By Kristene Loughman
kloughman@TheCitizen.com

There is a great debate in our country over who makes the best pizza. Some prefer New York style pizza, its flat slices so large they have to be folded in half. Others swear by the Chicago deep dish, so laden down with toppings you need a knife and fork to eat it. But here in Fayette County, the newest style of pizza comes with a Greek twist.

Pies-On Pizza, located on Highway 54 in Fayetteville just east of the Town Square, has been serving up traditional Italian food with a Greek flair since it opened in June. Already crowded with regular customers, owner Dimitri Filippou credits his family with providing him with the recipe for restaurant success. His parents Georgia and Nick Filippou have been running their own pizza place in Rhode Island for over 40 years.

Watching as his parents fulfilled their American dream, Dimitri and his wife Michelle were inspired to make their own restaurant a family affair as well, including their two sons in the restaurant business. Even the décor reflects a homey, comfortable atmosphere, with red checkered table cloths and white lacey curtains in the front window. The kitchen is wide open to allow customers to observe their meals being prepared and adding to the feeling that everyone is part of this happy family.

“This is a Mom and Pop business dedicated to thriving, not just surviving,” Dimitri says. Armed with his father’s recipes and his mother’s customer service expertise, the Filippou’s have brought a fresh new take on Italian to Fayetteville. Pies-On Pizza is quickly becoming known for its distinct and delicious pizza crust. The restaurant makes the dough fresh everyday, the sauces are homemade and the cheeses hand-shredded.
There are plenty of toppings to choose from, or pick one of the Pies-On specialty pies. These range from the traditional Italiano Pie, topped with meatballs, sausage, roasted peppers and four cheeses, to the unique Nicko’s Pie, a no tomato sauce pizza with breaded chicken fried to a golden brown with feta cheese and garlic drizzled with olive oil and fresh spices.

For something completely different, try the Greek Pie, a white pizza topped with fresh baby spinach, tomatoes, ricotta, feta and parmesan cheeses and plenty of herbs and spices, just to name a few of the ingredients.

All the pizzas are cooked to order in the restaurant’s brick oven.

“Georgia natives have said it’s the best pizza they’ve ever eaten, and the displaced Northerners are our most loyal customers.” Dimitri says. “It brings them back to the food they grew up on. The light, airy, crunchy crust makes it unique to the area.”

Along with pizza, the calzones are also customer favorites. The “build your own calzone” option makes it easy for everyone to pick their favorite toppings. Other traditional Italian items include spaghetti with meatballs, chicken parmigiana and hot subs baked in the brick oven. Another popular menu item is Georgia’s Greek Salad.

“It’s just like Mama makes it,” Dimitri says of his favorite dish. The salad includes heart of iceberg lettuce, vine ripe tomatoes, hand selected onions, bell peppers, imported Greek olives, pepperoncini peppers and feta cheese, topped with fresh herbs and spices.

With a commitment to serve homemade dishes and the freshest ingredients, Dimitri hopes to create a totally new dining experience and carry on his family’s recipe for success. “Our family store in Rhode Island is a wonderful benchmark that Pies-On Pizza is patterned after,” he says proudly.

Pies-On Pizza is located at 375 Lanier Avenue (Highway 54) in Fayetteville. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 11 am to 10 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m. For more information and a complete menu, visit www.pies-onpizza.com or call 770-716-3996.