Gio Italian Grill — Restaurant in Lower Macungie Township

We are always on the lookout for places that have gluten free options due to my wife's celiac disease. We found Gio after it popped up on our Upside cashback app. Taking a look at the menu, we got really excited because they offered several gluten free options as well as a great selection for me and our child. We placed an order for pickup and went to get it. Unfortunately reality did not match our expectations. First of all, I didn't think it was possible to make bad mozzarella sticks. Today I was proved wrong. What I got was a hard piece of string cheese wrapped in bland breading accompanied by a watery cup of red liquid that faintly reminded me of marina sauce. Followed by a veal parm dinner, that while well portioned, was overcooked, dry and bland (seems to be a trend). Sitting on top of penne that was chewy and swimming in red water (not sauce) that was, you guessed it, bland.

My wife got a chicken parm dinner with gluten free pasta and a piece of grilled chicken. The pasta itself was ok, but the sauce was the same as mine. The piece of chicken looked like half of a leftover chicken breast they butterflied to make paper thin.

I can't review the kid's food, because how reliable is a 3 year old?

Maybe they do better in the restaurant, sitting at a table. But for $66 I expect to at least get close to the same experience, especially when I'm picking it up and but relying on a third party delivery service. Doubtful we give them another shot, definately not for...

From the moment that I walked in the front door, I felt like family at Gio. The place screams warmth and the entire staff made me feel welcome.

Kaileigh, my bartender and tour guide, helped me select a most fantabulous wine, a 2019 Red Blend called Prayers of Sinners that truly lived up to its description of being "deep & dark". The Gio Salad was a perfect mix of greens, protein and fresh goat cheese, and was complimented by a most delicious balsamic vinaigrette.

For my entree I ordered the piccolo version of the Giovanna pizza, and I was not disappointed: A sinfully delectable combination of spicy (thick cut) salami, homemade sausage, hot peppers, San Marazano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and some of the freshest basil I've ever enjoyed!

Because I could not have forgiven myself if I'd left Gio without having dessert, with a little more assistance from Kaileigh I ordered the cannoli, which was presented in such a way that I wanted to appreciate it prior to devouring it. Not only was the shell crispy and crunchy and flavorful, but the filling was unlike any cannoli filling I've ever had. It was almost like they took traditional ricotta/chocolate chip/sugar filling and magically created this creamy delight that makes you want to eat one after another after another.

The coffee was fresh and hot, while the price was right on the money.

I like this place so much that I'd plan my...

I was not impressed. There was a gluten allergy in our party, which was repeated to the waiter. When asking the waiter what options were gluten free, the response was "pick something on the menu you like and I'll tell you if it's okay or not." The gluten-free ziti and plain red marinara sauce was selected. When the food arrived, they weren't at the same time, and the wrong food arrived, including non-gluten free ziti on the order for the gluten allergy. Sure enough, they did realize their mistake, but not before several bites of the non-gluten pasta were eaten. A new order was made, which took considerable time and by when it arrived the other meals were finished. The restaurant comped the ziti with marinara for their mistake. My hope is that they leaned a lesson... A gluten allergy is serious business and eating it can cause some serious health problems. If they are going to advertise gluten-free options, then that means they ought to be aware of celiac disease and how to properly prepare food for a gluten allergy. The waiter was careless. Hopefully he and the rest of the staff received some type of...