Dishing Pizza first encountered Andy’s Pizza in 2018 when its first store opened in the Tyson’s Galleria. Not only did Andy’s stand out for its high-quality pizza, but it was the only affordable thing in the entire ridiculously upscale mall. Since then, Andy’s has become a local chain with 12 locations around the DMV.
Dishing Pizza is more forgiving of local chains than national chains, but Andy’s rapid local expansion is concerning. That said, Dishing Pizza has eaten at a few Andy’s locations and attests to uniform quality throughout.
Andy’s is subtle, which is unusual in big deck oven pizzas. Take a gander at the pizza pic and notice this pizza’s topography — a blend of dough bubble hills, mozzarella islands, and rivulets of tomato sauce. The juxtaposition of its pizza elements makes Andy’s pizza a superb, light, everyday-eating kind of slice. Contrast this to most deck oven pizzas, paved over like a parking lot with a thick layer of mozzarella, with some sauce peeking out the sides. Dishing Pizza is reluctant to say that Andy’s pizza is healthy, but it’s definitely healthier than many of its competitors.
Andy’s offers Wine Wednesdays1 where the purchase of a bottle of wine gets two free slices. Initially, Dishing Pizza thought this was a Bethesda-location-only thing, which made sense because Bethesdans are just the sort to drink wine with pizza.2 However, in a rare show of humility, Dishing Pizza was mistaken — Wine Wednesdays occur at all locations. Perhaps the secret to Andy’s successful rapid expansion is opening stores in swanky locations where lots of people drink wine with pizza.
Slices are served on white scalloped paper plates covered with a sheet of red and white checkerboard grease-resistant paper — this nod to red sauce Italian restaurants adds a touch of whimsy. Nicely played, Andy’s Pizza.
1 Andy’s also offers Magnum Mondays in its Foggy Bottom and Shaw locations, where the purchase of a magnum (the equivalent of two bottles) gets a free large pizza. Undoubtedly, those who live in such close proximity to the White House need to get soused after the first workday of the week.
2 Unsurprisingly, Dishing Pizza is firmly in the pizza and beer camp. However, regardless of the glee Dishing Pizza would take in the ridiculing, Dishing Pizza will not cast aspersions on the DMV’s arrivistes who pair their wines based on the type of pizza they’re eating.
Andy’s Pizza
Over 10 locations across the DMV
Pizza quality: 🍕🍕🍕🍕
Overall experience: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Slice: $4.50
Slice price per square inch: $0.14
Slice greed factor: 🤑🤑🤑
Pie: $22.50
Pie price per square inch: $0.09