Zavino

From a quick glance at the flour-dusted baby face that sidled up to our table at Zavino to check on our meal, I'd never have guessed that chef-owner Steven Gonzalez was even remotely near 30 years old.

But take a closer look at the angry welts that stripe his forearms - they're hard to miss as he wields a pizza cutter and dusts pinches of cheese atop finished pies in front of the furnace glow of his hot brick oven – and it's clear Gonzalez is a tested veteran of Philly's rapidly rising pizza wars.

With that circular oven hovering behind him like a spaceship, its flickering red mouth and digital dial clicking up to 868 degrees and ready to launch its heat-blistered crusts, it's no wonder many local foodies have already lauded Zavino as a new champ in the pursuit of artisan pies.

With its cafe windows open to the spring breeze and electric street life at 13th and Sansom, and every odd dining-room nook and stool at the sweeping marble bar crammed full, I see how Zavino brings to mind a sort of bopping, indie version of Stephen Starr's Stella.

I love the casual and youthful vibe of this corner space, too, with its affordable prices, bluesy soundtrack, and antipasti station near the front turning out platters laden with sheer slices of prosciutto and fat-speckled Baby Jesus salami, artisan cheese, and mozzarella glistening with olive oil. There are other unique items from the ever-changing list of nightly specials, which I'll get to in a moment, that are worth the trip alone.

And yet, in many ways, Zavino still feels like a rough sketch. The wine list is small and esoteric, built around odd grapes and small producers that were at times intriguing (Bobolia Bobal) but also skunky ("Deja" passerina). Stick with a Rhône rosé for warm-weather, pizza-friendly pleasure.

The space is warm but slightly off, seemingly designed around that convivial bar, the rest of the dining room an afterthought. It's deafeningly noisy and uncomfortable, with tables too close together by the window and a misshapen corner booth wedged behind a pillar that left a crick in my back.

Of course, quirky is fine when the prices are this low (from $9 to $14 per pie) and the pizzas are top-notch. And Gonzalez's pizzas are good enough to praise – tender, char-bubbled rounds topped with everything from tender veal meatballs to goat cheese and velvety Lancaster spinach.