Il Giorgiano Pizzeria & Wine Bar

Happy Friday.

I don't often recommend restaurants, but I had such a great meal last night, I'm compelled to let you know about Il Giorgiano. It has what I would consider some of the best pizza and pasta in Columbia. Seriously.

After attending the MIRCI fundraiser at 701 Whaley last night, Mrs. Permanent Press and I decided to take advantage of the fact that we already had a babysitter and get a little late dinner. We went over to Il Giorgiano since we had heard good things about this local pizza place. Sitting outside, we had a perfect evening to enjoy. The outside patio is a little brick area that is cozy and peaceful. There was a little fountain to give the place some old Italian charm.

We ordered some of a pizza and some pasta to share. I don't take very good pictures of food, but trust me it was amazing. My pictures would not do justice to the food.

I've been to Tuscany, and this food tasted like the food from Florence and Siena. It was like I stepped into a time machine and ended up back on vacation in Italy. The pizza was a smallish (maybe 9" in diameter) and perfect for sharing with another person. It was thin crust, lightly topped, and amazing. The pasta we had was the little stuffed tortellini kind in a cream sauce. Oh my god, it was good.

For dessert, we shared some bananna pudding gelato that was made in-house. In fact, they make all their desserts in-house. It was one of the best meals I had in a long time. The food was amazing, the prices were actually very reasonable, the service was great, and the atmosphere was perfect.

At the end of the meal, one of the owners (Monica) came out to thank us for coming in and talked about her love of Italian food. This place is a local restaurant that does everything right. They're located on Devine Street right next to where Dianne's used to be.

Side note: You're officially from the South when you give directions by referencing where certain landmarks used to be. All the time, I find myself telling people "You know where Rice Music House used to be? Yeah, my office is two blocks down from there." I'm not sure what the deal is, but that's a Southern thing.

Anyway, if you're looking for some authentic Italian food in a casual atmosphere, stop by Il Giorgiano, and let George and Monica take care of you.