Andy’s Pizza is an award-winning spot that got its start in this region. Known for their New York style pizza, the Virginia restaurant was founded in 2018 by Andy Brown. The chain started growing rapidly and gaining popularity over the years, leading to the company to open up different locations, including their newest one in Kentlands.
The secret behind the company’s award winning pizza is their 72 hour cold-fermented dough, which is baked in a traditional New York style oven. Their perfect crust is chewy on the inside but crispy on the outside.
The Kentlands shop is now the chain’s 14th location in the region, taking over the former MOD Pizza space, located next to Chopt. This marks the third Andy’s Pizza in the county, with the first one at the Westfield Montgomery Mall and the second one in downtown Bethesda, across from the Bethesda Metro Station and next to the Ceremony Coffee Roasters.
Both the Kentlands and downtown Bethesda locations were unique and have a great vibe. At the Kentlands location, I visited an hour before closing and the atmosphere was still great, with basketball and football playing on the TV screens. Employees interacted with every customer who was dining in, which fostered a lively and welcoming atmosphere, one that you may not expect to find at a pizza by-the-slice spot. The downtown Bethesda location carried a different yet equally enjoyable atmosphere. It was a little more fast-paced but still lively and attentive in the same way as the Kentlands location.
The menu offers specialty items to ensure pizza is personalized for each customer’s palette. I originally ordered a slice of their buffalo chicken pizza with a crispy crust and chicken topped with buffalo sauce, providing a much needed saucy flavor. I tried a meat-lovers slice, which was a reliable option and one of the better meat lover slices I’ve come across. The margherita slice was no different, as it was solid with its fresh, simple and well-balanced flavor.
The undisputed star of the menu was the pepperoni with burrata. The pepperoni special comes topped with creamy burrata, basil, parmesan cheese and a drizzle of hot honey. This special exceeded my expectations and was addictive enough to entice me to go grab the same slice at the downtown Bethesda location. The richness of the burrata cheese, against the crispy, cup shaped pepperoni, topped off with the sweet heat of the hot honey makes the slice special.
Slices run from $4.50 to $7, with whole pies ranging from $22.50 for a simple cheese pie to $32.50 for the pepperoni special. The ability to get cheaper pies or better deals elsewhere ended up being my only downside from this spot.
The Kentlands opening of Andy’s chain brings a new pizza option for the upper half of the county. Whether you have been a long-time customer or a first-time customer curious about the chain’s hype, the Kentlands location is well worth the visit.
