Grappa: Try Italy’s Elixir

Ask about our fine selection of Grappa.

Grappa is a uniquely Italian drink.

Gio Italian Grill offers a variety of fine after-dinner spirits. Grappa, an Italian tradition, is one selection we think every Italian cuisine lover should try. Some consider it an acquired taste, but like most Italians, we LOVE it. Traditionally Grappa is made from pomace, the discarded grape seeds, stalks and stems that are a by-product of the winemaking process. It has a fruity nose (smell) and first taste. It is a strong spirit that, because of being distilled from the pomace, carries more intense flavors from the grapes. Sometimes considered an “acquired taste,” something popular only in Italy, it has become known around the world. An alcoholic beverage, Grappa contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume (70 to 120 US proof). It has been part of Italian culture since the Middle Ages, originally made in Bassano del Grappa, a town in Italy’s northern Veneto region. It is from here that Grappa gets its name. Traditionally, Grappa is served (at room temperature or chilled) in small glasses and enjoyed after the meal. Many Italians believe that it aids in digestion. Grappa should be swirled gently in the glass and then brought to your nose before tasting. It should then be tasted in small sips. If you’ve never tried it, you’re in for a treat. It’s a fiery, but tasty liquor, perfect for a cool winter night. Enjoy it while you sit at our bar or lean back and sip one after your meal. Gio proudly offers Mazzetti di Barbera & Sassicaia, made by one of the most prestigious grappa producers in Italy, as well as several other varieties. Ask your bartender or server about our fine selection or take a look at our bar menu. An authentic taste of Italy in the Lehigh Valley.

We’re Celebrating Our Anniversary by Giving YOU a Gift!

It’s our Anniversary! Gio Italian Grill has been serving the Lehigh Valley for nine years! And we are celebrating by giving YOU a gift…or two or three. Thanks to you, we are celebrating our ninth outstanding year of serving authentic Italian cuisine, unique cocktails, and decadent desserts! And thanks to you, we are celebrating our ninth year of welcoming friends and neighbors for real open-flame pizza, made with imported flour and San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and NO sugar added! YUM! And thanks to you, our loyal customers, we are celebrating our ninth year of creating exciting, gourmet specials with a unique Gio twist. So thank you! Thank you for sharing none years of authentic great food and great friends with us! To celebrate, we will be giving YOU a gift. Once again, for every visit you make Monday-Thursday this April, you will receive a sealed envelope* with a special offer inside which is redeemable in May. Best of all, every envelope is a winner! Here’s a list of some of the prizes…

Gift Cards for $100, $50, $25
VIP Pass- 10 or 15 % off every bill valid May & June
1/2 price bottle wine
A pizza a month for nine months.
Mini cannoli
Free dessert
Free Soda, coffee or tea
Free Cappucino or espresso
Free side dish
and many more…

We look forward to serving you this April and all year! Thank you again! *Envelopes cannot be combined with any other offers. Cannot be used on holidays. One envelope per table, per visit Monday-Thursday during April 2016. Upon your next visit in May bring your sealed envelope to redeem the prize. Envelopes are invalid if not opened at Gio by May 31, 2016. Envelopes expire May 31, 2016 with the exception of lunch, 1/2 price wine, and VIP pass offers.

Welcome Spring!

And welcome our new Spring drink specials. Stop in soon to celebrate the warmer weather and the longer days with one of our new seasonal specialty drinks. Each one will make you that much happier that Spring has sprung.

- Seasonal Specialties
- Seasonal Sangria (Red)
  8.5
  
  Please ask your server
- Cocktail for 2
  12
  
  Hendrick's Gin, muddled cucumbers, St. Germaine, club soda
- Summer Mimosa
  8.5
  
  Sparkling white wine, Peach vodka, splash of OJ
- Black Cherry Old Fashioned
  10
  
  Maker's Mark bourbon soaked black cherries, bitters, orange twist
- Fusion-tini
  10
  
  Watermelon + Rosemary infused vodka, triple sec, splash of cranberry

Enjoy the Spirits of the Season

We know it hasn’t felt much like winter yet this year, but we also know it’s coming. Before long there is bound to be snow on the ground. Whether you are excited or dreading it, one that that we can all agree on is that Gio Winter Cocktails will help everyone enjoy the season a little bit more. Stop in and warm up with our winter spirits tonight!

Pomegranate Mimosa Sparkling white wine, PAMA liqueur
Winter Sangria (Red) Cranberry, cinnamon, apple
Hot Peppermint Patty DORDA double chocolate liqueur, peppermint schnapps with choice of coffee or hot chocolate
Sugarplum Cosmopolitan Pearl plum vodka, triple sec, cranberry, fresh lime, sugar-rimmed
Winter Wonderland Bastille French whiskey, Orchata cream rum, splash eggnog on the rocks

The Flavors of Fall

Fall…the days start off brisk, but turn sunny and warm. The leaves are just turning color. You’ve once again dug out your favorite sweaters. It’s a season that evokes thoughts of hayrides and campfires. The images around you are full of reds, yellows, and oranges, and you are beginning to crave those unmistakable fall flavors that fill you with warmth. Fall is a season brimming with distinctive, aromatic spices. For our Flavors of Fall drink specials we’ve gathered a bounty of autumn flavors – like pumpkin pie and apple cider — and married them with staples from our well-stocked bar, to create five new seasonal specials. Chase away the chill with The Sicilian, a warm and embracing mixture of Maker’s Mark bourbon and Amaretto or bring back memories of childhood with our Pumpkin Pie Martini. Share flavors of the season with our Cobbler for two, or toast the falling leaves with a fresh Apple Cider Mimosa. And don’t forget to try our famous seasonal sangria…a Gio favorite!

- Seasonal Specialties
- Seasonal Sangria (Red)
  8.5
  
  Please ask your server
- Cocktail for 2
  12
  
  Hendrick's Gin, muddled cucumbers, St. Germaine, club soda
- Summer Mimosa
  8.5
  
  Sparkling white wine, Peach vodka, splash of OJ
- Black Cherry Old Fashioned
  10
  
  Maker's Mark bourbon soaked black cherries, bitters, orange twist
- Fusion-tini
  10
  
  Watermelon + Rosemary infused vodka, triple sec, splash of cranberry

The Password for Unique Summer Cocktails is…Gio

Prohibition may have ended in 1933, but prohibition-style cocktails are making a comeback. In 1919, the US government created a law, which criminalized the manufacture and sale of alcohol for 13 very — very— long years. Prohibition resulted in a stratospheric rise of bootlegging and some very innovative new cocktails. To mask the unpleasant taste of bootlegged spirits, Prohibition-era bartenders were required to get a bit creative. They mixed in sweeteners, bitters and other flavor-enhancers, and a world of new cocktails was born. Some of these cocktails have fallen by the wayside. Others have stepped back into the spotlight, thanks to a recent rise in speakeasy-style bars across the world. Gio is embracing this new fad in mixology with our own Prohibition-style Italian Martini, La Cola Nostra, unique cocktail that celebrates the sweet and bitter combination of flavors that characterized jazz-era cocktails. La Cola Nostra (Italian prohibition-style martini) Amaro Averna, Gosling’s Black Rum, lemon, lime, simple syrup, sparkling wine

Summer Cocktails

To celebrate Summer, we also added a few more fun and refreshing cocktails to our menu…Salute ! Tropical Shandy Peroni Italian pilsner with OR-G tropical liqueur in a highball Pomegranite-Cinnamon Margarita Cuervo Cinge, PAMA, lime, sours in a highball Coco-tini Pearl coconut vodka, DORDA double chocolate liqueur St-Germaine Cocktail for 2 Sparkling white wine, St. Germaine Elderflower, club soda, lemon wedge in a mini carafe

Gio Spring Cocktails Are Here

We made it! Spring has almost sprung!

Yes, there’s still snow on the ground, but we know it’s coming. Before long robins will be bobbing about, we’ll be able to see the ground again and flowers will begin to emerge from the earth. It’s coming! We can taste it…and so can you! Just stop in and order any of our special seasonal cocktails; a taste of Spring that will get you ready (like you’re not, right) for the season.

Our Seasonal Cocktails

Spring Mimosa Sparkling white wine, Aperol Italian orange liqueur The mimosa is a refreshing springtime favorite! We put a Gio spin on this classic by substituting Aperol Italian liqueur for the traditional orange juice. Aperol is an Italian orange liqueur. It has become Italy’s most popular light spirit. Seasonal Sangria (Red) This traditional European drink reminds us all that warmer weather is coming! Sangria is a typical beverage from Spain and Portugal. It normally consists of wine, chopped fruit, a sweetener, and a small amount of added brandy. For a Gio twist, we add grapes and fresh pears! Tropical Passion-Tini OR-G tropical vodka, Absolut Citron, Champagne float as Martini This Gio original is a sexy martini with a tropical splash of OR-G tropical vodka, a tempting blend of Ultra-Premium Vodka and Persimmon mingling with Papaya, Mango and Lime Juices. Peach Cobbler Peach vodka, Peach Schnapps, Sprite in highball glass Another Gio original, the peach cobbler will make you salivate for everything Spring has to offer. The sweet flavor is a perfect toast to the warmer temperatures that will soon be embracing us. If you love all things sweet, this cocktail is sure to be an instant favorite. Cool as a Cucumber REYKA Icelandic vodka, St. Germaine Elderflower, muddled mint and cucumber This sophisticated cocktail will make you feel like you’re sitting on our patio taking in the beautiful Spring air…even if there is still snow on the ground. Cool, clear REYKA Icelandic vodka mixed with the bright and fragrant flavor of St. Germaine Elderflower and made even cooler with the addition of mint and cucumber. You can’t get any cooler than this!

Their First Bellini…with Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey “photobombs” Gio proprietors Giovanna and Tony DiMaio

Every couple has a wonderful or funny or quirky memory from their honeymoon, right? For Tony and Giovanna, that memory involves a Bellini, the famous IL San Pietro restaurant in Positano Italy and the even more famous Oprah Winfrey! It was the year 2000, and Tony and Giovanna were honeymooning in Positano, Italy. The couple had reservations to dine at Hotel Il San Pietro’s Michelin star restaurant, which serves the finest traditional regional and Italian haute cuisine. They were welcomed and escorted to their table. On the way, they heard a voice they recognized, speaking English. It seems someone and her friends had been seated at one of the worst tables in the restaurant, and the friends weren’t happy. The “voice” belonged to Oprah Winfrey, and she was very graciously telling her friends that the table was lovely, and they should enjoy their meal. It seems that no one at Hotel Il San Pietro recognized her, and she was rather enjoying it! On the other hand, the staff could not have been kinder to Tony and Giovanna! They talked with them in Italian, a language both had grown up speaking. When they learned that Tony was a pizzaiolo and that the two were on their honeymoon, they treated him like the celebrity, even taking him on a tour of their kitchen and famous wood oven.

How They Met Oprah

When Tony and Giovanna asked their waiter to take a photo of the two of them, Oprah thought they were trying subtly to get a picture of her (maybe a little). She waved in the background. The inadvertent “photobomb” got everyone chatting! Tony and Giovanna were able to help Oprah translate the menu. They helped the group of ladies order, and they shared stories of their travels and shopping in Capri. Oprah asked Tony to teach her a few Italian sayings. One was “God bless you”- Dio di Benedici“.

Oprah winfrey sent bellinis to say thank you

Giovanna and Tony with Oprah and her friends.

As a thank you, Oprah sent over two Bellinis. Though the drink had been invented by founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy sometime between 1934 and 1948, the couple had never tasted it nor even heard of it. But hey certainly enjoyed them!

What is a Bellini?

A Bellini cocktail is a mixture of Prosecco sparkling wine and peach purée or nectar. This cocktail originated in Venice, Italy. It is very similar to its better-known cousin, the mimosa, which is orange juice and champagne. Today, there are many versions of the Bellini and the Mimosa. To celebrate Valentine’s day, and Tony and Giovanna’s special memories from Positano, Gio Italian Grill will be featuring a special raspberry mimosa all weekend. The special Gio Mimosa is a delightful combination of sparkling white wine with Chambord in a champagne flute.

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