Giordano’s is in Columbus!

GUYS. First, IKEA. Now, Giordano’s. Columbus is like, the coolest. Did we mention that we also live about 10 minutes from both of these spots? See ya never, paycheck. 

If you’ve never had Giordano’s, let me give you a little background. Technically, the stuffed pizza sensation became famous from Mama Giordano over near Torino, Italy. She was famous for her “Italian Easter Pie,” a double-crusted, cheese stuffed masterpiece. Years later, her sons Efren and Joseph Boglio immigrated to Chicago to start their own pizza business. In 1974, Giordano’s was born! Over 40 years later, it’s still growing strong in the Windy City and now, in our hometown of Columbus, Ohio. 

Giordano’s opened up yesterday, but you wouldn’t know it! The service was great, the food was cooked perfectly and we got seated right away with none of those new restaurant jitters popping through. As we were hanging out at our little wooden table, with wonderful natural light, we took a gander over their marketing materials on the table. We happily noticed their happy hour and took full advantage. I mean, hello 3pm-6pm, yes! 

They didn’t have a super extensive wine or beer list, which I actually kind of admire. While everyone is so obsessed with having the trendiest local beer or grapes grown from the tears of baby otters, this is refreshing. They aren’t trying to be trendy, they are just trying to execute great pizza and offer some accouterments. I had a glass of Cab that was just tasty and inexpensive (literally, $3.75) and poured from a bartender with a heavy hand. 

Not only was my wine tasty and quite low in price, the beer during happy hour is unreal. It’s half off all drafts which means a pint of Goose Island would be less than $3. I don’t recall if pitchers are half off, but if they are, that’s amazing. Ya’ll better get there fast before they realize their drink prices are a STEAL. We also ordered Giordano’s delicious Buffalo Boneless Wings. They were super delicious! The sauce was just the perfect amount of spicy without being too tart. I’m also kind of picky about ranch and it was creamy and not too thick or thin, it was just right, as Goldilocks would say. Also, I was trying to be annoying and take a cute pic with a wing on a fork and promptly dropped one on the floor and the guy next to us laughed at me. I’m glad I can be of comedic relief for some people. Baby O was really into the celery at dinner. Not pictured is the ridiculous amount of cheese, sauce, dough and sausage that she consumed during our meal. This was actually the first meal where she sat in her highchair the entire time and we all ate. She’s a chunker, to say the least. That being said, know that deep dish pizzas typically take anywhere from 30-45 minutes, depending on how busy the restaurant is when you’re dining. In Chicago, my mom and I waited about 2 and half hours before eating. Make sure you have plenty of items to entertain your peanut before your food arrives. The PIZZA. If you didn’t know already, Giordano’s specializes in double crusted, deep dish pizza where the toppings and cheese are on the bottom and then the sauce is ladled on top. Also, it has a TON of cheese. Which is amazing and if you are lactose intolerant or vegan, sorry ’bout your life. Since I’m lame and don’t eat piggies, we got a half and half pizza with just cheese and then sausage/pepperoni. The Beard said the meat was “delicious and there were ample amounts of both,” which seems wonderful to me. I actually really like deep dish with just cheese. It’s already so flavorful and full of texture that I don’t feel like I need anything extra. I know this is basically the same picture but look at that cheese. YUM. If you aren’t used to this style of pizza, you may want to ask for a little more pizza sauce on the side. According to our friends over at Yelp, you can get extra sides of their homemade sauce for a little extra cost. I think my favorite part of the whole Giordano’s experience is that the server pulls out your first piece of pie and encourages your photo opportunity. I appreciate it when restaurants embrace the social media/food blog culture even though we can be annoying. At some point, I imagine they will do a “best cheese pull” instragram contest and you better believe I’ll be there for that one. 

Between my happy hour wine, our boneless wings and medium pizza, we didn’t really have room for dessert. We still have two pieces of pie to take home! Next time we make it over to Giordano’s, we are definitely going to get the tiramisu and cannolis. The Beard made Tiramisu on our first date, so it has a special place in my heart and I feel the need to always order it when I see it out. 

When are you going to head to Giordano’s and what goes on your pizza? Share in the comments below!