Ledo Pizzeria (College Park, MD)

If you’re not familiar with the Baltimore and Washington DC Metro Areas, then you’ve probably never heard the name “Ledo Pizza”. However, if you’ve ever spent time in any of the various towns seemingly piled on top of one another in the short distance between Baltimore and DC you’ll know that Ledo may as well be a household name. Their pizza is a cornerstone of the suburban culture in the area, and in the short time I’ve been on the east coast, it was the number one recommended place I needed to attend.  So, that’s exactly what I set out to do.

            I chose to go to my local Ledo pizza joint, located just off of Baltimore Avenue in College Park, Maryland. After meeting with my pizza cohorts I took a minute to drink in the surroundings. Ledo was packed, wall-to-wall, with every walk of life. My favorite attribute was the fact that almost every other table seemed to be a family, out to eat on a Friday night. The place was buzzing with energy and joy as groups piled in to share in the joy of delicious pizza.

            I ordered modestly, getting a medium sized pizza. I always start with a basic Pepperoni and Cheese pizza; it’s my constant variable in this lifelong scientific experiment of pizza love that I’ve been blessed with. In this situation, however, I was encouraged to try the bacon topped pizza – of course I indulged. The pizza was delivered; to my surprise the pizza was rectangular and literally cooked on top of what appeared to be a cafeteria food tray. The unique appearance paired with the incredible girth of pepperoni and fresh look and smell of the bacon made the excitement almost unbearable. I began eating, and was pleasantly surprised bite after bite.

            The cheese? Astounding. Thick, stringy, but not overwhelming, and extremely fresh and flavor full. The pepperoni was clearly fresh, not that from the bag stuff, each slice cut to a little bit different thickness giving the obvious appearance of hand sliced toppings. Not to mention, I was thrilled with the choice of adding bacon as a topping. The grease was a bit overwhelming at times, but the flavor of this fresh and smoked bacon was delightful.

            Without a doubt, the biggest and best surprise about this pizza was the crust. A flaky, light butter crust that provided a unique, never before tasted, canvas for this pizza to be built upon. Somehow this flaky and light crust maintained it’s form and kept all the toppings in place the whole time. No breaking, no tearing, just pure uninhibited deliciousness. Overall, every aspect of this pizza was unique, delicious, and extremely original. It became extremely clear after a short time why this place was such a staple in the communities of this area.

            The combination of the family friendly and warm environment, great service, and delicious pizza makes Ledo a “must try” if you’re ever in the area. The pizza is unique and delicious, and will leave you pleasantly surprised and stuffed to the brim with joy and delicious pizza.