Local radio station DC101 started its “DMV Pizza Bracket” last month with 32 local restaurants nominated for a tournament that is decided via votes on the radio station’s Instagram account. Four Montgomery County restaurants have made it to the Final Four (the initial bracket can be seen above).
One semifinal features Rockville’s Z&Z against Takoma Park’s Roscoe’s Neapolitan. Z&Z was recently named the highest-rated independent pizza place in America, according to a new findings from OnDeck… and pizza isn’t on the menu. Instead, the restaurant specializes in manoushe- a flatbread consisting of a simple yeasted dough which can have a variety of different toppings. Roscoe’s opened in Takoma Park in 2009 and is named for the rooster that used to roam the area. It’s a full-service restaurant that features Neapolitan pizza with a full bar and outdoor seating, as well as its new Dolce Gelati Gelateria.
The other semifinal features Silver Spring’s Underground Pizza Company against Rockville’s Ema Rossi Pizzeria.’Underground Pizza started selling their Detroit-style pizzas at local “pop-up” events that were marketed through social media. Owner Evan Weinstein, a concert promoter and founder of Steez Promo, started Underground Pizza Company (UPC) in 2020 after concert venues in the area closed their doors due to the pandemic. The Silver Spring location opened in early 2022. Ema Rossi, a family-owned and operated Italian restaurant that serves wood-fired Neapolitan style pizza, pastas, salads, and small plates, was recently ranked as the best “Neapolitan-ish” style pizza in the state of Maryland by the Washington Post.
Final Four voting started Tuesday morning via the @dc101radio Instagram story and will continue for 24 hours.