Maine has some great choices for pizza, but Portland's latest is a must.

First Quanto Basta was a food truck, and last summer, it became the latest brick-and-mortar restaurant. The Portland Press Herald describes them as a Neapolitan-style pizzeria that took over the LB Kitchen space on Congress Street in Portland.

They made a splash when they opened as a new favorite for not just the locals, but anyone who loves Neapolitan-style pizza. Well, almost Neapolitan. As the owner Betsy English told the Portland Press Herald,

My mother was born in southern Italy, in a town in Campagna that’s close to Naples, and I’m a baker who likes to work with sourdough, local grains and naturally leavened products. I’m careful about how I describe my pizza, because I never want to claim it’s Neapolitan, exactly. It’s Neapolitan-esque.

As I like to say, close enough for government work. She's got an Italian oven that gets to the temperature of the sun, and she can cook six pizzas at once. That lets her crank out 175 pizzas a day. She couldn't come close to that in her truck. The take-out portion of the Quanto Basta website shows seven different pizzas, ranging from $12 to $18 including the Amatriciana.

Also on the menu is bagna cauda. That translates as 'hot bath'. I think I would love a hot bath with this dip. It's olive oil, butter, anchovies, and garlic. You can't get more Italian than that. With veggies, this is a taste of Italy not found in a lot of places.

But what about alcohol?

Betsy has worked with some of the best bar managers in Portland to find drinks and wine that go perfectly with her amazing pizza. From Italian natural wines by the bottle and glass, Italian beers, and a selection of spritzers featuring Italian liqueurs. You might just think you're in Italy!