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| - Two pizza places arrived in this area of Urbana recently- Rosati's and Manolo's. While I haven't eaten through the amazing range of items Manolo's offers, I am confident Manolo's is the best of the two.
Pizza places are ubiquitous on college campuses, so I'm never too excited when one springs up. Manolos sets itself apart by having empandas, which are an excellent alternative to pizza. They have several types ranging from the more authentic spicy San Telmo Carne to flaming potato. The three types I tried were tasty and the pastry was puffy and soft. They are perfect for an on-the-go snack since they can easily be eaten while walking.
As for the pizza? The cheese pizza I tried was good and had a nice crust. Hands down the best pizza there (and the reason for the recently added extra star) is the fresh basil and mozzarella. I had it with some friends and we all agreed it was top-notch. It's fragrant from the very fresh basil and the cheese stands out as being so much better than regular pizza cheese.
Specialty pizzas are a little bizarre. The one I tried, creamy chicken gorgonzola, was sans red sauce. It wasn't bad, but it was like some cheese, chicken, spinach, and (good) portabellas on dough. More like upscale breadsticks than pizza. Make sure the description says it has red sauce if you are looking for something traditional.
Ditto the other reviewer- They make their food! Surprisingly enough, this is actually unusual. Many restaurants buy pre-made items from big companies, but here at Manolos you can see them rolling the dough for all the pizza and empanadas.
Delivery is slow and expensive. Pick up is the better option.
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