Pit Stop for Pizza

This Western North Carolina pizzeria with creative pies will hit the spot this winter

- BY SHEEKA SANAHORI

On the eastern end of Sylva, North Carolina's quaint downtown strip, Meatballs Pizzeria is a staple for many, particularly students at nearby Western Carolina University and their families in town to visit. But don't wait for an invite from a new grad to stop in; the casual pizza joint's imaginative flavors are reason enough to visit this Blue Ridge mountain town.

Even a first visit to the restaurant feels like a homecoming. Framed family photographs by spacious wooden booths give it a neighborly feel. More importantly, any seat in the dining room provides a clear view of center stage: The wood-fired oven adds warmth to the restaurant as the smell of freshly baked dough and cheese wafts around the tables.