Summertime and the Dining is Divine at Grimaldi’s

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This post was created in Partnership with Grimaldi’s. All opinions are my own. 

There’s nothing that my two boys and husband love more than a good pizza. Additionally, there’s nothing that I enjoy more than a pleasant dining experience with my family. As luck would have it, we were treated to both when we had the opportunity to sample the new summer menu at our local Grimaldi’s.

Centrally located in the popular shopping and dining hub, Aspen Place at the Sawmill, Grimaldi’s stands in a prime location. Upon arrival, my boys marveled at the unique New York-style décor. They were especially impressed by the sparkling wine bottle chandeliers dangling from the textured ceiling. The restaurant was softly buzzing with fellow early bird diners. As many parents probably understand, five-o-clock dinners are the norm for us when taking our kids out to eat.

The Grimaldi’s seasonal summer menu is comprised of Barbecue Chicken Pizza, Strawberry Spinach Salad, and Italian Sodas, Lemonades, and Teas in three seasonal flavors. Last but certainly not least, they offer both Strawberry and Blueberry Cheesecake for dessert.

A friendly hostess welcomed us promptly and led us to our booth. An equally gracious server quickly arrived tableside to take our drink orders. To our delight, she informed us that bottles of wine are $15 on Tuesdays. In my opinion, wine tends to enhance the dining experience with children. 

In a thoughtful gesture, our kids were presented with globs of raw pizza dough to play with while we perused the menu.

Our server recommended the Italian sodas or lemonades for our boys, customized with three fruit flavors: strawberry, blueberry, and watermelon. The boys chose the watermelon and strawberry Italian sodas. Since this was their first Italian soda ever, our server kindly brought them each a generous sample to try before committing to it. 

They loved their drinks, exclaiming, “It tastes like real fruit!” and “How do you get watermelon juice in here?”

Dressed with a tangy strawberry vinaigrette, the Strawberry Spinach Salad came tossed with feta cheese, almonds, red onions, and sliced strawberries. We found it light and refreshing. I didn’t expect to share it with my husband since he does not care for fruit in his salad. However, he ate it with enthusiasm, remarking that the strawberries “added to the really good combination of flavors.” Furthermore, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my youngest wanted a second helping of the salad. It’s certainly a good feeling when your child wants more vegetables.

Next, the Barbecue Chicken pizza arrived, loaded with chicken, bacon, red onion, and garnished with cilantro. The sauce was a bit on the sweet side for us, since my husband and I both prefer a tangy barbeque sauce. However, the smoky chicken and chunks of salty bacon added just enough flavor the offset the sweetness of the sauce. As for the boys? They absolutely loved it. My oldest even proclaimed: “This is my new favorite pizza!” The wine our server recommended (an Italian Red Blend) was delicious and paired perfectly with both the salad and the pizza. (Sidenote: We ordered a large, took home two slices, and the boys gobbled them up for lunch the next day).

The summer dessert at Grimaldi’s completed our meal on a high note. Both the blueberry and strawberry slices were divine. Each one had the perfect cheesecake consistency, with a hint of lemon to balance out the meld of flavors. We preferred the blueberry slightly more since it came with a dusting of house-made granola. Usually, my husband and I can count on “helping” each boy with a generous portion of their dessert. In this case, we were lucky to each get a couple of bites. They happily polished off every crumb. 

Overall, Grimaldi’s provided a wonderful family dining experience. We will definitely be back with our kiddos, and next time we’ll be sure to take advantage of Grimaldi’s large outdoor patio. Naturally, this provides the opportunity to partake in two of our favorite things: eating a delicious meal in the cool summer evening temperatures and Flagstaff people-watching.