Ivy & Coney

A DC dive bar with Chicago Style Italian Beef (thus “Ivy”) and Detroit style pizza & coneys (thus “Coney”). Due to my strong Midwest-dar, I naturally gravitated towards this spot that happens to feature some of my favorite regional cuisine. After spotting the beacon-like Old Style sign, you enter via a narrow hall of stairs, past a radiant icon of Harry Caray (Carabini), to make it up to this dimly lit second story bar. Pizza is ordered at the bar and served in one large 10x14” Detroit-style size.

And *holy cow* was this a buttery pizzeria! Ivy & Coney really loads up their pie with the traditional Wisconsin brick cheese. That cheese melts into the crust to create an ultra-buttery flavor. Here, I wouldn’t be surprised if they actually added some butter to the crust as well to exaggerate the flavor. That crust was more bread-like that you typically see on Detroit-style. It was light and springy, flexible rather than crisp, with minimal burnt-edges / caramelized cheese. The center-justified peperoni was plentiful and nicely cupped. So, with soft/flexible crust, a ton of pepperoni cups, & excess cheese, this was a pretty messy pizza (a “fork & knife pizza” for those so inclined). But with abundant flavor, it did really hit the spot. Dressed in my traditional Midwestern garb (including gym shoes w/ jeans & flannel), @ivyconey felt like a slice of home.