Former defense attorney Joey Barber, aka Joey Della Barba, switched from deflecting indictments to slinging pies. They say a law degree is versatile, which may explain why he uniquely offers all four pizza styles- New York, Detroit, Chicago deep-dish, and Nonna.
Della Barba began as a carryout-only business – a ghost kitchen inside the Union Kitchen shared space in the Ivy City, DC neighborhood. No dining room, no signage, and no public access – strictly phone-in orders. Word spread that Barba was producing terrific pies. In October 2023, Della Barba opened a Capitol Hill restaurant near Lincoln Park with a throwback appeal.
The indoor seating is snug, with just eight tables. The spacious circa 2025 outdoor patio more than triples Della Barba’s total seating capacity. DishingPizza stopped in at an off hour and carried out a couple of slices. Even before sampling the goods, the simple fact that Della Barba offers slices warmed DishingPizza‘s coal-fired heart.1
A cheerful employee stood behind the show-and-tell pans displaying the dizzying choices. In addition to the four pizza styles, Della Barba offers Detroit and Chicago styles in mini and regular-sized pans. Is a joint that offers four pizza styles spreading itself too thin?2 Biting off more than it can chew?3 Judging from DishingPizza‘s New York and Nonna slices, the answer is a big no. The two slices look similar, but are worlds apart.
The New York style (l) and Nonna style (r) may look similar, but they’re completely separate beasts
If Della Barba opened a slice window on Bleecker Street, the New York style would sell like hotcakes4 – it’s that good. The slice is marvelously confounding, with its substantial heft yet with a light, delicate crust. The lightly salted cornicione has the flavor and texture of a high-quality bakery loaf, chewy and delicious. The tomato sauce is rich, fresh, but not overpowering – intelligently restrained. The buttery whole milk mozzarella is similarly classy. The single slice was plenty for a meal – not that it kept DishingPizza from devouring the second slice.
The photos don’t adequately capture the differences between the New York and Nonna slices. The loft of the Nonna is approximately twice that of the flat New York slice. The olive oil-infused Nonna crust is worlds apart from the New York, thicker, denser, crunchier, but similarly delicate and expertly crafted. The Nonna cheese is more sumptuous than the New York, with a combo of fresh and whole milk mozzarellas. Another remarkable slice, grounded by a bright, flavorful tomato sauce.
No, DishingPizza hasn’t sampled Della Barba’s Chicago deep-dish or Detroit style. This is for another time. Nonetheless, DishingPizza confidently awards Della Barba a “best-of” classification.
If Joey Barber were even half the lawyer he is a pizzaiolo, none of his clients would have ever landed in the big house. Forget about Congress — Della Barba is THE reason to visit Capitol Hill.
Della Barba Pizza
1382 East Capitol Street Northeast, Washington, DC 20003
Pizza type: New York, Nonna, Chicago, Detroit
Pizza quality: 🍕🍕🍕🍕
Overall experience: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
New York – 12″ round: $14
Pie price per square inch: $0.12
Nonna – 14″ square: $18
Pie price per square inch: $0.09
Detroit – 12″ x 14″ Rectangle: $25
Pie price per square inch: $0.15
Chicago deep dish – 10″ round: $24
Pie price per square inch: $0.31
Great!
Now I really want some pizza for lunch.