After being in the area at Avonworth High School for a football game in the fall, we decided to…read morestop at Pizza Pronto for a late dinner before we headed home. We came here on recommendation and suggestion from my parents, who had heard good things about the Pierogi Pizza.
Pizza Pronto & Gyro House is located in Avalon on California Avenue. They serve a variety of pizzas, salads, gyros, starters, calzones, hoagies, wings, and more. The restaurant has dine in as well as takeout.
They are open from 10:00 AM until 9:00 PM during the week, and on Fridays and Saturdays they are open later until 11:00 PM. With so many pizza places having earlier closing times in the last few years, it is appreciated that this one has extended hours a few nights a week.
The store is situated on a quiet street, tucked back in a sort of residential area. There are other different shops surrounding it on either side. The signage is very clean and prominent, so you will not miss it driving by.
As for parking, there is no dedicated private lot. There is street parking on both sides of the road that the store sits on. We had no issue getting a spot, likely due to the time of day we visited. However, I could see if you came during peak times it might be a little harder to find a spot, or you may have to walk a tad bit to get to the storefront.
For seating, there are both indoor and outdoor options. There are benches and a few patio tables with umbrellas on the sidewalk in front of the building. Inside, there are several four-top tables that can be pushed together for larger groups.
When we arrived around 9:30 PM on a Friday this past September, there were a few others dining in. However, it was not at all crowded. It is open seating, so we found a table of our liking for our group of four. It appears that at one time there was table service, but there was signage up saying they no longer offered this.
Since there is no table service, you place your order at the counter, which is right at the entrance. They have menu boards hanging behind the counter, or alternatively there are paper menu pamphlets. After taking some time to browse our options, we ordered a few starters and a pizza for the group to share.
To start, we ordered Spinach and Feta Pronto Rolls and the 6-Count of Stuffed Grape Leaves with Lemon Wedge. Both of these were very good! I personally liked the rolls the best, as they were a good snacking size to have a few before the main meal. The Grape Leaves were also very good. My fiancé is a big fan of these, and will order them whenever they are on the menu. He had high praise for these ones!
For our pizza, we all shared the Large Pierogi Pizza. This is a gourmet pie that has a potato and onion mixture, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and provolone cheese. It also came with sour cream on the side. It was cooked perfectly, and the overall flavor of the pie was great. The pieces are very filling, and I personally could only eat one. It was a 8-cut pie, and we had leftovers to take home, even with four of us eating it. I enjoyed having the option of sour cream to complement the essence of pierogi.
The food came out relatively quickly. We ordered some of the items at different times, due to different arrivals of the group. Each item was ready within 15 minutes of placing the order. We were satisfied with the service in this regard.
We were happy also with the service from the staff here. They were all friendly and helpful throughout our entire visit.
In terms of value, I believe this place is a good one. For a pizza and two starters, we spent around $50 before tax for four people to eat (including drinks). The pizza we got specifically is a little more expensive, but it is a speciality pie. However, four adults being able to eat with food leftover for around $50 is a good deal to me. I think you will get your money's worth when dining here.
Being from the South Hills, I never found myself up this way to eat at this pizza shop. However, I was very satisfied with the food, ambiance, service, and overall experience of this visit. I would recommend stopping at Pizza Pronto if you find yourself in this part of the city. They have an extensive menu, options for dine-in and takeout, and extended hours on the weekends. When I return, I am interested in trying more of their extensive menu, such as the Gyros or the Hoagies!
