I've been coming here since the 1980s, and little has changed here. Â If you are expecting a fine dining experience, don't come here. Â But if you enjoy decent food, generous servings, and great prices, and some of the most unique and tasty breads around, come here. Â It was dirt cheap 20 years ago, and even as a high school student, I could easily afford a gondola or pizza bread or lasagna. Â OK, so the gondola is so so, especially the meats and cheese, but it's all about the bread. I would love to combine the Italian Nightclub from Jimmy John's with the bread from Avanti's - the results would be magical. Â Anyway, it is what it is - nothing more and nothing less, and it'sa Peoria institution that has survived for decades and has expanded.
Review Source:Not feeling the love either. It is exactly what the 3 stars indicate, A-OK. Â OK being the main point here. Yes the bread is amazing. I can only imagine that is why their famous Gondola sandwich is a hit. Â I mean, you could put canned cat food in between that bread and it would taste good. Â I had the chicken alfredo. Small portion and the chicken is chopped into bits! Â WTF is that?! Â It made me feel like I was in a military mess hall or something. Â Pizza looked to thick for my liking, but people seemed to enjoy it. Â They deserve credit where credit is due though. The are rediculously inexpensive. Â So you definitely get what you pay for, and you get a bonus that is their fresh bread.
Review Source:I don't understand the rabid love that Peorians seem to have for Avanti's.
Even with my expectations set low, this missed the bar. Â My distaste for the sweet bread aside, I found the salami in my sandwich less than unappetizing. Â The wings were soggy. Â The pasta sauce is incredibly, disgustingly sweet, which is maybe the key to its popularity. Â Eat frosting out of the can on a regular basis? Â This place is for you!
Don't trust any place that sells pasta and sauce by volume.
Avanti's is a great place to get superb Gondolas. If you've never had one, and are in the area, you have to stop and get one. They also make great hot ham and swiss cheese sandwiches and garlic bread. Yes, I'm praising a lot of bread items, and that's because what Avanti's is best know for always starts with their fresh baked bread. You could eat it plain it's sooo good. Anything they put on their bread is guaranteed to be great. They also have great pasta dishes and pizza, but my favorite items would be anything on their bread. Only down side to Avanti's is there isn't one in the Chicagoland area. I grew up in Peoria where they are located and miss them. I only get one now and then when I visit Peoria, which isn't often enough to satisfy my craving. So, if your in the area of an Avanti's, grab a gondola, and eat one for me too my friend, you'll be glad you did for sure!!!
Review Source:Happened to be working in Peoria and yelp came through again.
I read through some of the reviews and I just have to laugh. Â If you walk into McDonalds, you cant expect to get a filet or escargo. Â I mean seriously folks!
We were floored (i mean FLOORED) with the prices. Â We absolutely had a feast for 2 and our bill was 19.27.
Our meal was: Small supreme pizza (avanti's special), the famous Gondola sandwich (italian meats and american cheese), side of bread, side salad and an order of tortellini w/tomato sauce.
Pizza was perfectly cooked with the right amount of veggies and meat...with a crispy crust. Â Gondola was a simple sandwich of with fresh ingredients (and yes the bread is amazing.) Side salad was bagged lettuce with homemade ranch; tortellini wasnt amazing, but it was good. Â Sauce was nice.
I 100% recommend this place to anyone. Â You really cannot go wrong. The prices alone are a reason to visit and try the WHOLE menu!!!:)
I have been eating in this restaurant since before I was born. Â That's right, my momma was putting Avanti's hot ham and cheese into me before I had any say-so! Â And thank goodness she did!
This restaurant is full of memories for me (obviously). Â Having moved away nearly 20 years ago I was afraid it would change. Â It hasn't! Â Every time I return I get the same hot ham and cheese, the same "can't find it anywhere else on earth" bread with their secret recipe... And, although there have been some changes, the "heart" of the building is still there.
Avanti's is by no stretch of the imagination fine dining or a place for a food snob to get a snob-fix, but it IS a great way to feed an entire family for a reasonable price and enjoy an evening together.
Avanti's thank you for being in my family for many, many years!
have been there twice...once for take out and once for dine in. Â both were ok - but just ok.
the gondola was not bad - but the best part was the bread and i had them sub the american cheese for mozzarella. Â the pastas were ok - but i think i can cook some just as well.
not the best italian food, but cheap and quick - works if you dont want to cook.
If you are from the Central Illinois area you have had an Avanti's Gondola at least once. Avanti's Italian Restaurant is nothing really special but the bread that is used to make those Gondolas and other sandwiches really make the place.
The bread has a sweet taste that is addicting and you put anything to make a sandwich and it will be great. Other then that its more of that Americanized and commercial Italian food that Peoria people like I guess.
This is as good as it gets. Â The bread is not matched after much travel. they do put crack and craik in their bread. If you don't like the gondola, you are tired of life, as Johnson said.
Now, for the criticism of the pasta and pizza, what are you thinking? Â do you order burgers at McDs or pizza at Pizza hut? no. Â you should not order these things. Â the bread and things based on the bread are the things. Â
I know this place, I know their bread since we were pups. Â The range of responses indicates how well and how poorly a 1-star [Michelin] restaurant can be reviewed. not that they are one starred, but as a type or a kind, this place is a standard, and the reviews mean that even the best can have mistakes -- or -- be mistaken. As you can judge a book, a book can also judge you. (Same here for the metephor impaired.)
Not as good as when I was a kid, but Avanti's is a local restaurant that has been around for decades. Â This restaurant was my favorite destination when I first learned to drive. Â But the atmosphere is nice, safe & clean. Â The staff is friendly but the pizza crust tasted like they added water to a mix ... not what I remember. Â But I will probably always go here ... it's a tradition.
Review Source:This place is disgusting. Â Unless you are twelve years old and want to eat bland, lifeless cuisine in a roomful of screaming babies, I would suggest finding another spot. Â Anyone who likes this restaurant seriously needs to eat around a bit more. Â Life is just too damn short to have to eat even one meal here.
Review Source:i am a huge eater and am content with restaurants at every level of the class chain. Â avanti's was fundamentally inedible. Â i couldn't eat the way overcooked, flimsy pasta soaked in some form of fake chicken stock i was given. Â it was truly repulsive. Â i'd been warned and should have heeded. Â unless you're twelve and have an undeveloped palate, choose elsewhere.
Review Source:Sorry, I have to just chime in on this "gem." Â This place is putrid. Â I mean utterly inedible. Â Its a step below chef boyardee. Â To the guy who said this place was better than ricobenes - you're absurd. the pasta is mushy and rancid. Â It tastes like it would be served at a very large, institutional cafeteria. Â gross.
Review Source:Avanti's is another Peoria staple that stood the test of time. It is not an upscale Italian restaurante. Anyone who expects this is in for a rude surprise. Â It is hugely popular with a younger crowd. It always has been. Seniors come on Sunday for lunch at the Rockwood location because this particular store is wheel chair accessible, the walkway is covered, and parking is nearby. It's also a stones throw from Northwoods Mall which makes it very convenient to duck in and take out.
Avanti's is not Chicago, and despite the negative reviews, it is not a bad place to grab a quick bite as the price is always fair and service is always reasonable. Dollar for dollar the customer will get more bang for their buck than at a national fast food chain. Â If it is a first trip I suggest the ravioli
Grew up in Peoria. Can't stand the "city." This place... is amazing. Every time I have the misfortune of coming back to Peoria, I eat here within 12 hours of arriving. Half gondola and either a salad or a cup of cheese soup? I really do think so.
If it were 24 hours, it'd be the best place on earth.
This place should expand into Chicago, as the cheap(ish) Italian places like Ricobene's can't even compare. Of course, that'd mean Peoria would permanently lose its raison d'etre....
yummmmeeeeeee! Â i grew up eating this food. Â every time i got home for a visit, we have to stop here for the bread--it is so delicious, we usually take a loaf or two home to oak park. Â
i can eat here for less than 5 bucks. Â i love the tortellini, the garlic bread with cheese, the gondola, the minestrone soup...
i wish they would expand into chicagoland :)
I have never met a person who doesn't like Avanti's. Â In fact, often times when I mention I am from Peoria, people mention Avanti's. Â Anyways, cheap Italian food- and I mean dirt cheap- it cannot get any better. Â Every time I go home I try to stop by this place. Â My favorite is the lasagna which is so cheesy and probably horrible for you, but a tasty treat! Â Another thing everyone who has ever been seems to agree on is their Cherry Coke. Â For some reason it just tastes better than any other Cherry Coke I have ever consumed in my entire life. Â I feel this way about the Ranch dressing as well. Â It is at the top of the charts when it comes to cheap eating.
UPDATE: Â After speaking with my younger sister, she has regretfully informed me that Avanti's has become a proponent of the Pepsico Corporation. Â Apparently this has upset many of their frequent diners. Â I may have to deduct a star for this latest development!
If you live/grew up in Peoria or even the surrounding areas, you can't help but not know what a gondola is. Â Seeing as I no longer live in Peoria, I always ask my friends who go on a regular basis to bring me back a gondola or just even a loaf of bread.
I completely agree with Travis - they do put crack in the bread.
This place puts crack in their bread. Â
Cheap, delicious, and perfect sized portions. Â The fountain drinks they serve you here are huge as well with free refills to boot. Â
I don't think I've ever visited Peoria without stopping into this little gem. Â My only complaint is that I don't have one in Chicago.
This place single handedly caused the suck fest that we called Fazoli's to go out of business. Â Sorry Fazoli's - Cheap, delicious Italian food business in Peoria? Â Not yours.
My husband's grandparents live in the area and wanted to eat here. They love this place. I had the spaghetti with meat sauce and meatballs. It came with a salad (iceberg) and bread. Â It was soooo cheap!! $5 - decent and filling. Â We went on a Monday and they had all you can eat spaghetti for $4.75. Â It wasn't bad. The bread was very yummy though!!!!
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