I've always loved pizza. Any pizza. Pizza Hut, frozen pizza, French bread with Ragu and cheese — it's all good.

But after two years in Pizza City — I'm a student at New York University — I've learned that there's more to good pizza than I thought.

Back home for the summer, I thought I'd test my newfound pizza knowledge.

I couldn't realistically expect pizza in Kailua, my hometown, to compare to, say, a blistered brick-oven-cooked Lombardi's pie. But I found that the town's three nonfranchise spots (yes, I've learned the difference between fast and artisanal food) all had redeeming qualities, whether for taste, quality or price.

MAMA'S ISLAND PIZZA

108 Hekili St., Suite 107

624-MAMA (6262)

www.mamasislandpizza.com

Large cheese pizza: $20

It's easy to tell this is a new addition to Kailua because, well, it's so clean. With framed surfing pictures, plenty of booths, and all the cooking done in the back, you might miss the charm until you turn and see a huge picture of Mama's two kids.

It's safe to say this place will be around for a while: They serve beer!

But the real story is the crust. Thin and heavily dusted with cornmeal, cheese alone is too weak to stand up to it. That's where Mama's fresh, flavorful, well-matched toppings come in.

The Brah Meat Delight is a stand out, with a surprisingly harmonious flavor that I wouldn't expect from years of let's-see-how-much-saturated-fat-we-can-get-on-this-thing meat lovers' specials. The Portuguese sausage, pepperoni, Italian sausage, bacon, meatballs and extra cheese hold their own against the crust.

The full menu also includes sandwiches, wraps, breadsticks, a salad and chicken wings.

The flyer promised that the wings were famous, better even than the original Buffalo wings at the Anchor Bar. Really? Well, the sauce was good — perfect, in fact — but it still seemed something was missing. Not bad, though.

BOSTON'S NORTH END PIZZA BAKERY

29 Ho'olai St.

263-7757

Large cheese pizza: $15

Remember the "Seinfeld" episode in which George and Jerry returned to their high school pizza parlor? The original Frogger arcade game was there, even after all those years, and George's high score still stood at No. 1. Boston's could double as that high school hangout, minus the Frogger. And the cheese. When you order a plain slice, you shouldn't be able to see through the sauce and cheese to the crust below.

While the tomato sauce tasted like it had no seasoning, and the toppings are the usual, the crust deserves recognition: It's moist but crisp, fresh and satisfying. But there isn't enough cheese.

This issue aside, Boston's pizza just feels good. A big floppy slice you can hold, fold, chew and swallow. Our favorite was the spinach and garlic, for its full but not overwhelming garlic flavor. Plan to eat outside, as it can get kind of warm inside this small spot.

AMINA'S PIZZERIA

301 Hahani St.

263-8201

Large cheese pizza: $12

With just three tables and an outdoor space shared with Fatboy's, Amina's is the small, local place you never notice until a friend takes you there. Every person who came in either knew someone already there or was on the phone saying, "Hey, what's up? I'm at Amina's, come down."

The decent pizza is topped with garlicky sauce and a generous coat of cheese. But the foundation — the crust — was unimpressive and the toppings plain. Still, the food is cheap and filling, and the Amina's Combo of mushrooms, meatballs, pepperoni, olives, bell peppers, and onions doesn't disappoint. They also serve standard Italian pastas and sandwiches for very good prices.

Gus Downes spent his high school years in Kailua, chowing down, and has been back home this summer on a college break.