Pidzza Brings Turkish Pides to DC

DC has a new fast casual star on the rise. Pidzza recently opened their Ivy City location, serving up gourmet pizza with a Turkish flare.
We were invited to stop in last week to check out the space and give the pidzzas a try. We are big fans of up and coming Ivy City. As the first fast casual eatery in the area, Pidzza is sure to become a hot spot. They’re open late and also recently began working with UberEats to introduce Turkish-style pidzzas to greater DC.
Located in the recently renovated Hecht Warehouse building, Pidzza offers a bright, clean atmosphere with several nods to their roots in Ivy City. Two additional locations will follow shortly in Chinatown and on H Street NE, each of which will pay a similar homage to the neighborhood.


This was our first time trying Turkish-style pizza, but we quickly learned that it’s all about the dough. Pidzza makes theirs fresh every day, then rests it over night to get the perfect texture. There are two types of dough available, one without yeast and a more traditional version. Most of the pies are stretched to a typical Turkish pizza, or pide, shape.
Following the typical fast casual model, diners are encouraged to customize their pidzzas by choosing from a list of spreads or sauces and an abundance of fresh, local toppings. However, because the Turkish-style dough is quite thin, it’s helpful to have a discerning eye and not pile on every topping on the list.
We chose to try a couple of pies from the set menu, a tempting assortment of traditional Turkish-style pidzzas as well as more common pizza shop offerings.
The LMC, with ground angus beef, green pepper, garlic, spices and topped with fresh, tomato, onion and parsley it is modeled after a popular street food version of Turkish pizza. It’s served on a super thin and delicate yeast-free dough, which allows the fresh flavors of the toppings to shine. To eat: add a squeeze of lemon, fold each slice like a taco and devour. At a lower price point than the other pidzzas, the LMC is definitely on the smaller side and would make a great light lunch. Although, according to owner Koray Bozkurt it’s customary to order two or three of these pidzzas at once, so no need to be shy.
Up next, we tried the traditional Pide with angus chopped beef, diced tomato, green pepper and shredded mozzarella cheese. We were pleasantly surprised by an unexpected kick of spice (proceed with caution if you are spice-averse) and enjoyed the slightly thicker dough, which had a nice chew to it.
Although every pidzza on the list sounded delicious, we knew we couldn’t leave without trying the Brekkie. I am powerless against a good breakfast pizza, and this one is legit. It’s topped with candied bacon, baby spinach, gruyère cheese and two sunny side up eggs. Be prepared for things to get deliciously messy.
Another awesome thing about Pidzza is their dedication to giving back to the DC community. From donating leftover pidzzas to the nearby homeless shelter to their “Giving Back Bank” where management and guests are encouraged to leave excess cash to pay for a neighbor’s meal later, they want to be a part of making the neighborhoods they work in better.
Pidzza also offers fresh, customizable salads, a dessert pidzza and small-batch brewed Appalachian Craft Sodas. We were told the menu is still evolving, and that there are plans to add a small selection of beers to the menu later on down the road.
Overall, we really enjoyed trying a Turkish twist on one of our favorite foods. Pidzza is a welcome addition to DC’s ever-expanding offering of cuisines from around the world.