I’ll dispense with the usual remarks on how we have yet another pizza restaurant to add to the stockpile in our neck of the woods. Honestly, that wouldn’t be fair to Vincitori’s Apizza in Niantic anyway, because it rises above the pack in spectacular fashion and in more ways than one.

Vincitori’s is the second pretty much all-pizza restaurant I’ve sampled in recent months. I like this approach: It says, “We don’t just dabble in pizza, we specialize in it.” Instead of burying customers in options from burgers and fries to every grinder ever, places like Vincitori’s put a premium on ingredient curation; creative combinations and presentation; and great service.

From about 14 featured pies on the menu, we sampled four of them and found little to nothing to complain about and much to celebrate. Indeed, in the case of the Prosciutto & Arugula pizza ($16; one size), we literally poked out next-table neighbor, local foodie extraordinaire Lee White, to ask her if she’d sampled it. If she hadn’t, we were prepared to make her try it immediately, because it is that astonishingly delicious. Naturally, Lee had covered that leafy green ground (she was on her third trip to Vincitori’s since it opened about two months ago) and she offered kudos on a great choice.

I know, a pizza topped with bitter greens might sound odd, but the arugula is tossed on at the end of the pizza’s bake time. Plus, it’s lightly dressed in a very, very good garlic and lemon dressing that magically amplifies the other stars of the show: tender, salty prosciutto and cheese. It’s a fabulous flavor combination that’s all the better served on top of Vincitori’s expertly rendered crust: lightly crisped and blistered on the bottom; a bit of chewiness; and subtle fresh flavor. I don’t tend to opt for white pizzas, but this one opened my eyes anew to the goodness that can be rendered without red sauce.

Note: A dipping sauce similar to the lemon and garlic dressing comes with the Rosemary Focaccia appetizer ($4) and it served a similar purpose with that dish, too. The parmesan-, pecorino-, olive oil- and rosemary-topped bread is the size of small pizza. Alone, its enjoyable crispy-then-soft texture serves as a great base for roasted rosemary and the cheeses. Add the dipping sauce and you will experience all of those things at a higher volume in the best way.

Pizza number 2 that night got upstaged by the Prosciutto & Arugula pie, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t also quite good. We went with the Meatball pizza ($16), a red pie topped with mozzarella, meatballs and roasted red peppers. Here’s the big difference: Instead of tossing big, crude slices of pepper atop the pizza, Vincitori’s once again keeps an eye on detail. Their red peppers are sliced thin and woven into the cheese beneath. This is smart preparation that allows the meatballs to take center stage and the peppers to add the subtle sweetness they were meant to deliver without making a mess. As for the meatballs, they were tasty, tender, and generously applied.

If we hadn’t done some damage on the Rosemary Focaccia and the Chopped Salad ($8 for a small) we ordered before the pizzas, we likely would have only brought one box of leftovers home. But the pizza prices sting a bit less when you consider they provided us with more than four meals (and two boxes of leftovers). As for the Chopped Salad, it’s hereby recommended, but consider the small size if pies are to follow it, because it’s a hearty mix of romaine lettuce, chicken, dillatini pasta, gorgonzola, bacon, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes, lightly dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. We asked for the gorgonzola on the side, and received our order as requested. This is a great combination of ingredients, and the dressing adds a subtle boost to all of them without overpowering the whole symphony. We suspect the large size, priced at $12, could feed two people with a side of focaccia bread.

On another night, following several evenings of holiday excesses, we figured some vegetables were in order before the gout settled in. Nothing says “health” to me like leafy greens, so the Arugula salad ($4 for a small), a mixture of arugula, parmesan, fennel, lemon, sea salt and olive oil seemed a good choice. Actually, it was a great one, offering a yummy mix of tart cheeses and greens and the lemon zest our taxed bellies craved. The nice soft texture of the arugula went very well with the more crisp bits of shaved fennel. Refreshing and delicious.

Of course, this was pre-New Year’s Eve, so we couldn’t get too healthy before the last hurrah of the year, so we paired the salad with two more pizzas: the Potato ($16) and a Margherita ($12), a menu staple I always like to hit when researching pizza places. Each pizza had unique experiences to offer, and both crusts baked up nicely. The Margherita did its Napolitano heritage proud with tangy, bright tomato sauce and excellent mozzarella on top, with just the right number of basil leaves as garnish (too many basil leaves get in the way of the good stuff beneath, in my opinion). Simplicity at its best.

Vincitori’s Potato pie is the one to beat, my friends. I’ve had several, and I thought I had found close to the ultimate (outside of New Haven) during my last pizza adventure, but here we are. They key here was the smart application of the potatoes — again, sliced thin and tucked into the ample mozzarella and cheddar cheese a bit. This way, you don’t get the occasional crunchy potato that have diminished other potato pizzas I have tasted. Leeks, another clever ingredient, added a slight bit of crunch and earthy flavor that was much more enjoyable than onions might have been. Also: bacon, and lots of it crumbled generously throughout.

After our last trip there, we left Vincitori’s elated. It made sense. Vincitori’s gets its name from the Italian word for “winners.” That’s exactly how we felt as we exited onto Main Street, still aglow with holiday lights. Play the game and see for yourself as soon as possible.

Vincitori Apizza

294 Main St., Niantic 

(860) 739-3136

www.vincitoriapizza.com

Cuisine: Pizza is the name of the game here; a handful of salads and a few other sides make for great companions to your pie of choice.

Atmosphere: Small space that’s nicely appointed with gleaming wooden tables, comfortable chairs, and tasteful, less-is-more décor

Prices: These are not the cheapest pies in the region, but after one bite, you’ll know why; prices range from $12 to $18; salads start at an amazing $4 for the small arugula salad ($7 for a large)

Service: Very friendly and accommodating

Credit cards: Accepted

Hours: Sunday-Monday, 4-8 p.m.; Wednesday-Saturday, 4-9 p.m. (Closed Tuesday)

Handicapped access: Small step at smallish entryway; interior, though small, makes excellent use of the space for traffic