The outdoor-dining season generally wraps up in Santa Fe by mid- to late October, a time of year when most tourists have already headed home and restaurant managers begin to thin out the front-of-house herd.

I missed out on a majority of the patio scene this year for a number of reasons, so I plan to cram as much of it in before the 2011 alfresco dining window closes for good.

One of Santa Fe's most charming hidden patio treasures can be found at Pizzeria da Lino, the brainchild of Lino Pertusini, owner of Osteria D'assisi and former longtime owner of the legendary Palace Restaurant. One of the pizzeria's hidden treasures is its lunch menu, an offering Pertusini says is still relatively unknown among locals, because when the restaurant opened, it only served dinner.

"It was an issue of timing, I think," Pertusini told the Fork during a recent lunch visit to the restaurant. "People got used to us just serving dinner after we opened in July 2010 and, to make matters more difficult, the restaurant is in a building on Guadalupe Street that is difficult to see.

"The patio is completely hidden from view. We have some parking, but that, too, is difficult to spot. I know I'm the owner, so I have an obvious opinion on this, but I think a lot of diners are missing out on something special here."

He's right about that. I am a pizza snob. It is because of pizza (or, it is pizza's fault, depending on how you look at it) that I entered the restaurant business in the first place, and it continues to be a passion of mine.

Pizzeria da Lino exists because Pertusini "wanted to do justice to Italian pizza in Santa Fe," and he's succeeding.

Using a combination of soft, finely milled, Caputo-brand "double zero" Italian flour and domestic flour, the chef creates a crust that is thin, crisp, slightly bubbly and mottled with the telltale carbonized blisters of a pizza Napolitana cooked at a high temperature. (Pertusini's oven hovers at around 815 degrees Fahrenheit).

"Our wood-fired oven was handcrafted in Italy, and we use only oak wood for cooking," Pertusini said. "We make everything fresh that we can, and unlike some pizza places, we don't use electric rollers or rolling pins to shape the dough. It's hand-stretched — as it should be. Our pizzas are all one size, made for individual diners." You can always share, if you like.

Pertusini likens his pizza crust to that of a region north of Naples, and he isn't shooting for über-authentic Naples-centric pies, either.

Take, for instance, the carnivore-heaven-sent Toscana pizza, with its slightly sweet tomato sauce (not too much), fresh mozzarella, spicy Italian sausage, and thin slices of salami ($9) or the surprisingly savory Pera con Tre Formaggi pizza with roasted pears, sweet onions, chopped hazelnuts, fresh mozzarella, taleggio and gorgonzola ($11). There are 11 specialty pizzas to choose from, offering something for everyone, including seafood lovers and vegetarians. One meat lover's calzone rounds out the pie menu. You also can design your own pizza, and the toppings list is generous.

If pizza isn't your thing (What? Are you dead inside?), try the Rigatoni al Pesto: a creamy basil pesto made with white wine, cherry tomatoes, al dente rigatoni and medium-sized shrimp ($12).

For lighter fare (there is no appetizer menu, per se), the Ensalata Caprese ($11.95) with buffalo mozzarella, organic tomatoes, fresh basil, olives and balsamic vinegar is outstanding. Try it with the tongue-tickling, house-made chile oil that sits on tables, and don't be shy about asking for fresh-cracked black pepper. With a few pieces of crisp-chewy, wood-fired pizza dough, it's among this city's best caprese salads, especially during tomato season.

It should also be noted that Pertusini offers gluten-free pizza dough and a gluten-free pasta choice, and the kitchen and floor staff will accommodate anyone's dietary needs without a fuss.

The tiramisu here is a four-layer behemoth that contains just the right balance of sweetness, coffee punch and creaminess. For $4.50, it's a steal, and it's the real deal. A few extra scoops of chocolate gelato, and you'll be in pure dolci heaven.

What I love about Pertusini, almost as much as I love his pizza, is his enthusiasm for food and the restaurant business, and his attention to detail regarding both.

The wine bar — which serves only vintage and nonvintage Italian selections — is sleek, inviting and quiet. The dining room is easy to navigate, and the colorful, hand-tiled pizza oven is in full view of customers.

The only thing grander than Pertusini's enthusiasm is his ambition. Attached to Pizzeria da Lino is an empty building, also owned by Pertusini, that he hasn't figured out what to do with yet. "It was originally supposed to be the site of the pizzeria," he said, "but that didn't work out."

As he took me on a tour of the building, we talked about what he might do with the space. Another bar? A café? An Italian deli with salumi and cheeses and antipasti beckoning from behind a glistening glass display case? (Pertusini has a vintage meat slicer he'd like to see put into service).

"First things first," I told him. "Use the blank canvas of a wall on the building that faces Guadalupe Street to let people know that you are here, that you have a patio and that you are open for lunch."

Pizza crafted with this much devotion deserves to be enjoyed during daylight, as well as in the evening.

As the sun-dappled days get shorter, the opportunity for Santa Feans to claim this spot as a lunchtime and dinnertime respite is ripe. Carpe pizza, my friends. Carpe pizza.

Contact Rob DeWalt at taste@sfnewmexican.com. or on twitter at twitter.com/sfnmTASTE.

JUST LIKE ITALY

Owner Lino Pertusini likens his pizza crust to that of a region north of Naples. 'We make everything fresh that we can, and unlike some pizza places, we don use electric rollers or rolling pins to shape the dough. It's hand-stretched — as it should be,' Pertusini says. The menu includes the Toscana pizza made with sweet tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, spicy Italian sausage and salami. The Pera con Tre Formaggi pizza is made with with roasted pears, sweet onions, chopped hazelnuts, fresh mozzarella, taleggio and gorgonzola.

IF YOU GO:

What: Pizzeria da Lino

Where: 204 N. Guadalupe St.

Hours: Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday Closed for lunch on Sunday Dinner 4-10 p.m. nightly

Information: Call 982-8474 or visit www.pizzeriadalino.com