M & N’s Pizza

A man radiating kindness sits serenely behind an uncluttered counter, working on a laptop and iPad, waiting for DishingPizza to arrive. Aside from the signage and a drink case, there are no pizza-related items—no boxes, no ovens, no visible ingredients. The place could easily serve as a rental car counter. After a brief, quiet exchange, the man discreetly disappears behind a door, reappearing shortly afterward holding a 14″ pizza box, full of magic.

M & N’s Pizza in Bethesda gets credit and renown¹ for innovation with its “Whacky Pizzas” — 30 fusion pies, representing eight different countries. Spicy Chicken Curry, Kadhai Paneer, and Korean BBQ are three popular pies at this unconventional, creative carryout hotspot. The ‘M’ and ‘N’ refer to the husband-and-wife owners, Manoj and Nazaneen Mehta, who run the joint and cook the food.

DishingPizza tries to be fair, making apples-to-apples comparisons of pizzerias’ base pies. However, after too many recent disappointing wood-fired pizza experiences, DishingPizza was having an existential pizza crisis and needed some strange. M & N’s Whacky Palak Paneer pizza scratched the itch.

M & N’s palak paneer, prepared by Nazaneen, is delicious enough to eat on its own with rice, flavorful and mildly spicy. When slathered on a pizza, the palak paneer becomes a marvel — the spinach and non-melting cheese cubes are natural complements to pizza. While both palak paneer and pizza are familiar flavors, together they offer a fresh, stimulating combination that rejuvenates DishingPizza’s wearied palate. Buoyed by a decent mozzarella and a firm crust, the pizza is flop-free, even under the weight of its toppings. Furthermore, the pizza reheats well, retaining its structural integrity.² The pizza box shows a bit of light grease, which is likely from the oil typically used to prepare palak paneer. Since DishingPizza opted to forgo a M & N’s base cheese pizza (16″ pie for $22.25 = $0.11 per sq. inch), it cannot comment on its quality.

M & N’s specialty 14″ pizzas cost $28.75 — $0.19 per sq. inch, making it one of the priciest pizzas in town.³ However, the generously thick and filling layer of palak paneer on top could easily sell separately for $15 if it were served in a bowl at an Indian restaurant. While it’s true that DishingPizza bases its complicated pricing calculations on a pizzeria’s lowest common denominator pie, in this case, DishingPizza suspects that most customers buy M & N’s expensive Whacky pies – they’re that good, and its inventive pizzas are what draw people to M & N’s.

What did DishingPizza decide in the end? Would it forgo the traditional pizza community of red sauce and white cheese for the exoticism and allure of the Whacky pies? M & N’s pizza will remain in DishingPizza’s back pocket for the times it needs something thrillingly different.

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¹ M & N’s is #82 in the 2024 Yelp Top 100 Places to Eat in the United States, based on ratings and the volume of reviews.
² DishingPizza stands on its soapbox to note that even great wood-fired pizza is subpar when reheated, making it unsuitable for carryout unless it will be fully consumed quickly.
³ For comparison, Red Hound is $0.19 per sq. inch, Little Beast Detroit-style is $0.39 per sq. inch, and Mamma Lucia is $0.09 per sq. inch.

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M & N’s Pizza
4914 Del Ray Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814

Style: New-York/Whacky

Pizza Quality: 🍕🍕🍕
Overall experience: ⭐⭐⭐

Pie (14″): $28.75
Price per square inch: $0.19