A small, quiet Italian cafe tucked away in a shanty shopping center. Steve's location is not what it once was in downtown Florence, but that didn't change his outstanding food. I gave five stars for several reasons. Here's why:
1. Just like when he first opened Steve can be seen through a kitchen window sitting there hand-making and hand-crafting every thing that is ordered. What a statement. He doesn't have a kitchen full of staff who prep the food. I mean, for decades he's perfected everything on the menu and has done it with such a personal touch and great service. You know when you order at Stephano's you are going to eat something that was personally made by Steve right then for you. That's awesome.
2. I ordered a 10" Mega Supreme Pizza ($9.99) and I'll tell you right now that it is the best pizza in the Shoals. It arrived piping hot on the pan it was baked in with Mount Vesuvius piled on top of it: pepperoni, sausage, ham, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, black olives, and green olives. BOOM! It was a mighty 10". Unlike a 10" Mellow Mushroom pizza, I couldn't finish the one Steve crafted. And it's cheaper than Mellow's! The price of his pizza maybe a tad higher than the normal chains, but it is way worth it. I won't order pizza from anywhere else from now on.
3. The cheesecake. There aren't words in our tongue that would do justice in trying to describe its perfection. J.R.R. Tolkien might be able to do so in some Elvish tongue...Nevertheless, I'll brave the attempt to do so. I ordered one slice ($3.25) and it was a giant; a statuesque shape like one of New York's. In his 20+ years I can testify that Steve has perfected the art of making cheesecake. It was the best I have ever tasted (and I've tried some from NYC).
All this to say, go to Stephano's. It's awesome food at great prices. My counterparts ordered his subs which are way cheap for what you get (a little over $5 for a combo). Steve offers a wide variety of tasty subs, and his hot wings are fantastic, a nice blend of spices and sauces.
Before we part here's a tip: try some of his Buffalo Fries. read more