Pizza restaurants are taking over D.C.

More pizza on the way

When it comes to pizza in the D.C. area, we’re certainly not short of options. Pizza Autentica opened its Crystal City location last week. District of Pi is aiming for a March debut. And the Georgia-based pizzeria Mellow Mushroom is planning to open this summer in Adams Morgan. And it doesn’t look like it’s stopping there.

Restaurant owner Payam Yazdani is planning on getting in on the pie action as well. He closed his Dupont Circle restaurant, Pasha Bistro, earlier this week, and plans to reopen it on March 1 as PIZZA No. 17. The space, located at 1523 17th St. NW, will feature a new wood-fired pizza oven that will crank out organic gourmet pies. Yazdani is offering loyal customers a $15 gift certificate to his new eatery. You can contact him at 17pizzas@gmail.com. (h/t PoP, Borderstan)

Fuel Pizza coming to D.C.

The Charlotte-based pizza chain, Fuel Pizza, has signed two leases in the D.C. area, reports the Washington Business Journal. The pizza cafes, featuring specialty pies and pizza by the slice, will set up shop at 600 F St. NW and 1606 K St. NW. The company hopes to have one of the eateries open this spring.

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Greenwood leaves Food & Wine Co.

In his online chat yesterday, Washingtonian's Todd Kliman shared that Chef Carole Greenwood has left Food & Wine Co. in Bethesda. Greenwood began the position just last month, on Jan. 18.  

 

“Food Wine and Co. (7272 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda; 301-652-8008) is the kind of place you love when you walk in, enjoy after 30 minutes, tolerate after 45, resent after an hour, and hate by the time you get the bill.
I found myself wondering, on a recent visit, why Carole Greenwood, a talented and demanding chef who simultaneously charmed and alienated diners at Buck's Fishing and Camping and her eponymous Greenwood, would have returned to the DC area to cook at a place as impersonal and bustling as this. As it turned out, Greenwood, who took the job January 18, must have found herself wondering the same thing, because she's apparently left.”

Meat or no meat?

The Meat Week celebrations are well underway. Last night, barbecue lovers came out to Mango Mikes to get a sneak peak of the upcoming Pork Barrel BBQ, whose storefront restaurant in Alexandria is expected to open next month. The party continues tonight at Torrie's at Wilson as the recently launched PORC mobile basks in the spotlight.

• More info and poll here

Hey vegetarians, are you feeling left out? Well, cheer up because Meat-Free Week begins Feb. 7. The event originated last year to provide an alternative to Meat Week. The week-long festivities include vegetarian tasting menus, food specials, meet and greets, and a book signing with cookbook author Kim O’Donnel.

In other food and restaurant news...

• Perfect Pita is opening a location at 1300 2nd St. NE. The sandwich shop will occupy the former spaces of Heidi's Brooklyn Deli and Sister's Pizza & Mussels. (WBJ)

• Horrible grocery store experiences in D.C. (PoP)

• Grass-fed beef burgers are not the best option in March... unless it was frozen. (The Atlantic)

• Life after cooking and competing on television. (New York Times)

• Chinese New Year, Trinidad-style (NPR)

• Facebook introduces new recipe search engine. (Mashable)

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• Bitches Who Brunch: Review: Local 16
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Plan Ahead -- Upcoming food and drink events

• Jan. 30 - Feb. 6 -- Meat Week
• Feb. 3 -- D.C. Food Bloggers Happy Hour at Indique Heights
• Feb. 3 -- Complimentary breakfast at The Brown Bag

Sweet Deals

• Feb. 1-28 --  Free drink at Buddha Bar
• Feb. 3 -- Complimentary breakfast at The Brown Bag
• Feb. 7-27 -- Free Coffee Days

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