Restaurant Review

Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza very well done

By Don Fowler
Posted 4/26/17

Restaurant Review By DON FOWLER Anthony Bruno couldn't find a pizza he liked in Florida, so he got together with his friend Dan Marino (yes, the football legend) and opened Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza. In 10 short years, the concept has grown to 60

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Restaurant Review

Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza very well done

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Anthony Bruno couldn’t find a pizza he liked in Florida, so he got together with his friend Dan Marino (yes, the football legend) and opened Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza.

In 10 short years, the concept has grown to 60 locations, finally arriving in Cranston’s Garden City Shopping Center at 220 Hillside Road. Signs in the attractive restaurant say “Pizza Well Done,” a catchy slogan that sums up its quality and style in three short words.

We asked our friendly waitress what the most popular pizza was, and she quickly answered “The Square Margherita” and now we know why.

Anthony’s style of making pizza begins with fresh dough cooked in a coal oven with well-done, crispy thin crust, the way we enjoyed it growing up in New Haven, Connecticut. The Margherita was topped with fresh mozzarella and plum tomato sauce, with grated Romano cheese and fresh basil to top it off. At $16.99 for a small 12-inch and $19.99 for a large 16-inch, it is as good as it gets.

Other specialties at the same price include White Pizza, Philly Cheesecake, Eggplant Marino and Meatballs and Ricotta.

Traditional pies (sausage, mushrooms, prosciutto, peppers, onions, etc.) are $13.49 and $16.99. In the true Italian tradition, they even have anchovies.

But there’s much more to Anthony’s than coal-fired pizza. We tried their coal oven roasted chicken wings and will never go back to those greasy deep-fried wings again. Served with a generous portion of caramelized onions and focaccia bread, they have a taste that is all their own. And they’re healthy, too. You get 5 for $6.99, 10 for $10.99 and 20 for $18.99.

Now for the coupe de tat: meatballs with ricotta cheese! The meatballs are large, moist and tasty, slowly cooked in their special tomato sauce and served with smooth ricotta cheese. Try two for $6.49 or four for $11.49. You can order a baker’s dozen (13) for $29.95 and take home the pot.

They have a full bar and feature Rhode Island craft beers. For a real treat, try their Spring Fling, a combination of vodka, agave, lemon and lime, basil leaves and who knows what else.

There’s so much more to enjoy at Anthony’s. Eggplant Marino, broccoli rabe & sausage, pork ribs with vinegar peppers, coal oven sandwiches and, for lunch, special sandwiches and salads.

Manager Francesco Cicco, a native of Italy, joined Bruno over 10 years ago and has worked every job in his restaurants from Florida to Massachusetts. He emphasized that all of the restaurant’s ingredients are fresh and prepared on site.

“We have no deep fryers, microwaves or freezers,” he said. “We take pride in our food and its preparation.”

Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza is a welcome addition to Garden City and the State of Rhode Island. It is open Sunday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Their number is 943-1601.

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