CHAR

"Great pizza does not a great restaurant make. While most of Kensington flocks to this casual one-man, one-oven shop for its deliciously bubbly Neopolitan-esque pies, the minimal, DIY atmosphere and inconsistent wait times makes it feel more like a cafeteria than a restaurant worth crossing town for. A lone paper plate serves as the sign on the door, the walls are bare, and the soundtrack is part rumblings of a SZA song and part staff shouting to find the person who ordered the hazelnut soft serve. photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO But if you treat it like a takeout only situation—and you should—you’ll be thrilled with the result. Place your order, and watch as the chef/owner tosses pepperoni and caramelized onion-loaded pies into the wood-fired oven, and adds the garlic bread crumb finishing touches on a kale caesar seconds later. The vodka-style pizza is a creamy, garlicky must-order, and the new school tomato pie is crispy, juicy, and surprisingly airy. So leave the dining-in to the roommates chugging hard seltzers or dates pouring from a box of wine. Char’s pizza tastes great even when it’s not eaten at Char. Food Rundown Kale Caesar Some restaurant salads taste like they came from a bagged kit from Acme, and others are the large, refreshing kind, topped with 24-month-aged parmesan and bread crumbs. This one is the latter. It’s not a necessity, but a solid choice if you want greens along with your pizza. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Margherita When in doubt, go for a classic. Sure, you’ve seen a pizza with basil, marinara, tomatoes, mozzarella, and a fresh parm sprinkle at every shop with an Italian flag hanging in it. Why? Because it’s an excellent combination, as quintessential as double parking on South Broad. And this one is no exception. photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO New School Tomato Pie Unlike classic tomato pie (which they serve here, too), this one is layered with blistered Datterini tomatoes instead of marinara sauce. Along with the tomato twist, it's blanketed in an avalanche of fiore sardo cheese and breadcrumbs. The result is crispy, tangy, and bright. photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO Fun Guy This combination of creamy roasted mushrooms, silky caramelized onions, and fresh chives makes us wish that one would appear just by saying “fun guy.” But as it turns out, we don’t have magical catch phrases, so we’ll just pick this one up instead. photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO Vodka Creamy. Garlicky. Peppery. And rich. We’ve pretty much been reduced to blubbery wrecks after the first bite. Join the party and bring tissues." - Candis R. McLean

"Kensington now has a new dazzling pizza spot that’s more than just style, but substance. After notable pop-ups at Tabachoy, Paffuto, El Chingon and Mish Mish, Gen-Z owner/chef Viraj Thomas transforms the space of the former Eeva into a pizzeria that’s serving original pies, savory bites, and soft-serve." - Ernest Owens

"Located in the former Eeva space in Kensington, this popular pop-up now has a brick-and-mortar. There are menu mainstays, like wood-fired pepperoni, margarita, and vodka sauce pies and weekly specials, like pistachio, shaved red onion, and parmesan. It’s counter service for now, so you can grab a few for game night and head out or park at a table with a few friends and get to cheese pulling.  We checked out Char and added it to our Hit List." - candis mclean, alison kessler

"Char in Kensington is a spot where you could linger, but you’ll have to grab your own water when you do (there's no staff). For now, it’s strictly counter service, and you should 100% take everything to go. But when it comes to pizza, this massive Kensington shop already has the best in the neighborhood. It’s a one-man show—the owner tosses pepperoni and caramelized onion-loaded pies into the wood-fired oven, and adds the garlic bread crumb finishing touches on a kale caesar salad moments later. So expect a wait when it's crowded or when asking for an extra napkin or two. Six puffy-crusted pies are on the menu, and they’ll all make you fantasize about having a daily pizza party with a guest list of one. " - candis mclean, alison kessler