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Keep it simple at BrewVino


If you go

Location: 251 N. George St., York

Cuisine: Pizza and salad

Rebecca's pick: Wild mushroom ($11.95) and the green monstah pizzas ($11.95)

Parking: Street. Parking lot available behind the old York Dispatch office during York Revolution games.

Hours: Noon to 8 p.m. Sundays, 4 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays, 4 to 11 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Price range: $4.95, small salad; $13.95, steak and blue pizza

Alcohol: Yes, beer and wine

Accepts: Cash and credit

Takeout: Yes

Kid's menu: No

Details: Call 717-850-2781, visit brewvino.com or search BrewVino on Facebook

BrewVino is the type of restaurant that keeps the menu simple, yet solid.

Visitors who step into the joint on the corner of North George and North streets in York will find a menu that touts just two things: handcrafted pizzas and thoughtfully prepared salads.

The restaurant is unique for its menu and its atmosphere. Floor-to-ceiling windows give diners full views of nearby Santander Stadium and the busy streets of a bustling downtown, making the small space, which seats about 60, feel larger.

BrewVino also offers outdoor seating. There are about 50 bar stools covered by bright yellow umbrellas for those who want to feel the warmth of summer while downing a frosty brew.

Pizza is a touchy subject for my husband and me. His favorite style pie is found in the Italian-Slovak rich community of his hometown in Ohio. I grew up on Pizza Hut.

Finding a slice we both enjoy can be tough, and most of the time, we fall in love with pizzas that remind us nothing of the pie either of us grew up eating. It's the pizza that's different that wins for us.

And BrewVino's pizza is a pleasant welcome to our dining routine.

We decided to stop in for a visit recently and chow down on the pizza we'd heard friends of ours praise. The restaurant opened Oct. 1, according to Marc Bower, who co-owns the restaurant with his cousin Jordan Chronister.

With just 13 pizzas on the menu and a featured pizza of the week, the cousins have found their success in simplicity.

"We think there's the potential to do more, but doing it this way has worked for us," Bower said.

Fresh ingredients arrive several times a week so that ingredients are served at their peak, he said.

Rotating tap and bottled beers, as well as various wines, also are added to the menu with care. Bower said he often tries to add new or seasonal options, especially those that are creating a buzz and might be in demand.

Guests can enjoy a full serving of either beer or wine, or opt for a flight. A $10 beer flight includes four 5 oz. pours of anything on tap. An $8 wine flight comes with three 2.5 oz. pours of any wine available.

I couldn't resist the wine flight myself, and ordered a variety of mild to bold dry reds. Each was complex and unique; all went down with ease.

Unable to decide on just one pizza, we decided we had to order two — the Wild Mushroom ($11.95) and The Green Monstah ($11.95). Measuring 8-inches by 12-inches, two turned out to be the perfect portion.

While the wait for food was a little long on a busy Friday night, it was worth it. The Green Monstah comes topped with a basil pesto sauce with roasted pumpkin seeds, mozzarella cheese, grilled chicken and fresh parsley. The Wild Mushroom — my favorite of the two — is covered in a roasted garlic sauce, shitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, goat cheese and dill.

The pizza crust is thin but chewy. Each bite was taken with gusto and when we scraped our plates clean, we were pleasantly satisfied.

Those who want a bit more can order one of four salads on the menu. Each salad comes priced at $4.95 for a small or $6.95 for a large and ranges from the house salad to a classic wedge. I observed a nearby table receive a large salad — and it looked like it came in a mixing bowl — it was that big.

A build-your-own pizza option (starting at $8.95) also is available.

"We really recommend anyone who is open to a different style pizza come check us out," Bower said.

"We find we're getting a lot of repeat customers as people start to seek us out."

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