Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza - Washington D.C. — Restaurant in Washington

1st thing: Best GF pizza anywhere with crust from scratch!

I’ve had a ton of gluten-free pizzas around LA and almost all of them are premade crusts- not here in DC at the street pizza joint! The few places that do make their own crust in LA make it cracker crisp (which I do like but most people don’t because there’s no chew to it and you practically break your teeth biting it). Gordon Ramsay‘s crew on the other hand, makes a homemade, from scratch pizza dough that is so legit. I still can’t believe it. I asked for it well done and it came browned – that’s right you heard it, browned like a real pizza well done. Most gluten-free crusts are either white or burnt black with no shades in between. Gluten-free pizza eaters know what I’m talking about. Again this pizza dough, Gordon Ramsay cooked up, is an enigma of the best kind. Tender and chewy with pockets of air in the handle and nice and crisp on the edges. I can’t say enough about how good this crust was.

As for the rest of the ingredients, the pizza tasted fantastic. The sauce was zesty, the pepperoni was fresh and punchy, and the mozzarella was real dollops of mozzarella, not shredded, more like a real authentic Italian Margarita.

I’m in town on business and will definitely be coming back for another round before I leave. The pizza is completely legit. I can only imagine what the non-gluten-free pizza is like. The pizza oven itself is a monster to behold. They have one upstairs and another down in a speakeasy like area where I would love to throw a party someday.

I was served by 2 very kind and attentive waiters, Blake and James (2 due to shift change). They made sure my every need was met and I felt right at home. The main pizza chef also came by to check on me, although I didn’t catch his name. The staff cared and were great in my experience.

I came closer to the end of the evening so I didn’t get a feel for the vibe of the place which was mostly emptied out by the time I arrived, but it seemed like a really fun place if you had a group of people. Both of the bars were nice and the vibe had potential. Play pool or twitch out on a variety of classic arcade machines from back in the day. They were all playable for free. We’re talking street fighter, Donkey Kong, old school stuff all in standup arcade machines which was a nice touch. Theming a place this way is risky - It could’ve felt like Chuck E. Cheese for grown-ups, but it actually felt more like a legit hangout spot assuming the right crowd is there. If the rest of the food is as good as the pizza, then they shouldn’t have any problem, attracting a crowd (I think it’s almost brand new).

Anyway, if you’re in DC and you’re near this spot, you should check it out. Would love to taste more of this.

Pls open one...

Arrived at our reservation time and was promptly seated. It was early, so not a large crowd in the restaurant. However, it's always a concerning when the pair of hostesses ask each other if "is everyone here?" - as they look for a spot on the computer in the restaurant to place us.

As luck would have it, they sat us in "no man's land," evidenced by the 15 minutes we sat there before being approached. Finally a female server came up and did apologize for the delay. She took our drink order, a passionfruit martini and a spicy raspberry mojito. Also, took our order for dinner- classic Margherita and Mumbo #5.

Ten minutes went by and a male server said he was "taking over." OK. Then he asked if we wanted refills, what for our full glasses of water? Then he asked if we would like something else to drink... we explained we had already placed or order. He returned with our drinks. The passionfruit martini was good, but the spicy raspberry mojito was as dull and tasteless as the red sauce on the Margherita.

A few minutes later, pizza was served. When asked what was in the mumbo sauce, the server replied "depends on who is making it. It's mostly vinegar and ketchup. But it all varies based on the person making it."

Really? Really? Really? Are you going to tell me that at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant that the culinary team doesn't have recipes and use records? Doesn't speak much for consistency between visits. The Margherita pizza was ok, not great. The biggest disappointment was the fact it was cold by the end of the second of 8 slices. Perhaps the aluminum serving pizza pans they use were kept outside in the 24 degree weather. Mumbo #5 was good, just not sure it would be ordered again, as you don't know what flavors you are going to get, pending who is working in the kitchen. And personally, vinegar and ketchup are not an appetizing combination for a pizza base..maybe some training of the staff on the true ingredients is needed.

Once we received our drinks, service was prompt - especially when it came time to get the check!

Pizza like this, makes me really miss Pi Pizza, that was just...

If you're expecting Gordon Ramsay’s Street Pizza to be an overpriced tourist trap trading on a famous name, think again. From the moment we walked in, the experience was anything but that.

The service was spot on. It was warm, welcoming, and informative. Our server took the time to ask if it was our first visit and walked us through the menu, which is always appreciated when trying a new place. Prices were surprisingly reasonable (honestly, a relief considering the celebrity branding), and the drinks arrived quickly and tasted great.

We tried the meatball pizza, one of their recommended signature options, and it didn’t disappoint. Visually, it looked fantastic, and the flavor backed it up. The crust was thin, light, and just crisp enough without being oily. I’ll go as far as to say it holds its own against some of the iconic pizza joints in New Haven, CT. Bold statement, I know, but deserved.

Wanting to branch out from pizza, we also tried the spaghetti carbonara. While it strayed from tradition by using regular bacon instead of pancetta, the flavor was still excellent. The sauce was well-executed, and the addition of peas added a nice texture and pop of sweetness. Authentic or not, it was genuinely excellent.

If there’s one area that fell short, it was a small but noticeable sanitation detail. Each table had a cup filled with metal utensils standing upright (presumably for easy access) but it left me wondering how long they’d been sitting there and how clean they really were. It’s a minor thing, but it did detract a bit from an otherwise excellent experience.

All in all, Gordon Ramsay’s Street Pizza delivers high-quality food and great service without the inflated prices you'd expect from a name-brand establishment, in a tourist area close to the National Mall. Worth a visit, especially if you want pizza done right — and maybe a surprisingly good plate of...