Schiano's — Restaurant in Wake Forest

I am originally from NYC but have lived in the RDU area for 33 years. The first thing I do every time I go home to visit family is get a slice of Pizza. Good, NYC pizza is my all-time favorite food, and there is no substitution.

That said, I have a 1970 Mustang, and on most Fridays, my wife and I often look for a restaurant to which we can take a long drive and have a quick, casual dinner. We live in Cary and decided to go to the Wake Forest area for a quick bite somewhere last evening. As we were in the mood for Pizza, we found Schiano's on Google and picked that as our destination. We ordered the Antipasto salad and a 16” pizza with extra cheese, mushrooms, and black olives, and since there were tables that reminded me of the NYC pizza “joints”, we decided to eat in.

What a mistake we made! The salad, which we assumed was for two, HAD to be made for four; it was HUGE, and the salad was not drowning in dressing with just the right mix of oil, vinegar, and Italian herbs and spices. Of course, we ate it all, and THAT was the mistake. The Pizza came out piping hot! I read a review about this restaurant that said there was too much “grease sitting on top” of the pizza. That person must not know what good NYC pizza is; anytime I see oil (it’s NOT grease) on top of a pizza, I know I am in for a treat! It was apparent that Johnny (very personable, we introduced each other and briefly discussed the pizza) used quality cheese. Unfortunately, because we ate all the salad, I could only eat two pieces, and my wife, only one. No matter, we brought it home, and after writing this review, I am hungry for leftovers! We will be back to try more of his food! I think I will try the...

We gave this pizzeria a try today and it have to say it does not hold is own to the others at this time. When I arrived to pick up my pizza the owner and only the owner was working the whole restaurant. I don't know why this is and will not speculate as to why but will only say that I found this highly irregular. Now for the pizza and sides. The pizza was mixed review worth at best. I found the carne pizza tasty and surprisingly less greasy than most others but my wife not so much on the taste part. She said the antipasta salad was good though. The Sicilian pizza was left wanting though. It had somewhat of a crispy bottom crust, probably would have been more so if it weren't for the bucket of grease running out of the box. In both pizza boxes their was no wax paper to keep the pizza from sticking to the box. The garlic knots were not garlic knots because he was out of garlic so I can't really fairly assess them. But I will say I loved the fried mushrooms and so...

Overall Score: 5.9/10 - Cozy and clean small pizza place with a simple online presence and a friendly atmosphere.

Atmosphere: 5.8/10 - The venue is small but very clean, offering a typical dine-in experience expected at a local pizza spot. The kitchen’s cleanliness is notable, contributing to a reassuring dining environment.

Service: 6.0/10 - The staff is friendly and accommodating, although the restaurant relies on third-party services like GrubHub for online ordering, which might not be as convenient as an integrated system. The menu is extensive, providing plenty of options to choose from.

Cheese Pizza: 5.9/10 - This pizza is very cheesy with a taste that stands out. The dough is slightly floppy yet retains some crispiness, striking a balance in texture. However, the char on the undercarriage from the oven detracts slightly from the overall flavor, which could be a downside for those sensitive to burnt tastes. The value is decent for the...