Big Pie In The Sky, Kennesaw, Ga.

Located in a shopping center in the Atlanta suburb of Kennesaw, Big Pie In The Sky is hidden so well that if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you’ll drive right past the Publix and miss the restaurant completely. That would be awful, because Big Pie is more than worth the short detour off Interstate 75 to find it.

Two things define Big Pie In The Sky: quality and size. The restaurant uses a wide variety of toppings, several of which aren’t exactly ingredients found in your local Pizza Hut. Sharp cheddar, feta, smoked provolone and cream cheese are some of the cheese choices at your disposal, while artichokes, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes are the high-brow ingredients on the vegetable side.

That brings us to the size. When they say Big Pie In The Sky, they are not kidding. They offer their pizza in medium, large and extra large, or you can go by the slice. A medium pizza here is 16 inches. Yes, you saw that correctly. The extra large measures in at 30 inches, can weigh roughly 11 pounds and is said to be able to feed 8 to 10 people.

One of their extra larges, the Carnivore, is even used by the restaurant as a challenge. The Carnivore Challenge is attempted by two people, who have one hour to eat an extra large pizza topped with bacon, ham, pepperoni, sausage and ground beef. Do it and you win $250, which probably isn’t enough to make up for the feeling that comes with eating 5 1/2 pounds of pizza.

That brings me to the slices. At the top was my choice, the West Coast Pesto, which features chicken, pesto, Romano cheese and cream cheese. The slices are taken from the extra-large pizza and cost $5 for one slice. Be warned: these are not tiny slices. That is a normal-size pizza pan that the slice is lying on, and one slice is probably going to be enough to fill most people. If you’re really hungry, maybe you can put down two, but that’s not likely. I almost ordered two before wisely asking the girl behind the counter, and was glad I did.

Because of its size, you’re almost certain to need silverware. You can’t pick it up and eat it (believe me, I tried many times) until you’re about 3/4 of the way through the pizza, it’s just too massive. You can try to fold it, since it is New York-style pizza, but that doesn’t work much better either. Really, your only course of action is to use a fork.

It’s worth it. The toppings blend so well together on the West Coast despite the unusual combination. The big surprise is how the cream cheese and pesto go together. I’d never tried the two at once before, but wow, what a pairing. It’s something I’m going to have to try again, probably even on a pizza at home someday.

Big Pie does serve sandwiches, calzones and salads for those who just aren’t feeling pizza. Whichever way you go, pair it with a Coke or a sweet tea (this is Georgia, after all), and you’ve got one excellent meal before getting back on the road in the Peach State.

Recap

Time to go: This place is perfect for lunch. It’s a good dinner spot if you’re feeding a lot of people, but if your party is small, lunch is the time to visit.

Wait during my visit: None. I came shortly after the restaurant opened and was served immediately. I would not guess it is always like this, but since Kennesaw’s a suburb rather than in downtown ATL, the wait probably won’t be too bad.

Location: Big Pie In The Sky has been located at 2090 Baker Rd NW in Kennesaw, Ga., since 2007. It’s in a shopping center near a Publix grocery store.

Parking: Plentiful. With the grocery store right there, you will always find a spot somewhere.

Cost: Very wallet-friendly. The slice is a meal and costs $5. Slice and drink can be had for $7. That sounds good to me.

Website: Big Pie In The Sky

Signature items: Really big pizza