First Look: Timone’s, Morningside


Dining Out

4-11 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; noon-11:30 p.m. Saturdays; noon-9:30 p.m. Sundays.

Starters and salads, $5.50-$12; pizza, $4-$19; pasta, $13-$17; sandwiches, $8-$9.50; dessert, $3.50-$6.

1409 North Highland Ave., Atlanta, 404-809-2979, www.timonespizzaatlanta.com

Adding to his Morningside empire, chef Ron Eyester of Rosebud and The Family Dog recently opened his third restaurant on the same stretch of North Highland Avenue. Timone’s, “a local pizza joint,” is an homage to Eyester’s New York roots, with Italian-American starters, pasta dishes and sandwiches on the menu.

The look: At night, the brick storefront is illuminated with bright neon signs. Inside, New York City is conjured with white subway tiles and walls covered with blow up photos of street scenes and subway maps. Whimsical art includes a scene from the movie "Big Night, a huge rendering of a San Marzano tomato can, and a mug shot of Frank Sinatra.

The scene: One Sunday evening, the place was pleasantly packed, with the bar area, booths and back deck all occupied with people chatting, munching pizza and drinking beer. The crew in the open kitchen kept pace with the busy servers, who delivered a steady stream of dine-in and to-go orders.

The menu: Eyester's pies, with no DIY offerings or substitutions, are fashioned with a bready dough and a cheffy blend of toppings. Among those currently on offer, clams, béchamel, parsley, chiles, garlic, kale and romano ($18), and Riverview Farms meatball, basil, chile oil, pickled banana pepper and red sauce ($19). Beyond pizza, look for starters like baked clams ($9.50), Rhode Island-style fried calamari ($11), and an antipasto platter ($12). Pasta dishes include baked ziti ($13), rigatoni with sausage ($14) and shrimp marsala with mushrooms and shallots ($17). Sandwiches include chicken parmesan ($9.50) and sausage, potato and egg ($8).

The drinks: On the beverage menu, draft beer by the half-pint ($2-4), shaker pint ($3-6) and quart jug ($5-$9), and draft wine by the glass ($7-$9, half carafe ($13-$17) and carafe ($24-$34). There's also beer in cans ($3-$6) and wine by the bottle ($16-$85). Housemade drinks include chocolate or vanilla egg cream ($4.50), cream, orange and berry sodas ($3.50) and rhubarb, lavender and grapefruit seltzer ($2).

The extras: Though it doesn't say so on the menu, you can order a cheese or pepperoni slice for $4. Weekly specials include stuffed pie on Monday, gnocchi on Tuesday, chicken cacciatore on Wednesday, lasagna on Thursday, and linguine and clams on Friday. Sundays, the chefs whip up traditional "macaroni and gravy." Recently, it was spaghetti with short rib red sauce ($15).