25075 Blue Ravine Road, Suite 150, Folsom, 916-817-1207, mountainmikespizza.com  

NOTE: Additional locations in Cameron Park, El Dorado Hills, Folsom (East Bidwell), Granite Bay, Lincoln, Rocklin, and Roseville.

If you’re looking for a filling, affordable lunch buffet, I found it at Mountain Mike’s Pizza in Folsom! The scrumptious smorgasbord includes everything pizza dreams are made of. For $9.95, you can fill your belly to the brim with a build-your-own salad—complete with carrots, cucumbers, croutons, and every other veggie under the sun—then grab as many pizza slices as you can stomach. Once you’ve reached your limit, seal the deal with dessert; which, on my visit meant a pizza “cookie” and “cinnamon roll” (fresh, fluffy dough covered in butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar with a dusting of mozzarella and powdered sugar). The buffet is available weekdays from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and Wednesday nights from 5-8 p.m. And if you have your eye on more than just pie, you’re in luck. They make the most heavenly garlic-studded sticks topped with melty cheese. We ordered ours to go, but they didn’t even make it home; my daughter and I were dipping the fresh-out-of-the-oven slices in ranch dressing before we left the parking lot. Are you a fan of wings? Depending on your preference, pick from plain, buffalo, BBQ, honey garlic, or sweet chili. Between the buffet, “crispy, curly pepperoni,” and specialty pizzas, the options are endless…and so, so good!  

By Julie Ryan