“It’s a great day to be naked in Bethesda,” said assistant manager Adrienne Lee, after answering the phone on day one of Naked Pizza, the New Orleans-based chain that opened Friday, September 30, on Del Ray Avenue.
It’s probably never a great day to be naked in Bethesda—as the Montgomery County police would quickly see to that—but the humor and kitsch are certainly welcome any day.
“I just figure it’s the best way to get people’s attention,” Lee said. Agreed.
Naked Pizza started in a 500-square-foot New Orleans building that suffered from six feet of water after Hurricane Katrina, and has grown to 26 stores (including three in Dubai), according to Naked Pizza’s marketing coordinator, Ellen Altamirano.
The chain offers a crust called “Ancestral Blend,” a mix of 10 grains and seeds, and toppings that have no preservatives, antibiotics or hormones.
Aside from the usual, toppings include black beans, jalapenos, cilantro, and feta and cheddar cheeses.
Pizza combinations include the Sonoran, with onion, chicken, fire-roasted red peppers and mushrooms, and the Mediterranean, topped with artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, black olives and feta.
Naked Pizza. 4914 Del Ray Ave. 301-215-9899. Open daily 10:30 a.m. to midnight. Offers delivery within a four-mile radius, plus carryout and online ordering. www.nakedpizza.biz
