Two for $20: Angelo's Pizza

Pizza with pepperoni and green peppers from Angelo's Pizza. (Credit: Eric Rowley/Metromix)

Experience: The first time you pull into the parking lot of Angelo's Pizza, try not to forget you're there to eat, not fill up your tank. The tiny restaurant fills the remains of an old gas station, and while it may look a little shabby on the outside, inside it's bustling with a hard-working family making pizza, salads and sandwiches for hungry locals. The space is sparsly decorated with old records (apparently they're fans of the Cars and Joan Jett), a couple of struggling plants and a Hawkeye flag, making it feel ... well, kind of like you're in a gas station.

On the menu: Angelo's claims to be the finest thin crust pizza this side of Naples, and it may be a close call. The sauce is made from scratch, the crust is made by hand - no mixer - and the pizzas themselves are cooked in a 1947 pizza oven to produce a perfect, crispy crust. You can build your own creation, or give one of their "Extreme Pizzas" a try, like the Illinois Nazi - sauerkraut, summer sausage and Canadian bacon - or the Razor Blade, with sausage, onion, red pepper, jalapenos and habanero peppers. Angelo's also has an extensive list of sandwiches. The buffalo chicken, Italian roast beef and a fried flounder sandwich all sounded tasty.

What we ordered: Although everything on the menu is reasonably priced (sandwiches go for $7.49, pizzas $12.49-$16.49), the best deals are offered over the lunch hour. From 11 a.m.-2 p.m., a sandwich, side and drink or a two-topping individual pizza and a drink costs $5.50. My friend and I couldn't resist the smell of pizza wafting out of the old oven, and ordered a pair. I tried a pizza with pepperoni and green peppers that was piping hot, with perfectly thin crispy crust and melted cheese. My friend's sausage and pepperoni was reported to be equally delicious.

Good if you want ... Quality, homemade pizza, sandwiches, appetizers and salads for a great price. They don't serve beer, but if you're wanting to wash down your buffalo chicken pizza with a cold brew, you're welcome to stop at the real gas station across the street and bring over a few.