Artuzzi's Italian Kitchen

Review by Shannon Bradford

My friend Gina and I were hankering for some Italian fare so we decided to try Artuzzi's Italian Kitchen located on Hwy. 92 near I-575 in the same shopping center as our last week's review resturant "Firehouse Subs" (near Kinko's). Let me just say that we were NOT disappointed.

Artuzzi's is really unique and they can only be found in the Atlanta area. (They call it Italian With A Twist) They serve fresh, healthy Italian food quickly. It's not "fast food" but it is served to you quickly. It is also much more moderately priced than some of the more expensive Italian resturants and tastes just as fresh and delicious. Don't be surprised when your food is being cooked with a flame under the sautee' pan. And, yes, you can watch them do it because they have an open kitchen area.

Artuzzi's lends an atmosphere of fun to your dining experience. It's artfully decorated in a modern way with great lighting, lovely tile floors and contrasting paint colors. Seating is spacious and there are plenty of loyal staff members (who have worked there since they first opened 2 years ago) cleaning and serving throughout the dining room.

The tone was set when we arrived as we were greeted by a very sweet, smiling girl, Tammy. She was ready to walk us through the menu, which included pasta, pizzas, sandwiches and salads. Their most popular dish is their Lasagna followed closely by pasta (of your choice) with the Bosco Sauce. (sliced chicken, roasted mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, garlic, scallion, fresh basil, Marsalla wine, cream, chicken stock, Parmesan & Romano cheese.) Is your mouth watering? They also serve beer, wine and some delicious looking desserts. See?

Brian Hazen, who co-owns Artuzzi's with Crawford Humphreys, informed us that not only do they serve fresh food to their walk-in customers, but they also cater and are about to launch delivery service (within a 3 mile radius). I am sure this will absolutely delight the local businesses nearby.

After placing our order of Cheese Ravioli in Bolognese Sauce and a Chopped Mozzamato Salad, we found a comfortable booth near the back and got our drinks from the soft drink bar. Although there was a good crowd of people enjoying Artuzzi's for lunch, there was plenty of comfortable seating - even enough to accomodate several large groups that were dining together.

When our food was brought to us, it looked as delicious as it tasted. And nobody on the staff failed to ask us if we needed anything or offer a friendly smile. That's because they pay their employees a full wage and tipping is optional. Still, many customers leave tips because they feel (as I did) that the service was worth it! Gina even left with a To-Go cup of her favorite soft drink so it didn't go to waste.

If you have not yet tried Artuzzi's Italian Kitchen, may I recommend it to you? They are open for lunch and dinner so you can decide when you want to try something fresh and new. Our lunch was a wonderful dining experience - one that will earn Artuzzi's two new loyal customers. And when you do stop by, tell them that the Bradford's sent you!