Photo by Kristina Hernandez
The aroma is the first thing that hits you at Red Rocks. The mouth-watering smell of fresh basil, tomatoes and mozzarella is unmistakable and oh-so-very inviting. Which is exactly the kind of neighborhood pizzeria ambiance Red Rocks is aiming to embrace.
A three-year-old restaurant in the heart of Columbia Heights close to beer haven Wonderland Ballroom and wine bar Room 11, Red Rocks is the perfect complement to its neighboring hangouts. Using only the freshest ingredients from Italy, including Caputo flour, buffalo mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes, as well as local produce like cherry tomatoes and basil, this pizzeria is worth checking out.
“Columbia Heights was the perfect place to open the pizzeria,” says owner James O’Brien, who originally hails from arguably the greatest pizza region of the country, the Northeast.
“I started to become friends with people who lived in the area and they said there weren’t any good restaurants, especially pizza places,” says O’Brien. “Most of this corridor was all boarded up but Wonderland was here and was doing well and they had the kind of crowd I could really picture coming over here for dinner. So I thought I could do something here and its really worked out since the first day.”
Helping Red Rocks earn award winning status (Washingtonian, Washington Post and others) is a wood-burning brick oven, imported from Italy that heats to 900 degrees. In extreme heat like that a pizza can cook in just 90 seconds, so chefs keep a close eye on these mouth watering creations.
The best-selling pizza is the Margherita ($10.95) made with tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella, basil, olive oil and sea salt. Other delectable options are the Salsiccia ($11.95), with fennel sausage and roasted red peppers, the Quattro Formaggi ($11.95) with fontina, fresh mozzarella, parmesan and ricotta cheeses and olive oil, and the simple tomato sauce and mozzarella only pizza, the Neapolitan ($9.95). The restaurant also dishes forth fresh salads and paninis. The bar is well-stocked for both the beer snob and the beer novice alike. Highlights include Chimay on tap, Brooklyn Lager and Allagash.
There is now a handful of good pizza places in the DC area, but there’s good reason to try Red Rocks.
“One of the biggest attractions is the comfort level; it’s a real neighborhood restaurant feel where everyone gets to know each other,” says O’Brien. “We pride ourselves on the service, the food is cooked to a high standard and we take pride in the ingredients and the process we use.”
Red Rocks also serves up brunch every weekend. If you’re adventurous and want to taste something other than the French toast, try the egg pizza with parmesan and potatoes, it’s the best seller.
More good news from Red Rocks is that they are planning a second location opening up in Old Town Alexandria in early August on King Street.
Red Rocks Pizzeria: 1036 Park Rd. NW, Washington, DC; 202-506-1402; www.redrocksdc.com.
