DINING OUT
10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Saturday.
Wings and appetizers, $3.75-$9.99; salads, $3.95-6.95; pizza, $7.99, plus extras; desserts, $3.75.
5590 Roswell Road, Suite A-140, Sandy Springs. 404-843-1200, pizzacrosta.com.
Pizza Crosta opened in late May at the Prado in Sandy Springs. Owned and operated by Sam Abdullah and the team behind Buckhead Pizza Company, the bargain-priced “Design Your Own Pizza” concept also features salads, chicken wings, and a “dipping sauce bar,” similar to a salsa bar, with spiced olive oils, warm marinara sauce and other condiments.
The look: The fast casual set-up and design appear to be franchise ready. Brightly colored signs, logos and menus meet seating at clean, contemporary booths, cafe-style hightops and long tables with benches. Dozens of toppings are on display behind the stainless steel order counter, where pizza makers work the line and the flaming stone hearth oven.
The scene: One recent Sunday afternoon, the restaurant showed off its family-friendly side, as several couples with small children joined the line to pick and choose their own pizzas. Friendly servers were on hand to assist first-timers and check on orders.
The food: For $7.99, you can opt for a traditional or whole wheat 10-inch crust (gluten-free is $2.75 extra). Then choose from eight different sauces, eight different cheeses, including goat and ricotta, and eight different meats, including roasted chicken and lamb gyro, plus some 25 veggies. Premium toppings like prosciutto, roasted pork and shrimp are extra ($1-$3.50). If you don't want to design your own, there are 10 specialty pizzas ($7.99), including the Hot-Link with Italian sausage, roasted red pepper, roasted onion, and jalapeños, and the Breakfast Anytime with scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes, bacon and ham.
The drinks: Soft drinks ($2) include iced tea and and an array of Coca-Cola Freestyle products. There's a small selection of wines by the glass ($5), as well as domestic ($3.50) and imported ($4) bottled beer, and craft beers on draft ($5) served in shaker pints. Recently, the tap list included Eventide Kölsch and Terrapin Hi-Five IPA.
The extras: Like the design your own pizza deal, you can design your own salad ($3.95 small/$6.95 large) with a variety of greens, cheeses, veggies and dressings, plus proteins such as bacon, pepperoni and chicken for a small extra charge.
