Play Ping Pong In Washington, D.C.

By Jennifer V. Cole, Southern Living

This über-design-conscious pizzeria with a table tennis bent draws everyone from urban hipsters to the baby-stroller set, making for a low-key atmosphere where even out-of-towners feel right at home. It has design elements typically reserved for rejuvenated loft districts-18-foot ceilings, raw timber beams, skylights, and reclaimed barn wood seating. And with a menu dedicated to top-quality, seasonal products, this little eatery on a quiet stretch of D.C.'s Connecticut Avenue is where good taste meets good taste.

Settle into a green-topped booth for one of their wood-fired pies. Thin and crisp, they're smeared with honey-tinged tomato sauce and piled high with smoked mozzarella, asparagus, whole soft-shell crab, or even plain-old pepperoni. Work up an appetite for dessert-gooey sundaes made with locally churned Moorenko's Ice Cream-with a game of table tennis in the back. Your serve.

How To Play

Game: It's not called Comet Ping Pong for nothing. Get there early to put your name on the list for dinner (no reservations), and stake out a place at one of the three spots for table tennis. Allow about an hour to play-the best time you'll have waiting on a table in D.C.

Set: Located in the Forest Hills area, Comet is a mile from the nearest Metro stop (Van Ness-UDC or Tenleytown-AU on the red line). So, plan to drive or take a cab.

Eat: Although you go for the pizza, be sure to try the buffalo wings. Grilled, not fried, and covered in a tangy, red pepper-flaked honey glaze-these wings may not be traditional, but they get a lip-smacking seal of approval.

Comet Ping Pong: 5037 Connecticut Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20008; (202) 364-0404. Entrées: $8.50-$18.

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