The Odd Fellows Tavern in South Berwick, in the former space of Isadore on the Rocks. Bob Keyes

SOUTH BERWICK — The day after Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, especially the cook.

So we ordered out.

We chose comfort food, and dialed up the Odd Fellows Tavern in South Berwick, which opened during this most challenging year in a mid-1800s building in the heart of South Berwick, in a space formerly occupied by the restaurant Isadore On the Rocks. I was disappointed when Isadore closed, because it was a convenient spot to stop in for a beer, a burger or a full-on dinner, and it was always very good.

The classic pepperoni pizza is loaded with meat. Bob Keyes

Based on one takeout experience, I conclude that the Odd Fellows Tavern fills the void. The food was excellent, the service safe and friendly, and it felt like the kind of place where I would like to hang out when I am ready to do so again, after vaccination. The central feature of Odd Fellows Tavern is its brick oven, which opens to the bar and dining room. Wood-fired pizzas are a specialty, and many of the menu items are either cooked or finished off in the wood-fired brick oven.

Beyond the oven itself, the tavern has a warm feel to it with its brick walls and post-and-beam ceiling. When I arrived on a quiet early Saturday evening, reggae music was playing overhead, and the overall vibe was friendly. I was tempted to take off my mask and grab a seat at the bar while I waited for our food. Alas, I did not. I kept my mask on and postponed my beer until I got home.

But soon.

The chicken wings were crisp from finishing in the brick oven. Bob Keyes

The menu reflects the tastes and sensibilities of chef Gregg Sessler, who also cooks at Cava in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and is built squarely on the concept of comfort food. The non-pizza part of the menu includes things like a spicy fried chicken sandwich, oven-baked mac and cheese with a potato-chip crumb, burgers, ribs and wings. There’s a beet-and-goat cheese salad, roasted stuffed mushrooms and wood-oven fried nachos.

For pizzas, there’s a barbecue pulled pork with cheese curds, mushrooms with garlic ricotta, proscuitto and olive with arugula, and traditional pies like pepperoni. There’s also a kids menu that’s every bit as appealing as the adult menu: grilled cheese, chicken tenders, pasta with sauce and more.

We split three plates: A half-dozen wings ($8), a half-pound burger with fries ($14), and the tavern classic pepperoni ($10). Everything was excellent, and the prices fair and reasonable. The wings were crisp and charred, thanks to the wood-fired finish, and the barbecue sauce on the side was thick and mild. The burger was juicy, and loaded with lettuce, red onion and tomatoes, and served on a soft bun with super-crisp fries. The thin-crust pizza was covered with thickly sliced pieces of pepperoni, which were surprisingly spicy. If there’s anything negative to say, it might be that the pizza bordered on being slightly over done.

But we ate every bit of everything, including the smallest morsels of broken-off fries.

For a small town, South Berwick has a lot going on. The Odd Fellows Tavern is one of at least three new restaurants in the community. I am eager for “normal times” when we can all fully gather in their dining rooms, raise a glass and share a meal.