Best Italian in Jacksonville, GO!

[spuwho]

I agreed with Stephen, this was the better of the Carabbas to eat at.

I was just there last Monday, and only noticed the portions had shrunk.

As to the nomenclature "underperforming", many times it means alcohol to food sales ratios were getting too low.

Its the same reason Tony Roma's left, same for Johnny Carinos, most of the O Charleys, Don Pablos and a host of other "themed" chains.

The booz drinkers are moving up and this leaves mid-tier chains like Carabbas struggling to get them back in.

I was at Seasons 52 2 weeks ago on a Tuesday, place was full, bar was full and there were glasses of wine on almost every table. Not so at Carabbas.

[bencrix]

I like Primi Piatti - it does a good job of approximating my experience of Italian food in Italy, which, in my opinion, is far from being haute cuisine, but rather consists of fresh ingredients, prepared simply, but w/ utmost attention to craft. As I said, I think Primi does a good job of *approximating* that feature of italian cuisine which I imagine is actually very hard to replicate in the U.S., given how we tend to process our food.

I've yet to find pizza here that replicates the Italian experience - I think the environment must have a bigger impact on perception of taste than one might imagine - but the wood fired pizza that is intermittently found at the Art's Market comes closest.

[Adam White]

I like Primi Piatti - it does a good job of approximating my experience of Italian food in Italy, which, in my opinion, is far from being haute cuisine, but rather consists of fresh ingredients, prepared simply, but w/ utmost attention to craft. As I said, I think Primi does a good job of *approximating* that feature of italian cuisine which I imagine is actually very hard to replicate in the U.S., given how we tend to process our food.

I've yet to find pizza here that replicates the Italian experience - I think the environment must have a bigger impact on perception of taste than one might imagine - but the wood fired pizza that is intermittently found at the Art's Market comes closest.

Italian pizza is nice, but I'd rather have an NYC slice any day.

[Captain Zissou]

I've yet to find pizza here that replicates the Italian experience - I think the environment must have a bigger impact on perception of taste than one might imagine - but the wood fired pizza that is intermittently found at the Art's Market comes closest.

I didn't have a great pizza experience in Italy.  I ordered it a few times and it wasn't great, so I switched to other items which were fantastic.  I think V Pizza is as good as any I had while I was in Italy.

[PeeJayEss]

I didn't have a great pizza experience in Italy.  I ordered it a few times and it wasn't great, so I switched to other items which were fantastic.  I think V Pizza is as good as any I had while I was in Italy.

[remc86007]

I've yet to find pizza here that replicates the Italian experience - I think the environment must have a bigger impact on perception of taste than one might imagine - but the wood fired pizza that is intermittently found at the Art's Market comes closest.

I didn't have a great pizza experience in Italy.  I ordered it a few times and it wasn't great, so I switched to other items which were fantastic.  I think V Pizza is as good as any I had while I was in Italy.

I had the same experience in Italy, I ordered pizza three times and wasn't impressed. I was most impressed by the seafood in the coastal areas.

[remc86007]

theres a lot of shit pizza in Italy particularly in the larger cities, but that's a bit like an Italian guy spending a week in our vast country and then saying he couldn't find a good cheeseburger even though there are burger joints everywhere

Yep, I'm sure you're right and there is good pizza there. I was just surprised that the places that the various hotel concierges were suggesting as the best around were, in my opinion, so mediocre.

On that note, I wonder what a concierge at a Jacksonville 4 or 5 star hotel would recommend for Italian food.

[Adam White]

I've had good pizza in Italy. But I just prefer the Americanized version. Perhaps it's because I get it so rarely now - but there's nothing like a slice of cheese pizza, NYC style.

[spuwho]

Big deal - another link in a corporate chain bites the dust.  Read Arbus about all the locally owned very good restaurants and patronize them.

my thoughts as well.  carrabbas is fine, pretty enjoyable and consistent. But I could never understand what elevated this one so much in particular.

but this highlights why chains suck.  in no way a member of the community.  when a couple of performance metrics move into unacceptable territory some exec from HQ shuts er down.

With you on that. Why that one stood out I dont know. I went to other Carrabbas, but for some reason we always came back to Regency.

Its like my Red Robin experiences on another thread. Some do well, some are really bad.

As far as pizza goes, I am a Giordanos/Lou Malnati's deep dish guy.

I like all kinds of pizza, NYC, Silicilian, etc. But Chicago style deep dish makes it. I have yet to find a decent one in Jax yet. Still waiting.

[Gators312]

Big deal - another link in a corporate chain bites the dust.  Read Arbus about all the locally owned very good restaurants and patronize them.

my thoughts as well.  carrabbas is fine, pretty enjoyable and consistent. But I could never understand what elevated this one so much in particular.

but this highlights why chains suck.  in no way a member of the community.  when a couple of performance metrics move into unacceptable territory some exec from HQ shuts er down.

With you on that. Why that one stood out I dont know. I went to other Carrabbas, but for some reason we always came back to Regency.

Its like my Red Robin experiences on another thread. Some do well, some are really bad.

As far as pizza goes, I am a Giordanos/Lou Malnati's deep dish guy.

I like all kinds of pizza, NYC, Silicilian, etc. But Chicago style deep dish makes it. I have yet to find a decent one in Jax yet. Still waiting.

You not a fan of Carmine's deep dish?

[Bativac]

You not a fan of Carmine's deep dish?

Carmine's is definitely not bad. I do not need to go back but they're on par with the Giordano's in Orlando. They can't touch the one in Chicago.

My wife is from Italy and, of course, so is her mom. A small island off the coast. We brought her mom down a few years ago and took her to a handful of Italian restaurants. Her favorite? .....Olive Garden. No contest. Same with her mom's sister.

Go figure!!

[Snaketoz]

I really believe that most of the food eaten by us Americans in restaurants here in the states has been so "Americanized" that we don't really know what it's like to eat authentic Italian, Chinese, Mexican, or almost any other food.  I've eaten pizza in N.Italy and it was nothing more than a great piece of dough with tomatoes, basil, oregano, and sprinkled cheese.  Very minimalist by our standards.  It was delicious.  I bet most Chinese would give a puzzled look if you asked for chop suey.  Often times the people who live in the countries we try to copy would love a big Carmine's pizza.  We taken products of others and have shaped it to fit American tastes.  Not wrong, just different.  Best Mexican food I ever ate was in Victoria, British Columbia!  Can hardly wait to get back to Scandinavia for a dish of Haagen-Dazs. (Of course I'm kidding)

[coredumped]

My apologies in advance for posting buzz feed, but if these people are all Italian, you can see how tastes differ even among "real Italians."

https://youtube.com/v/UVyhE3-_lCM

[Adam White]

The most popular frozen pizza in Italy is made by a German company called Dr Oetker.

People are people. What's the most popular American restaurant? Whatever it is, would you consider it a good example of American food? The idea that something is good because "real" (insert nationality here) like it is foolish. What's popular isn't always what's best. And "best" can be very subjective.

[Live_Oak]

taste is taste, but Carmines!  any place that puts canned or nonfresh veges on pizza is out for me.  maybe that's changed in recent years though

how that place stays in business less than a couple miles from moon river, mellow, and v

on par with als, maybe.

they clearly got some secret though because lolas is even worse

Totally agree. I felt like I was the only one.