Does Atlanta really need another fast casual pizza and pasta place? The owners of Pizzeria Venti think so. The first metro location of the franchise opened in December in a small shopping center on Lenox Road (in a storefront formerly occupied by Cedars Lebanese restaurant). And while the concept is hardly novel, its signature thin-crust pan pizza, served in generous rectangular slices for $3 to $4.50, does set it apart in the bargain-priced Italian restaurant market.

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Becky Stein/AJC special

Better be hungry if you order the Grande Max, with pepperoni, garlic, meatballs, Italian sausage, green pepper, onion, and provolone and mozzarella cheese.

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Becky Stein/AJC special

Manicotti della casa features hand-rolled sheets of pasta filled with cheese.\uFEFF

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Tuscan colors

Unlike many franchises, there’s no specific blueprint for Pizzeria Venti locations. The bright yellow, green and terracotta color scheme is a trademark. Beyond that, each franchisee is free to fool around with its own faux Tuscan ambience. Here, it’s a pleasant mix of rustic tile floors, simple wooden tables and framed black and white photos of Italy. Order at the counter, where you’re encouraged to examine the daily pizza, appetizer and salad offerings, displayed in glass cases, and peruse the reasonably priced beer and wine selections. After that, choose a seat, and your food is quickly delivered by friendly, attentive runners who check back often throughout the meal and offer dessert.

A real “Sliceria”

Pizzeria Venti’s registered logo proclaims that it’s “America’s Only Authentic Sliceria.” Sure. What that fanciful phrase means is that there are usually 20 (venti) varieties of pizza by the slice, from simple cheese or pepperoni to roasted chicken breast and a loaded veggie or meat special of the day. Recently, it was a hefty helping of sliced meatballs, pepperoni, sausage and roasted onions, over red sauce and gooey mozzarella.

As for the crust, arguments will ensue. But it’s a quality fresh dough, made lighter, it’s claimed, with Acqua Panna Italian bottled water. The texture is soft, and the flavor is yeasty-salty. Baked in shallow metal trays (you can get a whole tray for $15-$22.50), with a brush of olive oil, it develops savory, nicely browned edges.

The dough is also used to make individual stuffed pies, breadsticks and rolls. The most surprisingly tasty version, though, comes wrapped around a big meatball, baked with cheese and marinara, in a concoction called Bocce Balls.

More than pizza

While pizza is the best bet at Venti, the menu features appetizers, soups, salads and baked pastas. One night, the lasagna al forno, described as “layers of pasta and cheese baked in a savory meat sauce,” was oddly lacking in anything but noodles, mealy ricotta and loads of tangy tomato sauce.

Salads include chicken Caesar, field greens with sliced Granny Smith apples, and tuna and white bean.

For dessert, there’s gelato and Italian-style pastries.