Bella Mia entranceArboretum entrance signageThey claim to be the first coal-fired pizza restaurant in North Carolina, but no matter whether they're first or 50th, many locals agree they're the best pizza place period. Bella Mia was named the Triangle's Restaurant of the Year in 2010 by the News and Observer newspaper. Bella Mia is local to Cary and is the brainchild of two friends (Rick Guerra from Long Island and Steve Benjamin of Parkland, Florida).

Neopolitan-style pizzas are made using ingredients from local farmers. Their regular pies are all named after NYC streets, and they always cook up a special (like a recent "Hudson Street" pie topped with little neck clams, pecorino romano, garlic, parsley, applewood smoked bacon and lemon juice). It's not a huge restaurant, and there's only one like it in the Triangle, so it gets busy. It has a good-sized bar with a view of the pizza oven. Reservations are highly recommended. Sometimes, they are too busy to do takeout, so plan ahead.

Besides the pizza, they're serving up something almost as important - really great selection of beer. This is a good place for beer snobs to just sit and sample. They have a wide selection of beers, but if you like dark, so-thick-you-could-chew-them beers, this is your place. The bar staff are very knowledgeable and they'll direct you to the beer that's right for you.