In our area there's certainly no shortage of pleasing pizza places. La Fiamma is my favorite for a sit-down experience, but there are a variety of other options for eating in, eating out or delivery.

Cicchitti's

Cicchitti's is a Bellingham pizza institution. Family-owned and -operated since 1983, this popular downtown pizzeria hangs its hat on Holly Street, next to the Ranch Room.

A recent Saturday night found me and a group of friends hankering for some hand-thrown pizza. Cicchitti's certainly delivered on that promise (although it doesn't deliver the pies; you must eat in or take-out).

There are two distinct Cicchitti's family recipes. Its Sicilian dough is raised twice in the traditional Sicilian style, baked fresh daily and served as a 16-inch square pie.

We chose its second specialty, the Neopolitan, a thin, hand-thrown round crust, and asked for pepperoni and mushrooms.

Pizza places

Cicchitti's   115 E. Holly Phone: 676-9711 Menu item sampled:  Large pepperoni and mushroom pizza with Neopolitan crust $14.50   Rudy's Pizzeria   1230 N. State St.  Phone: 647-7547   Menu item sampled:  Large "Cheezy Rudy" pizza $16.50   Dimitri's Greek and Italian Restaurant   2113 Main St., Ferndale  Phone: 384-6767   Menu item sampled:  Large Canadian bacon, pepperoni and mushroom pizza $15.95

I placed the order and headed downtown. A scant 15 minutes later we were driving back to my buddy Heather's place with the appealing aroma of freshly baked pizza filling the car.

The large 18-inch pie resulted in only eight pieces, but the slices were gargantuan. Topped with fresh mushrooms and rounds of pepperoni, Cicchitti's special red sauce, spices, mozzarella cheese and a dusting of parmesan, the pizza was a pleasure to consume. The five of us each had a wedge, then divided the remaining pieces into smaller, more manageable sizes with a pizza cutter.

The crust was softer and floppier than the other pizza places I perused, but that isn't to say it wasn't enjoyable. We simply folded our slices in half lengthwise to better get a grip and finished them off with nary a complaint.

Topping choices are plentiful at Cicchitti's, ranging from all the extras you would expect, as well as capocolla (Italian ham), mancini sweet-fried peppers, and long-hot peppers. Sizes include a 13-inch or 18-inch pie and are also sold by the slice.

Rudy's Pizzeria

Rudy's Pizzeria is the only place we call for pizza delivery when unmotivated to cook or head out for a meal.

Wedged between the World Famous Up & Up and the 3B Tavern in Cicchitti's' previous site, Rudy's proffers a profusion of pizza pie options, by far the most eclectic I've ever seen.

You can choose from dozens of tantalizing toppings from the requisite sausage, artichoke hearts and pineapple to the unexpected avocado almonds and sunflower seed.

Want cheese? Rudy's stocks all the cheeses you might imagine at a pizzeria, and then some. How about bleu cheese on your pie? Maybe soy cheese? Cream cheese?

If you can't decide, go with my favorite, the "Cheezy Rudy," which is wondrously weighed down with five different cheeses: Romano, feta, cheddar, mozzarella, provolone and a sprinkle of parmesan.

As fantastic as that is, the real selling point for us is the insane amount of paper-thin slices of fresh, potent garlic cloves tucked in among the layers of melted cheese. The spicy red wine sauce is used sparingly, letting the flavors of the cheese and garlic shine through.

Rudy's offers sauce selections you won't find at the average pizza joint. Besides the aforementioned red sauce, you can also choose homemade pesto.

Its crust is also my favorite type, just between thin and thick, slightly chewy and sturdy enough to hold its shape as you lift it to your waiting taste buds. Crust options include a white crust and whole wheat.

Rudy's Pizzeria pies come in 10-inch, 12-inch, 16-inch and 18-inch diameters. You can also buy "monster" slices or four sizes of "pocket za," three toppings folded neatly into a pocket pizza.

Dimitri's Greek and Italian Restaurant

Dimitri's Greek and Italian Restaurant on Ferndale's Main Street also offers a plethora of pizza pies.

I recently made the drive north after a long day at work to order a pizza to go. A sign at the cash register read, "Dimitri's makes the best pizza in Ferndale! Thank you from Mrs. Smith's 2nd grade," which I hoped would bode well for a memorable meal.

The selection process took a bit of time, as the menu lists 34 specialties ranging from a simple cheese pizza (No. 1) to a creative creation loaded down with pepperoni, Canadian bacon, mushrooms, green peppers, tomatoes, shrimp and pineapple (No. 30).

I finally settled on a large, 14-inch pepperoni, Canadian bacon and mushroom pizza. Fifteen quick minutes later, spent sitting in the brightly lit restaurant watching other diners enjoy Greek and Italian entrées, I was handed a sturdy to-go box considerately held extra-securely shut with a small piece of tape.

A short drive later and we lifted the large box's lid to peer at a pizza covered in tempting toppings. Even more so than at Rudy's and Cicchitti's, Dimitri's pie was completely covered, a solid layer of pepperoni topped with an equally robust helping of salty Canadian bacon, then crowned with cheese and mushrooms melded together. It was indeed a memorable pizza and proved well worth the few extra minutes of travel time.

Besides having one of the best pizza menus in town, Dimitri's boasts a wide variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, steaks, seafood, burgers and pastas, plus it delivers within a five-mile radius.

All three of these eateries serve particularly pleasurable pizza pies, but both Dimitri's and Cicchitti's also offer a myriad of other menu items, from sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes and more. And Rudy's boasts cheesecake, turnovers and cookies to seal the meal.