Antonio’s NY Pizzeria

Bismillah, Walhamdulillah, was Salaatu was Salaam ala Rasool Allah.

Writeous Bum and I were hanging out this afternoon and had a chance to go grab some lunch at a new Zabiha restaurant called Antonio’s NY Pizza in Ashburn, VA right across the GW offsite campus on Presidential Drive which is about 5-10 minutes from the ADAMS Center.  I know the brother who owns the restaurant pretty well since we played on the same basketball team and masha’Allah, he is an amazing brother who has worked hard to put this restaurant together.

When he told me he opened up the restaurant, I was expecting a Pizza Hut or Dominos atmosphere with a counter where you order and a small waiting area where you can pick up your pizza.   Little did I know that he had actually decked out the place with really nice decor and opened up the whole restaurant.  You can see the entire kitchen (its very clean, masha’Allah) and the seating area is one of the nicest seating areas I’ve ever seen for a pizza place.  Typically I order an extra cheese or veggie pizza, but since this place was zabihah I had to go all out with the pepperoni and sausage   The brother also requested that I help him ‘critique’ his steak and cheese sub that they make, and seeing as how a Muslim Brother of mine was in true need, I decided to put my ego aside and say ‘you know what, this steak and cheese is going to be eaten fee sabeelillah!’

Let me start with the pizza: something that really stood out from the first bite was the cheese.  The pepperoni was quite tasty as well, but the cheese quality really added a zing to the whole meal.  It was waaaay better than pizza hut or domino’s, and I can say that with full confidence.

As for the sub…it too was quite good (though it would fail to outshine the pizza).  The meat in the steak and cheese was really tasty and I am anticipating many lunches at his restaurants on the weekends, insha’Allah.   After the meal he told me that they shred all of their cheese manually and make the dough for the bread in-house.

Alhamdulillah, the experience was overall really good and I do make dua that Allah Azza Wa Jal assists them in this endeavor and give them both good in this life and the hereafter.  Ameen.