Giannilli's Restaurant & Lounge - March 18, 2023

We took a break from watching the second round of the NCAA basketball tournament (the best weekend in sports) for a dine-in pizza experience. One of my first reviews of the year was at Jioio's in Greensburg, and Giannilli's is catty-corner to Jioio's in an area of town known as Carbon. 

Chip commented that he didn't even remember another restaurant at that corner, so he was surprised that the parking lot was so large. The history page on their website indicates they've been in business about 40 years, so definitely not as long as Jioio's. They have an additional location that hosts events.

When we walked in, we were asked if we had a reservation. This question doesn't usually bode well for wait time, but the hostess indicated that the wait was probably only 20 minutes. We found seats in the very small waiting area, sharing it with a large drinks cooler and the carryout counter. A few folks came in for carryout while we were sitting there, but it was nothing like the Jioio's line had been. I couldn't decide if the fake grape vines on the ceiling were a nice touch or a dorky one (maybe both).

We got a table after only 15 minutes, and what a doozy it was: right next to the fireplace. Knowing that I would find it charming (and that I love to be warm), Chip joked that he "paid extra" for that table.

The dining room was full, and the strange thing was that even though the sign read "Restaurant & Lounge" we didn't see a bar anywhere. We assumed there was a separate entrance that we missed. Although it was a large space with high ceilings, the atmosphere was quite cozy (of course that could have just been the fireplace).

The wait staff was very attentive without being annoying. Chip ordered a beer and I got a glass of wine. The wine list was smaller than I expected for an Italian restaurant.

The menu itself, however, was ginormous. As a full-service Italian restaurant and not just a pizzeria, Giannilli's offers at least 15 appetizers; several steak, chicken, and seafood entrees; 15 pasta entrees; two dozen sandwiches; salads; and burgers...in addition to traditional and specialty pizza. We ordered fried zucchini and two 6-cut pizzas: one sausage and shroom, and a two-pig pizza (pepperoni and ham).

The zucchini made it to the table only 7 or 8 minutes after we ordered. There were five planks and a dish of darker-than-normal marinara. Chip was pleased because the zucchini was parmesan free (there was a parm shaker on the table).

I'm not usually a fan of plain marinara. When I make spaghetti at home, I always make a Bolognese sauce. And I don't typically put marinara on my zucchini; I prefer ranch or Texas sauce. But the breading was a little bland, so after adding salt and parmesan, I scooped some marinara on my plate and proceeded to dip the zucchini. Hoo Wee! The sauce was excellent. It wasn't chunky at all (a plus in my book) and had almost a smoky flavor to it (double plus). I proceeded to dip both of my planks in the sauce.

In the carryout area, I'd noticed sauce jars on display. Our waitress confirmed that yes, the sauce with the zucchini was the sauce they sold, so we decided to buy a jar. I'm planning veal parmesan this week and it will be perfect. Mmmmmm.

The pizza arrived not long after we finished the zucchini. I was expecting perhaps a 10" round for each 6-cut pizza, so was surprised to see fairly large rectangles appear. The crust was neither thick nor thin. The menu stated that dough was made daily, and that thin crust was available on request.

To start, the cheese was excellent. The ratio of cheese to toppings was perfect, and the cheese blend was creamy and nicely gooey. Also, both the pepperoni and the sausage were very good. They were slightly spicy and very flavorful (particularly the pepperoni). I was happy with the amount of toppings, but Chip felt there could have been a few more mushrooms (they were canned and so I really didn't care to have more of them). The ham was so-so.

The crust was strange and I couldn't decide if I liked it. It was sturdy enough to hold in your hand without the toppings sliding off, and the back crust had a tasty char. But it felt a little too bready to me. Each bite required more chewing of the crust than I typically like. Chip disagreed. Interestingly, when I reheated a piece the next day, that bready quality had diminished and I found the crust quite tasty. 

Overall we were happy with the pizza and I'd definitely try it again (I'd like to try the thin crust next time, and perhaps one of their specialty pizzas). They had a yummy dessert menu, but we were stuffed and chose to forego the sweet stuff.

Giannilli's was a fun excursion and I'd recommend it for the atmosphere and the large menu if not specifically the pizza. And I can't wait to use the marinara!