When I heard the owner of Antico Pizza was opening a new restaurant, I knew I had to go. Gio’s Chicken Amalfitano opened for full service only a few weeks ago (they were open before the holiday season, but only for takeout), and I must say it lived up to everyone of my expectations.
Like the inside of Antico, Gio’s Chicken features family-style dining. It’s not quite as large a space as Antico, but it’s still room enough for a family dinner. It also has a window looking into the kitchen so you can see the chefs at work.
Like the name implies, the menu features chicken. There are seven different chicken dishes to choose from, all with their own unique flavors and fresh ingredients. Gio’s menu also has four pastas, and the refrigerated cooler usually has a salad to grab to round out your meal.
The chicken meals come in two different sizes “singolo” or “famiglia.” They told me that a family dinner serves 2-3 people, but we easily fed 2 people with one of the chicken dishes and a side.
For our takeout dinner, we ate the Amalfi chicken with a side of the pasta. It is really hard to describe how unbelievably fresh the ingredients tasted (especially for a takeout meal). Both Antico and Gio’s can be expensive (for 2 chicken dishes and a side of pasta, our dinner was $68) but I really believe you get your money’s worth in taste and freshness.
And, because I just love businesses with good branding, here is a label that was on top of one of the to go boxes. Doesn’t it just make you want to dig in?
The Facts:
Gio’s Chicken: 1099 Hemphill Ave directly next to Antico Pizza. Look for their sign on Hemphill to enter the parking lot.
Open: Tuesday-Friday (closed Monday) 5 p.m. until the chicken runs out (I hear this is usually around10 p.m.); Saturday & Sunday 12 p.m. until the chicken runs out
Alcohol: Like Antico, you are allowed to BYOB your own beverages. They also have a limited selection of beer and wine for sale.
And, I hear next on the agenda is a gelato spot opening in time for summer!
