Illustration by Josh Kramer.
By DCist Contributor Josh Kramer
Who needs a cellphone camera when you have a pen and paper? Drawn to Flavor highlights local dishes and drinks in vivid watercolor. In these posts, illustrator and journalist Josh Kramer tries to honor all the energy and creativity that goes into making food beautiful and delicious.
You can get almost any kind of pizza you’d ever want in D.C. There are East Coast styles like New York (Wiseguy) or New Haven (Pete’s). There are midwest variants, too (Alberto’s and District of Pi). And there are area chains known for having what I think most agree is “pretty good pizza” (Matchbox, Red Rocks, and Pizza Paradiso). Even more recently there are Chipotle-style quick baked to-go places (&Pizza, Veloce). But we’re also lucky enough to have a place like 2Amys (3715 Macomb Street NW).
This Neapolitan pizza joint opened in 2001 and there’s nothing new about it. But 2Amys is charming. The pizzas are consistently and reassuringly high-quality. I love that this amazing food is served in a casual, comfortable setting for a reasonable price. Fine dining is wonderful when you can afford it. But I find that, just as often, the truly special dinners happen at places where I can relax. Places like 2Amys are where powerful memories are formed, as opposed to “special occasions.”
Unlike many contemporary foods that we love, pizza has a start date, or at least an apocryphal story about one. There is a plaque in Naples and it says, in so many words, “Pizza started here.” In order to make officially recognized Neapolitan pizza, you must only use certain ingredients and become recognized by part of the Italian government through their denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) system. It’s the best of high and low food culture: pizza is one of the sloppiest, most fun foods (and one of the only meals I would eat as a child), and yet it’s also governed by a strict set of rules.
The Margherita pizza DOC at 2Amys has the only toppings it is permitted: mozzarella di bufala and basil. The milky whey of the mozzarella mixes with the light san marzano tomato sauce and the olive oil on the surface. The flavors are delicate and lovely. And yes, this is fork and knife pizza. (When in Rome … or Naples, as it may be.) I always end up getting it with the Otto Uve, a light and fizzy red wine, but you can’t really go wrong with anything on the 2Amys wine list.
There will always be newer and more exciting pizza places to try. Hopefully, there will always also be 2Amy’s.
