Why We Chose an Open Flame Fire Deck Oven

Hot, hot, hot! That’s what our open flame oven is. And that’s what makes Gio’s pizza taste like what you’d find in Italy.

We follow the Italian tradition of great pizza making. All of our pizza is hand tossed and baked in a Wood Stone “open flame” fire deck oven at 600 degrees. We make our dough from “00” flour, which is milled specifically to cook at the high temperatures of our authentic Italian style oven. When you walk into Gio Italian Grill, you can’t help but notice the warm flames dancing behind the arch of our pizza oven. It is the centerpiece of our restaurant and testament to the authenticity of our pizza. It gives our pizza its signature Gio crust, with just the perfect amount of crunch and chewiness…and bakes it to golden perfection.

The Open Flame Oven

Before proprietors Tony and Giovanna DiMaio opened Gio, they researched the best in Italian cuisine by visiting Italy, where Tony interned with local chefs at a historic restaurant in the heart of Palermo, Sicily. After studying beside true pizzaiolo, Tony began his search for the highest quality brick oven to duplicate the old-world style of cooking. Wood Stone, an “open flame” hearth, was chosen to produce consistent, mouthwatering, authentic pizza.

About Wood Stone

Wood Stone Corporation has more than 13,000 installations in over 75 countries around the world. Wood Stone built its reputation on their family of stone hearth ovens. Their ovens are chosen by pizzaiolos the world over. It is another essential piece of the equation that helps us serve a superior pizza!

Authentic Italian Pizza Made with Imported 00 Flour

We make authentic Italian pizza dough using only the finest “00” flour, imported from Naples, Italy.

We use Imported Caputo “00” flour to make our authentic Italian Pizza

Gio Italian Grill uses only Italian tipo “00” flour, also called doppio zero flour, to make our pizza dough. Why? Because you need real Italian flour to make authentic Italian pizza. In the US, flours are categorized by how much protein they contain. In Italy, they are categorized based on how finely they are ground. “2” flour, which is coarsely ground, is at one end of the continuum, and “00” flour, which is powder-fine, is at the other end. The “00” flour we use to make our dough is the finest grind available, and gives our dough an incredible super-smooth texture. In the United States, fine grinds of flour, like cake and pastry flours, tend to be low in protein. The Italian “00” flour that we use, contains over 12% protein, much like all-purpose flour. This yields extremely workable dough that produces great crust with a thin layer of crispness, a nice airy hole structure, and just a bit of chewiness. Just like maestri pizzaioli the world over, Gio creates authentic Italian pizza using imported Caputo “00” Pizzeria flour to make all of our pizza dough. Caputo “00” Pizzeria flour is additive free and all natural. It is a proprietary blend of the best wheat available on the global market. If you want to try authentic Italian pizza, made with dough just like they use in Italy, visit Gio Italian Grill today. We offer the basic Margherita, made with just sauce and cheese, as well as a wide variety of authentic toppings, or a choice of several Gio specialties. Gio Italian Grill: An authentic taste of Italy in the Lehigh Valley

Voted Best Pizza in the Lehigh Valley – AGAIN!

You voted us the best pizza in the Lehigh Valley!

Thank you! For the third consecutive year, Gio Italian Grill won the Lehigh Valley Style’s Decadent Dish award for Favorite Gourmet Pizza! Thank you for voting for us! Once again, you have told us that we make the best pizza in the Lehigh Valley!

Gio Italian Grill - Best Pizza in the Lehigh Valley

Why We Make the Best Pizza in the Lehigh Valley

We pride ourselves on serving authentic, open-flame pizza made with the finest, freshest ingredients. We follow the Italian tradition of great pizza making. All of our pizza is hand tossed and baked in an authentic Woodstone “open flame” hearth at 600 degrees. Our dough is made from “00” flour, imported from Italy. Our Margherita (Gio’s plain pizza) is topped with San Marzano D.O.P. tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, Pecorino Romano cheese, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, sea salt and basil. We proudly do not add sugar to our sauce or dough. Along with our original Margherita, we offer a variety of toppings including salami picante, homemade sausage, wild mushrooms, gorgonzola cheese, Kalamata olives, Caramelized Onions, and our own Nonna’s meatballs. If you really want something wonderful, try one of our specialty pizzas like the Giovanna (salami picante, homemade sausage, hot peppers, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella & basil), the Campania (goat cheese, pear, extra virgin olive oil & arugula) or the Tonino (ricotta cheese, spinach, red onion, pancetta & extra virgin olive oil) Gio brings a taste of real authentic Italian pizza to the Lehigh Valley. If you haven’t tried one of Gio’s famous pizzas, order one today! We serve fresh, hot pizza, right out of the “open flame” oven during lunch and dinner. Our pizza is also available for take-out. Just give us a call and we’ll have one ready for you. An authentic taste of Italy in the Lehigh Valley

Gio Wins Two Decadent Dish Awards for 2013

Winner decadent dish award 2013 favorite pizza

Authentic Italian pizza, hot from our “open flame” oven.

We are excited to announce that Gio Italian Grill been named the winner of two (YES, TWO!) Decadent Dish awards from Lehigh Valley Style! We were voted “Favorite Pizza” and Neighborhood Favorite”.

Two Decadent Dish Awards

Thank you to everyone who voted for us! We are thrilled to be the Lehigh Valley’s favorite pizza makers! We take incredible pride in every pizza we make; from the “00” imported flour we start with for our crust to the fresh basil we sprinkle on top, every pizza is made with the finest ingredients. Our maestri pizzaioli hand tosses every crust and bakes each pizza at 600 degrees in our open flame oven. Also thank you for telling us the we are your Neighborhood Favorite! We love it when our customers feel like family! We work hard to make sure that everyone who walks through the door feels welcome. Visit us today to find out why we are the Lehigh Valley’s 2013 Favorite Pizza and 2013 Neighborhood Favorite! Gio Italian Grill: An authentic taste of Italy in the Lehigh Valley

The Vote’s Are In: Gio Makes Your Favorite Pizza 2012!

Tony makes a Quattro Gusti pizza. Image courtesy of Lehigh Valley Style.

Gio Italian Grill has won the 2012 Lehigh Valley Style Decadent Dish award for Favorite Pizza! Have you checked out this month’s issue of Lehigh Valley Style? If you did, you already know that they love our pizza! If not, here’s what they had to say:

It starts with hand tossed dough made from 100-percent wheat flour imported from Italy. Then it’s topped with San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and basil. And that’s just the plain pizza at Gio Italian Grill. Owners Tony and Giovanna DiMaio know a thing or two about creating the perfect pie. Both were involved in family restaurants and born to Sicilian parents. They’re a couple who love food and sharing it with their neighbors and friends. After cooking alongside chefs in Palermo, Sicily, Tony returned home (with recipes in hand) and began his search for a high quality brick oven like the ones he encountered in the old world-style of cooking. He found an open flame hearth, while Giovanna imported authentic ingredients and wines, and the rest is history. Together, they’ve created an irresistible marriage of crispy thin crust and savory toppings you know were combined with love. Perhaps that’s why the Salami picante, homemade sausage, hot pepper and fresh mozzarella pizza is called the Giovanna.

Thank to everyone who voted for us! We are proud to make the Lehigh Valley’s favorite pizza.