Mellow Mushroom

College towns and campuses are a common target for this Southern pizza chain. Yet any fears that this massive newcomer to Adams Morgan is a booze barn catering to the barely 21 crowd will be quickly allayed on your first visit.

Handsome but unstuffy, the wood and brick interior is lined with playful, brightly colored art, and the long bars display an expansive craft beer list. On the food front, the menu includes the classic along with more imaginative pizzas. The Red Skin Potato Pie, for example, marries starch with starch, topping the hand-tossed pie with potato slices with a sprinkling of apple-wood smoked bacon, caramelized onions, cheddar and mozzarella cheese and a drizzle of spicy sour-cream ranch dressing. Like the restaurant itself, the whole package is far more sophisticated than its individual ingredients would suggest.

(Friday, Jan. 20, 2012)