Dining Out: Backstage Pizza Cafe

Please enjoy another new feature - Dining Out! THS continues to explore dining out options in the greater hartford area and will update you on our favorites (don't be surprised if we venture to the shoreline or litchfield county for some special features as well!). Enjoy.

In an effort to get to know our town and explore local restaurants THS regularly visits "new to us" establishments. Being transplants to the area (via Vermont, New York, Minnesota, and DC) there is much to experience. One sunny weekend evening we ventured to this, relatively new, pizza joint in the center. Backstage Pizza offers a variety of small and large pizza pies and a few other specialty items (panini and salads). Personally, when I try a new pizza joint I go for the traditional cheese pie, better for comparison, but this time we halved it and also ordered a pepperoni/green pepper pie. The pizza is good, a nice balance of cheese and sauce, and they cut in triangles - just the way I like it. Future purchase: the Spicy Hawaiian topped with pepperoni and pineapple - yum! Again, the pizza is good but what will get me coming back is more about the non-food experience.

Backstage features outdoor dining - lots of it. With an entrance off of Farmington Avenue, you have to sneak back behind Max Oyster, this place could be missed. Backstage has more outdoor seating than indoor seating making this place great for large parties - I picture coming back with friends, pushing tables together and sitting for a while. THS fiance enjoyed the beers on-tap and although the wine list is small there was something for everyone. In addition to outdoor dining (delightful!) this casual dining establishment featured live music. Laura Ganci performed songs - the cranberries, the white stripes, gotye (you know you like the sounds of that) - that made me stick around for one more drink after the food was gone.

With so many delicious pizza restaurants in the center, this one brings a few enticing elements to get you to bring your friends out: enjoy the lovely summer night on the outdoor patio; "the Guinness certified perfect pint" for the boys; and, some live music, if you are lucky.