Grand Strand Restaurants Review
A neighborhood pizza gem that keeps tourists coming back
There are plenty of pizza joints in Myrtle Beach, most of them operated by large national chains, but Pizza Romano is a place where true down-home pizza is served. The reason is that the pizza dough is hand-made, right on the site every night so that the yeast and other ingredients are well blended when the pie making begins the next day. Most pizza houses receive their pizza dough in frozen blocks and have to thaw it out before they can begin forming pies. At Pizza Romana, the scent of freshly baked, made from scratch pizza dough fills the air in the modest little restaurant on south Kings Highway.
The word pizza might be in the restaurant’s title, but pizza is almost an afterthought when looking at the tremendous variety of items on the menu. They’re all scratch-cooked, and almost all can be delivered although the executive chef might advise against ordering something to go or on delivery that might not arrive at its peak steaming goodness. He’ll even recommend an alternative because of the restaurant’s concern that all of its menu items taste completely fresh.
Joshua Stengle is more than executive chef. He’s chief cook and bottle washer, host, business manager and sometimes delivery man, although there are times when he has at least one other helper in the shop and another on the road delivering pizzas and other food.
Pizza Romano has been operating under its present name for almost twenty years. At one time it was owned by the family that operated Villa Romano next door, and although it is now owned by a different individual, every effort has been made to keep its menu top-notch. The appetizer list alone is more extensive than most full sized Italian restaurants. There’s baked garlic shrimp, meatball Parmigiana, Nachos a la Romano, Bruschetta Bread, Mac & cheese bites, Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Buffalo Chicken Dip and a platter of sausage pepper & onions.
There are a couple of Antipasto dishes, one with chicken and the other with the traditional salami, ham and pepperoni. There’s an Italian salad, of course, along with four other generous salads.
Getting serious about eating, one can begin as they do in Italy, with pasta, cooked the way you might like but the pasta dishes are the favorites. The chicken and shrimp are in a fettucine sauce with mushrooms and sambuca, the Fettuchine Carbonara is a combination of chicken and bacon folded into Alfredo sauce, mushrooms and green peppers, and there are all the other long-time favorites among Italian food fans from sausage and peppers to chicken Alfredo, to baked lasagna and good old spaghetti and meatballs.
There are burgers for those who want a quick meal, but there are also wraps, including a cheeseburger wrap and three different chicken wraps. There are buffalo wings, chicken tenders and even a Gyro sandwich. For those who might prefer a cold sandwich, there are eight different subs.
Among the unusual desserts can be found a Lemoncello Cake and chocolate Cannoli.
Pizza Romano is located at 7th Avenue South and Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach.
PIZZA ROMANA
701 South Kings Highway
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-448-5271 | Menu
Restaurant Type: Casual, Diner, Family
Meals Served: Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
Food Type: American, Italian, Pizza
Features: Alcohol Served, Catering, Delivery, Full Menu, No Smoking Area, Outdoor Dining, Smoke Free Facility, Take Out
Avg Cost: Under $10. Location: Central
