Today's Pizza | Our Story

Built in DC. Shared Everywhere.

What started as a neighborhood pizza shop has become one of the city's most shared food experiences. Thousands of first bites. Millions of views. One growing community that's made Today's Pizza part of DC food culture.

Built by DC. Guided by Purpose.

Aqil Baker was born and raised in Washington, DC, where carryout culture was part of everyday life. As a kid, Aqil admired his father's neighborhood carryout and dreamed of building something of his own. But after losing that steady influence, his search for identity took him down a different path and more than 17 years in federal prison. When Aqil returned home, he returned with a new purpose. His faith, entrepreneurial spirit, and a commitment to never go back reshaped how he saw the future. Today's Pizza became one expression of that purpose: creating food rooted in Black culture, building opportunity for others, and giving back to the city that raised him.

Rooted in Culture. Committed to Community.

Kwabena "Shahir" Nkrumah was born and raised in Washington, DC, Shahir grew up surrounded by West African traditions, strong community values, and an entrepreneurial spirit that showed up early. Like many young people searching for opportunity, he spent years navigating difficult choices before deciding to build a different kind of legacy. After leaving the streets behind, Shahir dedicated himself to mentoring young people, teaching high school math, and investing in his community before bringing that same commitment into Today's Pizza. His belief that integrity, hard work, and authenticity matter still shapes how the business operates every day. For Shahir, Today's Pizza isn't just about serving great food. It's about creating something lasting for his family, his community, and the city that shaped him.

Halal for Everybody

One of the few halal-certified pizza spots in all of DC — built so everyone in your crew can eat, no asterisks, no substitutions.

Explore Halal Favorites

Go Ahead, Try That

Word spread fast — from Brookland to the whole DMV and beyond — because the food does the talking. Come find out what 129K followers already know: there's nothing else quite like it in DC because there is nobody else who builds pizza from the experience of black Americans.”