“Yonkers needs more places” like this “lively” candlelit Italian-American restaurant where a rising number of “regulars” appreciate the “outsatanding” service and “excellent” thin-crust pizzas and homestyle entress…”fair prices” and well-sized portions…”casual yet sophisticated” spot

I have to be honest. I love pizza. But I love it better paired with a good glass of Merlot. Add a heaping Caesar salad and a serene dining experience-one which also caters to kids-and I’m even happier. Which is why I was so pleased to discover Gianna’s.
Instead of a “joint in Yonkers” where I’d grab a slice and go, I found a real restaurant in a small strip mall complete with a sophisticated decor, warm lighting, and a friendly guy named Sal manning the pizza oven. This is a great place to come if you have diners in tow who inexplicably don’t want pizza, as there are plenty of other options. But best of all, you and your family can sample a variety of pies, thanks to their size choices: individual, medium, or large. Syd and I opt for two minis: traditional and margharita. Margharita tends to be slightly more popular, Sal tells me, but says he prefers traditional. “Taste both and tell me what you think,” he says. The traditional pie rivals Johnny’s-in fact it’s a hard call deciding which is better. Again, the crust is thin, crunchy, and easy to do the fold-and-munch technique. But here, the sauce is slightly sweeter and tangier, with the slightest bit of spice. The margharita is good-the sliced tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella are fresh and flavorful-but the traditional is truer to pizza’s roots and well worth ordering in a larger size next time.

The Yonkers Chamber of Commerce: “Best Italian Restaurant” in our “Best of Yonkers” Survery