Village Pizza is pricey but scrumptious

At first, I thought it was allergies, but the consistent signs of a cold had me dragging my feet for about a week earlier this month. So while I was sick and a little down in the dumps, I opted for some comfort food: pizza.

My favorite pizza place is Village Pizza. I’ve only ever been to the Corrales location, so I can’t speak for the West Side. I’m a loyal fan of the OG shop.

The first downside of Corrales’ Village Pizza is pretty apparent: no deliveries outside of Corrales.

It makes sense, being a small, locally owned restaurant, but it is a bummer when you’re already in your PJs and just wanting an easy dinner straight to your door.

But the pizza makes up for it enough that I’m usually willing to drive 15 minutes or so to pick it up (or my partner is gracious enough to drive over to curb my cravings). Dining in can be nice as well, especially on the serene patio when the weather is right.

But this time I ordered it for pickup. It was a pretty average wait time — a little less than half an hour on a Thursday nearing 6 p.m. On weekends, I’ve had to wait longer.

Usually, I just get a large pizza and am happy with leftovers for days. This time, I added some breadsticks ($4.50 for 6) as an appetizer, too. The breadsticks were pretty good, seasoned well on the exterior and soft on the inside. Still, I think I’d opt to spend the extra money on a beer next time instead.

That, paired with my go-to Dust Devil ($23.50 for a large), which is a spicy pizza topped with pepperoni, local red chile powder and Parmesan cheese — I also add piñons — made for a happy at-home meal while I was sick.

I usually go for a few sides of ranch ($0.50 each), which are a nice complement to the spicy tang of the pizza. I love hot and spicy foods, and this pizza has the balance of not being too hot to enjoy, while giving a good kick.

I was a little worried about the spice clashing with my cold, but it didn’t bother at all, maybe reminding me the pizza really isn’t actually all that spicy (for New Mexicans, of course). A bonus was some cleared sinuses.

I just can’t get enough of the combination of red chile powder and piñons, and the thickness of the pizza itself leans ever so slightly on the thinner side, which is how I prefer it.

I also love a pizza where I don’t need a few napkins to mop up grease (sorry, Dion’s).

Village Pizza is pricey, though. Paying nearly $25 for a large pizza is a bit steep for me, but the local shop and tasty offerings have me coming back as a repeat customer nonetheless.

I’m also not much of a leftovers fan, but I do love a cold slice of Dust Devil pizza in the morning.

All-in-all, I know I’ll be back ... but maybe after payday.

Village Pizza is pricey but scrumptious