Since it opened four years ago, The Oven has been a go-to for gourmet pizza in Belmar. Families hit it up for cheese-y slices early on Friday nights. Friends squeeze in bacon-dressed pies before the movies. And regulars stop back for the thin, bubbly crust.

But I recently discovered a dish on The Oven’s menu that appealed to me even more than a gourmet pie: the fork ‘n’ knife sausage sandwich. The six-month-old addition to the standard pizza menu promised spicy Italian sausage and caramelized onions–and when it arrived, it delivered even more. The bits of sausage were swirled with spicy marinara, topped with creamy, melty mozzarella, sandwiched between two crisp circles of pizza dough. Pizza alone would no longer be my Belmar go-to.

Bonus: The Oven also makes a tomato-mozzarella-basil sandwich. Think caprese salad on pizza dough.

7167 W. Alaska Dr., Lakewood, 303-934-7600