Gia Pronto

 

6

7

Emma A.

Philadelphia, PA

Great for a healthy lunch on the go. I probably stop here about once a week. Lots of local and organic food, and finally they recycle, which is great considering all the places around here that DON'T! The salad choices are extensive and always fresh. And the paninis are full of cheezy gooey goodness. The petite girls behind the counters can be snooty, but all in all a high recommendation.

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Elite '08

22

34

Chad T.

Philadelphia, PA

Outstanding coffee- Agent Cooper would be delighted.
Their salads and sandwiches look amazing, too.  

For those in or from the Bay Area, Gia Pronto somewhat reminds me of Mixt Greens on Bush Street (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), but with sandwiches and coffee.

I'll definitely be back.

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Elite '08

37

338

Chi N.

New York, NY

i never eat salad... i never crave salad... but i have to admit when this place opened up on campus, i kinda fell in love with it... it had so many variations of ingredients that i never really got sick of it... and it really was fresh...

i would always grab a small mixed wild salad... and throw in smoked salmon, egg, raisins, roasted red peppers, alfafa sprouts, some other ingredients... drench in some kinda rasberry vinagrette... and meet up my boyfriend to split that sucker with a free piece of bread with butter...

healthy lunches always a plus!  haven't really been able to find a place like this in ny either...

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16

223

Coco D.

San Francisco, CA

You know, I wanted to give this place a bad rating, because I was part of the opening staff for this store, and it totally fucking sucked to work there, but from the outside I guess I can now appreciate that it was pretty well run.  Marco is definitely a perfectionist, dedicated to doing things the right way always, having great service, and keeping things clean.  Yeah, it's kind of pricy, but it's worth it to know that everything in the back is just as pristine as it is in the front.

The food is really fucking good too.  It's one of the few places in Philly that reminded me a lot of SF in terms of caring about sourcing of ingredients.  Also, Marco was a freaking NAZI about the foam we made at the barista station.  So expect to have well made espresso drinks here.

So I guess my vote is YAY if you want to eat there, but BOO if you want to work there,

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24

248

Kimberly P.

Philadelphia, PA

Gia Pronto changed my life. Really. This little caf allows you to create your own made to order salads that are ten times better than any Saladworks that I've been too. They have creative toppings such as dried pineapple along with the traditional toppings. You get to choose between regular salad greens and romaine, then fill out exactly what you want on a little slip and they let you know when your salad is done. It's as simple as that. Their paninnis are also life altering. The bread and filling perfectly compliment each other and you get a good amount for they price that you pay.

The atmosphere, very simplistic and slightly retro with the metal stools and tables, also adds to the delicious flavor of this little caf. If you are ever in the University City area or Downtown. Stop by. I dare you. Just prepare for a life altering experience. .

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Elite '08

13

102

Lauren H.

Pittsburgh, PA

Right in the heart of Penn's campus. The place has a nice, retro cafe feel to it, as most of the eatery joints around Penn do. I had the mozzarella and prosciutto panini, which was delicious. The coffee is quite good too. Service was fairly quick and the prices weren't that cheap (this is Penn, after all), but reasonable.

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1

19

Kim J.

Philadelphia, PA

Mostly, I just get coffee (brewed fresh constantly, beans mainly from La Colombe) in the mornings. They are kind enough to give you steamed milk if you ask, and don't charge extra for it. The croissants are flaky, buttery and delicious. I'm not sure what they put in the cupcakes but I could easily eat half a dozen of them.

The food is pricey but it's very high quality. They use hormone-free meats (if you're into that sort of thing), and everything is on very tasty bread. My favorite sandwich is the mozzarella and tomato panini, which also has a few mushrooms interspersed here and there. The sandwiches have interesting ingredients that go well together.

There are tons and tons of delicious things you can add to the pre-packed lettuce bowls (that morning, mind you, and with spring mix or baby spinach-- none of that nasty iceberg stuff). This can add up quickly so be careful! There are the standard salad bar type things but also more fancy additions like dried figs and roasted red pepper.

Marco, the owner, may be the most genuinely happy and friendly person I have ever met (unless he's hiding a mean streak somewhere). He always has a smile on his face and if he happens to be in the shop he will greet you cheerfully and make your coffee drink himself. Let him-- he knows what he's doing.

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0

4

CATHY D.

PA

I visited the Center City location on Market and 20th:

In a city where hoagies and cheesesteaks rein supreme, it's been difficult finding the perfect panini. The paninis I had at Paninoteca and Felinni were good, but nothing special.

Thank goodness for Gi Pronto! The roast beef panini was stellar and definitely worth writing home about (or maybe just blogging about).

I only have two requirements for panini: 1. the bread must be toasted and feature grill marks 2. the cheese needs to be melted. My roast beef panini came through on both points. Additionally, the sandwich's ingredients were top-notch featuring only 100% natural ingredients and hormone-free meat.

The Ciabatta was perfectly toasted and sturdy. The cheddar cheese had a deliciously strong flavor. The grilled red onions added a layer of sweetness, while the chipotle mayonnaise added some kick. The roast beef, seasoned with salt and pepper, was naturally flavorful. My only complaint was the wilted romaine lettuce. Perhaps the sandwich artists should add the romaine post-toasting to avoid soggy greens. Overall, an outstanding sandwich. I'll be back.

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