A wall of wooden wine crates frames a meal at Tommy’s Pizza Too in Cranston that includes pizza and tiramisu.

The Providence Journal / Frieda Squires

CRANSTON — I couldn’t count the number of times I’ve had a pizza from Tommy’s on Chalkstone Avenue in Providence. That venerable place has been serving mouthwatering pies, and a lot more, since long before me. Tommy Sacco is the third generation to run the restaurant that was founded in 1955 by his grandfather, Thomas Sacco, back when Dwight D. Eisenhower was president.

Now Sacco has branched out to the suburbs with a gleaming new location on Oaklawn Avenue called Tommy’s Pizza Too. Tommy’s trademark pies and grinders are as much a takeout staple here as they are on Chalkstone, but now there are several sit-down entrées in a restaurant that seats 49. On the expanded menu you’ll find veal and chicken and eggplant parmigiana, baked macaroni, spaghetti and meatballs, tortellini and more, plus appetizers, salads and homemade desserts.

In a later phone call, Sacco said that although pizzas and grinders are the mainstay, chef Vincenzo Zarone, whose kitchen talents Sacco first appreciated at the Cranston restaurant Spiga, whips up menu specials, including gnocchi and a bruschetta with his own balsamic vinaigrette. “The only thing I wanted was my own marinara sauce,” said Sacco, “because customers are familiar with it. But he does every other kind of sauce” and even takes requests from customers.

It’s a hands-on operation. The affable Sacco, who was there the weeknight of my visit, hustled between tables, making sure everyone was happy with their meals. He later reported he’s in the kitchen first thing in the morning, making the pizza dough and cooking for the lunch crowd. “Then I leave the kitchen at 2 o’clock, change my shirt and go out on the floor to see that everything goes good. Last night we closed at 11 and I was here until midnight finishing up.”

At one point he sat down to schmooze with new customers at the table behind us where he told them about his grandfather who had opened the place on Chalkstone in 1955. A picture of Thomas Sacco and his wife, Eva, standing outside the original Tommy’s from that era is blown up on a wall at the entrance. The picture graces the back and front of every menu, too.

Tommy’s Pizza Too is a bright, cheerful place that’s both modern and a little retro at the same time. You could see George and Jane Jetson dining out with the kids here. There are big picture windows on two sides with venetian blinds, brown and sunset red linoleum making arched swirl designs on the floor, pale green and yellow walls, a wraparound bar (wine and beer only) and orange glass tile that frames the kitchen pass-through where orders are picked up.

One wall is a conversation piece all by itself. It’s a collage of boards from wooden wine crates stenciled with the names of the vineyards and sometimes etched with colorful drawings of the places as well. The crates are made of various kinds of wood and various shades of brown. Sacco said he got 300 crates from Mark Gasbarro of Gasbarro’s Fine Wines on Providence’s Federal Hill and had a carpenter fit them together for a unique and stunning display.

With all those wine box labels looming, a white Italian wine, Principessa Gavi di Gavi ($8), was the perfect start. While the wine menu is limited, Sacco said he is in the process of expanding. He also prides himself on the fact that every bottle of wine sells for “under $30.” Very fresh slices of crusty Italian bread from the ovens of Crugnale’s Bakery were served with the wine.

Because I knew the pizzas from Chalkstone, I only ordered a small cheese, mushroom and olive ($9.70), along with the Wing Zings ($6.29), Tommy’s version of Buffalo chicken wings. They had a wonderfully crunchy light coating that was pretty spicy on about half the generous portion of eight wings and drumsticks, not so spicy on the rest. It was served with a mild bleu cheese dipping sauce, with chunks of the cheese swimming in the sauce, and four celery sticks.

The pizza was every bit as good as I remembered from Tommy’s on Chalkstone, with a firm, bread-like dough cooked to a pale golden brown on the bottom. It held up under the weight of the toppings, with a very good crispy crust. The tomato topping added its rich flavor to the good scattering of sliced black olives, large slices of mushrooms and gooey mozzarella.

It was a feast in itself with the Wing Zings and so, instead of ordering the Chicken Parmigiana a la Tommy ($10.99), I had it as a foot-long chicken parmigiana grinder ($6.29; a smaller version is $4.59). The crusty torpedo roll was filled with big slices of very moist, lightly fried chicken, smothered in a hearty marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella that held it all together in the roll which had been baked to just the perfect crispiness. On the side, I added a very tender and delicious homemade meatball ($1 each). Moist, full of flavor and with very little bread filler, sat in a puddle of an excellent, ruby red marinara sauce, enough to sop up with leftover bread from the basket or, in this case, the chicken parmigiana grinder itself.

From the soup list ($3.99 for a bowl) I wished we could have tried the Pasta Fagioli, but it was served only on Thursdays, or even the Escarole and Bean, but that was only on Tuesdays. And so it was the chicken soup, which is served every day. There were big pieces of chicken in the light homemade broth, along with vegetables. It was rated perfectly fine, if unexceptional.

The Green Monster ($4.29) had nothing to do with Fenway Park, but was a double-wide spinach pie that had also been stuffed with cheese, thin slices of mild pepperoni and chopped black olives. Baked to a golden turn, the fresh spinach and melted cheese blended with the other ingredients for a delicious mix.

Desserts, made especially for the restaurant, included a cheesecake and a lemon pound cake, but it was the tiramisu and the Italian Love Cake ($4.29 each) that won out. How could anyone resist something called an Italian Love Cake? Sacco said it’s a mix of ricotta cheese, chocolate pudding and cake batter that’s baked and topped with a very light chocolate frosting that’s a mix of whipped topping and cocoa powder. One taste and you can see how the love cake got its name.

The tiramisu was much lighter than many I’ve tried and had more of a rich taste of coffee, although it was sweet as well. It had a delicious airiness that struck the perfect final note.

Tommy’s Pizza Too, 870 Oaklawn Ave., Cranston. (401) 944-8669. tommyspizzari.com. Casual. Wheelchair accessible. Takeouts and home delivery, too. AE, MC, V, DIS. Parking lot. From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tues., Wed. and Sun.; to 11 p.m. Thu. to Sat. Closed Monday. Appetizers $3.79 to $6.29. Entrées $2.59 to $11.99. Pizzas $7 to $15.25, plus extra for toppings. (Add $1.25 for home delivery.) Wines are $4 to $7 by the glass; $26 to $29 for a bottle.

mjanuson@projo.com