Business Briefs • Sarah Payne

Motown Square Chef/Owner Paulos Belay with his signature pepperoni pizza. Photo by Alexander M. Padro, Courtesy Shaw Main Streets.

Visit Motown Square for a Taste of Detroit

The spirit of Motown and Detroit culture is alive in the Shaw neighborhood at Motown Square Pizza (1819 7th St. NW). Chef/owner Paulos Belay relocated to DC after culinary school and found himself homesick for Detroitstyle pizza. Without any Detroit-style eateries close by, Belay turned to his own kitchen and started experimenting with recipes in his apartment. His friends served as taste testers early in the pandemic.

In April 2022, Belay opened his pizzeria and quickly became a part of Shaw’s vibrant restaurant scene. Belay previously worked at Buddy’s Pizza, an iconic Detroit establishment and a place Belay says is credited with the creation of Detroit-style pizza, where he “fell in love” with the dish. The pizza, a rectangular pie with the sauce on top, is a unique offering for those who love crisp corners.

“Most people think that the corners are the best slices, and I tend to agree with that,” Belay said of his pizza.

Aside from the style, Belay said, the quality and source of the ingredients set his pie apart from others. “I use really good ingredients for the pizza, and I hope that sticks out because I do have a pastry background and I went to culinary school for baking,” Belay said. “I really take pride in the dough, and I think we have the best. We also import the cheese from Wisconsin, and I try to make the most authentic Detroit pie in the city. I feel like I owe it to everybody back home to do that.”

Belay said that the community response to his pizza has been overwhelmingly positive and noted that there are more “transplants” from Michigan living in the DC area than he initially realized. “It’s been pretty cool connecting with people that had the pizza before, and also the people here who’ve never heard of anything like that but still enjoy the pizza.”

The pizzeria offers a variety of pies named after Detroit streets and neighborhoods, in addition to salads and baked pasta dishes. Michigander pro tip: be sure to ask for Detroit’s own Vernor’s Ginger Ale to complete your meal.

Motown Square Pizza is open Wednesday and Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday from noon to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 8:00 p.m. You can learn more about the menu and place an online order at www.motownsquaredc.com.

Business Briefs

by Sarah Payne

Experience Unique Flavors and Fun All Week at Shaw’s Tavern

Visit Shaw’s Tavern (520 Florida Ave. NW) for fun events in the community every night of the week. The Southern-inspired tavern features a variety of dishes, with food, drink and entertainment specials throughout the week. The restaurant truly has something for everyone, Shaw’s Tavern General Manager Rob Heim always welcomes customers with a smile. Photo by Alexander M. Padro, Courtesy Shaw Main Streets.

with a variety of experiences each week. On Monday, the tavern features trivia night at 7:30 p.m., in addition to a happy hour from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. On Tuesday, the restaurant celebrates Taco Tuesday with $10 taco plates and $8 margaritas starting at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, the restaurant has live music at the piano bar beginning at 8:00 p.m. On Thursday, starting at 5:00 p.m., the tavern offers half-priced bottles of wine.

Weekends kick off with Fajita Friday, with live music starting at 8:30 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, bottomless mimosas are served beginning at 10:00 a.m., and Sunday evenings feature a drag dinner at 8:00 p.m.

General Manager Rob Heim explained that community is at the heart of the 10-year-old tavern’s concept and event schedule. “We’ve just tried to be a neighborhood spot for people to gather for fun and different entertainment,” Heim related. “We’re really well known for political events such as debates and election night, or any hearings that happen. We just tried to be the neighborhood tavern for the Shaw community.”

Heim said the tavern has a “chill vibe” and aims to provide good food and good music. The menu ranges from specialty burgers and signature pizzas to pasta and seafood entrees. The range of events draws regulars as well as first-timers. The change of energy night to night makes the tavern special. “One night it’ll be football or another game and we’re full of sports fans, and next time, it’ll be a drag show,” Heim observed. “We’re really just here for everybody.”

Shaw’s Tavern is open Monday, 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to midnight, Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. To learn more about the menu, make reservations and order online, visit www.shawstavern.com.

Angel’s Share Offers Huge Brown Liquor and Wine Selection

With nearly 800 types of whiskey in store, Angel’s Share is sure to satisfy your wine and liquor needs in Shaw. Coowners Puneet Sabharwal and Shankar Puthran bought Angel’s Share in June 2022 and have quickly become a key part of Shaw’s vibrant community.

Sabharwal has been in the restaurant business for over 22 years and has opened Subway and Qdoba franchises in the area. In this new venture, Sabharwal and Puthran are excited to learn new things and share their expertise with customers on a more personal level.

“I’m really passionate about food, hospitality and customer service, and I enjoy my drinks, so this was a perfect combination,” Sabharwal said. Sabharwal was initially hesitant to take over the fiveyear-old Angel’s Share from the founders because it was vastly different from his previous restaurant franchises. But he has been overwhelmed by the positive feedback from the community.

“When people walk into the store, they say, ‘Wow, this store is huge, it’s beautiful, you guys carry everything,’” Sabharwal remarked. “It’s a great response. They just welcomed us with open arms.” The community is the cornerstone of their business, and Sabharwal enjoys meeting neighborhood residents when they come in to look around and to tastings on Friday and Saturday evenings. “We want people to come in and hang out,” Sabharwal explained. “It’s a neighborhood store, it’s really safe, there is beautiful lighting, it’s got a nice mural outside and people love it. It’s a landmark.”

Angel’s Share is known for offering the best selection in the area, as well as great customer service. The shop also carries products that are local to DC including Green Hat Gin, Borough Bourbon, District Made Rye, Cask & Cane Rum, Civic Vodka, Rodham Rye, Madam by Republic Restoratives and beers from DC Brau Brewing, Atlas Brew Works and Capital City Brewing.

Angel’s Share is open Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to midnight. For more information, visit www. angelssharedc.com. Orders can also be placed on Instacart for delivery.

Angel’s Share co-owners Puneet Sabharwal and Shankar Puthran are proud of their extensive liquor and wine selection. Photo by Alexander M. Padro, Courtesy Shaw Main Streets.

Sarah Payne is a general assignment reporter for Capital Community News. She can be reached at sarahp@hillrag.com. u