Between the smells of spaghetti sauce and meatball subs wafting from the kitchen, the stained glass lights, and the service that makes you feel right at home, when you go to Vinny’s Italian Grill & Pizza on Garrisonville Road, you are immediately greeted with the atmosphere of an authentic Italian restaurant. That’s what I experienced when my family and I had dinner there last Saturday. 

Our waiter, Jonathan, who has over thirteen years of experience at Vinny’s, was extremely helpful and energetic. He was very friendly but not overly so. The menu was well laid out, easy to read, and extensive with subs, soups, salads, and specials. The restaurant was very clean and very inviting. Depending on how many people are there, they may let you pick from the selection of open tables, including the ones outside. 

While ordering, you are served with a couple of baskets of garlic bread which can range from extremely crunchy to very soft depending on your request. If these don’t fit your liking, you can get an extra appetizer such as mozzarella sticks or spinach dip that can range from $4.50 to $10.00.

On my latest trip to Vinny’s, I chose the Parmesan Meatball Sub – meatballs mixed in with their tomato sauce, warm, stringy mozzarella cheese, on a toasted sub roll. This will make my Italian grandmother upset to read, but those were some of the best meatballs I have ever eaten. 

My sister got the Mediterranean Sausage Stromboli, which she loved. The meal was so big that she wasn’t able to finish and proceeded to bring the rest home. She described it as a crunchy shell of dough with Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese. My brother got a Margarita pizza which was a mozzarella cheese pizza topped with tomatoes, basil, and parmesan cheese. My dad got the Chicken Florentine Calzone. His calzone was crunchy dough casing with stringy cheese, chicken chunks, and cooked mushrooms.

The homemade crispy, salty, fresh-cut potato chips were to-die-for but were even better when dipped in the homemade ranch dressing. 

On my first visit to Vinny’s, I got their Philly Steak Sub which was made up of evenly cut and seasoned steak slices topped with melted mozzarella cheese on a toasted sub roll. The caramelized onions were so mouth-watering that I, someone who doesn’t like onions, was searching for more. Between the crunchy bun, the juicy steak pieces, and all the freshly cut onions and peppers on top, it was close to one of the best sandwiches I had ever eaten.

After finishing our meals, we got to choose from their homemade gelato menu with over ten flavors, including but not limited to, Sea Salt Caramel, Strawberry Cheesecake, and Mint Chocolate Chip. Don’t worry if you can’t choose which flavor you want, you can ask for samples of different flavors. Also exclusively at the Garrisonville location is a banquet hall that can be reserved for special events, and hold up to one hundred people. 

The pricing on these meals is very affordable for the quality and amount of food. Their soups and salads range in price from $4.25 to $9.50. You can get your very own pizza for $9.95 to $17.95 and a sub for $7.95 to $8.95. You can get some Vinny’s at 397 Garrisonville Rd, Stafford, VA 22554 during 11 AM to 9 PM on weekdays, 11:30 AM 9 PM on Sundays, and 11 AM to 10 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.