San Vito's Pizza & Pasta

If secret family recipes and preparation techniques are the holy grail of traditional Italian cooking, then San Vito's Pizza & Pasta in Woodstock is practically sacred ground. 

Turn-of-the-century immigrants to America carried with them more than met the eye. The treasures they kept closest were distant dreams, cherished memories and, perhaps most importantly, for the future of American culinary arts, old-world recipes.

That's how San Vito's came into possession of its recipes —  passed down within the owner's family, generation to generation . 

The little restaurant off State Route 140 — just 45 minutes north of downtown Atlanta — hardly tells you of the savory tastes that await you inside. In fact, if you're not paying attention, you might miss the light brown building with the grey wooden porch altogether.

The interior is set up like many New York pizzerias: place an order at the counter and take a seat at one of the few tables tucked into the corners of the store.

Café-style window treatments, adorable chalkboard menus and checked tablecloths are offset by an eclectic mix of travel posters, little league sponsorships and kitschy flair (the men's bathroom has a large framed print of Jerry Garcia, not exactly Italian, but fun nonetheless). A large family-style booth is surrounded by old black and white photos of the owner's own family. It's the type of place you feel at home.

The restaurant is locally famous for thin-crust, hand-tossed pizzas that rival those made in New York. A crispy, bubbling crust topped with fresh ingredients leaves the pickiest pizza lover in awe.

San Vito's offers several specialty pizzas in three sizes (10-inch, 14-inch and 18-inch), including a white pizza, chicken bruschetta pizza and a veggie combo. But feel free to pick and choose your own toppings as well.

The pizzas go great with fresh salad and the San Vito's Salad and Greek salad are favorites. But pizza and salad are not all San Vito's does well. Its pasta and oven baked subs are also big sellers. San Vito's Lasagna, made with meatballs and Italian sausage, is a secret family recipe straight from Italy. And the chicken parmesan oozes mozzarella.

One of the best things about San Vito's is that you get more than you pay for. A small serving of baked ziti is more than enough for one person and the large 18-inch pizza dwarfs the large at a pizza chain. Mouthwatering quality and good value are just two of the reasons customers come back to San Vito's again and again. 

This tiny Italian eatery's fare is just like great-grandma used to make.

- by Christine Foster, Atlanta Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Christine Foster

Christine is a freelance writer currently living in North Atlanta. She has worked as a reporter for numerous newspaper, magazine and online media companies, including the Florida Keys Keynoter and The Sunday Paper in Atlanta. When she's not working Christine enjoys baking and antiquing.