Grateful Bites Pizza Shoppe offers up some must-eat pizzas, lost among other menu items that are far from life changing.

The first pizza I ordered was the “Pepperoni with Hot Honey.” This original menu caught my eye because of the odd combination of toppings.

The pizza arrived at the table decked out with pepperoni and covered in chives for an added kick. Each slice had just the right amount of pepperoni, a balance that’s not easy to reach. The crust on both pizzas are thick and bready. I enjoyed the chewy dough, but those looking for a burnt crunch from their oven cooked pizzas will be disappointed.

The sweetness of the honey worked unexpectedly well with the pepperoni and other seasonings. It created a sweet and savory bite unlike your typical pizza. For anyone that loves Hawaiian pizza (a combo of sweet pineapple and slices of ham), the hot honey offers a similar, but more flavorful, experience.

I also tried the pizza shop staple, Margherita pizza. This pizza was missing the interesting flavors featured in the Pepperoni with Hot Honey.

The pizza’s sauce was underwhelming and sparingly used, and while the mozzarella tasted fresh, it overall did not have enough happening on the pizza to be worth the heavy price tag.

For a final course, I tried Grateful Bites’ only dessert option – the Cast Iron Chocolate Chip Cookie.

The cookie was served hot out of the oven, with two scoops of vanilla ice cream dripping with chocolate and caramel sauce. The hot, chocolatey scoop paired with the cold ice cream is never a bad thing. However, the cookie was not big enough, nor had the exceptional taste to warrant an 8 dollar price tag.

Grateful Bites’ is a small shop, but it’s modern decor creates a pleasant eating experience. A large storefront window eliminates the cramped feeling of the small space. The servers were pleasant and happy to help, even though I was there close to closing time. Most weekdays Grateful Bites closes at 7 so it’s important to get orders in early for those on later schedules.

Pizzas at Grateful Bites cost between twelve and sixteen dollars, and can feed two or three hungry people. At this price range it’s a good option for families, but may put strain on a student’s wallet.

It’s important to know this shop does not offer the speed or cheap price of somewhere like the recently closed No Man’s Land Pizza, but can make up for the price jump in taste.

The restaurant feels more upscale than The Big Tomato in Wilmette, both in its prices and its look. It’s more similar to Napolita, also located in Wilmette. Like Napolita it offers sophisticated taste in a similar price range.

Grateful Bites opened in June of this year, already having a significant client base. Five years ago Grateful Bites began in a truck with a pizza oven built into it.

This summer the owners decided they were ready to expand into their own space. The truck is still on the move, and available for catering as well.