Friday is, without fail, pizza night at our house.
Ignoring a week of refrigerated left-overs threatening to spoil before sunrise, we glibly aim for the nearest pizzeria and stuff ourselves silly. Thin crust, New York style, wood-fired and deep dish hold equal esteem. Even better are the spoils of our feast on Saturday morning. Preferably cold.
A newcomer to our rotation is Giovanni’s Pizzeria which recently opened in Cotati. It’s everything a hole-in-the-wall ‘za spot should be — concrete floors covered in flour, a couple small tables with wobbly chairs and a kitchen full of 20-somethings throwing dough and racing out the door with delivery orders.
The menu is refreshingly simple: Ten pizzas that start with cheese and pepperoni, venture into meat-lover combos, throw a bone to the dorm-room munchie crowd with “Maui Wowie” (Hawaiian) and BBQ chicken with ranch and end up with a classic margherita.
The crust is somewhere between the crisp snap of thin and the doughiness of thick crust with the best of both. No big surprises on the do-it-yourself topping list. A handful of pasta dishes. Green salads. Breadsticks.
Prices range from $14.95 for a large cheese or pesto to just under $20 for a large Meat Madness — a worthwhile price for an evening’s entertainment in tough economic times. It’s a crying shame the restaurant is only open until 9pm, cause they’d do a brisk business after last call. We hear it has something to do with the landlord upstairs…
Giovanni’s isn’t transformative pizza, nor is it gourmet. It’s just good, straightforward Friday night grub served up hot, fast and friendly.
Giovanni’s Pizzeria, 8270 Old Redwood Highway, Cotati, 707.664.8460.
Check out some of our other favorite Pizza Spots from the Great Pizza Poll. What’s your favorite pizza spot?
