Glendale is foreign territory to me. I decided to venture outside of Phoenix city limits and I was at the mercy of my friend, a Glendale resident, for a good restaurant recommendation and he went with Bravi Tuscan Kitchen. It had the typical "Italian kitchen" type interior; a lot of brick and wood, a large open bar kitchen area behind the main counter.
We arrived with less than an hour to go before the 10pm closing time and the restaurant was fairly empty. Opting not for a booth, we wandered directly to the bar area in the back end of the restaurant so we could receive quicker service. The woman working this area was very friendly and fun and we quickly placed our orders so the kitchen crew could finish up for the evening.
Contrary to the number of patrons in the building near closing time, Bravi is a very popular place to dine on a Saturday night. Our server told us that we missed the big dinner crowd and that there was a line out the door for a good portion of the evening.
After a glass of the house red wine, I had a bit of the House Salad. It's tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette and is a tangy and tasty way to start out a meal. I also partook of a creamy tomato soup which quickly helped to satisfy my grumbling stomach. I ordered the Chicken & Artichoke Panini and my friend ordered a stone-oven pizza with pepperoni and sausage. Everything was great! Fantastic service coupled with awesome food. Other menu items include pasta (choose your own pasta, then choose your own sauce), Spinach & Cheese Ravioli, and Lasagna. Of course, other varieties of panini and pizza are there for the taking.
Bravi also offers catering services. Bring a taste of Tuscany to your next special occasion. Though I don't always go to Glendale (who am I kidding, I never go there) I would definitely go back to Bravi in order to sample the other dishes.