Located in a city that brags about its deep-dish, stuffed pizza pies, Pizza Metro offers the exact opposite. Its Roman-style rectangular pizzas have crust that's thin as can be, normal amounts of cheese and toppings that Gino and Mr. Malnati have probably never considered.

Italian-raised owner Marco Schiavoni's storefront feels like an authentic Roman pizza place, its lively orange and red walls plastered with European soccer jerseys and scarves. The pizza is served whole, half or by the slice, and you can choose from toppings like grilled red peppers, green olives, jalapenos and blue cheese. Customers rave about the potato rosemary pizza, made just as it sounds and without tomato sauce ($2.85/slice, $10/half, $20/whole). Those not in the pizza mood may choose from an ample selection of pastas, salads or homemade pastries.

The cramped restaurant only seats about a dozen people, and it gets to be elbow-to-elbow after midnight, with area bar hoppers making one last stop before moseying home. You could also try Pizza Metro as your starting point for the evening, as it's BYOB. An outdoor patio opens during the warmer months, providing an extra 30-35 seats and making you feel less guilty about hunkering down for a few hours to use the free wireless internet.

Centerstage Reviewer: Laura Brown