Pizza by the fire

On a snowy day during the winter break, I headed down to Pub N’ Sub, near the University of Nevada, Reno, for a cozy lunch of beer and pizza with my husband and his parents, whom we affectionately call “The Duffs.”

We slid our way across ice-covered roads and were delighted when we found the fireplace blazing and the table in front of it empty. Pub N’ Sub is a favorite of UNR students. Its long wooden picnic tables and benches provide ample seating for even the largest of parties, and the red-and-white checkered tablecloths are unpretentious and welcoming. The place knows its clientele and caters to them by offering an atmosphere of familiarity.

We ordered at the counter: a pitcher of Great Basin Brewing Company’s Ichthyosaur pale ale ($13.50) for all of us and two pizzas. My husband and I went for the Tree Hugger: garlic and olive oil, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, walnuts and red onion (medium, $19.95), while the Duffs ensured their meat quota for the day by ordering a medium Hawaiian: Canadian bacon and pineapple ($17.45). We then snuggled into our seats near the fire and chatted over Icky while we waited.

With the UNR students gone for winter, the place wasn’t very full that day, and our pizzas arrived quickly. A bit too quickly. My reaction was, “Yum, but the crust was slightly underdone.” Temperature aside, our Tree Hugger was delicious. Every topping promised on the menu was plentiful, especially the cheese. If there is one thing that turns me off a pizza, it’s skimping on the cheese. Here, however, it followed our forks to our mouths in yummy, stringy streaks. And the walnuts, warm but still crunchy, were a fantastic touch.

The middle of the crust was slightly underdone on the Hawaiian pizza, but the Duffs were enthusiastic about the size of the Canadian bacon pieces. However, the Hawaiian—unlike the Tree Hugger—could have used a tad more cheese.

Pub N’ Sub offers a lot more than yummy pizza. There are submarine sandwiches such as the prosciutto, salami, ham, capacollo, pepperoni, and cheese ($7.95), the honey ham and cheese ($8.25 whole) and the veggie ($7.75). Salads are also available: Caesar ($6.25), chef’s ($8.45) and green ($6.95), to name a few. A specialty one might be hard-pressed to find elsewhere is the 6-foot sub ($45.95), which can be delivered along with anything else on the menu.

Another experience one might not have at other establishments is to sit next to a fellow patron whose laptop has a sticker that inquires, “Have you hugged a limnologist today?” My husband asked about the chances of hugging one at that moment, but when the other patron called his bluff, my husband decided to stick with hugging trees.

When you just want the simple things in life, good pizza, good beer, and good company, it would be more than worth your while to visit Pub N’ Sub. Although, from past experiences, I should note that if you want to call in on a quiet afternoon, a visit during a university holiday would be better. And who knows? After an Icky or two, you might just find yourself hugging a limnologist—if you dare.