LPC (La Pietra Cucina) is a place that I’ve had on a list for several years, but never visited.  Today, as I was heading back toward the office from a meeting downtown, I realized that I had time to stop in for a bite.  It was a late lunch, on a Monday, and I had the place pretty much to myself.  I walked in and was seated at the bar, quickly served a Diet Coke and handed a menu.  I took the opportunity to look around (and snap a few photos) – the decor was simple, contemporary and open.  If this place ever fills up, I imagine that it gets quite loud.

I decided on the daily special pizza (goat cheese, pancetta and something) and waited a few minutes for it to arrive.  While I was waiting a couple walked in and it appeared that the man was a “regular” – you could tell by the familiarity with which he addressed the bartender and he headed into the kitchen to chat with the chef.  He came back and told a long story about being in town at lunch time for his wife / girlfriend to visit a doctor in the area.  He was fairly pretentious and I admired the bartender’s endurance of him.  It made me glad that I did not have her job and helped me appreciate just how tough people can be to deal with sometimes.

The pizza arrived and I dug in and it was fine – not spectacular, not awful – it would have benefited from some sauce and the melting of the cheese.  Much better than any chain pizza, but nowhere near the level of Ammazza, Antico or Varasano’s (Atlanta’s top 3 pizzas, in my book – note that they are in alphabetical order, as my deference to who is number one may change after any given pizza).