Capitol Hill Has a New Slice Joint From a New York-Style Pizza Expert

Just like the local bagel scene, the much-maligned market for New York-style pizza in D.C. has been steadily improving in recent years. Starting this afternoon (Thursday, October 8), another new name will aim to meet demand for pizza by the slice — and square, crunchy-edged grandma-style pies — out of an oven housed in the Roost food hall in Capitol Hill.

Aptly named Slice Joint has expanded into the Roost from its original home in the Market Line food hall on New York City’s Lower East Side. Owner Rachael Marie spent four years working at iconic Brooklyn pizzeria Roberta’s, and also spent time at Food Network Star Christian Petroni’s Fortina. Northern Virginia based Neighborhood Restaurant Group, which manages the Roost, spotted Marie while working to open its only NYC project, giant beer bar the Grand Delancey.

Slice Joint serves a basic lineup of pizzas, with slices listed from $3.50 for cheese to $4 for pepperoni or $5 for a square slice of pepperoni. Whole pies ($22 to $26) can be customized with additional toppings such as pepperoncini or Calabrian chiles. Whole square pies are available in cheese ($25) or spicy pepperoni ($29).

Neighborhood Restaurant Group [official]

Service at Slice Joint will be the same as recent arrivals HiFi Taco and Red Apron, which is to say customers can order takeout from a designated pickup point online or get pieces sent to their tables at the Shelter beer garden with the aid of a QR code. Walk-up service inside the food hall isn’t available yet. Slice Joint’s hours are 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; noon to 10 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday (closed Monday and Tuesday).

In the past couple of years, Andy’s Pizza has quickly grown with multiple locations (Tysons Corner, Shaw, Navy Yard, Alexandria) selling ultra-thin slices. A square Sicilian style, with crunchy edges and sauce baked on top of mozzarella squares, is a recent addition to the company’s lineup at the Shaw location and a pop-up at Del Ray cafe Stomping Ground.

Wiseguy Pizza, another oft-recommended option for by-the-slice service, has five locations spread across D.C. and Northern Virginia.

Spike Mendelsohn’s We the Pizza is much a closer competitor to the Roost, with its main location less than two miles away from the food hall on Pennsylvania Avenue SE.

• A Beer Garden From the Churchkey Crew Opens in Capitol Hill With Butcher-Approved Tacos [EDC]
• Capitol Hill’s Incoming Food and Beer Hall Adds an NYC-Based Pizza Stall [EDC]