With its pleasant yellow-and-green color scheme and outdoor seating, Mia's is perhaps one of the most cheerful pizza parlors in the area, and it's quite popular with Bethesda families. Go for the generous antipasto platter and salads, the salsiccia pizza for its mix of sausage, pepperoni and portobello, and a mini Mia's pizza for your little one.

--Amy Hitt (Dec. 9, 2011)

Worth the Trip: Il Forno Pizza

Pizza joints usually fall into one of two categories: gourmet or no-frills. Mia's warm and bright ambiance caters to both, making it a Bethesda destination for an early dinner with the family or a stylish weeknight date.

So does the food. There are traditional pies for the little ones and designer combinations, such as the barbecued chicken and smoked Gouda, for power yuppies. All have a dense, chewy crust that bubbles in the wood-fired oven. The best offer a balance of flavors; the Il Forno, our pick, is an elegant pie with a smear of tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, briny olives, red onion and cloudlike dollops of ricotta with spinach.

--Jane Black (May 28, 2008)