THERE WAS A time when having pizza for dinner was a cheap, low-key alternative to other dining options. In fact, dinner was usually liquid and pizza—picked up from Ray’s, Rosario’s or Stromboli’s sometime after midnight—was intended to soak up the meal to prevent a hangover. Those days are gone. Now, when we hear people talk about pizza, they mean the brick-oven-baked, artisanal-cheese-topped, nitrate-free-prosciutto-laden pies that are being served at places like Motorino, Co. and Bar Tano. These are eateries without garlic knots, sausage rolls or Buffalo-chicken-and-bleu-cheese slices—we’ll call them the Fancy Pizza Parlors.

If Co. is Chelsea chic and Motorino has Williamsburg cool,Tonda fits in perfectly in Alphabet City—a bit bohemian but not entirely devoid of yuppie types in striped dress shirts. Open since March, the restaurant occupies the space where embattled gastropub E.U. recently took its last gasps.

A cute spot on East Fourth near Avenue B, it sits in dough-flinging distance from neighborhood stalwarts Mama’s and Kate’s Joint. As Tonda develops a following, it should have no problem sticking around. After the enjoyable meals I’ve had there, I’ll bet that’s exactly what happens.

The inside of the restaurant is airy and welcoming. As you walk in, the wood-burning oven—heated to 1,000 degrees—glows to your left and an army of international foxes (the tall, infuriatingly friendly kind most often spotted skulking in Fort Greene) descends to offer seating in the oversized room. The outdoor seating is even better, providing a nice view of Alphabet City foot traffic.

Then, of course, there’s the menu. Tonda prides itself on Neapolitan street food, including fried polenta ($5.50), bruschetta with sautéed calamari ($6.50) and “panzarotti,” potato balls stuffed with meat ($6). They’re tasty and fun to eat, but you’re better off skipping that section of the menu and ordering a salad—we like the Caprese ($9) and the simple arugula with shaved Parmesan ($8.50)—and the pies.

Like most of the other high-end pizza joints, Tonda uses perfectly nice tomatoes and cheese for the base of the pies. Hell, Michele Sceral, a “pizza maestro” from Naples, flew in to consult on the recipe, which includes locally sourced flour.The restaurant has that part down pat.Where it really makes an impression is with the toppings.

A pizza with tuna, capers and olives ($13) may sound like a stretch, but it actually makes for a satisfying and delicious meal since all of the potent flavors manage to soothe one another and create a sharp—but not overly briny—harmony. A speck and Gorgonzola pie ($15) does not fare quite so well. The meat is left in long strips, making it messy to cut into (the pizzas are not sliced before serving) and the combination of flavors is unctuous and much too salty.The sausage, red pepper and onion number ($12) has much better luck, managing to combine sweet and savory on a crust that doesn’t need to be sliced, since there’s no real danger of having any left.

One other thing that makes the Fancy Pizza Parlors stand out is the addition of dessert. Sure, Nino’s on Avenue A offers a soda cup full of soft serve, but that’s got nothing on Tonda’s Nutella pizza ($5), which is especially tasty when paired with a simple, sweet bowl of pineapple ($5). This might not be your tried-and-true takeout place, but that’s exactly why we loved it.

> Tonda

235 E. 4th St. (betw. Aves. A & B), 212-254-2900