Giovanni’s Pizzeria

Well, what can I say. I’ve eaten good pizza, I’ve eaten great pizza. This surpassses both of those categories. Simple, delicious pizza made in a «pizza joint» atmosphere. The food isn’t pretentious, just excellent quality Née York style pizza. The pizza comes out quick and man is it excellent. Just watch out, the cheese is like molten lava!

I was craving pizza. Good greasy home made thin crust pippin hot pizza.
I found it. Here.
It’s a hole in the wall that delivers AMAZING pizza!
I walked out telling my boyfriend how excited I was to tell everybody how delicious this place/​pizza is.
Go.

This is hands down my favorite pizza place in Albuquerque. When I first moved here and everyone recommended Dion’s as their favorite pizza place I was horrified and thought that I just couldn’t get good pizza here. Then I stumbled across Giovanni’s — tucked away in a strip mall with an unassuming interior. This is amazing NY style pizza — the crust finds a perfect balance between crispy and chewy and is just the right thickness. The sauce is flavorful, but not overwhelming. The cheese is high quality and delicious — none of that plasticky «mozzarella» you get at some places (*cough* Dions *cough). Toppings are equally high quality. I tend to get pepperoni (flavorful and crisp!). Friends and family have gotten other toppings and enjoyed them as well (including green chile!). What makes this even better is that it’s a mom and pop restaurant, where the original owner still comes in on weekends to help out and greet guests. I’ve only ever gotten the pizza there (once you try it, why would you get anything else?!), so I can’t speak to the quality of any of their other dishes. This is definitely worth a try!

Oh my goodness — NYC in Albuquerque! So happy to find some East coast in the
West! You will be hooked — worth the drive! My FAVORITE!

The pizza here is better than most pizza places in New York City. By far best pizza place in ABQ!

Holy cow was I in for a surprise. The best pepperoni and green chile pizza ever! As a matter of fact, best pizza ever. Please open a location in Las Vegas!

I think this is my favorite pizza in the city. The location is kinda shitty, I wouldn’t go there alone if I was a chick. That said, maybe the food is worth the risk… It’s pretty damn good. I’ve had slices and a calzone before. Crispy, kinda thin crust and the service is friendly and efficient. I’ve often heard this place has the best pizza in NM. I don’t know that I’d go that far but it’s absolutely worth having and better than any chain and most of the other local establishments in ABQ.

That was one of the best pizza’s I have ever had. I highly recommend this place to anyone that comes to the area. Had the supreme pizza and it was. We didn’t have to wait very long at all, I was looking at all the stuff they had on their walls and didn’t even get to finish before the pizza arrived at the table. I will definitely be coming back here whenever I come to the area.

New Yorker or Jerseyite lost in the desert? Well, Giovanni’s is your home away from home. Good pizza that you might find in the old neighborhood, but part of ABQ’s International District. Don’t be too East Coast – the Southwest combos are amazing. Friendly service. A little noisy at times.

As most of you already know, pizza is my favorite food. I could eat that shit every single meal, every single day, forever. and a day! I had all my meals planned out for my New Mexico trip about a week in advance. I knew that on my birthday, I wanted to try out Giovanni’s Pizza. It has been voted one of the Top 100 Pizzas in the United States, The Best Pizza in New Mexico, as well as numerous other awards, too. I placed my order for a medium pizza with green chile and pepperoni. My wife got an order of spaghetti with marinara sauce. They told me it would be about 20 minutes, so I drove down soon after I ordered it.
Giovanni’s is located in a more «rough/​older» part of Albuquerque. It’s not «ghetto» per say, but I would not be driving down this way after 10pm by myself without a GPS so I could find my way out of here asap if needed. I pulled up into the parking lot and witnessed what I’m 99% sure was a drug deal. I saw this guy parked outside the liquor store with his window down. Another dude came up to him and had something palmed, gave him the universal «homie handshake», and they exchanged something. No big deal… I have seen it done many times in my day and I know what it looks like from afar. About that… after I got my pizza and came back out to the car, I saw the same dude, give the same guy in the car another «homie handshake». Were these guys doing multiple drug deals? Was I lucky enough to see them do it twice? Or, is that just the way they interact? By giving homie handshakes? It was a sight to see and I didn’t stick around long enough to play Inspector Gadget. Back to the pizza… Walked in, paid the man my money (friendly counter guy) and took the goods back to the hotel. Here is how it was…
Medium Green Chile and Pepperoni Pizza– This thing looked fantastic! It was loaded up with crisp pepperonis and tons of green chiles! I took a bite of the first slice and noticed how hot these chiles were! I loved it! The pepperonis were great, the cheese was good, the crust was cooked perfectly. The crusts flavor was just a little bit unique though. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact flavor, but it seemed «earthy» and almost like a whole wheat/​grain flour was used. I’ve had way better crusts, and I’ve had way worse crusts ;-). Ill leave it at that!
Spaghetti w/​Marinara– My wife ate the spaghetti with marinara sauce. This was kind of just plain Jane. I had a few bites of it. It wasn’t bad, but the sauce wasn’t delicious either. It came with 2 garlic bread sticks. My kid ate those and seemed to have liked them. My wife ate about ¾ of the pasta and couldn’t eat anymore. I don’t think I would order pasta from here again. Stick with the pizza.
Overall, I thought it was a pretty good pizza. Best in New Mexico? I can definitely see that! Top 100 in the USA? Eh… we might have to disagree on that assessment. Even though the crust wasn’t the best, those green chiles more than made up for it and definitely tied the pizza together. I would come back often if I lived in Albuquerque. I ate my pizza about 20 minutes after I picked it up too. It may be way better if eaten there in the shop! $ 26.50 for everything… not bad!

GREAT PIZZA!
I love Straight Up Pizza on my side of town, but this is a strong SE contender. Ordered a large (18″) 2 topping pie for $ 20 or so. The crust was chewy and fresh, the cheese was decent quality and the green chile was spicy & flavorful. The large was enough for dinner & lunch for 2 of us. It totally held up against my quality pizza test… it was delicious cold AND reheated the next day.
Take out took about 20 minutes. Girl behind counter was friendly.

An hour+ wait for a takeout order??? No thanks!
They could’ve told me before spending time taking my order. I don’t care how good the reviews are… Makes no sense if we can’t get the food in decent time. There were a bunch if customers in the restaurant and I’m sure there are lots of takeouts in line but being Friday night any business owner with a brain would adequately staff their store… Oh well. I’ll never be back.

The thin crust, the tasty cheese, the «just right» sauce, and it’s quick! I was there yesterday when an old woman walked in to return her pizza. She claimed that the pizza crust was burned at the bottom, and if it wasn’t done «right» her husband would yell at her.
Really?
Some people just have it too good in life ya’ know?
This is Giovanni’s! For gawd sake. The guys behind that counter are super-​self conscious of their establishment and product, and take pride in their work. And they’re cute. You don’t see that too often where i live, trust me.
I watched this whole fiasco, and damn near dove at the pizza when she opened the box and started man-​handling it. This was a perfect pizza! If she hadn’t touched it? i would have bought it myself! I don’t have it so great in life, thus, i have to drive over 50 miles one way to get to Giovanni’s. And trust me, when i get that pizza or the calzone — folks please try the calzone, you’ll love it — i’m hella-​grateful.
I wouldn’t care if my husband didn’t think the pizza wasn’t «done just right» he could yell his big a** off while i’m chowing down on that good Giovanni’s pizza!
My hat’s off to you guys at Giovanni’s. Keep up the good work, and heck yeah, you have a very loyal customer over here in Santa Fe!

My boyfriend and I were on a road trip home to Michigan, and drove straight from Thousand Oaks, California to this hole in the wall place and were blown away! They only had a few Parmesan shakers and didn’t have any available when we asked. The people sitting in the booth next to ours gave us theirs (thanks again!) and said they moved to Albuquerque 2 years ago and recently found this place and said we were so lucky to have found it for our ride home. We ordered our pizza with pepperoni, bell peppers and green chili. I’ve never had a tastier pizza and wish that Michigan wasn’t so far away!

I have never craved pizza like I do for Giovanni’s! The green chile and pepperoni is fantastic and there is no better pizza in Albuquerque!
From the muscular Italian New Yorker in the back throwing pizza dough, to the Broadway flyers on the wall, you will love the atmosphere Giovanni’s has to offer.
Although it is not in the best part of town, I would highly recommend making the trip into the «International District» to try Albuquerque’s best pizza!

We’re from new haven, (which is renowned for the best pizza in the u.s.) and Giovannis pizza is as good or better than any of them. We’ve been so very disappointed by the pizza anywhere else, including Albuquerque, until today. These fine people make ACTUAL pizza! This will be the only pizzeria we order from, as long as we live in Burque. Thank you, for the taste of home. (They ARE open on Sunday. They open at 4pm.)

I am a straight up pizza fan but my husband really wanted to try this place based on location. It’s good but I honestly didn’t enjoy it as much as straight up I missed the spicy pizza sauce they they offer which gives the pizza that extra twist and the pizza was just ok to me nothing special. I am giving them 4 stars as my husband really enjoys this pizza place and given the choice this is his top pick.

Best in Albuquerque if you are looking for thin crust pizza. The atmosphere reminds me of pizza parlors in NJ down to the red and white checkered table cloths. But the ambiance is definitely not why I keep going there. Giovanni’s pizza rivals some of the best I’ve had in NY and NJ. I’ve eaten their plain cheese pizza, the pummarola (vegan, no cheese), and my personal favorite: the cheese pizza with green chile on top. Because of how much I like the regular pizza, I have not tried the Sicilian pie, the lasagna, spaghetti, calzone, stomboli, or other menu items. If I’m ever in the mood, I think they’d be worth trying.
What makes this pizza so good? The crust is thin, but has the perfect balance of crispy and chewy. The sauce is really tasty too, AND most importantly, they use enough of it.
My advice: You really need to eat it there, piping hot from the oven to get the full experience. It’s still great when you carry it out, but you owe it to yourself if you have time, to sit down and at least eat that first slice right away. You will not regret it!

I wanted to update my review, not because my feelings have changed, but because they are still the same three years later.
Giovanni’s is a family owned and operated operation. They genuinely care about the quality of their pizza and the satisfaction of their customers. You can even get hugs from the pizza delivery drivers if you’re feeling a little lonely, or you’re a desperate teenage girl and your delivery driver looks like a rock star (I’ve done it… no shame).
The pizza here is absolutely perfect every single time. The spices, the cheese to sauce ratio, the amount of toppings, the perfect brown on the cheese. Huuuuhhgggnnn. I would have to say it’s one of the best pizzas in Albuquerque. Seriously, the best. It’s not overpriced either, so you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank for a pizza-​night-​in with your family.
The only thing I hate about Giovannis is the location, but whoever said «location, location, location!» was seriously wrong. I would be willing to cross seas, punch angry grizzly bears, or battle rabid raccoons for some of their pizza. Instead, you just have to try not to get hustled by drunks.

Fold your slice and prepare for happiness that only a great slice can give you!
That was going to be my last line, but I think that putting the slice first is the only way to do justice to this review.
Let me begin by saying that while I’ve only just started Unilocaling, I’ve been taking friends & family here for years now and I’ve happily referred a number of people here as well. Everyone has been thrilled with the advice so far. My Uncle in Santa Fe swears by the pizza here and stops in almost every time he’s in town.
Giovanni’s really doesn’t need much talking up. They’ve been around 25 years. They’ve won the 2010 Top Pizza award from Albuquerque the Magazine, Top 100 Pizzas in the Nation awards from Pizza Today and Best Pizza in New Mexico from USA Today. That should be enough for a pizza lover to try it at least once. If you’re talking about true New Yorker pizza, a host of New York transplants have called it the only place to get real New York pizza. This is a point I’ve seen argued to a heated point. Since I’m not from NY, I’ll leave that to those that are. I can only say it’s cool that they’re in Albuquerque. Is it the BEST in New Mexico? You decide.
It’s not cheap, but it’s not chain pizza either. Good crust and good sauce. When I say good crust, I’m saying that as a person who doesn’t usually eat all my crust. Here, I enjoy it because it’s thin and because it’s tasty.
Took my friend and worried that she’d be biased because I read Unilocal reviews aloud as we drove there. Did you ever hear how amazing a movie is supposed to be and then you’re let down because it didn’t live up to the hype? That was my fear. On top of that I had told her that I’d felt like it just wasn’t as great one time I went. All of this was in her head when we arrived. She says it didn’t let her down. She was expecting a bit more from the venue, but later said she was happy about what she’d found. A no frills, old school pizza joint. After all these years I’m always afraid they will have moved because I always think they will close this strip mall down soon. You’ll hear the hype, then drive up and wonder if you’re at the right place. No worries. You are.
As you walk in you’ll see exactly what you’d expect from a place called authentic NY pizza. Red and white checkered tablecloths and floor. One old tv near the counter. The Italian tri-​colored banner hold up the ceiling. The walls are adorned with great reviews of the place, playbills Dana brings back from the shows she’s seen in NY, mirrors, New York Yankee stuff, Italian movie pics and signed photos of the famous who have stopped in. The smell makes me happy every time I walk in.
Head up to the counter and make your choice. Napoli? White Pie? Sicilian? (Better share it) If a calzone is your thing, they really do make a great one here. I stick to thin crust and my toppings vary but I’m always a happy eater. It’s been awhile, but I’ve had luck with the lasagna too. Green chile is warm, but not too hot. Once in awhile I’ll get a Pellegrino here because it reminds me of being abroad.
If you eat in like we did, your pizza or calzone will be on a the metal pie disk and crazy hot from the oven when it arrives. We burned stuff more than a few times enjoying those great bites. We wound up only having two slices to enjoy the next day. Now about that heat, I know people who will tell you it’s better to let it cool a bit so the cheese doesn’t run as much. I’m just glad I get good pizza consistently, because that matters to me. I can’t honestly recall if it was better ‘back when’ or if it was in my head, so I have to let that go.
Oh, my friend? She loved it and was talking about her next visit mid-​meal.
Find ‘em in your Entertainment book or hit the website for coupons. No printer? (or like me you can’t see using a whole sheet of paper & the ink for one coupon) No problem. Their web site has coupons they’ll honor from your phone or tablet. Earth friendly, right? You can even use their Wi-​Fi.
Negatives? Price. Location. No beer. Napkins too small and No Veterans discount, Especially with so many customer coming from the VA & the base. A swing and a miss there. What gives?
You’ll likely see Rosario, the owner. in there. Tell ‘em Eric sent you! (He’ll just have absolutely no clue what your talking about, but that’s just good times.)