Alfreda Review - Dupont Circle - Washington DC - The Infatuation
"We clown DC’s pizza game often, so when we find a pizza spot that we’d choose over almost every restaurant in town, it means something. Alfreda, a walk-in shop in Dupont Circle, serves the best pizza in DC—and it’s not close. You can smell the oregano the minute you walk through the door. Friends and partners catch up in the tiny, casual dining room over pizzas that no one is sharing and bottles of wine plucked straight from the main wall. Coworkers gossip as they sip $8 Happy Hour spritzes at the bar while elevator-style pop music plays softly in the background. The menu is short and sweet: a handful of small plates, three salads, and four pizzas. And while everything is delicious, what sets Alfreda apart is the crispy, yeasty sourdough pie crust. It’s always perfectly cooked, with a nice brown finish, and a crunchy bite. Topped with gooey mozzarella and a slightly acidic tomato sauce, even the plain pizza is leagues ahead of most competitors. But it’s not just the basics that make Alfreda’s pizza so good. The thick pepperoni is perfectly salty. The Pennsylvania sausage is subtly sweet and packed with fennel. And the pickled chilis and hot honey add an extra layer of complexity. Food Rundown photo credit: Nina Palazzolo Alfreda Chopped The white wine vinaigrette on this salad is so fragrant it jumps off the plate. The crispy vegetables are slightly sweet with a twinge of bitterness that really balances out the dish. Get it every time. photo credit: Nina Palazzolo Plain There is something so difficult about executing the perfect cheese pizza. But Alfreda does it. The mozzarella strings with every bite and the sauce is perfectly acidic. All on top of that unbeatable, crispy sourdough crust. photo credit: Nina Palazzolo Alfreda Topped with a slightly sweet granna padano, cracked pepper, and oregano you smell the minute you walk through the door, this is the shop’s signature pie. Top it with pepperoni, pickled chilis, and a dash of hot honey. Mille Feuille This is the kind of dessert you go to a restaurant for—no appetizers or entrees needed. The cream is rich and buttery with just the right hint of orange and the puff pastry is flaky and sweet. Order it first so you’re not stuffed after pounding an Alfreda." - Tristiaña Hinton
