A guide to four local pizza joints
The first pizza arrived in the United States in New York City in 1905 and immediately attracted a following within the Big Apple. The city of Chicago later emerged as a pizza-
lover's haven; home of the deep-dish, a pizza with a flaky crust that rises an inch or more above the plate and surrounds deep piles of toppings. Down South, the cities of Dallas, Houston and Austin have also developed a distinct style of pizza that blends spicy chorizo sausage with hot peppers and flatbread crust. In recent years, a new style of pie has emerged on the West Cost; a pizza that is highlighted by fresh vegetable toppings, pesto sauce and goat cheese.
Maybe Washington isn't as known for its pizza as it is for its traffic, smog and politics. But even though pizza has become somewhat of a cultural and culinary landmark associated with these other cities, there are still some notable chains, carry-outs and sit-down pizza joints in the Washington, and specifically Silver Spring area—here are a few:
| Pizza Place | Crust | Cheese | Sauce | Toppings | Overall |
| Pizza Boli's Pizza Boli's, (301-585-9500) delivered a large, one-topping pizza for $13 in about half an hour. | I've never bitten a piece of cardboard before, but I'm sure it would taste something like this. | Probably the best thing about the pizza—even though that is not saying much. The mozzarella was borderline rubbery. | The sauce was tangy and sweet, but there was so much of it that it drowned out the other flavors | The sausage was in nugget form and looked like a little pellet of meat—the shape threw me off almost as much as the taste. | Overall, Pizza Boli's should be last on your list if you are ordering delivery. The cheap price isn't worth the long wait or the one-note flavor |
| Manny and Olga's Manny and Olga's, (301-608-8050) delivered a large, one-topping pizza for $9.50 in about half an hour. | A little more thick and doughy than Pizza Boli's, but still tasteless. | Whoever made this pizza made up for a lack of flavor with an excess of greasy, salty cheese | The sauce was nondescript. At best, it was "subtly pesto." At worst, it was flavorless red paste. | At least the sausage resembled sausage. It was salty but provided the flavor to the pizza that the sauce lacked. | Manny and Olga's originated as a rotisserie chicken take-out chain and maybe it should have stuck to chicken. The pizza is not bad for the Monday Night Football crowd. |
| Talianos Taliano's, located at 7001 Carroll Ave in Takoma Park (301-270-5515) had a large, one-topping pizza for $12. 39, ready to pick-up in 10 minutes. | Taliano's crust features a flaky outershell with a moist and doughy inside. Perfect! | Unlike Pizza Boli's and Manny and Olga's, Talianos garnished the pizza with a reasonable amount of fresh mozzarella | The sauce tasted handmade, and not like it came straight out of a can. Hints of garlic and tangy tomato characterized the sauce. | Again, the only distinguishable flavor my taste buds could detect was salt. | Unfortunately, Talianos doesn't deliver, but they can have your pick-up order ready in an incredible 10 minutes. Taliano's pizza is full of the greasy, salty, tangy flavor that makes pizza a cultural icon of America. |
| Mama Lucia Mama Lucia, located at 1302 East-West Highway in Silver Spring (301-562-0963) had a large, one-topping pizza for $17, ready to pick-up in about 35 minutes. | Mama Lucia's crust is spongy and toothsome. The thin, doughy crust is similar to the original New York style of pizza. | Some pizzas have great crust, but too much cheese. Mama Lucia's understands that quality is better than quantity—the light coating of mozzarella adds to the taste and integrity of the pizza. | The sauce has an oregano flavor and smooth texture, which stands out in the simple but delicious pie. | Mama Lucia's sausage was probably the best out of the four restaurants, but that isn't saying much. | It's pizzas like Mama Lucia's that contribute to obesity in America. One delicious slice leads to another and before you know it, half the pizza is gone. Expensive? Yes. Long wait? Yes. Worth it? Definitely. |
Ethan Kuhnhenn. Ethan Kuhnhenn is a junior in the Communication Arts program and is entering his first year as a SCO staff member. When he's not fishing in his new bass boat, you can probably find him at Taco Bell chilling with his best friend, the cheesy … More »
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