It’s fast, convenient, and everyone -- even your pickiest eater -- loves it. Yup, we’re talking about pizza. So why are we okay with reaching for flavorless, frozen pies, or settling for lukewarm delivery come dinnertime? It’s time to ditch the DiGiorno and give Papa John’s the pink slip, and sink your teeth into pizza the way it was meant to be eaten: fresh from the oven, loaded with top-notch toppings, and oozing with cheesy goodness that will have everyone reaching for a slice. And that’s just what Gigi & Mario is serving up.
This new casual dining spot, opening October 10 in Edgewater, will be slinging premier pies and other Italian specialties that say arrivederci to cardboard crusts and greasy, gloppy ingredients. The main attraction at Gigi & Mario will be its 16-inch pie cooked in an artisanal Neapolitan Acunto brick oven, that transforms its handmade dough (made from a blend of the finest quality American flours) into a crispy-chewy crust that's become its signature. Topped with sauce made from ripe California tomatoes and locally made fresh mozzarella, and you've got the perfect base for a large selection of specialty pies.
Standouts include a spicy sopressata, featuring a blend of tomato, cheese, Calabrian chilies, and sopressata, and a special Pugliese pizza, a burrata base with broccoli rabe, fennel sausage, and fresh chilies. You can even customize your own pie, beginning with a red or white base and choosing from a list of carefully curated toppings.
Pining for something other than pizza? Chef Mathieu Polombin -- the same culinary mastermind behind NYC's famed Motorino -- has got you covered, with a hand-picked seasonal menu of Italian and American favorites that are sure to please. The antipasti covers hot and cold small plates such as calamari fritti, grilled artichokes with lemon vinaigrette, meatballs and grilled octopus with spiced oil. A list of small and large salads precede the Gigi & Mario signature burger, a special blend of meat served with hand cut fries. The dessert menu offers Italian classics like cheesecake and lemon torta, or a Belgian chocolate fondue for the whole table with fresh fruits and ricotta fritters. An all-American brunch will be served on weekends, with hearty breakfast plates and classic benedicts. French toast, pancakes and waffles are served with a choice of inventive toppings, such as a luscious mix of bananas, pecans and bacon.
Plus, we hear the decor is just as fine as the food. The 90-seat dining area includes plenty of comfortable, roomy booths perfect for large groups, and an open kitchen that offers diners a full view of the pizza station. Head over to experience the entire preparation of Gigi & Mario's pizza, from dough tossing to the final flourish of olive oil.
So, who's down for a slice?
Gigi & Mario 86 The Promenade, Edgewater
