OK, call me crazy, but I'm not a huge fan of Avanti's like most Peorians are. I guess it might be the tomato sauce. It's just not my favorite. And I've never been a huge fan of a gondola sandwich.
I mean, I hear stories of people who move away and can't stop thinking about Avanti's. Each time they come to town they MUST load up their cars and suitcases with Avanti's bread.
I used to hit Avanti's on Main Street in Peoria after class at ICC back in the early 90s. I always had the pizza bread, and it was fine, and the price was right for a college kid.
Then, I worked for a department starting in the late 90s which would order Avanti's delivery once a month or so. I would get the pasta salad, which is actually pretty good, and comes with a nice chunk of bread and Country Crock (prefer the real deal myself) and I usually would snag a packet of the parmesan cheese to sprinkle on it, too. It's a very reasonably priced lunch.
Recently, a friend suggested going to Avanti's, so I said OK. I was surprised to see personal pizzas on the menu. Having had a good fill of the pasta salad the past several years, I ordered one. It was actually very good, kind of reminded me of a Pizza Hut style pie.
Avanti's has locations on Rockwood in Peoria near Northwoods Mall, on Main Street at University, plus a location in East Peoria and one in Normal.
Their menu features hot and cold sandwiches including the gondolas, salads, pizza and plenty o' pasta.
5 comments:
Guess where I worked from 92-96? What's really funny is that my best friend also worked there as did her future husband and his best friend and none of us really knew each other.
I would have frequented the Main Street dining room from 91-93.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people I end up meeting in the Peoria area who know the same people I do/did. The more it happens, the more it, well, almost ceases to amaze me.
But it's fun.
May have to revisit Avanti's. I always thought of it like "fast food italian"...at least that is how their food always tasted. I think I too got burnt out on their cheap food...
But ohhhh how I love their garlic bread...
Oh, the garlic bread from La Gondola is wonderful! I've not tried it at Avanti's. I'll have to keep that in mind.
Yum Yum garlic bread from La Gondola. Thats REALLY GOOD.
Okay so I have to share...I went to the Avanti's in E. Peoria today. We were greeted by a wonderful hostess who groaned when we walked in and rolled her eyes....slowly and mechanically making her way to her booth, then asking "how many" in a rough voice. So we say two...and proceed to sit down right below the AC vent. Upon looking around - I'm scared. Most of the people eating there looked rough. Dang rough. So we ordered their bread....
yummmmm.
Oh wait.
No. It's stale. AWHHHH!
After an "okay" dinner we proceed to pay and the dang hostess lady was too busy chatting with the manager to even help us. Instead, she pulled one of the waiters off the floor and snipped at him that HE needed to check us out. My hubby then told the poor waiter some smart comment about the hostess, and it was then that we happily left. I don't think I will ever revisit E. Peoria location....but if you coax me with great company in another location I'm game. *winks*
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