I don’t remember how I first heard of Ya Rona Craft Pizza and Cocktails in Vonore. The Grub Spouse and I made the drive south and dropped in on a recent weeknight. It’s a cozy little place in a strip retail center right on U.S. Highway 411. A staffer (who wound up being our server) greeted us and invited us to take our pick of tables in the single dining area. We found a two-top against the wall and began skimming the menu.

The listings are limited, but craft pizzas are indeed the emphasis. All signature pies are available in small ($14) and large ($19) sizes, and gluten-free pizzas are available for $15. Each order also comes with an option of thin or regular crust.

House pizza varieties include barbecue chicken, hot honey pepperoni, Korean barbecue, Jamaican jerk, a classic margherita and a Greek pie made with lamb, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives and more. You can also do a custom order, starting with a small ($12) or a large ($16) cheese-only pizza, then choosing from some two dozen regular and premium toppings. We decided to get a large Cajun pizza with regular crust. That recipe features andouille sausage, shrimp, onions and green pepper.

We wanted to order a little more than just the pizza though, so we got an order of six chicken wings ($10) and went with chipotle mesquite as our sauce-flavor option. Others include Montana sweet and tangy, honey mango habañero, classic Buffalo, sweet chili lime, Asian honey ginger and lemon pepper.

The menu also offers appetizers like crispy Brussels sprouts, cheese curds and fried pickle spears as well as three different kinds of salads, Caesar and Cobb being among them.

Ya Rona has full bar service, including a separate menu of cocktails as well as collections of beer and wine. I ordered a familiar brand of beer in a can. Our server took the order, but the bartender brought me a beer different from what I ordered. However, she quickly and graciously rectified the mistake.

While we were there, we actually ran into a mutual friend. He had also driven quite a way to dine at Ya Rona and told us that he often meets friends there because they love the place. It was nice to hear a little validation of our choice for the evening.

We got a few minutes to nibble on the wings first. They were really good — meaty and delivering a nice blend of chipotle and mesquite flavors. These wings had a little bit of a kick but not a painful one. Celery and carrot sticks with ranch dressing supplemented our wing experience.

Our pizza was served cut into eight decent-sized slices. In general, I liked this pie. For starters, I’m a huge fan of andouille sausage, and the small grilled shrimp made for an interesting protein pairing. There was plenty of cheese, the other toppings were fairly represented, and the chewy crust was superb.

The only thing I really didn’t like about the Cajun pizza was the sauce, which was simply way too sweet for my palate. I don’t know if that’s unique to that style or if all the marinara sauces at Ya Rona are like that. I’m sure there are diners who wouldn’t have an issue, but I have to admit it might deter me from visiting again if I knew all the sauces were that sweet.

Speaking of sweet, we were in the mood for a final course that was intentionally so, but our server informed us that desserts are not currently available at Ya Rona, which made its debut earlier this year.

But I can see why folks would find this place appealing. It does have a convivial vibe, the staff was accommodating and, sweetish sauce aside, the food was well prepared that evening. I can especially see it being a viable option in a smaller community that, pound for pound, doesn’t have as many decent restaurants as a place like Knoxville.

Ya Rona Craft Pizza and Cocktails

Food: 4

Service: 3.75

Atmosphere: 3.75

Overall: 4

Address: 1255 U.S. Highway. 411, No. 1, Vonore

Phone: 423-884-2383

Full bar service

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

If you live within a few miles of Vonore or are looking for a place to grab a bite while passing through, consider this pizzeria and cocktail spot.