Restaurant Review: Bravissimo Gourmet Pizza & Pasta

Restaurant: Bravissimo Gourmet Pizza & Pasta 
Address: 558 Lancaster Ave. Berwyn, PA 19103
Rating: ★★ (2) out of 5 stars
Style: Pizza / Italian
Food: Decent take out and good for a slice. 
Atmosphere: Dated pizza parlor.
Parking: Yes. Lot parking.
Service: Counter service is polite and friendly.
Price Range: Average
Unique Feature: This pizza place hits all the takeout marks, and really impresses with its Chicken Fajita Roll.

Growing up as a kid, pizza and soda were always reserved for Friday nights or special occasions. A hectic day and a still slightly frozen dinner option factored into my decision of ordering a pizza on a not so special occasion, like a rainy Wednesday. So, I gave on Lancaster Avenue in Berwyn a try.

Bravissimo’s strip mall storefront leaves little to the imagination. The entire allure of its interior (the ready-made pies, pasta bar and pizza oven) are all visible through the front window. Pass the soda machine towards the dining area and other than a restroom, the faded pictures and plastic/vinyl strip of booths had obviously seen better days.

But it’s the take out that seemed to keep a steady stream of patrons coming in and out of the door while I waited for my order on a drizzly evening.

The glossy double-sided menu offers Gourmet, Neapolitan and Sicilian Pizzas, Stromboli’s, Rolls, Calzones, Pastas, Salads, Steaks, Subs, Hoagies, Grinders, Wraps, Wings and Sides.

I ordered a Large Holiday Pizza, an order of Baked Ziti that came with a side garden salad, a Personal sized Chicken Steak Stromboli and a Personal sized Chicken Fajita Roll.

And a slice of Sicilian: for the road.

Twice heated slices of square, crispy, crunchy Sicilian pizza purchased from a window or a counter are a favorite of mine. They’ve been cooked once, then left to wait for a hungry customer such as myself. Then they are tossed back in the oven, partially reheating the cheese, de-solidifying the grease, and re-crisping the crust. And though the seasonings weren’t exactly symmetrical, this slice was as good as any I’ve had.

Next on my anti-swimsuit, summer-ending, pizza-loving mission were the Chicken Cheesesteak Stromboli and the Chicken Fajita Roll. From the outside, each was functionally and structurally exactly the same. But as we all know, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.

The Chicken Stromboli was nothing more than shredded chicken steaks and cheese, baked into a pocket of crust that ended up being just a doughy shell. Probably perfect for a picky 12-year old.

The Fajita Roll, on the other hand was stuffed full of chunks of white meat chicken, green and red bell peppers, onions and cheese. The flavor was phenomenal, and worth the entire trip.

The Baked Ziti was a nice pick and though its cold pre-cooked looks in the pasta station, visible past the sneeze guard were less than savory, the end result would have made any catering hall worth a salt proud. The salad that accompanied the ziti dinner was fresh and topped with cucumbers, onions and tomatoes. Nothing fancy, but well done.

Onto what made my Wednesday a special occasion, not just in name, but in flavor and aroma as well. The Holiday. A large pizza topped with ricotta cheese, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, onion and finished with a layer of mozzarella so think that the veggies got lost in the layers. The pie was so large that a portion of its crust doubled over onto itself, because it just didn’t fit in the box.

The only downside was that it could have been cooked a little while longer. The crust was just not dark or crispy enough. It was much too light and doughy for my preferences, but it could have been my sitting there, waiting for the order, that made the friendly pizza man behind the counter feel the need to rush.

Either way, for random pizza take out, Bellissimo is a solid bet; just ask that they cook their pie a little longer than usual.

 with location and hours.

Click here to see the Menu