Gizzi Espresso Bar, formerly Caffé Armando.
Family-run, family-feel cafe with incredible pizza!
When I first moved to Shawlands over ten years ago, I always walked past this place as it looked like a basic greasy spoon. About a year ago I finally went in as I fancied a hangover roll with something better than slice (square sausage to you Weegies) on it. I was shocked at how good the Salsiccia and roasted peppers on focaccia was. Then they bloody closed down! Thankfully this was just for a long overdue re-fit, and they were back open in a few weeks.
What a difference! Having now tried the pizza, I can say the decor now lives up to the grub! Across a half dozen visits plus numerous takeouts, I will say that the standard is very good for the grilled sandwiches, salads, soups and pasta. The coffee is Italian Aroma supplied, reasonably priced and above the (admittedly rather poor) general standard for Glasgow.
Service is always warm and friendly, a definite benefit of a family with a long experience in the trade. My usual gripe as for pretty much everywhere in Scotland, tables could be cleared-wiped-reset a bit faster, but this is from a used-to-be-in-the-trade viewpoint, and have never seen a customer inconvenienced by it.
Now the pizza. Let me qualify this; I have eaten several kilos of pizza from Bella Napoli over the years, and even ate from the Crolla's previous premises at Italmania in the city centre (showing my age?). Domenico Crolla has justifiably won loads of international awards as a pizzaolo, and will probably continue to do so. Well, the pizza at Gizzi is hand made from scratch too, by seasoned Italian hands, and the results are just as good. Super thin, with random pockets of crisply bubbled dough and the odd deliciously chewy bit, everything you could want proper pizza to be! Makes your face and your belly smile, and causes strange noises of longing to elicit from those sharing a table with you. Add to this the happier, friendlier atmosphere in Gizzi, and I know where I would rather spend my cash.
Other reviews have already mentioned that Bakery47 supply the pastries, so no need to go into detail their, suffice to say they are uniformly excellent.
Barring some catastrophe, they have a customer for life. read more