Growing up in Peoria, Illinois, the go-to Italian restaurant was Avanti’s Ristorante. They’re best known for their gondola sandwiches and brag about being an “American Success Story.” Gallina’s has a similarly rich history, with the two Gallina brothers, Tony and Joe, founding the restaurant in 1978. Gallina’s has been family-owned and operated since.
Walking into the establishment, the first thing you notice is the ambience with dim lighting, checkered flooring and strong Italian decorations. A wall case holds a respectable drink selection, from bottled water, soda and juices to beer and wine. I arrived too late to try to the lunch special, which ends at 2:30 p.m., but was told by my friend R, who accompanied me, it’s definitely worth the purchase. It consists of two slices of pizza (a limited selection of types) with a regular drink. The menu additionally offers daily meal specials.
R ended up only having his usual drink (Diet Coke) while I ended up ordering a lasagna, garlic bread, a regular coke and a tiramisu dessert. My total came to just under $22, which to me is a steal. A single gondola back home costs almost $10 when tax is added on. It arrived within a small casserole dish, baked fresh with homemade garlic bread seasoned heavily and bubbling still from the oven.
The garlic bread not only was homemade but the amount was considerably generous, with both a crispy outer crust and a soft inner layer soaked richly in oil. I do recommend if you get these items together, to dip the garlic bread in the tomato sauce from the lasagna. It highlights the ingredients on the bread well, though it can be rather filling. The lasagna itself, once cooled, was flavorful, fresh and seasoned well. The cheese is stringy and sweet while the sauce is rich and tangy. It’s the closest to home-cooked lasagna I’ve had in years since my foster parents occasionally would put the work in to make it. I’d recommend considering a salad next time for an appetizer if you’re watching calories such as I am. I ended up taking most of the lasagna to-go, along with the last slice of garlic bread. The tiramisu was extremely sweet, and perfectly spongy (which is my personal preference) and its flavors were well evened out.
Overall, I’ll be returning to give Gallina’s my future business. I would recommend that before ordering, you glance at the menu due to how it’s posted above the counter, which can be hard to read. My other recommendation is to circle the block to locate parking, though there is parking behind the building, which will give one simply a short walk up the alleyway.