The Loop Pizza Grill on Stratford offers a wonderfully varied and reasonably priced alternative to the convenience (and monotony) of Benson’s Pizza Hut.

After a surprisingly short wait in line, I placed my order at a counter and then left to fill up my drink and grab one of the booths. In almost no time at all, I heard my order called over the loudspeaker, and I journeyed back to the front counter to pick it up. The steady announcement of “order number 265, your food is ready” is easy to ignore after the first few minutes, especially with an 80’s soundtrack, ranging from Billy Idol to Duran Duran, to entertain.

The Loop has a very fun atmosphere, thanks in part to the funky lights of colorful swirled glass and the pastel walls. The restaurant is partially divided by walkways that resemble something out of a Dr. Seuss book. The Loop is smoke-free, but also offers the patio outside as seating for warmer weather, or for those that are looking for some fresh air.

Not only does the Loop display school spirit with a Wake jersey hung proudly, it also offers Wake Forest students a 10% discount with ID. Two TV’s in the corners of the restaurant sometimes show the football or basketball games.

If the atmosphere alone isn’t reason enough to travel off-campus to visit The Loop, the food is also an excellent alternative to Pit fare. Various specialty pizzas are available, ranging in price by size: from an “Indy” 8 inch ($5.99) to a medium 12 inch ($10.99) and finally to a large 16 inch ($16.99). Many of the pizzas are vegetarian friendly, like the “Pizza Bianco.” This pizza comes with seasoned ricotta cheese, garlic, and sautéed spinach, and it’s the closest thing to white pizza available outside of New York. For the meat eaters who are craving cheesy goodness, the “Spicy Cilantro Chicken” is served with pesto, carmelized onions, roma tomatoes, roased garlic, roasted red peppers, and jalapenos.

This pizza grill is not limited to pizzas, and offers burgers, wraps, soups, salads, and sandwiches. Meat, seafood, and vegetarian choices are options in almost every category. One of the most popular dishes is the grilled fish sandwich, which is a white fish fillet that can be ordered Cajun style or grilled with lemon pepper. It’s one of the more expensive dishes on the menu, priced at the still-reasonable $7.49.

The seasoned chips are an excellent side for only $1.69, if they aren’t already a part of the meal. The menu also includes a “lite” section that has items ranging from a spicy black bean burger ($6.19) to an artichoke and roasted red pepper pizza ($5.99). For guests with a sweet tooth, shakes, malts, cookies and a “chocolate lava cake sundae” is a great indulgence and the $4.29 sundae is the most expensive.

For the guest in a hurry, the Loop Pizza Grill offers take-out, and since it is conveniently located in a shopping center, it’s great place to go with a group of friends and get some errands done.