Second Helpings: Pizza Restaurants

Tasty, bite-sized restaurant listings compiled from new and previous reviews, guides, and poll results. This week's entries were compiled by Chronicle writer Greg Beets. When you need quick, reliable information about Austin eateries, check here.

Brick Oven

1608 W. 38th, 453-4330

Tue-Fri, 11am-2pm, 5-10pm; Sat, 5-10pm; Sun, 5-9pm

1209 Red River, 477-7006

Mon-Thu, 11am-10pm; Fri, 11am-11pm; Sat, 11:30am-11pm; Sun, 5-10pm

11200 Lakeline Mall Dr., 335-5445

Mon-Thu, 11:30am-9:30pm; Fri-Sat, 11am-10pm; Sun, noon-8pm 10710 Research, 345-6181 Mon-Thu, 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat, 11am-11pm; Sun, 11am-10pm

Though some people prefer their pizza with thick, chewy crust, Brick Oven's thin, crisp crust is a tasty change of pace that won't leave you feeling bloated with dough. The Pizza Margherita with mozzarella, Roma tomatoes, fresh garlic, and basil leaves is a flavorful standout. Brick Oven also serves other Italian specialties such as lasagna, calzones, and a fine shrimp fettucine. Don't forget to check out their extensive wine list.

Aljons

1945 E. Oltorf, 447-2306

Mon-Sat, 11am-10pm

It may take a little longer to get your pie at this unassuming neighborhood gem, but the chewy, well-bubbled crust and spiced-right Roma tomato sauce makes skipping the factory-style chains a worthwhile endeavor. In addition to pizza, Aljons serves lasagna, ravioli, manicotti, and a fine selection of subs on Italian bread. The bigger-than-life calzones are another menu highlight.

Austin Pizza Garden

6266 Hwy. 290 W., 891-9980

Sun-Thu, 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat, 11am-11pm

Located in a historic 100-year-old building in Oak Hill, the Austin Pizza Garden serves a wide variety of pizzas on thin white crust along with lasagna, calzones, sandwiches, and even muffalettas. The pizzas with traditional toppings are good bets, but some of the more adventurous pies (such as the Texas T-Bone Pizza) are hit-and-miss. Austin Pizza Garden's $5.31 lunch special (8" pizza, salad, and iced tea) is an especially good deal.

Frank & Angie's

508 West, 472-3534

Mon-Sun, 11am-10pm

Run by the proprietors of Hut's hamburger emporium, Frank & Angie's offers good New York-style pizza whole or by the slice at very affordable prices (cheese slices start at $1.65). Anyplace that names a specialty pizza after film-score genius Ennio Morricone is okay in my book. Cilantro pesto and veggie meatballs are two of the more unorthodox toppings offered here. Frank & Angie's also serves pasta, calzones, and divine sandwiches on handmade focaccia bread.

Saccone's

13812 Research, 257-1200

Mon-Sun, 11am-10pm

2701 Hwy. 183, Leander, 259-1882

Wed-Sun, 11am-10pm

Saccone's motto is "Pizza With a Jersey Attitude." While it's hard to soak up much Jersey attitude in a restaurant full of little leaguers screaming for more video-game quarters, Saccone's many varieties of thin-crust pies (whole or by the slice) do a good job of putting you in the right frame of mind. Saccone's also serves one-inch-thick, Sicilian-style pizza cut into squares. Pasta, calzones, stromboli, and subs round out the menu. Saccone's doesn't serve beer or wine, so BYOB if you want to drink.

Milto's

2909 Guadalupe, 476-1021

Mon-Sat, 11am-10:30pm; Sun, 11:30am-10:30pm

Milto's is a longtime UT-area institution serving both Italian and Greek specialties. The Greek salad with excellent house dressing comes with a chewy roll made out of pizza dough and coated with spices. It's a wonderful prelude to their thick, chewy pizza with plenty of tomato sauce. Milto's Alfredo Artichoke Pizza and lasagna are two of the restaurant's standout Italian dishes.

Reale's

13450 Research, 335-5115

Mon-Thu, 11am-9pm; Fri, 11am-11pm; Sat, noon-10pm

The drive up Research may be tedious, but Reale's is much closer than the East Coast pizzerias they accurately approximate. On the way you can decide whether to go for the big, bubbly-crusted 16-inch pie, which gets a little wet in the middle, or to stick with the 14-incher, which stays crisp all the way across. It's a tough choice. You sacrifice the big bubbles with the 14-incher, but the crust stays perfect. Don't miss the fennel sausage.

Pizza Nizza

1608 Barton Springs, 474-7470

Mon-Thu, 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat, 11am-11pm; Sun, noon-10pm

Opened in 1990 by former Whole Foods Market partner Mark Stiles and his wife Sylvie, this restaurant near Zilker Park serves pastas, salads, and pizzas in an artfully funky décor that takes a lot more from Milan than Sicily. In addition to choosing from a wide variety of toppings, Pizza Nizza diners can choose from a range of pizza sauces as well. The pineapple pizza is a good bet on hot summer days after Barton Springs.

Marye's Gourmet Pizza

3663 Bee Caves Rd., 327-5222

Mon-Fri, 11am-9pm; Sat, noon-9pm

Marye's does a brisk lunch business with a special that includes a 7" pizza of the day, garden salad, and iced tea. The pizza of the day may be a conventional Margherita pizza or something really wild like "The Que," an olive-oil glazed crust with barbecued chicken, red onions, cilantro, jalapeños, and smoked Gouda. Each is prepared on a perforated, thin, crispy crust with abundant cornmeal dusted on the bottom. Marye's also serves a wide selection of sandwiches and calzones.