G-Vola's Cafe

Residing in the unassuming Madison Plaza, G-Vola’s provides a refreshing break to any busy day. Reasonably priced, this spot offers large portions and long days, focusing on customer convenience. G-Vola’s offers takeout and dine-in service. G-Vola’s is less expensive than local Italian chains and offers more options with larger portions.

G-Vola’s Café offers a cool, clean, modern Tuscan look. The menu is varied enough to accommodate most diners, including children and vegetarians. Though busy, the servers are patient, friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. While it’s obviously a family-owned establishment, G-Vola’s is run with extreme professionalism and pride in entrée presentation.

Meal value is the primary strong point of this restaurant. A personal pizza, for example, is the same size as a "medium" pizza at a take-out place. It costs less and for most diners lasts multiple meals if taken home as leftovers. Diners will find the greatest value at lunch as G-Vola’s kindly offers lunch portions and inexpensive sides. Most of the side menu items (fries, vegetables, meatballs) cost around $4. Soup also comes in cup and bowl sizes, accommodating any appetite. This flexibility also allows patrons to select something like a soup as a side item or meal.

Everything prepared at G-Vola’s is fresh, including the pasta. Meals are prepared old world-style, but sauces, selections and garnishes are sweeter and more common, appealing to the American palate. This is an excellent restaurant for anyone wishing to find familiar Italian items on the menu alongside more traditional menu items.

The specialty pizza selections separate G-Vola’s Café from other nearby main street pizza locations. The crust is on the sweet side and pizza selections include: Margherita, BBQ Chicken, Baked Ziti (highly recommended and extremely filling), Cheddar Cheese Steak and Hawaiian.

This relaxed atmosphere and early-to-late hours allow the restaurant to appeal to a variety of customers. The senior citizen crowd tends to frequent the establishment during most hours. G-Vola’s service is sometimes a bit slow during lunch, so they may be losing potential businesspeople customers at lunch. However, G-Vola’s always prepares call-ahead orders on time—takeout is recommended if you are on a timed lunch or in a rush.

G-Vola’s is a family-friendly environment perfect for a large or small family gathering. Because it is spacious, there are plenty of spots usually available for a private meal. Servers are attentive, refilling drinks quickly. G-Vola’s is also exceptionally clean.

At times, the interior of the building may appear dark, but G-Vola’s is usually open and especially popular.

- by Tara M. Clapper, Philadelphia Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Tara M. Clapper

Tara M. Clapper is a full-time freelance writer residing just outside of Philadelphia. Tara enjoys exploring traditional and historical locations in the city as well as quirky and innovative restaurants and attractions. Tara utilizes her background in academic, service-based and traditional publishing to create insider-perspective articles. Her topics of interest include travel, weddings, Irish American culture, and geek subculture.