AU favorite 2Amys Neapolitan Pizzeria was honored with a place on the Bib Gourmand list, a version of the Michelin Stars Guide, released for the first time in Washington D.C. last month. Inclusion in the Michelin Stars Guide can make or break a fine dining establishment, and has been the most prestigious honor a restaurant can receive.
Restaurants included in the Michelin Guide are awarded between zero to three Michelin Stars The stars are awarded to restaurants who achieve excellence throughout the entire dining experience. Washington was given its first ever Michelin Guide on Oct. 13. A few days prior, 19 more affordable D.C. restaurants that exceeded diners’ expectations were placed on the Bib Gourmand list. Others on the list include Jaleo, Zaytinya and The Royal.
The Bib Gourmand list is created by Michelin inspectors and features establishments that serve two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less before tax and tip, according to The Washington Post. 2Amys meets this specific guideline, serving personal sized pizzas between $8.95 and $14.95.
The Michelin Guide was started by French entrepreneurs brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin in the year 1900. By 1920, they had compiled lists of the top restaurants for different countries and were able to charge for the guides, and by 1926 they focused their ratings on fine dining. Today, achieving a Michelin star can make or break a restaurant, so much that celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay cried when his restaurant lost its stars.
Michelin stars are determined by anonymous inspectors, many of which were former chefs themselves, who must pass a strenuous training in France. These inspectors will visit a restaurant multiple times before making a decision.
Prior to the announcement of a D.C. Michelin Guide in May, the only U.S. cities included on the list were New York, Chicago and San Francisco, because these were cities that offered the most culinary achievement. Restaurants that make the cut are placed on the prestigious list and can be awarded zero to three stars. Restaurants included in the new D.C. guide are only those in Washington proper, and do not include those eateries outside of the city in Virginia and Maryland.
2Amys has been an AU staple for 15 years, opening it’s doors in September 2001. It is the first D.O.C (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) certified pizzeria in the Washington area and was certified at it’s opening. This certification is awarded by Verace Pizza Napoletana Association, an international organization that is run by the Italian government. D.O.C certifications are awarded based on the restaurant's dedication to meeting specific requirements that respect traditional Neapolitan pizza making which were established in 1998. 2Amys is one of three D.O.C certified pizzerias in Washington, including Il Canal and Menomale.
The restaurant is a favorite among many AU students.
“2Amys is great,” Arielle Witter, a senior in the School of Communication, said. “It’s a local hotspot that doesn’t scream college bar, you know? It kind of momentarily transports you to another destination.”
The restaurant serves pizzas cooked in a wood-burning oven, and uses authentic, Italian ingredients in all of its dishes. It also serves salads, small plates and a wide selection of Italian wines.
2Amy’s has become such an AU staple that many who have graduated return to enjoy the experience.
“I really love 2Amys Pizza,” Alissa Platz, an alumna from the School of International Service said. “The ingredients are always fresh and delicious. Whatever magic they are using in the kitchen is definitely working.”
You can find the full list of D.C. restaurants on the Bib Gourmand list here.
2Amys Neapolitan Pizzeria is located at 3715 Macomb Street NW.
