Restaurant Spotlight of the Week:

Z Pizza

Z Pizza

1051 W. Broad St., Falls Church, VA • (703) 536-6969

Hours: Sun - Thurs: 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Fri - Sat: 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Everyone knows what a pizza is. They understand the genre, the rules, the terminology; Pepperoni and sausage, green peppers and olives, extra cheese, etc. But at the recently opened Z Pizza on Broad Street in Falls Church, the parameters are being reset. Like when color first hit the silver screen. Consider it the Gone with the Wind of Pizza joints. Or is that just cheesy? (Pun intended). Part of a strictly left coast franchise, the Falls Church Z Pizza is the first of its kind east of Arizona. Founded in Laguna Beach, California, the concept of the restaurant was to blend quality and creativity in the development of its pies, perfecting old traditions and testing out some new ideas.

Now in Falls Church, Z Pizza offers an interesting alternative to the classic pizza and could be the gourmet pie that many have always hoped for without realizing it.

Owners Mike Smith and Scott Davis had known for a while that they wanted to open up their own pizza place, but they weren't inspired by any of the products that were out there. Then they heard about Z Pizza. Interested, they bought tickets to California, the only place to get a slice at the time. With just a couple slices of pizza they were hooked, and have been working tirelessly since, in getting their restaurant ready in Falls Church.

On Tuesday they opened the doors to large crowds, setting the franchise record for most customers on an opening day. Davis said the pizza's appeal comes from the wide range of fresh toppings and the thin crisp crust prepared from scratch and hand tossed. The list of pies available runs the gamut from old favorites to new fashions, but all focus on wholesome ingredients and individual attention.

Leading the list of classic pies is the pepperoni pizza. Made with skim mozzarella from Wisconsin, organic tomato sauce and MSG-free pepperoni, it balances the flavors nicely without any artificial additives.

But perhaps, a bigger draw is the unique selection of Z Pizza creations which have an entirely different take on pizza. One of the most interesting, the Thai Pizza, adds spicy chicken, sprouts and peanut sauce on either a regular or wheat crust. The chicken, a great topping for a pizza in any form, works nicely with the spices for an exotic yet non-threatening choice.

Another choice, the Casablanca, combines homemade roasted garlic sauce with three different types of cheese, mushrooms and artichoke hearts. The tangy artichokes are a nice complement to the creamy and mild cheeses.

For those looking to avoid any animal products, the Berkeley Soy Cheese Veggie, tops the pizza with soy cheese, veggie burger, zucchini and a host of other veggies. While particularly appealing to vegetarians looking for some new options, the pizza attracts many carnivores, interested in seeing how the other side lives.

Also interesting are the new salad pizzas, which combine the two popular meals. A variety of baked pizzas are topped with crisp salad and toppings. The choices include the Chicken Caesar Pizza, Spinach Salad Pizza, and Arugula & Roasted Sweet Potato Pizza. Also available are a selection of sandwiches, calzones and gourmet salads.

Pizza is even available on the dessert menu with the Apple Pie Pizza. The combination of Fuji apples, cinnamon-brown sugar mascarpone, almonds, and caramel, make for a delightful alternative pizza.

For Davis the choices are the fun part about eating at the restaurant. "We hope people come in and are willing to be adventurous enough to try everything," he said.