The Washington City Paper’s cover story this week examines the Adams Morgan phenomenon the Jumbo Slice in laudable detail.

The article ranges from the origins of the slice (Chris Chishti, owner of Pizza Mart, claims to be the first), their nutrition (the slices contain over 1,000 calories), their economics (nobody’s getting rich), the volume (what does 900 pounds of a mozzarella-provolone mix look like?) and even, well, the culture (“You see people taking pictures of other people eating them. They’re almost a…tourist attraction.”)

Lest you fear an overly romantic treatment, the article also describes the fights, rats, and neighbors angry about greasy plates. All in all, it’s a good read. DCist admits to enjoying a few of these uniquely D.C. delights, although we’ve never thrown one at anyone – a common theme in the City Paper story. The Post views the Jumbo Slice as a critical D.C. experience, and Life in the District raves about Pizza Mart’s “traditional New York style thin crust pizza” despite “fuzzy” memories. What’s your favorite Jumbo Slice story? Have you ever brawled under the neon sign at Pizza Mart?

UPDATE: Here’s a permalink for the City Paper story.