The thought of large, beautiful pizza made with floury dough is a pleasing sight. The heady aroma fills one with a sense of calm. “Yes,” it seems to say, “you will enjoy this.”

Every good pizza begins with the crust and, at Backroad Pizza, the crust is done right, baked to perfection with just the right balance of crunch on the outside and a toasty, chewy center. If you appreciate a good sauce, Backroad’s red sauce is fragrant and smooth, and sloppy in that “store-bought sauce can suck it; we use whole ingredients” kind of way.

The Gerald—an elegant offering of spinach and roma tomatoes smothered in feta cheese and pungent pesto—delivers all the flavor and artistry of a hand-rolled, cornmeal-dusted pizza but with the usual grease replaced with fresh-vegetable texture. If you’re not in the mood for pizza (what’s wrong with you?), try Backroad’s fall salad. Cranberries, walnuts and house-made dressing make for a light and refreshing take on the old plate o’ greens.