If you grew up in the D.C. suburbs of Maryland, there’s a good chance your idea of pizza looks a little different than the rest of the country’s.
A Maryland-based Facebook page recently asked the question, “Prove you’re from Maryland. What pizza place did you grow up loving?” More than 800 people responded within the first five hours, and the answers quickly turned into a nostalgic roll call of longtime local staples.
Among the most frequently mentioned were Ledo Pizza, Stained Glass Pub (Glenmont, Olney, and Elkridge), Shakey’s (international chain), Pizza Oven (various locations), Gentleman Jim’s, Pop’s Pizza in Wheaton, Continental in Kensington, Italian Inn in Hyattsville, Armand’s (regional chain), and Jerry’s (regional chain).
Many of those restaurants fall under what Mr. MoCo famously labeled “Maryland-style pizza” during The MoCoShow’s inaugural podcast back in 2014. The style is typically defined by its rectangular slices, biscuity crust, sweet tomato sauce, and smoked provolone cheese. While people outside the region may not immediately recognize it as its own category, locals instantly know the flavor profile and presentation being discussed.
Despite the name, “Maryland-style pizza” is most strongly associated with the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., particularly Montgomery County and Prince George’s County. It is also one of the area’s most polarizing food traditions. Some love the sweet sauce and chewy crust. Others strongly disagree. Few seem neutral.
The origins trace back to 1955, when Ledo Restaurant opened in Adelphi in Prince George’s County. According to the often-repeated story, circular pizza pans were still relatively new and not readily available, so the restaurant opted for rectangular pans instead. The shape stuck, eventually becoming one of the defining traits of the region’s pizza identity. In recent years, Ledo Pizza has fully embraced the label, openly referring to its pies as “Maryland-style pizza.”
The influence of Ledo spread across the region over the following decades. Many beloved local pizza spots, including Stained Glass Pub, Continental, Gentleman Jim’s, Pizza Oven, and 4 Corners Pub, adopted rectangular pies and similar flavor profiles while still maintaining their own distinct twists.
Gentleman Jim’s, for example, traditionally uses Swiss cheese instead of provolone or mozzarella, though customers can request other options. The restaurant’s roots date back to the Cavalier Restaurant in Washington, D.C., which was later moved to Twinbrook by “Gentleman” Jim Hance and became the first Gentleman Jim’s location.
The original Ledo Restaurant in Adelphi closed in July 2010 before relocating a month later to downtown College Park on Knox Road. That location later closed and reopened as a standard Ledo Pizza restaurant.
Today, the Ledo Pizza chain includes more than 100 locations across Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida, but for many longtime locals, the memories still trace back to the neighborhood spots where Maryland-style pizza first became part of growing up. The Facebook post, along with all of the replies, can be seen here.
