Giulio Adriani, the Naples native behind the popular Slice & Pie on U Street, is set to open a second location at the Parks at Walter Reed, located at 1155 Dahlia Street NW. This new slice shop will open within the next three months and will feature an expanded menu that includes panini sandwiches, lasagna, smash burgers, and homemade gelato. Notable sandwich options will include a chicken pesto with Italian vegetable giardiniera, an Italian hero with cold cuts and bell pepper cream, and a prosciutto di Parma with burrata sandwich. Of course, customers can expect Adriani’s well-loved New York and Detroit-style pizzas, crafted with Italian flour, sauce made from Italian tomatoes, and handmade mozzarella.
The new Slice & Pie will accommodate 26 guests, providing a comfortable space for customers to dine in. The first location primarily caters to those on the go, with limited seating for just 12. The original shop shares a kitchen with Adriani’s adjacent cocktail bar and Italian restaurant, Lucy’s.
The announcement of this second location comes after Slice & Pie was named the second-best slice shop in the country by 50 Top Pizza, a significant improvement from its previous rank of 41st in 2023. Slice & Pie is currently the only D.C. slice shop on the prestigious list, which features 17 pizzerias from New York City.
Adriani has seen a doubling of sales since receiving this accolade. He will attend the 50 Top Pizza’s Top 100 World ceremony in Naples next month, where he hopes to learn how Slice & Pie ranks globally. “It’s an honor [and] something that makes me proud as an American,” Adriani said, reflecting on the recognition he will receive in the birthplace of pizza. He became a U.S. citizen last year.
D.C. has seen a surge in national recognition this year. The James Beard Foundation awarded top chef honors to Masako Morishita of Perry’s and Michael Rafidi of Albi. Additionally, Service Bar and Allegory were featured in the 2024 list of North America’s 50 Best Bars.
“You see, this is the year of D.C.,” Adriani remarked.
Adriani learned the craft of dough-making from his Neapolitan grandmother, affectionately known as Nonna Maria. He honed his skills in Naples under renowned pizza masters Gaetano Fazio and Antonio Starita. He is certified as an authentic Neapolitan Pizza Master by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana and the Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani. With 30 years of culinary experience, he is also teaching aspiring pizza makers at Pizza University in Beltsville, Maryland. One of his students, Matteo Venini, is now the co-owner of D.C.’s “neo-Neapolitan” pizza chain, Stellina Pizzeria.
Since opening Slice & Pie in 2022, Adriani has attracted a late-night crowd on 14th and U. To enhance security, he has recently hired a bouncer and is considering closing the restaurant an hour earlier, at 2 a.m., on weekends. He reported a recent incident where a group of teenagers jumped the counter, stealing pizza and attempting to take cash and liquor from the office. “All in all, it was just a scary experience,” said Adriani, a former lieutenant in the Italian national police.
Looking ahead, Adriani is planning to continue expanding strategically, with a third Slice & Pie location in the works. “We are growing in the right direction, and we’re not going to grow too much because I don’t want to compromise my quality,” he stated. “We’re always going to make pizza by hand; we’re never going to have frozen dough.”
The Parks at Walter Reed is becoming a culinary destination, with more dining options emerging. Whole Foods and Jinya Ramen Bar were among the first businesses to open in the redeveloped historic campus last year. Midlands Beer Garden and Ivy and Coney are also set to open a full-service restaurant and bar in a former mechanic shop.
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