I don’t ask for much when going out for pizza. But somehow Gianni’s pizzeria was unable to satisfy even my lowest expectations. With a gruff waiter and slow and jerky service, the food should be worth it all. But except for the stuffed bread, it just wasn’t. Fortunately, there was fun music playing on the radio, which helped to liven the scene as our waiter forgot one of our orders, a large pizza.
This informal restaurant does have a few things going for it. There’s lots of room to sit, and the hosts were able to accommodate a party of ten. Red tablecloths and simple wooden chairs adorn the room, and drinks are served in regular red Coca-Cola cups. Flowers on the table and cakes on display add to the no-frills décor. The menu contains appetizers, salads hot and cold subs, wraps, stuffed bread, pastas and entrees, calzones, and pizzas.
The garlic bread was mediocre: it was too crispy and could have benefited from more flavor, some cheese, perhaps. The garden salad was good, with big croutons and fresh vinaigrette on the side. The chicken ceaser salad was overflowing the small plate it sat on, and my friend found it very difficult to eat although the actual salad was decent.
The pizza, once it came, was good but not great, with a medium-sized crust that lacked flavor. The restaurant offers many gourmet combinations, which I was not able to sample. I did try a pizza with spinach and broccoli, which was satisfying. The baked ziti, one of several pasta options, arrived smothered in cheese, and tasted exactly how it looked: mediocre.
One of the few reasons to head to Gianni’s is the delicious stuffed bread. I tried the spinach-stuffed bread, although I’ve heard that all of the stuffed bread choices are excellent. The bread came cut into strips and filled with garlicy spinach, with a hint of anchovy flavor that gave it the pizzazz the rest of the dishes were lacking. It came with a spicy tomato sauce to dip it in, and I had such fun dipping the crusty bread oozing with spinach and perhaps cheese into the sauce, getting my hands and face dirty, but loving it. That is what a pizza place is for.
Before I ordered the spinach bread I asked if there was cheese inside, and I was told that there was. I’m still not convinced this was true. Some parts of the dough appeared very doughy, and perhaps this was the cheese. For a cheap, quick bite to eat, Gianni’s might satisfy, provided you can handle the wait, and the wait staff.
THE BOTTOM LINE: The price is right but the food isn’t anything special.
ADDRESS: 83 Broad Street
HOURS: Monday-Thursday 11a.m. – 9a.m., Fri 11a.m. – 10a.m., Sat 12p.m. – 9a.m., Closed Sunday
BEST BETS: Spinach stuffed bread, various salads, gourmet pizza options.
1 out of 4 cardinals
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