It’s Friday evening, and after a seemingly endless day of classes and work, you’re finally back in your cozy dorm room. You ask your roommate what their dinner plans are: they don’t intend to face the cold and wind on the way to the dining hall, either. So what else is there? You rummage through your box of canned ravioli and ramen noodles, but what you’re really, truly craving is a hot, cheesy slice of pizza. But from where?
Since my first year at EMU two years ago, and maybe long before then, Fox’s Pizza has stood in the shopping plaza behind Gift and Thrift, abandoned, mocking me with its emptiness and lack of garlic knots. But no longer. A few short weeks ago, Guti’s Pizza opened. Guti’s serves New York-style pizza, pasta, calzones, and subs. An 18-inch cheese pizza is only $11, people. Do the math and see how much that ends up split between your friends on a lazy Friday evening.
Guti’s is great for delivery when you want to stay in, but I wouldn’t pass up a trip or two to the cozy little restaurant at 625 Mount Clinton Pike. On my recent Sunday evening visit, I purchased one of their specialty pizzas, an extra large Bruschetta with tomatoes, onions, and basil in garlic sauce. The cheese was gooey and hot, seasoned with basil and oregano and peppered with long slices of onion. The toppings were cooked perfectly into the pizza, and the tomato slices weren’t too wet atop the mozzarella cheese. The crust, also known as the best part of any pizza, was soft on the inside and crisp on the outside, and perfect for cleaning up the leftover garlic butter from my appetizer.
The pizza was accompanied by a plate of garlic knots and an appetizer I hadn’t heard of before: pizza logs.
My server informed me that pizza logs were like mozzarella sticks with pepperoni in them, which sounded pretty great to me. They were, however, not breaded like mozzarella sticks, but deep fried in wonton wrappers like egg rolls. Although my expectations for breaded cheese sticks likely led to most of my disappointment, the pizza logs were not included in my take-home box.
It’s hard to go wrong with garlic knots; that being said, I really enjoyed the ones I recieved at Guti’s. They were soft and doughy with a slightly crunchy exterior, covered in garlic powder and melted butter. Dipped in marinara sauce, they were the perfect accompaniment to the sauceless pizza I ate alongside them.
Guti’s is a warmly lit restaurant with a homey, traditional Italian, red interior. The servers are friendly, the food hits the spot, and the 80’s music they play doesn’t hurt the atmosphere either. Whether you’re looking to dine in or order carryout or delivery, Guti’s can provide the perfect pizza dinner at an affordable price. They have daily buffets as well. Stop in at 625 Mount Clinton Pike or call 540-433-1055 to get your pizza delivered.
