City: Brunswick, ME

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (207) 721-0403

Address: 212B Maine St.

Description: This small eatery has all the hallmarks of your neighborhood pizzeria, from the college kids behind the counter to the regulars picking up their to-go pies, but it’s much more than that. Typical, Scarlet Begonias is not. Start with the flowers on every table, the local artworks on the walls, the words of high praise from the naval air squadron down the street. Then move to the menu, from which you can order a pizza, yes, but it might be topped with broccoli or hot cherry peppers or even corn. Try the Simon Says, which adds sausage, chicken, peppers, mushrooms, and corn to your average pepperoni. Or try pasta, like the Scarlet Harlot, a classic putanesca with garlic, olives, and fresh herbs over penne. Sandwiches and salads abound, and they too are a step up from the usual. How about the terrapin tuna sandwich, for example, which has cheddar, tomato, and Bermuda onion in addition to the fish, on pizza bread? The choices go on and on.