Giovanni's Italian Restaurant in Palestine, TX

Basic Information:

Pizza: Giovanni's Italian Restaurant

Number of Locations: 1
Location Reviewed: 2027 West Oak Street in Palestine, TX (near US 79 and Loop 340 on the west side) (31.74693, -95.65360)
Website: https://www.giovannisitalianrestaurantpalestine.com/?utm_source=gbp
Date of Review Visit: February 2025
What I Ordered: small (12") pizza with sausage and pepperoni; Dr. Pepper to drink
Price: $20.46 (includes drink and tax but not tip)
Photo:

Summary Review: 4.5 stars (out of 5)

 

Detailed Review:

Crust: The crust on the pizza at Giovanni's Italian Restaurant is crispy but not hard.  In fact, it has a light airy texture with a slight bready taste.  My pizza was baked the perfect amount.  I like this crust.  Score: 10/10

Sauce: This pizza is slightly undersauced, but the sauce it does have has a nice fresh tomatoey taste. Score: 8/10

Cheese: This pizza has plenty of cheese, and it does not produce much grease.  Perfecto!  Score: 10/10

Toppings: The sausage comes in tiny ground up bits and has a pleasant fresh pork flavor.  The pepperoni is unremarkable.  Both toppings appear in sufficient quantity.  Score: 9/10

Overall Taste: The sausage and tomato sauce carry the day; I just wish there was a little more of each. Score: 9/10

Pizza Appearance: This pizza has a white appearance and looks more bland than it is.

Dining Atmosphere: Giovanni's has a pleasant casual dining atmosphere.  Live Italian music added a touch of class on my visit even if I didn't care for the music.

Customer Service: The service was quick and attentive even though they were busy when I came here early on a Sunday afternoon.

Monetary Value: The price is high, but the quality is also pretty high.  Thus, this pizza offers decent value.

The Final Judgment:

For a small town pizza restaurant, Giovanni's makes a flavorful pizza and offers a nice dining experience.  If I lived near Palestine, I would come here regularly.  Score: 89/100