Italio

Read this as 2.5 stars.
So my first time here was during the Unilocal blanket drive. I donated my blanket, got some free pasta, ordered a cheese stick and then fell in love with this place.
Essentially it’s the spaghetti version of chipotle. Take it for what it is. I like the two noodle options and the choices of sauces, and then you can add all your fixings. Normally, not my thing to add anything else to my spaghetti but when it’s free to add it, why not?
Fast forward a few months to yesterday when I had gone back. The bowls are large. You definitely can get two meals out of it. They give you a pound of noodles and then when it comes to sauce you get a pinch.
The employees were kind of all over the place. Seemingly not sure what to do while on the line. I hate to say it’s because they are young, but…
The cheese stick was so crunchy it tasted more like a churro than a bread stick. Thank god I was hungry because I probably would have just thrown it away. When they are fresh, like the first time I had them, they are amazing!
The seating area is decent, but those stools can be mighty uncomfortable.
I would give this place another shot because in theory I love it, but everything seemed so lackluster the second time around that I don’t really care if I go back again.

Just left the Italian food version of Chipotle and the food was awesome. What’s even better than Chipotle is the greater options of healthy choices to put in your pasta or salad.
The food tasted great. I chose to create my own pasta bowl with whole wheat pasta, grilled chicken and steak and almost every topping I could put in my dish. From fresh mushrooms, spinach and banana peppers to bruschetta and grated carrots. I topped it off with my choice of a spicy marinara sauce– just one of three choices of sauces I could’ve had.
It was a great food and dining experience.

I like this restaurant concept a lot.
It is like a Subway® style layout for Italian food.
Mix and match to build an AWESOME PASTA BOWL!
I’m a fan!
Fast, Affordable, Delicious!
Easier than taking the time to prep/​cook a spaghetti dinner yourself and having to do dishes!
Buzzkill Alert:
trying to find the driveway to enter the parking lot is elusive and can cause a couple of U-​turns and red lights to get there.

Interesting new find. We don’t have these up North where I’m from, but maybe we’ll get them soon. Think «Chipotle»… but Italian style.
There was an abundant selection of entrée choices including your choice of original or whole wheat pasta, meatballs, chicken, beef, or just a healthy salad with your choice of toppings.
I told the girl working there that this was my first time here and she was very helpful at helping me make a decision. She explained to me the difference between each sauce and their level of spiciness.
When leaving the establishment, the girl behind the counter thanked me for coming in and said she hoped that I enjoyed my first time. Great customer service!

Super friendly staff that deserve five stars! I visited recently to drop off blankets for the donation drive. The staff explained how the place works. Everything was very clean, organized and efficient. The idea is to get you your pasta and get you on your way quickly. I liked that you can pick as many toppings as you want on your pasta. I stayed safe and picked their traditional sauce. It was good but tasted like it needed to be cooked for another half an hour. The steak bits were really good. I saw most other customers getting the chicken so I will have to try that next time. The meatballs were okay for fast food but the steak with veggies won the night. Overall, the service is what would bring me back again.

I’ll be honest with ya, it’s not too often I go out for pasta. To me, it’s a go-​to lazy day meal. I always have pasta in the pantry, I usually have sauce in the fridge, throw the two together, and you got yourself a quick and easy meal! That being said, Italio takes this convenience one step further by having a ready-​to-​go assembly line of create your own pasta. Best part of all? No boiling required!
I came here to take part in the BPB blanket drive so yes, my small pasta bowl was free! No matter though, I wouldn’t have minded paying for what we got, but definitely admire the shop for participating in this charitable cause.
As we all know, this is definitely the Chipotle of pasta. I went with the whole wheat spaghetti, Italian sausage and «spicy» sauce, then added some spinach and peppers on top. The staff was friendly and didn’t mind walking me through all the options that were available. Always a plus since, I’ll admit, I was a bit intimidated. The small size was the perfect amount and definitely filled me up (and I was hungry)! It’d be cool if in the future they got different types of pasta instead of just spaghetti.
I also tried some risotto balls. Oh my, these were dangerously good! Fried perfectly crisp on the outside but oozing cheese and soft on the inside, I could’ve just ate them all and been a happy camper. Blue also treated us all to some cannoli chips. I’ll just say if I wasn’t in public, I probably would’ve taken a spoon just to the sweet and creamy dip.
Unfortunately, there’s no Italio in Miami but it’d be cool if they decide to come down south soon! Here’s hoping the pasta gods hear my prayer…

Its part of the new wave of assembly line food. Who would have thought back when a sandwich builder revolutionized this process of food ordering would we be standing in line building a fast order Italian meal right before our eyes like this place?
Italio customer service has been great the times I’ve been. The modernly decorated dining area has a high bar table area, and booths and regular sized tables closer to the federal highway side. Fountain drinks and bottled is a case by the register. Tonight, the very pleasant manager had at least three young trainees serving and she didn’t skip a beat, maintaining her calm, pleasant composure, teaching and coaxing her young staff to build each meal correctly while at the same time, maneuvering the Unilocal blanket drive tickets and making sure the meals were in order. Good job, go girl!
Now, this isn’t a replacement of a Maggiano’s per se, but its great to get your Italian fix on, especially with the little ones.
For the price point, you can’t go wrong for a quick, family/​kid-​friendly Italian lunch or dinner.

This was my first time back to Italio since the Unilocal event… (yes I know bad Unilocaler) but I have to first comment on their generosity towards charity. At the event they chose to give all the tips to charity, and what brought me back this time? Another charity event… this time teaming up with Unilocal’s blanket drive and graciously offering all of the donors a free small* pasta bowl!
So, if you don’t know already, Italio is best described as the Chipotle of Italian food. Fine by me cause I love customizing my food. This also means it’s quick. Order up front, customize your bowl as you go down the line and then pay. Quick, cheap and delicious.
Steven C. got the small pasta bowl, but I opted for lighter fare and did the salad bowl. Shrimp, spring mix, chickpeas, olives, cucumber, feta, balsamic and wow was it just right! Their balsamic dressing here is amazing. Of course I had to get a calamari bowl on the side because I’m obsessed with that lemon dipping sauce, and Steven C. just had to get an order of the cannoli chips (which are amazing and only $ 1). To top it all off they do have little bottles of wines so I got the pinot noir to wash it all down!
And the ambiance? Way nicer than any other competing restaurants. The dining area is always spotless!
*I should disclose that really the «small» bowl is quite large. Don’t try and order the large bowl unless you want leftovers or are seeking out a food coma!

When I was growing up, there was really no, «Hey, I’m fiending pasta but don’t want to cook or get overly dressed up to go eat». That’s why it’s a yummy convenience to have a casual «fast food» pasta place just across the county line from my house.
I went Monday night for the Unilocal Blanket Donation drive, but got there a little late to meet with Blue and the crew. The manager on duty was kind enough to take blanket and offered to get in contact with and deliver it to Blue. A business also reaches out to help the less fortunate in the community is always a plus!
The food itself is delicious for a casual meal, I chose a classic Pasta Bowl. Analogous to that well known fast casual Mexican place, I started selecting my (whole wheat) pasta, got a decent helping of protein (meatballs) and picked a seemingly limitless batch of sides (tart red & banana peppers, heavy on the marinara sauce, plenty of tomatoes, and a sprinkling of mozzarella. The pasta could have been a touch firmer (al dente) and warmer but I enjoyed my meal, since the meat and toppings were well prepared. Of course I also had to have dessert, and their cannoli chips were perfectly crumbly and sweeter with the rich crème sauce. The pleasant attitude of their employees on duty that night made my meal that much better.

Finally had a chance to stop and try to Italio. I was not impressed with the options. The steak was extremely greasy and fatty. However, the whole wheat pasta was not bad. The lack of gluten-​free options is obvious. Especially in this neighborhood. I was surprised there was only three sauce choices. I’d rather go to spaghetto in Davie… Better sauces and homemade pasta! The roasted garlic was good but I don’t think the people who work there have proper training… They put so much garlic on mine I couldn’t eat it… And if you ask my husband I love garlic.
I don’t know how they have such a high rating. The food really didn’t look appetizing.

Oh Italio. how I love thee. let me count the ways. I can’t get enough of this cafeteria style Italian restaurant. Every visit is as splendid as the last; great customer service, great food, great prices. They almost always have a Groupon deal available, so of course I take advantage (two entrees and two large fountain drinks for $ 12). I like to often compare this restaurant style to Chipotle, but with Italian food.
You start off choosing your type of pasta: white or wheat. Then you move to your choice of meats and sauces: shrimp, grilled chicken, breaded chicken (chicken fritte), steak, Italian sausage, meatball, or just plain veggie. They have three sauces to choose from: artisan alfredo, basil pomodoro, or spicy prima rosa. I have tried all three sauces, and can honestly say each one is good. I have only tried the chicken fritte and the grilled chicken, but my husband typically gets the shrimp or the steak. You can then choose your additional toppings amongst a garden of choices: spinach, lettuce, peppers, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese; all the Italian food hashtags you can think of.
I have never left Italio unsatisfied, and their portions are even large enough to have extra for later. If Italio were to ever disappear, I would be heart-​broken. I don’t know many other restaurants I can say that about.

If you spend any time in Italy as I have, you’ll quickly come to realized that there isn’t really any all-​encompassing expression «Italian» when it comes to food since everything is so regionalized or provincialized. Not only do the tastes, flavors, textures and methods of preparation vary widely, so do the ingredients used. Hence to my mind the expression «Italian» as pertaining to food is basically an American term for what tends to be an eclectic combination of any variety of Italian regional cuisines but with distinctive drawings upon Sicilian, Abuzzo, Molise, Tuscan and Umbria. The key however to any Italian, no matter the region or definition and what separates it from mere subsistence food is flavor, it has to be distinctive to any one or more of your five receptors, have a taste that must have a distinctive aroma and a texture clean to the bite.
So, OK, I may be getting a little picky and techy about it but in it is in these areas that Italio shines as a restaurant serving up what I consider to be some very good Italian albeit American Italian dishes.
Italio is a simple fast food outlet type of place but since you can really select your own with a basic choice of 3 sauces, 4 pestos, various dressings plus a host of toppings, it’s pretty much up to you as to exactly what you come up with. So, if you create anything less than Four Stars, guess whose fault that might be?
Since my most recent visit to Italio was during the «Order the Unilocal» month, I had a Unilocal,a delicious combination enclosed in a grilled wrap was served up at a special 50% discount Unilocal price. I can only hope that they might want to continue with it, possibly making it a menu item, as I found it to be exceptionally good.

This is my second visit since the Unilocal event last Monday and its just as good now if not even better. I started out with the Calamari Misto and I ordered it well done and they came out perfectly golden brown.
For my entrée I had the whole wheat pasta with the alfredo sauce and the spicy Arrabbiata and had them add a little regular pesto and for toppings i had Eggplant Caponata, Pancetta, Piadina Croutons, Aged Parmesan. Italian Sausage, and Shrimp. Yes I know that’s a lot but what can I say it’s how I roll.
I guess my 5 star rating pretty much tells you that it was good.

Pretty good food, I can say the salad is good.
They were saying it’s like an Italian «Chipotle» .
1-​You can choose between a Pasta bowl, a Piadina (Italian wrap), or a Salad Bowl.
2– choose which meat you want like chicken, beef, sausage, meatballs, etc
3– choose the toppings like veggies, legumes, and cheeses.
Fresh décor inside, a nice brick wall, great Italian twist.
There was a big line of people ordering but the line went by so fast. There were so many employees in the assembly line, it made things go smoothly and quickly.
They were friendly but because of the amount of people being served I felt rushed.
My man got the Whole Wheat Pasta Bowl with fried chicken and Alfredo sauce. He had goat cheese added to it. It was okay. He’s an Italian and picky when it comes to pasta, he did not like the oily pre cooked pasta, it just has a different texture. He was also hungry when finished eating.
I went back to the cash and bought a 2 $ cheese roll. It was really good, fresh, good cheese, crispy thin crust, I’ve never had something like this it was almost a calzone but not, better. Like a tortilla with cheese but not and a sauce on the side.
I had the large Salad Bowl with grilled chicken, grilled peppers, Parmesan cheese, goat cheese, pita crisps on top of spring greens and a bit of whole wheat pasta, with the balsamic vinaigrette and they toss the salad and put it in the Italio cup.
I really enjoyed my salad and did find it to be enough food for me. The vinegrette was really good and the overall salad was perfect-​fresh ingredients.
Ide come back for a salad

I got the Order the Unilocal deal. It is an Italian burrito. They warm the flour tortilla on a grill and then fill it with spaghetti, meatballs, sauce, & cheese.
I thought it had good flavor. If they do add it to the menu, I would like them to offer whole wheat tortilla, whole wheat pasta, and added grilled veggies as a filler option.
When you check in on Unilocal you receive 50% off this item. Usually it would be $ 7. This item is NOT on their menu yet. They are testing it out when you ask for the «örder the Unilocal»”.
The staff was very friendly, which makes me want to return again.
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Have you ever said to yourself: Man, I wish I could get quick, highly customizable, fresh, delicious, cheap, pasta in a bowl or wrap? No? Well after you visit Italio, you won’t know how you didn’t know you needed this in your life sooner!
Starving and running errands with the wife we dropped by Italio for a quick (and massive) lunch.
I got:
Traditional pasta bowl (they offer whole wheat also).
Fried chicken — breaded and cut into small chunks.
Spicy red — a mildly spicy sauce.
Spinach, black olives, bruschetta and grated Parmesan cheese.
WOW. The bowl is massive and I could barely finish it. For the price, it’s certainly an alternative for a «cheap» lunch as you will probably have some left over for a snack/​whole meal later. Not me… I ate the whole thing and what ensued was the loveliest of food comas I have ever had.
The staff is super friendly and they move the line super quick. I’m sure it’s not easy explaining a new concept to a first time costumer, dealing with the different options and ordering more of everything from the cooks (that’s why everything is SO fresh, they keep asking for more meat, more veggies, more pasta. etc).
The décor is great, clean and modern. They have a couple of tables outside and some tall tables with stools or regular tables inside.
I’m a big fan and will be back soon.

There’s been a lot of chatter around Unilocal about this place, and after a series of aleatory circumstances, I found myself passing by Italio around lunch time and decided to stop in and see what the fuss is all about.
I was quite surprised when I walked in and was the one, singular person (minus the workers) in the place. I was happy I didn’t have to wait, but was kind of weary about what having zero patronage says about the place. Too late to turn around now though, as two wide-​eyed girls behind the counter stared at me expectantly and the authority figure working (GM? owner maybe?) gave me a cheery welcome and started to explain the process to my clearly newby self — although if you have ever been to Chipotle, you already know how it works.
At Italio, you can get either a salad, pasta bowl or wrap, then pick from chicken, meatballs, sausage, shrimp, etc. After that, you fill her up and dress it with whatever you want. And when I say «you» fill it up with your choice of toppings, I mean they do it for you– It’s not self serve.
Salad was my first thought, but after perusing the toppings, much of it didn’t seem salad-​ish and they lacked some standard veggies like broccoli or raw peppers. So, I opted for the spaghetti bowl. You can choose between either regular or whole wheat, and they have 3 sauces to pick from: marinara, alfredo, and a spicy prima rosa. They let me sample the spicy… and I’m sorry to say, not in the least bit hot … like zero spicy. I went with that sauce anyhow as It was still tasty, but spicy it was not.
As I went down the rows of topping, watching as the girl made my bowl up, I was impressed with the cleanliness of the restaurant as well as the freshness of the ingredients. All the toppings were filled and nothing seemed old or questionable. They had some great choices like bruschetta, roasted garlic, fresh basil, sautéed onions, and there were standards like olives, banana peppers, etc. too. And to top it all off, your choices are shredded mozzarella, feta or parmesan. I would have loved a scoop of fresh ricotta, but what can ya do.
At the end, my pasta bowl was gigantic! However, I would have liked them to be more generous with the toppings in exchange for less spaghetti. The serving of pasta they give is more than enough for two meals or to share, and the only bad thing about that is that the pasta to toppings ratio gets highly skewed. I supposed next time I would ask for larger spoonfulls of the toppings, and based upon the friendliness I received this go-​around, I don’t foresee getting any resistance. Another thing about the huge serving of pasta is that even after everything I added, which included the «spicy» sauce and such pungent toppings as roasted garlic, raw onions, hot cherry pepper relish and heaps of red pepper flakes, it still lacked some flavor and was hovering around the edge of being bland. I would get some really awesome bites, and then some insipid ones. I enjoyed, but I wish every bite was a flavor packed one.
The good news is Italio is way cheap. I like that you pay a flat price and that it’s not based upon weight, as that can get really pricey (ask my $ 13.67 cup of froyo), especially for the giganto sized portion. My bowl (no drink or extra side) was $ 7.40 and it fed me twice.