Our weekly search for restaurants that probably aren’t on your radar. As young, broke college kids we will bring you our honest reviews of affordable restaurants in dope neighborhoods.
This week we decided to stay closer to campus and check out Pizzeria Paradiso’s brand new location in Spring Valley, right across from the AU School of Education and easily accessible via the Red Route wonk bus. Founded in the early 1990s, and with four other locations across town, Pizzeria Paradiso has a reputation as D.C.’s most prominent pizza restaurant.
We wanted to see if it lived up to the hype. Right off the bat we were super impressed with the nice yet relaxed atmosphere of the Spring Valley location.
When it comes to the menu, we recommend starting out with the bruschetta. Unlike other places that just scoop tomato sauce on mediocre bread, Pizzeria Paradiso goes the extra mile. They top off their dynamite homemade bread with fresh ricotta, basil, garlic and cherry tomatoes. The portion is generous, and perfect for sharing.
For our main course, we had to go for the personal sized pizza. Zak went for the vegetarian Siciliana pizza, topped with zucchini, eggplant, capers, garlic, oregano, mozzarella, pecorino, red sweet pepper, and red onion. Aylon decided to venture out and try the Macellaio pizza, with pepperoni, sausage and mozzarella.
Unlike other pizzerias where the personal pies leave you hungry, the Pizzeria Paradiso portion is the perfect size. The meats and vegetables topping our pizzas tasted incredibly fresh, but what set this place apart was the awesome taste of the handmade crust and dough.
Overall, Pizzeria Paradiso should totally be on your radar if you’re looking for a nicer, more upscale place. The atmosphere, food and quality service make it a perfect spot for a celebratory dinner, dinner date or meal with visiting parents.
Zak Bedrosian and Aylon Berger are food critics for The Eagle. Additionally, they are the co-founders of TheMove, a weekly social guide for American University students.
