Cosmos Snack Bar

Midtown Reno · Pizza · $$ · 253 E. Arroyo St., Reno 89502 · cosmosreno.com

Tucked into a converted house on Arroyo Street, Cosmo's Snack Bar is the kind of place that fills up with restaurant industry folks on their nights off. The walls are covered in quirky photographs — including a black-and-white of an old Italian gentleman in his beach costume that I've lovingly dubbed Uncle Cosmo. Light streams through the skylights. The vibe is exactly right. The menu here is compact by design, a few things done extraordinarily well with a generous dash of creativity. Start with the vegetables, which get a treatment most kitchens reserve for proteins. The carrots with harissa, labneh, herbs and agave are among the most flavorful things you'll eat in Reno. The roasted cauliflower with herbed tahini, chili crunch and pistachio is a revelation. The meatballs of pork, beef and pancetta with red sauce, fresh parm and basil are some of the best in town and hard to stop at just one. When the kale Caesar is on the menu, order it.

Then the pizzas. This is what Cosmo's is built around, and they deliver. The Margherita is simple, honest and exactly right. The Rojo Tone is the house favorite — honey, pepperoni and pickled jalapeño in a sweet-and-spicy collision that works better than it has any right to. All of them arrive with perfect leoparding on the underside, stacked on empty Bianco tomato cans — a knowing nod to legendary pizzaiolo Chris Bianco. On Wednesdays, the Pizza Lambo deal — a two-topping pizza and a bottle of Lambrusco for $50 — is exceptional and not to be missed.

To drink: a draft Negroni, always. Build-your-own spritzes on Thursdays. Natural wines, local beers. And the soft serve — Tony Costa approaches it like a playful visionary, rotating flavors with deep curiosity and fearlessness. Pistachio appears often and earns its place. Yuzu is a revelation. There's always a dairy and non-dairy option. Order it affogato style, or with a splash of Amaro if you're feeling cheeky. Either way, don't skip it.

Vintage Depeche Mode on the sound system, easy conversation at every table. Cosmo's is an IYKYK kind of place — easy to miss if you're moving too fast. The regulars are fine with that.