A Little Slice of NY in ATL
Walking by the corner of Spring Street and North Avenue in Midtown Atlanta, you may or may not notice a small restaurant. Goodfellas Pizza & Wings doesn’t look like much, but when you walk inside you experience the feel of New York. Decorated like a mob scene with odd signs, clever license plates, and other assortments of trinkets Goodfellas has a very welcoming and laid back atmosphere. One sign actually reads “I Drink To Make You Look Better.” Greeted by the cashiers with a happy “Welcome to Goodfellas. How are you doing?” you walk up to the counter to order your food, much like a fast food restaurant, Goodfellas however, isn’t your typical fast food grab and go.
Their menu ranges from wings and pizza to gyros and hot subs, so there is something for everyone. Everything is made fresh, so although there may be a 10 to 15 minute wait it is always worth the hot, freshly made food. One of the best things about the food is that for most people it’s too much, so you can eat half the day you order it and then microwave the other half the day after. Goodfellas is a great place for college students looking for a delicious meal for not much money because a typical meal will be between $7 and $10 dollars, with the pizzas averaging about $12 (depending on what size and what toppings), but if you split whatever you get between two nights that’s about $4 or $5 a meal! Not too bad, and between the taste and price completely worth it.
I had driven past the corner Goodfellas is located on for a good year and had always wondered what exactly they had served, but had never had the chance to eat there so when deciding where to begin reviewing restaurants I figured Goodfellas would be a place to start.
I dined at Goodfellas on four different weekday occasions, twice in the afternoon and twice in the evening, but regardless of when I went it was never especially crowded or busy. It seems like Goodfellas is more of a take-out restaurant than sit down, however dining in is very enjoyable and you also have the option of delivery. Hours for Goodfellas are typical of a lunch and dinner restaurant but since it is located in the city and near a college they are open late most nights (until 4 on Fridays and Saturdays).There are so many amusing and interesting things to look at on the walls you can’t get bored. The best decorations are the Georgia Tech pennants and banners. There are also four flat screens TVs which have either a news channel or a sports game playing.
If you’re getting your food to go you can wait in the main entryway and if you are dining in, you can walk down several stairs to the dining area. There are many booths available so grab a seat in one that feels right to you and when your food is done one of the cashiers will bring it down to you. Goodfellas has a great “relaxed casual atmosphere created just for you.”
Walking into Goodfellas for the first time with a friend I was a little intimidated. I had heard from many people that the calzones were amazing and the pizza was incredible so I wasn’t sure what to order. After contemplating the menu for a few minutes I decided to split a chicken and bacon pizza with my friend. After placing our order we went to sit down and chat. About 10 minutes later our pizza came out and I had to stop myself from drooling. The crust was that perfect golden-brown color with just the right amount of crispiness. The cheese was very gooey and smooth and when you took a bite you ended up with cheese strings down your chin. The amount of sauce was exactly right, the pizza wasn’t dry but it also wasn’t drowning in the sauce. And the toppings, oh the toppings were wonderful: generous amounts of chicken and bacon sprinkled all over the top. Small pieces of chicken too, so that when you take a bite you are guaranteed a taste of tender, juicy chicken. I was delighted, if this is how Goodfellas always makes their meals, then I was in good hands for my next several visits.
Several nights later I found myself walking in to Goodfellas again, but this time I confidently walked up to the counter and ordered one of their sausage calzones. My dad had been telling me that the calzones were some of the best he had ever had so I decided to test this belief with this meal. I was not disappointed. When I cut into my calzone cheese just oozed out onto my plate and wonderful aromas filled my nose. The taste matched the scent. The large slices of sausage were spicy but still had that sweet Italian flavor. These slices were folded in to the melted cheese which was encased in an excellently folded pizza crust, again that perfect crispy golden-brown. The sauce served on the side was also very tasty. It wasn’t just regular marinara sauce it had more spice and chunkiness to it. The only downside was that it was also a little greasy but this was probably due to the extremely melted cheese and sausage. I saved most of my calzone for another night and reheated in the microwave. It wasn’t quite as delicious as the first night but still tasted good.
The next time I found myself at Goodfellas was for lunch and my friend and I split a pizza, this time topped with ham and mushrooms. This pizza was just as delicious as the first. The toppings were just as generous as before, the crust just as wonderful. Goodfellas pizzas can definitely compete as one of the best.
On my last visit to Goodfellas I decided to try one of there hot subs. After going through my options I settled on the Meatball Parm sub. The picture looked very appetizing and I was hoping mine would look just as picture perfect. When I opened my to go box I was pleasantly surprised: my sub looked even better than the picture. A soft, doughy hoagie held several large meatballs covered in sauce and everything was coated in an ample amount of mozzarella. The fries on the side were a perfect complement.
On my next visit I would love to try fried zucchini appetizer and the wings in probably the Lemon Pepper (one of five flavors). Or maybe I should get the Philly Cheesesteak Combo. OR if I’m not in the mood for any of that I could always get a Greek salad with a side of Fried Mozzarella. There are so many delicious-sounding choices I may just have to eat here several times a month to try everything. Which would not be a problem in the slightest. The excellent service, great atmosphere, and even better food makes Goodfellas a superb restaurant to stop in and grab a quick bite for lunch, or enjoy a relaxing dinner with friends. Either way you’re in for a treat because “You’re family at Goodfellas.”
Goodfellas Pizza & Wings
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615 Spring St NW
Atlanta, GA 30308-1907 http://www.goodfellaspizzawings.com/
(404) 347-7227
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