In opening La Forchetta, the modish new Italian-themed eatery in Wesley Heights, restaurateur Hakan Ilhan boldly declared that the reigning mecca of authentic Neapolitan-style pizza-making in the District had just been surpassed.
“2Amys, in my opinion, was No. 1," Ilhan said, referring to Peter Pastan's uber-popular pizzeria in Cleveland Park. "I think ours is the best.”
On a recent evening, I decided to put Ilhan’s pontificating on his pizza to the test, dropping by both wood-fired oven eateries for an initial side-by-side comparison of each one’s take on the classic margherita pie.
Here’s how the plucky newcomer stacked up to the city’s standard-bearer.
Illustration by Brooke Hatfield
Neapolitan Smackdown! was originally published by Washington City Paper on April 19, 2012.
