For Pizzeria Paradiso, the original store, located on the second floor of a small townhouse in Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., opened its doors in November 1991. The restaurant received immediate critical acclaim and consistently ranks among the best dining in the nation’s capital. Since the original location opened its doors, the pizza shop has Pizzeria Paradiso restaurants in Georgetown, D.C., Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, Hyattsville, Maryland, and Spring Valley, D.C.

Founded on the spirit of laughter, Pizzeria Paradiso evokes the warmth that one feels in the home of a close friend. Founder and chef/owner Ruth Gresser’s vision of Pizzeria Paradiso during its formation involved standing near the kitchen laughing with co-workers.

Gresser is the author of Kitchen Workshop – Pizza: Hands-On Cooking Lessons for Making Amazing Pizza at Home as well as starring in a How to Make Pizza series of videos.

Gresser learned her craft at her mother’s side, cooking for her large family and her mother’s catering company. In 1987, after graduating summa cum laude from Madeleine Kamman’s Classical and Modern French Cooking School, and cooking professionally in French, American, and Italian restaurants across the country, she moved to Washington, D.C., and opened Pizzeria Paradiso.

Most recently, the iconic pizza restaurant adopted a new reservation system for its Spring Valley location, using Tock, which Fast Company magazine recently named as the No. 8 – one slot ahead of Microsoft – company among the world’s most innovative. Tock is credited for restoring the advantage to restaurants and small businesses battered by the coronavirus.

“Tock will allow us to welcome (customers) in with the utmost preparation,” Pizzeria Paradiso reports. “It will also provide you with a modern and easy way to make a reservation. In order to make a reservation, simply visit our website, find us on exploretock.com, or on the Tock app (iOS and Android).”

Tock puts you in control of your business every time. Tock's latest update includes tools needed to survive, such as pickup and delivery, contactless ordering and payments, an upgraded waitlist, two-way text messaging, pre-dining questionnaires, and real-time changes to floor plan and patio. Plus, flat pricing and zero per-cover fees mean a restaurant will never get penalized for success.

“For restoring the advantage to restaurants and small businesses battered by the coronavirus. When indoor dining halted last year, reservation platform Tock threw restaurants a lifeline with Tock to Go, an online ordering platform that allows eateries to offer pickup and delivery on terms that are better for their businesses.” Fast Company reported.