In the Neighborhood: Pizza in Penn Quarter

For last night's dinner (a very special birthday dinner!), we returned to our old stand-by, Ella's Wood Fired Pizza in Penn Quarter.  It has probably been a year since our last trip, and the restaurant was consistent as always.  Penn Quarter/Chinatown is an uber-convenient location, since we had people coming from MD, DC, and VA, and Ella's low-key atmosphere is always welcome.  Be prepared to wait, since they don't take reservations during prime dining hours (though you can call 30 minutes ahead of your desired time to get on the waiting list).  Yesterday, we were on the waiting list with a party of 6 for 7:00 and got seated at 7:20, which was not bad at all (and they let us sit without a complete party, which they usually don't do, so that was awesome).  Nights when there are events at the Verizon Center - especially Caps games - tend to involve larger crowds and longer wait times, so be prepared for that, but last night we got lucky and it was pretty quiet.

As for the food...their pizzas are really good.  I love the crust, I think they get just the right balance of crispy exterior and soft interior.  They have a great selection of toppings, and I have never been disappointed.  Last night I went halvsies on the Lombari and the Melanzane, which were both very good, though I think my favorite is still the Bosco (I love mushrooms!  and garlic!).  The individual pizzas are a good size for one person.  I have never tried anything other than pizza, but they do have menu options including salads, pastas, and calzones.

The drink list focuses mainly on beer and wine, though they have a full bar as well.  The beer and wine selections are varied and very good, without being overwhelming.  They have a Nero d'Avola by the glass, and any restaurant that can say that is automatically at the top of my list (I have been seeing it on more and more wine lists recently - so exciting!!).  Last night we tried the house-made limoncello, which I liked, though two-thirds of our party definitely did not like it.  If you like limoncello, though, you are in luck!

Overall, Ella's is a good option for consistently good pizza in a laid-back environment.  It's a little pricey for a pizza place, but pretty consistent with the neighborhood.  Ella's also has great happy hour specials, including $3.50 sangria, which run from 4-7 pm, so it is a nice happy hour option for those who work in the area!