One of DC’s most enduring Neapolitan-style pizza destinations is closing its Georgetown home of 23 years. Pizzeria Paradiso will host a farewell celebration on Sunday, July 26 from noon to 3 PM with free slices and salads as a thank you to the community.
Managing partner Carlos Gonzalez says they couldn’t come to an agreement on the terms of a new lease, and the space needed an investment for a refresh. Instead, he’s focusing his attention on Paradiso Pronto, a takeout-focused spinoff with whole pies and slices that recently opened a kiosk in National Landing’s Water Park and has plans for further expansion.
The Georgetown shop was Pizzeria Paradiso’s second location, following the Dupont Circle flagship which chef Ruth Gresser opened in 1991. It was also home to Birreria Paradiso, a basement beer bar which then became Paradiso Game Room. The restaurant continues to operate in Spring Valley and Hyattsville as well.
Gonzalez, an immigrant from El Salvador, started at the Dupont Paradiso as a dishwasher in 2000, then worked his way up, becoming the kitchen manager when the Georgetown location opened. Gresser brought him on as a co-owner of the business in 2024.
“It’s been awesome, and we’re so happy to be here for that long,” Gonzalez says of Georgetown. “We’re ready to keep going and grow as a company.”
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind DC’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
