Bites Nearby: Mellow Mushroom in Hiram

In 1974, Mellow Mushroom was formed by three local college students—Marc Weinstein, Mike Nicholson and Earle Reeves—near Georgia Tech on Spring Street. Now there are more than 100 of the restaurants in 15 states.

When you first walk in to Mellow Mushroom's only Paulding location in Hiram, most cannot help but view the huge tree before your server offers to seat you inside or out. Whenever we have dined at in Hiram, we not only have enjoyed their pizza and salads but also their welcoming, accommodating staff and their trivia nights (7-8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays) and Friday Night Family Specials.

Here you may find their menu items, including appetizers, calzones and hoagies as well as their pizzas and salads. Among them are gluten-free dough and ingredients as well as vegan ingredients such as dairy-free Daiya Vegan Cheese.

For drinks with free refills, they serve Coca-Cola products and freshly brewed tea and coffee. Serving beer, a bar sits toward the back.

While no coupons are available, the restaurant does offer daily specials:

• Mondays - All "munchies" (appetizers) are 25 percent off.
• Tuesdays - Hoagies are discounted by $1.50, and calzones are 3 off.
• Wednesdays - Wings are half off, and cheese pizzas are $2.50 cheaper.
• Thursdays - Any specialty pizza is discounted by $3.
• Fridays through Sundays - For $27.99, a family pizza special includes cheese bread, a large salad, a large pizza with two toppings and four drinks.

The price range for a meal varies from $10 to $30. Visa and MasterCard are accepted.

More information on this location is updated through Mellow Mushroom's website and the Hiram Mellow Mushroom Facebook page.

Also, if you're concerned with cleanliness, it's good to know their county inspection scores all have ranked almost perfect:

Inspection date:

Inspection date:

Inspection date: October 7, 2010: Score: 93, Grade: A

Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers

5154 Jimmy Lee Smith Parkway, Suite 117, Hiram

Email hiram@mellowmushroominfo.com or call 770-222-1943

Hours: Sunday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Friday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Reservations not needed

Catering, phone orders and a to-go menu are available