La Vino’s pizza just opened up in Arlington on Monument road near where I live. I had high hopes that La Vino’s would be good since it’s so convenient. Even decent would have been acceptable since it would be right on my way home and I could easily stop in and grab something quickly. Unfortunately that dream of decent convenient pizza wasn’t to be. Hopes were dashed with the first bite.
La Vinos – Canned Grape Leaves
Address: 1531 Monument Rd Ste 7 Jacksonville, FL
From one bite of the garlic cheese bread we knew this food was going to be really bad. The garlic cheese bread was the most bland garlic cheese bread I’ve ever tasted. No, I’m not exaggerating! It really was that bland. It tasted like poor quality baked bread with no garlic or butter and poor quality bland mozzarella. We were starving so we somehow got it all down begrudgingly. Next up was the pizza. We ordered simple pepperoni pizza. It was straight up card board. No flavor. Cheap, low quality pepperoni. Incredibly bland pizza. Cheap low quality cheese. These guys must have decided they were going to sit down and figure out how to put the cheapest ingredients together that they could possibly pass off as a pizza before they opened this place. It is painfully bad. If they gave out an award for the blandest pizza in America I’m fairly sure that this place would win the award. When I called to place the order I had seen online that they have grape leaves. I asked if the grape leaves were fresh or frozen. I meant to ask if they were fresh or canned. They told me no, no they’re not frozen. Really guys? You couldn’t say no they’re not frozen they’re canned. These obviously had to know what I was trying to ask. I felt a bit hoodwinked when I opened the take out bag and saw what were obviously nasty canned grape leaves. We couldn’t bring ourselves to eat them.
If you want even remotely decent pizza stay away from LaVino’s. If we made a worst of Jax list they’d be on it.
La Vinos – Pepperoni Pizza
La Vinos – Cheese Bread
Try Napoli’s on Arlington Road near University Blvd. Nora & Maurice-Owners(Maurice has had health issues). They work hard, the place is not fancy at all, but I believe they have the best pizza in Jax. They have daily specials that includes a salad and bread, except Tuesday-which is Calzone day. Monday is Lasagna day-I love this!
You must try Ariana Kabob and Grill! It’s the best in town, hands down. I eat here all the time. ..ok, honestly I’ve eaten here everyday for over two weeks. Yes, it’s that good! Everything is good but you must get the Mantu, Shawarma Platter, and the Chaplee Cheeseburger is amazing. Best french fries in town. Oh, and try the Chicken wrap, too! To die for! Atlantic Blvd at Mindanao.