Kelly the Culinarian: Food find: Cafe Cantina pizza

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Food find: Cafe Cantina pizza

Back when I was in Arizona, I had the hardest time finding decent pizza of any persuasion -- I tried gourmet pizza and New York-style pizza and Chicago-style pizza, but it was hard to find a pie that had a tasty, not-soggy crust with flavor and a tomato base that was sickly sweet or entirely too acidic. I wanted something that tasted even remotely like home.


In DC, this hasn't been a problem at all. My first day in the newsroom, I wandered around the block to find something tasty for lunch. I didn't get far with my nose was tempted by some fabulous-smelling pizza. The wafting scent had so many notes of cheesy tomato goodness that I just had to go into Cafe Cantina at 1325 G Street NW. The tiny cafe also shares space with Pizza Pino's, who's delicious pizza slices I smelled from outside. They typically have pepperoni, cheese and veggie available by the slice. For a huge slice of cheese pizza and a bottle drink, it was less than $5, which makes it a steal in DC.



And the taste delivered on what the smell promised. It was served piping hot and I dusted it with some Parmesan. The cheese was flavorful and had more than one variety. The crust was homemade in the shop, as I've seen them do many times in my visits since, and was chewy without being stale. It should be, since the pizzas are pumped out fresh. The tomato sauce was flavorful, but the Italian herbs didn't overwhelm the taste of the tomato. Overall, a delicious slice worth being a regular customer for and one slice was plenty.


I love DC.

10 comments:

Taylor said...

Check out the Jumbo Slices in DC. They're hilariously large. Not necessarily good, but large as in gotta see it. Just ask. People will tell you where to go.

Unknown said...

When I was a young boy my father took me into the city for Cafe Cantina pizza. It's the best!

Cate said...

11 pm and now I want pizza.

ZoeyBella said...

Having grown up 'down the shore' in Jersey, pizza was always part of my life. Lucky for me I had the best pizza right up street. Sadly, the place is now a beach home. But there's still excellent pie in Jersey.

Glad to see you found a good one yourself!

backStreetGluttons said...

at least you have so many choices while V only know of one called pizza hut ! oh u looke different and more like h e r aye ?

Unknown said...

Looks sooo good. It's funny, even though I live in Chicago, I haven't found a pizza that I truly can't get enough of!

Swaruchy said...

Hey thanks Kelly.....This is pretty useful......Will check out for this cafe next time dear....I go there every weekend for my MBA class......

Cynthia said...

Nothing quite like finding the slice of pizza that suits your taste and desire.

tigerfish said...

Plentiful of good ol' pizzas in DC. No wonder you exclaim your love :)

I like thin crust pizza like that.

A Mature Student said...

I commented earlier but I think there was a problem with the comment.

Hope it went through ok.