The preferred pizza joint for the downtown lunch crew.

The Scene
Atlanta's lunch-focused Fairlie-Poplar district draws crowds to Rosa's. The less-than-$5 meals certainly attract Georgia State students, bike messengers and business folk to the no-frills counter, but it's the authentic New York-style pizza that makes this place a lunchtime standard. Lines quickly wrap outside the small storefront and brisk pizza pushers keep things moving, but getting a table during lunch rush hours can be near impossible.

The Food
Rosa's brings the secrets of genuine New York pizza to the South. Generous mounds of fresh meats, veggies and a healthy layer of mozzarella top each slice. The golden crust--crispy on the outside, doughy on the inside--seals the deal. For heavenly--and heavier--eating, add the spicy sausage. Non-pizza entrees are just as filling. Calzones tend to be doughy, so opt instead for a hearty meatball sub or a hefty portion of lasagna, covered with garlicky meat sauce.