I am always a bit skeptical of elaborately packaged products. Over-the-top presentations, especially with food, often leave me wishing I hadn’t unwrapped it in the first place. At Pizzeria Ritrovo, West Asheville’s newest Haywood Road eatery, chef and owner Peter Affatato remains true to character by allowing only fresh, high quality ingredients and authentic recipes to be the main attraction.

Peter has been a major part of Asheville’s restaurant scene since 1996 and was chef at Savoy from 2000 to 2003 before launching the gourmet deli and bakery 28806 which he ran until 2006. The next year, he and wife Yolie opened the very popular family-style restaurant, Nona Mia Italian Kitchen, on Patton Avenue. Throughout each of these ventures, Peter has been consistent in his approach to cooking—use the best, freshest local ingredients and don’t overcomplicate things. “Food is only as good the individual ingredients,” he says.

At the heart of Pizzeria Ritrovo is the classic wood-fired pizza oven that takes center stage in the open kitchen behind the bar. In fact, Peter explains that although the idea was to expand the style of pizza offered at Nona Mia, it evolved into a whole separate concept. “We bought the oven first and had no place to put it,” he says. “Yolie kept saying, ‘You had to have to this oven. Now you need to open a second location to put it in.’ We still laugh about that.”

Pizzeria Ritrovo’s focus is on the Neapolitan-style of pizza with a complement of custom entrées that are new and different every day. They even traveled to different places to make sure they stayed true to the style. Peter developed the pizza dough starter more than ten years ago and uses an imported “double zero” rated flour (a very fine grind, almost like talcum powder). The result is a wonderfully thin, crisp, and flavorful crust to build upon. The Margherita pie is brushed with extra virgin olive oil and topped with imported Marzano tomato, homemade, hand-stretched mozzarella cheese, and whole leaf basil. All pizzas are 12 inches and very light and delicate. The Angelina is a creative mix of ingredients that features ricotta, pistachio nuts, pickled red onion, and fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano. The blend of strong cheeses with nuts and just a hint of sweetness from the onion is superb.

There are eight different pies on the menu along with salads and a classic Antipasto plate filled with a selection of cured meats, cheeses, roasted vegetables, olives, pickles, and garlic mascarpone crostini. The salads are excellent. Try the Verde with organic greens, house-made red wine vinaigrette, shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano with an order of their custom crafted bread (made daily). The dressing is a balanced blend of sweet and tangy and, in my opinion, should be bottled. Peter does plan on adding a retail section in the front space, offering breads, sauces, imported cheeses, and meats.

The lunch menu also features classic Italian sandwiches on the house bread. Look for many of the classics from 28806 Deli. The kitchen turns out a special dinner menu offering homemade soups and nightly creations such as lobster sherry bisque topped with fried leeks, and the Al Forno (from the oven), a cranberry glazed Cornish hen with Brussels sprouts and potatoes. The menu changes based on seasonal offerings.

The restaurant has a very relaxed interior and patio with a view, sure to be packed as the weather warms up. A very reasonably priced wine list and a good lineup of local draught beers makes Pizzeria Ritrovo a well-thought-out neighborhood eatery. Finish off your lunch or dinner with one of their decadent Gelatos—light, creamy, and delicious!

Visit 1050 Haywood Road in West Asheville or online at PizzeriaRitrovo.com. The restaurant can be reached at 828.505.8315.