Nonna Rosa's Pizza

 Located at 275 North Elm Street in High Point’s Stock and Grain food hall, Nonna Rosa’s offers pizza for lunch and dinner. It opens at 11 a.m. daily and closes at 7 (Sunday), 8 (Monday-Wednesday), 9 (Thursday), or 10 (Friday-Saturday). Online ordering is available via the Stock and Grain app.

Stock and Grain eateries generally fall into two categories: those that are not remarkable enough to justify their high prices (and seem destined not to last) and those that are expensive but worth it. Nonna Rosa’s falls squarely in the latter. I got to check them out during a make-your-own-pie Yelp event and liked them so much that I was back less than a week later. It was just as good, if not better, the second time.

Though Nonna Rosa’s offers calzones, salads, and a few apps, pizza is the star attraction here. It’s a classic style: thicker than a floppy/greasy quintessential New York slice but thinner than a true thick crust. It’s also a labor of love for the owner, who is, in the best way possible, a pizza history nerd. Nonna Rosa’s pizzamakers are both amicable and assured.

My wife and I ended up getting a Garlic White Pie (garlic parmesan cream, ricotta, mozzarella, and a bit of hot honey) to go. It took about fifteen minutes for them to make, looked amazing, and the smell taunted us the whole way home. The taste, however, was not to be outdone. Neither too spicy nor too sweet, the flavors were balanced nicely, and the creamy, cheesy texture made for a very satisfying bite.

With 16-inch pizzas running in the mid-20s, Nonna Rosa’s slings a pricey pie. There are definitely respectable pizzas in the area that can be had for less. Few, however, will leave you instantly craving more the way Nonna Rosa’s will.

Umami Station

Located at 2101 North Main Street, Umami Station offers Asian fusion cuisine. It is open from 11-9 Sunday-Thursday and 11-10 Friday and Saturday. Online ordering and party trays are available.

Housed in a former Marco’s Pizza, Umami Station is a no-frills eatery built for convenience. The pan-Asian menu includes hibachi, familiar Chinese-American dishes, ramen, sushi, poke, and wings. It’s standard as standard does, but that isn’t a bad thing if you know what you want and they have it.

In this case, I wanted a poke bowl. Topping options were, understandably, more limited than they would be in a place that specialized in poke. They also limit you to a single free sauce. Still, online ordering was easy, my food was ready on-time, and the price ($12) left no room for complaint.

 

Admittedly, I approached this meal with somewhat lowered expectations. While it was a bit spare (salmon, rice, cucumber, corn, avocado, and poke sauce that went heavy on the soy), it wasn’t unpleasant, and it satisfied a craving. Both the portion size and ratio of toppings to rice were decent.

I’d be lying if I said that Umami Station was impressive, but it is convenient, fairly priced, and, if not especially tasty, good enough for you to not regret it.