Off the beaten track, in a residential neighborhood of Tremezzo about a 15-minute walk from the waterfront, this unassuming pizzeria is a place where you can find some wonderful local flavor. Local flavor as in: a friendly mom-and-pop atmosphere, and   most of the herbs and veggies that make their way into the pizza sauce and are used as toppings are grown right on the premises. Thanks to the small size of the place and the genuine warmth of the owners, Carmelo and Franca, eating here feels like being at someone's house. Which Balognett is, essentially—it's a casa con giardino that happens to serve pizza to the public.

Out back, there's seating on a casual lake-view terrace that overlooks the vegetable garden and its abundance of tomato vines. Wood for the pizza oven is chopped by Carmelo himself, who also acts as pizzaiolo, while Franca waits on customers. Pizzas run the gamut from classic margherita and quattro stagioni (four seasons) to more eclectic options such as the mexicana (black beans and bacon) and pear (trust me, it's fantastic). But maybe the best choice is the vegetariana, which is topped with zucchini, eggplant, and peppers from the garden. Balognett is cash only, and reservations are advisable in high season.