The District of Pi

The District of Pi

Having not gone out to eat in while, on this ride I decided to stop by District of Pi, located at 910 F Street (MAP), just around the corner from Ford’s Theater and The Petersen House, and just one block from FBI Headquarters in northwest D.C.’s Penn Quarter neighborhood.  District of Pi is renown for its a award-winning deep and thin crust pizza as well as its two dozen different draft beers, served for both lunch and dinner daily.

Pi Pizzeria began on March 14, 2008, in St. Louis, Missouri.  Later that same year that it opened, Pi’s captured the heart and taste buds of then-Senator Barack Obama during a campaign stop as he ran for his first term as president.  Then in April 2009, Pi was invited by newly-elected President Obama to The White House to cook for the First Family. That made Pi Pizzeria the first non-staff to prepare food at the Obama White House. The Pi team has subsequently cooked for the President, Vice President and other famous politicians and celebrities on numerous occasions.

Pi Pizzeria took off after that like a book that was featured on Oprah’s Book Club.  It now has several locations and is still opening more in St. Louis.  It has the one location here in D.C., referred to as The District of Pi.  And, oddly enough, there is also a location in Iraq.

On this ride to start out the week I opted for The Kirkwood, a thin cornmeal-crust pie topped with spicy marinara, mozz, and meatballs, red bell pepper and fresh basil.  Despite the coronavirus pandemic, their eat-in dining rooms are open.  But I took mine to go, and ate it al fresco on the National Mall.

And it was absolutely delicious.  I won’t say it was better than the pies at We, The Pizza, but it ranks right up there with them.  To break the tie, I guess I’ll just have to return to Pi again soon. I’ve been to We, The Pizza several times and tried several different pies.  But this is only the second time I’ve been to District of Pi.  The first time was half a dozen years ago, and I had The Kirkwood then too.  So I’ve already decided.  Next time I’m definitely going with something new.  I’m thinking maybe The Delmar, which is also a thin cornmeal-crust pie, but topped with mozz, cheddar, pappy’s bbq sauce, roasted chicken, red and green bell pepper, red onion, and cilantro.  My mouth is already watering.

My Thin-crust Pie

NOTE:  If your birthday is on March 14th, you are what District of Pi refers to as “a Pi baby.”  And if you stop by on your special day they will give you a free large pizza pie.  That is because March 14th is also known as National Pi Day, based on the fact that the mathematical value of Pi starts with 3.14, the numeric equivalent for March 14th.  National Pi Day is actually an official U.S. holiday.  The House of Representatives passed House Resolution 224 in 2009, designating the 14th day of March each year as National Pi Day.