Giovanni's: Good Times, Good Pizza

My search for the best pizza Richmond is over...I think.

For the past 2 months I have been craving pizza. Pizza with cheese and tons of topping and good flavor and a crispy crust and flavorful sauce. Yes, it's a tall order. Too tall, so I thought. But as you know by now, Weston came in last weekend to surprise me for Valentine's Day. And I was getting ready to "go out with a friend" who had put me in charge of finding a good pizza place. After flipping through a Richmond magazine I have been saving since the summer, I decided the picture from Giovanni's looked most like what I had been craving. Since the dinner was actually a made-up story meant to lure me outside, I didn't go with my friend, but Weston and I went there for dinner that evening, instead. (Next time, Sharon, I am taking you to Kuba Kuba)

Here's me holding my new best friend: the enormo Meat Lover's pizza. The owner, John, was the nicest ever and kept asking if I was sure I wanted to order this giant pie. When I told him how badly and how long I'd looked for a pizza like the one in the picture I saw, he personally started ours. The Meat Lovers, as shown at the top, feeds probably 6 people: the slices are big and there are 12 pieces. The price is unbelievably fair: $20 when rounding UP.

Weston ordered their Sweet Tea and I got to sip a little, too - it was delish. The perfect way to wash down all the cheese and toppings. Be prepared because there's a lot of them. The crust held up nicely and the sauce had some spice to it. Now, I like my pizzas sauced lightly and Weston likes his a little heavier and we were both very happy. Our waitress was so sweet and very friendly - she asked if we wanted an edge or a middle or a bit of both - it's that kind of care that makes me know I'm going back.

The entire pie fed us for 3 meals together and two separately (I sent some home with Weston to Michigan). I was also incredibly pleased with how little oil seeped out during the reheating process - considering all the cheese. For a perfectly heated slice, preheat the oven to 350, line a pan with aluminum foil, cut your slice into dipper-sized pieces (3 inches across) and heat for about 10 minutes.

My new mission is to try as many pizza places as I can in this great city. But Giovanni's will always hold a special memory: the experience was wonderful; I just felt so happy the entire time I was there and every time I reheat a slice I get to relive an amazing evening all over again.