Local Restaurant Review: Pizza Mia's of Belvedere, NJ - A Small, but Very Good Restaurant

Anyone who lives anywhere near a town is likely aware of how incredibly easy it is to find a pizza place. However, anyone who has ever tried one of those restaurants is also likely aware of how hard it is to find a good pizza place. Pizza, strangely enough, seems to be one of those foods that just about anyone can make, but only a few can make well.

However, while there may be any number of restaurants that can make an acceptable pizza, the challenge comes in finding a pizza place which not only has good pizza, but also serves a variety of other foods as well, and has a nice atmosphere as well as reasonable prices. Anyone looking for a restaurant that combines all of those elements has no need to look any further, the answer can be found in Belvedere's Pizza Mia.

Just after entering the small town of Belvedere, New Jersey, one can spot Pizza Mia in a small plaza right to the left. Although the plaza is also home to a Chinese restaurant, those seeking the better meal are definitely going to want to opt for the pizza. The restaurant (and the plaza) are both nice and clean from the outside, and this attention to appearance only continues when one enters the restaurant.

When entering, there is a counter where one can order food to go without waiting in the restaurant, and simply walking to the right gives you the opportunity to sit in a clean, spacious, and nicely decorated dining room. The entire restaurant is non-smoking, and is an overall great place to bring the family to dinner.

Although there isn't a whole lot of variety to be found on the menu, there is enough that most customers should be more than happy. The typical array of appetizers, such as mozzarella sticks, French fries and pirogues, make a great starting point, although perhaps one of the best things to start with is the fried zucchini, it is truly the best of anything to be found in the area.

Moving onto the main course, Pizza Mia does make some truly good pizza, and there are a variety of styles and specialty pizzas that one can choose from (the buffalo chicken pizza is especially good). The crust is nicely thin, but thick enough to support the toppings, the sauce is rich and tangy, and the cheese always tastes fresh and delicious. Each of the specialty pizza's is very good in it's own way. And whether one is hungry for taco pizza, or German pizza, or even white pizza, there is a kind there for every type of taste bud.

However, while the actual pizza is very good, it would be almost a crime to write about Pizza Mia's and not talk about the steak sandwiches. By far the best to be found anywhere around, the steak sandwiches are large, loaded with plenty of sauce, cheese, and whatever else you like on your sandwiches, the size is great and the price is even better. By far one of the best things on the menu and a definite must if you are trying the restaurant for the first time.

Even though one may be able to go virtually anywhere for a slice of pizza, there are really few places, at least in the local area, that even have a chance of competing with Pizza Mia's. From the great atmosphere to the great food, to the amazing prices, one simply cannot beat the service or the sheer quality of the food. Even though it may get a bit crowded come Friday and Saturday nights, there is never a long waiting line and the quality of food never suffers. Truly a rare find, and a delicious one at that.