J. Spillane proved he could serve a perfect Manhattan when he bartended at Matchbox, but how does the man handle his pie? As the owner of Coalfire, Spillane shows his perfectionism goes well beyond the pour. His line-walking mix between New York- and Neapolitan-style pizzas will please Chicagoans who don't mind these thin-crust beauties stepping all over their deep-dish terrain.

Fired in a real coal-burning oven (hence the name) at up to 800 degrees, these one-person pies take only a few minutes to cook, which makes the crust thin, bubbly, a little crispy with char (don't worry, it's good) and foldable a la NYC-style. Quality toppings—the sentence "best sausage pizza ever" was thrown around when we visited—finish off the pies nicely, and the savory cheese is kept to a minimum. These 'zas let the crust do the talking.

The 14-inch pizzas cost around $12, with veggies and meat tacking on $1-$2 more. Specialty pizzas (check out the White Pizza, with three cheeses, olive oil, a few spices and no red sauce) run up to $16. Beer and wine are available.

The room feels earthy and warm, and not just from the raging flames in the oven. Deep reds and bright yellows contrast against the exposed brick; the thin room boasts nice high ceilings. If you can snag a table (there aren't many and it packs in the dinner crowd), you can experience your meal how it was meant to be: straight off the fire, hot and fresh. And if you can't, perhaps a trip to Matchbox, just a half-mile away, is in your future.

Centerstage Reviewer: Karl Klockars