This place is very popular with most people in Bloomington. Â Mainly, I would say its all about Avanti's bread which is good. Â I thought the pizza was just ok but a member of my family thinks it great. Â Also its knows for the Gondola, salami ham and cheese with lettuce. Â I did like the Onion soup.
Review Source:Just a few things:
-INCREDIBLE bread. Warm, fresh, and delicious.
-Cheap food.
-Large portions.
-Friendly staff.
I ate here one night after work and came to the conclusion that it was pretty good "standard Italian". I wouldn't rave about it being infused with flavors or unique dishes, but it was a good bang for your buck. Large portions and well-cooked, small town Italian food was the theme here. Most servers look like younger students, but are very polite and friendly. I also joined the birthday club online and they gave me a free cake, so that's always nice when  you're traveling for work :) Overall, not a bad experience.
A local place surrounded by corporate restaurant chains. Â The clientele is families taking out their college offspring for one last meal together before school. Â Don't expect the food to be authentic, but just because its not that doesn't mean that its bad. Â I can see how the bread sticks out as its really soft and has a slight sweet taste.
I also heard that their spaghetti is a favorite among locals and is ordered by a lot. Â Just got a medium pizza with bacon and sausage and it was pretty good. Â Service was also top notch as Kyle S. was very professional and deserved a large tip. Â A good place to have if your dorm building is across the street, which some are.
Everyone talks about the bread Avanti's like it was so good it must be made in Italy or something. Personally, I don't care for it, or much of their food. Yes, it is rather inexpensive, but I think the quality is lacking. When friends or family drag me here, I resort to the pizza. Service is up and down - at times excellent and at times horrid.
I just think there are better places for Italian or pizza, if that is what  you are in to.
Not the best Italian food I have had but certainly not the worst. The onion soup however tasted like it was made from lipton just add water soup mix. The Italian beef sandwich was decent and the Alfredo sauce was just ok as well. Great for groups and reasonably priced. I hear the pizza is pretty good.
Review Source:I've been eating at Avant's since '98. Â Since then...I've got to say, the quality has gone downhill. Â My family and I used to go to the Empire location 2 to 3 times a month. Â Not anymore. Â They upcharge for EVERYTHING. Â Extra tomato, extra sauce, extra anything=extra money. Â Are you kidding me? Â We are charged A La Carte now? Â Sheesh. Â It's only a step up from hospital food...a step up from cafeteria food. Â The quality has gone down in the 13 years I've been a patron and not worth the added dollars and cents for the extra sauces to make the food edible.
Review Source:Love the pizza and the pizza bread - the bread has a sweet flavor to it.
I think the Gondola sandwich is a bit over-rated. Â The pasta is just ok - but nothing to write home about and isn't something I typically order.
This particular location is right by the airport in East Bloomington - another location on campus in Normal.
Their bread has a lot of sugar so its got a sweet flavor. Â They use the bread for their gondolas and as a side for spaghetti, ravioli, etc. Â This is a big draw for them.
The service, especially for takeaways, can be mediocre. Â I went there on Ash Wednesday and asked what they had without meat -- the bimbo at the cash register simply shrugged her shoulders and said she didn't know (actually, she probably didn't).
If you're looking for good sandwiches in Bloomington go to Potbelly's -- which has at least two locations, each within a mile of Avanti's. Â Potbelly's makes the sandwiches right in front of you and is very generous with the toppings and the people are really glad to be serving you (at Avanti's they act like they're doing you a favor).
Recommended by the hotel I am staying in near the BMI airport (Holiday Inn - nice)...but, when I told my co-workers I planned to eat here they said the food was great... and they live 45 miles away!
Hotel front desk gave me a delivery menu and a 10% off card. Â The restaurant is only a couple business pads away, but it's cold and, heck, they deliver!
I ordered a small Avanti special - thin, crispy (even after delivery!) crust, with ham, pepperoni, sausage, onion, mushroom and green pepper. Â Wednesday special is buy a pizza get bottles of soda for free (1 bottle for small, 2 bottles for medium, etc). Â I also ordered their garlic bread with grilled mozzarella cheese. Â The woman I ordered from said they are known for their bread and no dipping sauce is needed. Â I concur. Â I love bread, and this was frickin' awesome. Â $14 for everything!! Â And it was delicious.
They had my order to me in less than 30 minutes. Â Can't guarantee that all the time, but I will definitely order from them again next time I am in the area.
I'll post this review for both locations- Avanti's is a staple in Blormal. Â My family has been coming here for years (I was raised in B-N, since then have lived around the US in Boston, Chicago, San Fran, Vegas and traveled all over the world...and I still love coming home and returning here again and again. Â 2 of my brothers went to ISU and would go on all you can eat spaghetti night and I think the most one of them ate was like 5 plates lol. Â The original Avantis is across from my old high school and I remember days when I or a buddy might forger lunch money and we'd bum $3 off each other and head to avantis for a helf gondola or a loaf of bread and sauce....
It's important to note that everything served at Avanti's isn't 5 star - the 5 star items are centered on their amazing bread that is baked fresh daily. Â I've heard that the original owner came in ridiculously early every morning to bake the bread himself long after he ever needed to work another day in his life. Â What a guy! Â When he passed, I heard others in his family took over for him and I applaud their efforts...in my opinion the standards, service and most importantly FOOD at the new location is just as good if not better than the original location. Â Also the takeout area is open very late which is awesome. Â The service is always very friendly! Â I remember coming in once after college and seeing my ex gf's little sister working once.... and i hadn't seen her in like 10 yrs....she looked like my ex did when we were dating in high school! Â LOL.what a flashback...
Stick to these items - gondola's, garlic bread's, sandwiches...and maybe the spaghetti feast night over the items such as soups, ravioli and other pasta, which are more like good fast food italian. Â To come to Avantis and order soup or salad or ravioli even in my opinion is kind of like going to a steak place and getting a veggie plate then complaining about the quality. Â Not that those items aren't good, they're 3 star and not bad.. Â
To all the haters - Avanti's isn't Biaggi's or fine italian dining LOL. Â Go to Avantis with your bros or hos, take your date you want to impress to Biaggis...completely different experiences, price point, everything. Â A GF of mine owns a few Italian restaurants in Boston in the North End and she appreciated Avantis for what iit s when i took her and she loved it. Â if you can make better bread let me know, i'll give you $100 for a loaf of it. Â I've traveled all over the world and never had better :)
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