Pines of Rome opened in 1972 when Bethesda was very different from what it is today. Yet, this unpretentious, reasonably-priced, red-sauce Italian joint still stands strong, in an industry where a restaurant’s average lifespan is six years. At 45 years old, Pines of Rome moved to its current Cordell Ave. location in 2017, relocating from its original spot on Hampden Lane to accommodate downtown development and the Purple Line construction.
The secret of Pines of Rome’s success isn’t a mystery. Simple Italian food is comforting. The dowdiness of the restaurant is part of its charm.1 The partially burnt-out bulbs in Pines of Rome’s sign are a metaphor for the restaurant’s insouciant attitude.2 That said, a restaurant in business since 1972 has every right to be laid back.
Customers in Bethesda who demand matching furniture and fancier food have plenty of choices, each with arguably better, pricier fare. However, plenty of Bethesdans weren’t to the manor born and don’t want every meal to have Michelin stars or Michelin prices.
DishingPizza remembers the guilty pleasure of Pines of Rome’s white pizza, eaten previously as an appetizer with a pasta meal. But DishingPizza didn’t recall having tried their red pizza or seeing anyone else eating it. Known primarily as a pasta joint, DishingPizza had low expectations for Pines of Rome’s pizza.
Although Pines of Rome pizza isn’t much to look at, it packs a surprisingly great punch. Atop a thin, crispy crust (with crispier edges) and good mozzarella lies a layer of garlicky, pressed tomatoes. Unlike most pizzerias, the use of these tomatoes instead of a pureed sauce gives this pizza a unique flavor. It’s saying, I don’t care about trends. I’m not following the crowd. If you don’t like it, get lost. In a town with a plethora of bland pizza3, Pines of Rome’s pie is remarkable for its burst of flavor and originality.
Even if the Pines of Rome lacks a portal to revisit the less buttoned-up Bethesda from 1972, at least they sling a damned good pizza at a damned good price.
Pines of Rome
4918 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814
Style: Old-skool Italian thin crust
Pizza quality: 🍕🍕🍕
Overall experience: ⭐⭐
Pie (15″): $17.50
Pie price per square inch: $0.10
- Silver Spring has Vicino Restaurante Italiano (c. 1989) and Dupont Circle has the Italian Kitchen (c. 1986). Any community of any size likely has its own red-sauce joint. None of ’em are great, but that’s not the point. ↩︎
- It wouldn’t kill them to put in a few new lightbulbs, but perhaps it’s intentional. David Duchovny drove a beat-up, black Porsche with a broken headlight in Californication. His car became an iconic symbol of his rebellious, flawed character. ↩︎
- DishingPizza is thinking of Maryland-style served by Ledo Pizza, Stained Glass Pub, and Continental Pizza. ↩︎