What makes a pizza? Is it just semantics or is there some clear-cut definition? Some styles of pizza, such as New Haven and Roman, do not require tomatoes and mozzarella to make them pizza. That leaves only the crust to draw a line in the sand. Most chefs will tell you that what makes a pizza is a crust leavened with yeast, baking soda, or baking powder to form a bubbly, risen dough.

But even with those parameters, differences arise, particularly when it comes to slightly leavened flatbreads with toppings. It appears that the decision about whether a dish is a pizza lies within the saying — you know it when you see it. Fortunately for us, the only real distinction necessary is between that which is delicious and that which is not. Here's a guide to the best of the non-pizza pizzas in DC.

—Jamie Liu