of Orso, this is the best pizza in DC. Charred crust with crunch but a nice soft, chewy center. Mine was not soggy btw, which I was pleasantly surprised to find. The quality of the meat toppings was really fantastic and plentiful, but I have to say (and I hate saying it), $18.92 before tip for a 12 inch pizza that I easily plowed through myself is a little outrageous. Sure, great toppings etc but ultimately it was a relatively small pizza that would not be enough for me and my wife to share. It's a shame, because that would be the main reason why I would not be rushing to head back here.

[DPop]

More than 6 months since the last post in this thread? I guess I shouldn't be surprised, as this place wasn't even half full last Friday night at 7:30, but if you haven't been here lately you don't know what you're missing. The special that night, which had Olive Oil, Rapini, Burrata, Prosciutto, and Peaches (!) was something I would never ever order but given past experience with this place and a little urging from Anthony, I pulled the trigger. My God. A lesser pizzaiolo would have screwed this up, as the moisture from those ingredients would have made this a soggy mess, but it was crispy and delicious. I feel like this is one of those places where you can't go wrong no matter what you do, but you're always best off just ordering the special. Chances are Anthony knows best.

Best to go now to enjoy this pizza, as they will be closing for renovations in early July and who knows who will be by the oven making pizzas when they re-open their doors at the end of the summer....

[Ericandblueboy]

it was crispy

Is the bottom crust literally crispy? When I read "crispy," I always wonder if the crust is crispy like a cracker. And you really like the crust like that?

[Pat]

Anthony wasn't working last night when I went in around 6 PM. It's the first time I've been there that I've been able to sit at the counter/bar. There was no one sitting there at all when I arrived, though a family came in a little later. Maybe people eat later at this time of year, and some people were outside, but I was surprised at how empty it was inside. I'm not sure how much the ongoing construction and the huge scaffolding surrounding the building are affecting their business, but it must be having some effect. I asked the man who waited on me and he said they close for renovations on July 9.

As to the pizza, I ordered a small Pennsylvania Avenue (tomato, olive, pesto, pecorino, spinach) with added sausage. I'm not sure what prompted me to ask for the sausage add-on. It was added sliced and worked well with the other ingredients, so it was a good call on my part . The crust could have been a little crisper, but it had a nice char and was the right amount of chewy too.

[Mark Dedrick]

The bar is really the key to getting a pizza, assuming you want to eat there, when they are busy. My wife and I frequently go on Saturday or Sunday for lunch, and the place is frequently slammed, with long lines. There are usually bar seats however, which means you can sit down and order directly from there, bypassing the line.

Do we know how long the renovations will take?

[Tujague]

Anthony wasn't working last night when I went in around 6 PM. It's the first time I've been there that I've been able to sit at the counter/bar. There was no one sitting there at all when I arrived, though a family came in a little later. Maybe people eat later at this time of year, and some people were outside, but I was surprised at how empty it was inside.

Most weeks Anthony has Tuesdays off; I wonder if some of the regulars know that and wait until Wednesday for their pizza fix! (But it can get fairly unpleasant in there on hot days with those close quarters.) Man, I'm going to miss those veggie sandwiches while they're closed.

[DonRocks]

Most weeks Anthony has Tuesdays off; I wonder if some of the regulars know that and wait until Wednesday for their pizza fix! (But it can get fairly unpleasant in there on hot days with those close quarters.) Man, I'm going to miss those veggie sandwiches while they're closed.

Those regulars may want to get their fill sooner rather than later.

[Tujague]

Do we know how long the renovations will take?

They just posted a notice that they will be reopening the first week of August.

Best to go now to enjoy this pizza, as they will be closing for renovations in early July and who knows who will be by the oven making pizzas when they re-open their doors at the end of the summer....

Those regulars may want to get their fill sooner rather than later.

So, are you suggesting Anthony may not be returning? That would be terrible.

[Tujague]

I thought Anthony was going to faint tonight when I decided to stay to eat a pizza at the bar instead of running off with a veggie sandwich like I usually do. Went for a personal sized special: pesto, buffala mozzarella, prosciutto, walnuts, and shaved pears. An absolute masterpiece.

[Mark Dedrick]

Talked to Anthony and others at Seven Hill yesterday. They'll be closing after service on Sunday, July 8, and reopening between three and four weeks later. It sounds as if the renovations will be somewhat substantial, moving the southernmost wall of the restaurant out approximately four feet, which will increase the indoor seating capacity by quite a bit.

[Mark Dedrick]

Not great news, Anthony's leaving. I suppose the positive here is that at least they're finally re-opening on Friday.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/going-out-gurus/post/anthony-pilla-says-ciao-to-eastern-markets-seventh-hill/2012/08/15/4fe0e936-e6e5-11e1-8741-940e3f6dbf48_blog.html#pagebreak

[DonRocks]

So, are you suggesting Anthony may not be returning? That would be terrible.

[DPop]

Don your sources are fantastic!

[DonRocks]

Don your sources are fantastic!

You put the "op" in DPop.

[Tujague]

I talked with Anthony about his possible leaving before they shuttered for remodeling, and he hinted that he was looking for a change (though he was visibly nervous about the rumors and comments on DR.com), so this isn't a big surprise, but an unhappy development nevertheless. I hope that the bones of the business he leaves behind are strong enough to flourish in its new incarnation and they find good new leadership at the oven.

[Tujague]

I've been to Seventh Hill twice now since they reopened last weekend. A much improved AC system and about 16 new seats at high tables to the left of the counter make it a much more open and inviting space to stay and eat in, even though the remodeling work is completely done (the floor in the new area needs to be finished and a window will be added to the addition). As far as the food goes since Anthony Pilla left, I don't notice yet a significant drop in quality--my veggie sandwich was as big or larger than previous incarnations, and our pizzas last night were done just right. What is lacking, of course, is Anthony's energy and personality, which will be hard to recapture. But everything else about the place seems to be pretty much the same (food) or better (space).

[Pat]

I like the expanded space with the additional seating. It feels much roomier, and I imagine a window will open it up even more.

In honor of the changes, I ordered a sandwich for the first time, the Spicy Tuna spicy tuna salad, mayo, avocado, tomato, arugula. "Spicy" is an accurate description. As with anything I've ordered here, the combination of ingredients was well-chosen. The spicy tuna and the peppery arugula are balanced by the relative mildness of the other ingredients. The pita-like pizza dough bread is good bread in its own right and has no problem holding up to the ingredients, including the second half of the sandwich that sat in the refrigerator overnight. It's a good value for $7.50.

It's always so tempting to order pizza here that it took me a long time to come around to the sandwiches. While I find it too cumbersome to carry a pizza all the way home, the sandwiches are perfect for carry-out .

[Mark Dedrick]

Just a quick note, even post Anthony the pizza here is really good. I haven't noticed a big change in the crust, and the specials remain top notch. There are few places I'd rather spend time on a Sunday afternoon, sitting at the bar, enjoying a glass of beer and a great pizza.

[DonRocks]

Just a quick note, even post Anthony the pizza here is really good. I haven't noticed a big change in the crust, and the specials remain top notch. There are few places I'd rather spend time on a Sunday afternoon, sitting at the bar, enjoying a glass of beer and a great pizza.

Good to hear - any word on who's slinging the dough these days?

[Mark Dedrick]

Good to hear - any word on who's slinging the dough these days?

I talked to the guy for a while yesterday, but for the life of me I can't remember his name.

[fuzzy510]

Stopped in for dinner tonight before the Nats game, my first trip since the remodel and Anthony's departure. The pizza is still as great as I remember it - honestly, if I didn't know Anthony had left, I wouldn't have thought anything had changed with the staffing.

One crucial change: the addition of a Happy Hour from 5 to 6:30 on weekdays (as well as 4:30-6:30 on weekends I believe, but don't quote me on that). $5 8" Garfield Park cheese pizzas and $3.50 draft Yuenglings. And yes, they will let you add toppings to the discounted pie - I had wanted the basic neapolitan (the Capitol Hill), but was encouraged to instead order the happy hour pie and add basil for an extra $1.

I'd have gone back anyways, but the happy hour probably means that Seventh Hill will become a regular stop on game days for me.

[Nick Freshman]

I don't know about the pizzaiolo changes, but I think this place is great. Elegantly simple. I've made a couple stops here post-museums with kids. Highlight for me was a soup (though the pizza is very good). Big bowl of chorizo, tomato and pepper all pureed and a huge piece of pizza dough to go with it. Good beer selection as well in bottles, and they just added a tap. The tap I regret to report is Yuengling. Oh well.

It's nice to load up on pizza and then stop next door to Peregrine for a coffee. Takes the edge off of fighting the tourists at the Smithsonian.

[Pat]

They gave me good advice on what beer to get while I waited for my pizza to go, but the pizza was very disappointing.  They were being hammered by an endless stream of families out for dinner, but, really, this was bad. The crust on the one side was mostly raw.  I should know better than to go here on a Friday night.

I guess the good news is that the pizza improved by being thrown on a hot stone in my home oven, but geez.  This was the special for $19.95:  olive oil, beech mushroom, fontina, fennel, sausage, parmesan, tomatoes.  It was, however, not special in any other sense of the word.

I'll be testing out the tuna sandwich tomorrow.  I've never had any problem with that at all, and I hope that continues.

[Edited to be a little more diplomatic and precise.]

[DPop]

I went once after Anthony left and I can't see myself going back unless there is a significant change at the oven.

Speaking of, since it sounds like Anthony is kind of (and has been for a while) in between jobs, why not rekindle the relationship?  I always thought this was the perfect place for someone like him, a guy who wanted to be near the oven to oversee everything but interact with the customers at the same time, which is exactly what that counter allows for. More than likely not to happen, but one can hope for the type of quality that he was putting out there 2-3 years ago to resurface....

[Tujague]

Anthony isn't in between jobs, as far as I know; he's a business developer and culinary director for an importer of pizza ovens. He told me awhile back that he wanted to get more into the business side of things, and he left Seventh Hill in part because there was no way he would be given any sort of partnership. (And the last I saw him, he looked much healthier than he did toward the end of his run at Seventh Hill.)

It's been awhile since I had a pizza there, but the last one I had showed little if any drop-off in quality, so perhaps the issue is more consistency, particularly when the place is slammed, or who's in charge of the oven on any given night. And I suppose it's a business calculation as to whether they need a pizziaolo like Pilla at this point if they feel they have the basics right. Your post suggests perhaps they don't have them together as much as they should.

[Pat]

It's been awhile since I had a pizza there, but the last one I had showed little if any drop-off in quality, so perhaps the issue is more consistency, particularly when the place is slammed, or who's in charge of the oven on any given night. And I suppose it's a business calculation as to whether they need a pizziaolo like Pilla at this point if they feel they have the basics right. Your post suggests perhaps they don't have them together as much as they should.

This is the first time I've had any complaint about a pizza from here.  In fact, people I've mentioned it to were surprised.  One even said that the specials are usually especially good.  (I don't think I've ordered a special before.)

Even the part of the pizza that appeared to have a decent char still did not have the right cooked consistency after being reheated the next day on a hot pizza stone. It was flabby and just...not right.  The piece I ate cold that day was worse. Maybe it was a bad batch of dough?

The tuna sandwich, eaten a day after purchase, was as good as or better than any I've had from there.  No drop off in quality and the bread/crust on that was fine, just like it normally is.

[jandres374]

Looks like they are opening another location in the old Palisades Pizza and Clam spot on MacArthur Blvd. Saw the liquor license application posted in the window.

[DonRocks]

Looks like they are opening another location in the old Palisades Pizza and Clam spot on MacArthur Blvd. Saw the liquor license application posted in the window.

This is from last month, but PoPville has a photo of the signage up (it's next to BlackSalt), and notes that they're hiring.

[cheezepowder]

PoPville heard that Seventh Hill in the Palisades has opened.

[Pat]

All I'd eaten all day was the last of the Chinese food from our Sunday Peking Duck meal.  I was starving and went to the original 7th Hill to get pizza.  I ordered the Garfield Park 8" pizza they've been advertising for happy hour at $5.  Tomato and mozzarella on that nice thin crust.  I can't believe how quickly I ate the entire thing.  I still can't believe I ate the whole thing, though no need for Alka-Seltzer .

Also, having taken note of Don's approach, I ordered a spicy tuna sandwich to go, to have for tomorrow.  My very favorite sandwich.

I was a bit confused about the beers.  They've had signs outside about $3.50 Yuengling drafts, which they apparently ran out of.  They had a Shock Top draft for $3.50 and $4.50 cans, described as being on the wooden shelf behind the bar.  The cans are all clustered together over two shelves, and I didn't notice that the shelf I ordered the DC Brau Public from was non-wooden, so it was $6.50.  The beer was great, but caveat emptor on the wooden shelf thing

[Pat]

I stopped in to get one of the tuna sandwiches I love and was taken by the pizza listed on the specials board. What grabbed me was the meatballs, but the beech mushrooms, baby arugula, and tallegio looked good.  I think there's also mozzarella.  I ate a slice (or two) at the restaurant and brought the rest home.  At about $20, it was kind of pricey.  It was good.

But there were no meatballs.  I was thinking of the Matchbox pizzas that have half meatballs on them.  This had smushed up meat stuff that may have originally been meatballs.  I was somewhat disappointed. Why call it meatballs if it's little meat bits?

[Pat]

Back to the tried and true last night. I really, really did not feel like making dinner. I almost ordered from Doordash, but there were so many options, I couldn't figure out what I wanted. Instead I headed over to 7th Hill and got 2 sandwiches for our dinner, one of the tuna and one of the turkey. That way we could each have half of each. I ate my turkey half last night and kept the tuna for today. 

I had never ordered the soup of the day here, but my husband is getting over a cold and I thought he'd like some soup. It was smoked paprika tomato  soup. Several people sampled and then ordered it while I was there. I hadn't known to ask for a sample, so I never did taste any. My husband enjoyed it.

[jandres374]

The Palisades location has been sold. Drove by last night and saw a new name on windows but couldn't make it out completely.

"Seventh Hill Pizza in the Palisades Has New Owners" on popville.com

[Pat]

Might as well post it here too. Closing permanently, along with Montmartre.

[DonRocks]

On 11/26/2019 at 11:59 AM, jandres374 said:

The Palisades location has been sold. Drove by last night and saw a new name on windows but couldn't make it out completely.

"Seventh Hill Pizza in the Palisades Has New Owners" on popville.com

Jan 22, 2020 - "Wood-Fired Pizza Joint Del Popolo Replaces Seventh Hill Pizza on the Vern" by Lia DeGroot on gwhatchet.com

At this date, Del Popolo is closed for in-house dining, but remains open for carryout.

[I'll split this into another thread.]

[youngfood]

On 5/18/2020 at 8:34 PM, Pat said:

Might as well post it here too. Closing permanently, along with Montmartre.

Such a shame.  Great people, excellent pizza, and the veggie sandwich was probably our favorite sandwich in the neighborhood.  I'm sure they'd be doing a lot of business with so many folks needing takeout while at home on the Hill during the pandemic too, but can see where they might feel like this is the right time to stop.