Vito's Ristorante is not Rico's Ristorante. The Utica greens pizza ($14.95) was our first proof. The pan pizza, sliced in strips, was browned nicely to support the heft of the escarole, cherry pepper and breadcrumb mixture. The greens were distributed evenly over the dough, preventing any collapsing or cold spots. A scant amount of mozzarella cheese bound the top layer, adding a salty element to balance the spicy peppers and earthy greens.

The pizza was an appetizer special on our recent Friday evening visit and a gentle reminder that, though they share the same building and the menu is nearly the same, Vito's is not a carbon copy of Rico's -- an East Syracuse red sauce staple that closed in May 2017 after nearly two decades in business. The pizza, though staid by comparison to other restaurants, is a break from the traditional Italian-American menu previously found at that location.