Restaurants in Suitland

Each pie that emerges from Planet Pizza and Subs’ sweltering ovens begins as a pile of flour. Adding little more than pizza magic, in-house chefs pound this mound into fresh dough, and pies begin to take shape as the chefs stretch them into original, thin, or deep-dish crusts. A layer of scratch-made sauce and grated cheese anoints each new creation and cushions any combination of 26 toppings, which can also be packed into calzones for secure domestic shipment into hungry bellies. Many of Planet's other eats are also made by hand, including pastas, chicken soups, and cheesecakes.

Ethiopian owner Meaza Zemedu's Meaza Ethiopian Restaurant, which has been featured in such press outlets as the Washingtonian and the Washington Post, was born of humble roots. Zemedu started her business by supplying local Ethiopian stores with her home-baked injera bread, a crepelike staple of Ethiopian cuisine. Demand for the tangy bread grew, allowing her to open her majestic restaurant, which welcomes guests to dine on traditional Ethiopian fare. Northern Virginia Magazine heaped praise upon the menu, including the doro wat stew—the national dish of Ethiopia—which includes chicken, red pepper, garlic, and hard-boiled eggs. Many of Meaza’s dishes are flavored with purified, spiced Ethiopian butter, from the ye beg kikil—lamb stew in spicy sauce—to the kifto—ground beef traditionally served raw or rare and mixed with cardamom and a mitmita spice blend. The chefs still bake Zemedu's injera from teff grain as an ubiquitous side and utensil alongside the fare.

The complex Ethiopian spice blends enchant guests throughout the 7,000-square-foot space—which comprises a dining room, grocery store, and banquet hall—as they admire portraits of Ethiopian emperors painted on lambskins along one wall. Throughout three elevated tiers, white and red cloths coat each table and patrons recline into patterned cushioned chairs. Sweeping bands of color swirl and draw eyes toward the ceiling, enhancing the dining room’s air of spaciousness.

Indulj visitors soak up the mellow party vibes of nightly musical acts, including the eclectic "psykédélique soul" sounds of Future on Friday nights, and customers are sustained by the innovative southern cuisine emanating from the kitchen. Near the sleek bar, patrons gather on modern, boldly colored furniture and savor reimagined soul-food staples such as catfish nuggets and ground-turkey spring rolls. Those who report to the second floor discover DJ Supa Scotty unleashing his propulsive beats and promises of free hand sanitizer to get the bodies on the dance floor. Indulj keeps meals, music, and table service shaking until 3 a.m. on weekends.

Located 17 stories above the ground, The Vantage Point Restaurant serves each dish with a side of breathtaking views. Walls of windows overlook Washington D.C., allowing guests to gaze out at the Potomac River, historic Georgetown, and the place where the president's private zeppelin used to sit. Its chefs forge American cuisine from several different menus. Customers at the bar can nibble a crab cake sandwich, while dinner guests devour chicken parmesan served over a bed of angel-hair pasta. The kitchen also beckons to taste buds with aromas of prime rib and shrimp scampi. Inside the eatery, sunlight spills across stained wood tables and brick accents, completing the warm experience of The Vantage Point.

Tuscana West's chefs handcraft pastas, gourmet pizzas, and hearty Italian entrees within an open-air kitchen. The in-house baker focuses his expertise on preparing fresh focaccia bread to round out lunches and dinners, as well as on layering the eatery's immensely popular tiramisu with ladyfinger cookies, espresso-soaked sponge cake, and mascarpone mousse.

The main dining area is accented with rustic decor, bucolic murals, and soft lighting, cultivating a relaxed ambiance for family gatherings, work outings, and romantic Yahtzee games. Guests can also dine within the spacious bar area, which boasts granite and mahogany accents, flat-screen TVs, and a piano that fills the elegant eatery's soundscape with live music on certain evenings. Once monthly, a group of local singers entertains guests and encourages joyful weeping into pasta bowls with an evening of live opera.

Named after the owners' youngest daughter Layal and an Arabic word meaning "our nights," Layalina Restaurant makes every meal feel like a family dinner. The staff is dedicated to a high level of service that makes every guest feel at home, whether their local regulars or visiting dignitaries such as the crown prince of Bahrain. The decor adds to the inviting experience, with metal chandeliers casting a warm glow and colorful fabrics draped along the ceiling that evoke a tent canopy or hammocks hung playfully out of reach.

The menu showcases family recipes that blend Lebanese and Syrian traditions to create succulent kebabs and vegetarian dishes that earned praise from Gayot. The Washington Post highlighted flavorful appetizers, including the kafta bil jawz, a signature dish that combines lean beef with walnuts, pepper, bulghur, and an enchanting bouquet of herbs. The Post also recognized the hearty entrees, saying that "it would be a shame to miss out on fried lamb shank with creamy orzo."