Martha Dear — Restaurant in Washington

Good food, small pricey portions, and a big management attitude issue. I wanted to give this place a good second chance - but on two occasions the manager I interacted with was not kind. This place is fine for a good bite of overpriced artisan pizza - but not for a dining experience. There is no hospitality here or effort to make diners feel valued, and for the pricing it’s just not worth it. To be fair, the pizza was yummy with a good crust and toppings. But the positives stop there. The whipped feta was a tiny portion for its price ($16). The wine glasses are cheap and small. Our server was nice and attentive and also accidentally spilled red wine on me - no biggie - accidents happen, but at the end of the day this is a genuine mistake and the restaurant has a responsibility to acknowledge this kind of mistake. The server apologized and I reassured them it was an accident and I understood that. Because of my reaction nothing was done and the mistake was never addressed again, nothing was comped not even one $12 glass of wine, no appetizer or dessert was sent out to try to improve the dining experience. You shouldn’t have to be angry over a mistake for that mistake to be addressed. At the end of the day spilling wine on a customer is a mistake that needs to be amended regardless of the diner’s reaction. A manager came out a little later while we still had wine in our glasses and asked “are you finishing up?” Never in my life have I been asked if I was finishing up while there was still food on the table and wine in the glass. I followed up with management the next day - trying to give them another chance to show good service and care for their customers. I was told that I should have complained more in person and that next time if something goes wrong to say something then. The manager went on to blame the server which was absolutely unnecessary when this is clearly a hospitality culture and management issue. With so many other good pizza places with better prices in DC and Mount Pleasant, I will not be going back. This is a spot where your presence as a guest is seen as just as...

Delightful pizza restaurant in the heart of Mount Pleasant. I visited Martha Dear for a Saturday dinner and completely fell in love with its cozy, intimate ambiance and delicious pizza. This shop is located in the basement under Mount Desert Island Ice Cream and has two levels. The first floor includes a bar on one side, where you can watch the kitchen as they prepare and fire the pizzas, and a long bench with a few tables on the other side. If you make your way through the narrow walkway, you get to a cozy inner room that's a little more insulated from all the noise.

Our server was super friendly and gave us a warm welcome mere seconds after we were guided to our seats in the back room. She walked us through the menu and offered a few recommendations, which included their seasonal salad, a cucumber salad with figs and saffron yogurt. The salad was super flavorful and fresh, and had a great hint of fruity sweetness from the figs and tanginess from the yogurt.

You obviously can't come to a pizza place without getting a pizza, and I was impressed by the variety of unique flavors Martha Dear had to offer. They're a Greek-inspired pizza shop so while they have a few of the classic flavors, most of their pies are more oriented around the Mediterranean palate. We settled on their White Pie, which is topped with loads of garlic, basil, lemon, and cheese. Unlike an Italian white pizza, this one included not just mozzarella, but also two traditional Greek cheeses: the hard and salty kefalotyri with a sharp tangy flavor similar to parmesan, and myzithra, a mild and soft sheep or goat cheese with a texture similar to ricotta, but a bit more tanginess.

I'm, admittedly, not the world's biggest pizza fan (especially white pizza), but Martha Dear's unique flavor combinations and commitment to quality may have single-handedly converted me into a pizza lover. I'm sure I'll be back here soon, and I can't to try out more...

::original review with an update::

This small pizza shop is owned by a husband wife pair. They have taken pizza to another level. The fresh and expertly curated toppings canvas a sourdough crust that is lightly crusty on the outside, but beautifully pillowy on the inside. Our servers were expertly aware of dietary restrictions and we're able to modify to meet most the needs of our party. We ordered one or more of each of the pies. And every... single... one was a knockout I personally don't like white pizza, and found myself eating over half of the one we ordered But if I had to pick one pie that you HAVE to try, get the sausage and peppers. It's a little riff where Italian sausage is subbed out for delicious 'nduja and we couldn't get enough.

Wine list a beautifully curated with skin contact, red, white, rose and lambrusco. Mostly Greek heavy. A nice Greek beer on the menu too. Don't drink? The sparkling lemon/lime/and orangeades are so refreshing.

The farm fresh cherries and feta was a phenomenal balance of rich, sour, sweet, and funky.

Broccoli rabe was stellar and we'll balanced

Roasted eggplant dip was devoured in minutes

Tips get the dipping sauces. The bagna cauda (anchovy butter) is a wonderful compliment to dip your crust in. Hot dip is a slam piece if you like spice in your life.

my favorite "pizza wine" was lambrusco. And jammy sparkling red that will elevate the meal

-orders open at noon, and sell out. So plan accordingly

10/10 perfect. There's no place like this I have ever seen. Perfect service, beverage, and hospitality. This neighborhood joint sure knows how to make people happy.

• Update * Have been back since, and operation is still stellar. Service is too notch, and the food is killing still. It seems they have added staff to keep up with demand. I can't wait to go back and see what they come...