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IF EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD needs a bargain-priced pizza and pasta joint, Village Pizza Co. is probably the right kind of place for the current Cabbagetown scene. Newly opened on Carroll Street — the livelier-by-the-minute thoroughfare that acts as an unofficial main street for this historic district that was once a mini mill town — it's as bright and hopeful a sign as all the houses being rehabbed nearby.

INNER CITY MOD: Outside the brick storefront, there's just enough room on the sidewalk for a bench and a couple of cool Village Pizza delivery bicycles. Inside, the look is like a shiny vision from the latest IKEA catalog. White canvas sofas flank the entryway along with low coffee tables. The windows are hung with wooden daisy chain "curtains." A long counter faces the open kitchen, where the hip, young staff works the dough machines and pizza ovens. The L-shaped dining area has a row of big, blond wooden booths with high-backed benches.

ELISSA EUBANKS / AJC (ENLARGE)
A fresh Greek salad with tomatoes, broccoli, black olives, feta cheese and more help make this eatery a welcome neighbor.
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SLICES AND PIES: Village Pizza chef/co-owner Wesley Phillips spent some time tossing and topping at East Atlanta Pizza. And his fresh dough pizza, with its bready crust and sweet-and-spicy sauce, bares some similarity to the pies there. Pizza by the slice starts at $1.65 for cheese. There are eight specialty pies, including pesto with mozzarella and fontina cheese, and vegan with soy "meats" and "cheeses." And there are plenty of interesting toppings, from feta and ricotta cheese, to bacon, shrimp and baked eggplant.

PASTA AND PANINI: Like Philips' pizza, the sandwiches and pastas here are sturdy, fill-you-up fare with a few unexpected touches. His "mama's" thick-as-chili bolognese sauce is deep red and chunky with hunks of ground beef, sliced black olives and pepperoni. A surprisingly hearty grilled ham and cheese panini oozes with a creamy lasagna-like blend of ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan and fontina cheeses, topped with thin discs of capicola, roma tomatoes and fresh basil. Salads, oven baked subs and an array of entree-size dishes, including ravioli and eggplant Parmesan, round out the menu of Italian-American classics.

DRINKS AND DESSERTS: Village Pizza hopes to one day serve beer and wine. In the meantime, there's Tazo tea and soft drinks. And a self-serve freezer, full of Ben and Jerry's pints and assorted ice cream treats, such as Eskimo Pies, is another welcoming neighborhood touch.

Village Pizza Co.

HOURS: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Mondays-Sundays

PRICES: Pizza $1.65 (slice)-$19 (large vegan deluxe); soups and salads $3.75-$7.50; pasta $5.75-$7.50; sandwiches $4.25-$6.50

CREDIT CARDS: All major credit cards except Diners Club

RESERVATIONS: No reservations

RECOMMENDED DISHES: Grilled ham and cheese panini; pizza

PARKING: Limited street parking

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes

SMOKING POLICY: Nonsmoking

NOISE LEVEL: Moderate-high

TAKEOUT: Yes (and bicycle delivery in Cabbagetown)

VERDICT: A bargain-priced pizza and pasta joint in synch with the current Cabbagetown scene.