By Samantha Gibbons / Staff Writer

HELENA – Owner Brian Rose doesn’t want you confusing his restaurant with your average pizza place.

“Just about everyday, we have someone calling up and yelling because they didn’t get their pizza,” Rose said, “It’s because we’re right under Pizza Hut in the phone book.”

But unlike most places, Rose wanted to do something different by adding a fresh buffet line and salad bar to his restaurant. He describes it as a cross between Domino’s and CiCi’s Pizza.

ATMOSPHERE

Unlike the usual delivery and takeout style pizza place, Pizza Pro feels more like a sit-down-and-enjoy-your-stay type restaurant. It’s inviting and open with tangerine colored walls, several flat screen TVs and an array of sports memorabilia (including a “Honk if You’ve Sacked Brodie” bumper sticker).

Rose even added a special sitting area for the kids with a flat screen TV so parents could enjoy their dinner, and the kids could enjoy being social.

“Parents come here and eat, and the kids can go in the party room and watch TV,” Rose said. “We’ve got a bunch of kids that just come and meet here.”

And for those who just want to come and pick up a pizza without any hassle, Rose also included a lobby waiting area for takeout to help speed up the process.

MENU

Although the restaurant is set up in a self-service buffet style, the pizza you get on the buffet is not the only pizza you can buy.

“All you have to do is ask ‘I want a pizza with spinach and mushrooms,’ and they’ll make it for you and bring it to you,” Rose said.

Pizza Pro also recently had menus printed adding specialty pizzas, pastas, subs, dessert pizzas and more.

The dessert pizzas are by far the most popular item on the menu, and Rose has even seen people come in and order a chocolate chip pizza for a birthday instead of a birthday cake.

The buffet only runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and 5-8 p.m. for dinner so that Rose can offer fresh, hot pizzas on the buffet.

SERVICE

Even though there are no waiters or waitresses at Pizza Pro, each employee will help with any request, be it for more pizza on the buffet or a baked-to-order customer original.

Rose himself, who used to work at Pizza Pro’s Corporate Office and has dealt with customer satisfaction for quite some time, is very open to questions and comments and will try to accommodate every customer because, for Rose, it’s all about “giving them their money’s worth.”

FIND IT

131 Ace Place

Helena, Ala. 35080

621-1776

www.pizzaprohelena.com

Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday to Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m