If you want an easy pizza-and-pasta night downtown, Arte Pizza has been cooking at 109 North 3rd Street since 2008. Its own site now calls the restaurant Arte on Amelia, and it sits one block off Centre Street, a short walk from most of the downtown shops.
The menu is built around wood-fired pizza in 12-inch and 16-inch sizes, with gluten-free and cauliflower crusts in a 10-inch size. Named pies run from a plain Classica and a Margherita to the Capo (meatballs, ricotta, garlic and basil) and the Vesuvio, which stacks double pepperoni with jalapeño and Mike's Extra Hot Honey. Past pizza, you'll find hand-tied garlic knots, calzones, a meatball panino, and pasta plates such as Pappardelle Bolognese, lasagna, Chicken Piccata and Salmon Sorrento over provolone polenta. Cannoli and tiramisu cover dessert, and there's a kids' menu for ages 12 and under.
A few standing specials are worth knowing. On weekdays there's a dine-in express lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m., and Sunday is Sangria Sunday. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Arte also caters, sending pans of appetizers, pastas and salads out for pickup, delivery or full service.
Cafe Karibo and Timoti's Seafood Shak are a block closer to Centre on the same street. For a different style of Italian, Ciao Italian Eatery serves ultra-thin crust pizza and a dinner menu up on Centre Street.