Geppetto's Italian Restaurant

Reviewed by 'laina 7/03/08
I'd seen Geppettos hundreds of times, living in that part of town, but never stopped to try it. I guess it's non-flashy, hole-in-the-wall location made it an oversight when trying to decide where to eat- especially with a car of six kids who'd likely eat their seat belts if we didn't get them somewhere, pronto!

The other night I was really in the mood for good Italian, and I really wanted to try the new Caruso's, but they seem pretty expensive, per their website. I didn't want to go to McOlive Garden, so when we passed Geppettos, we decided to give it a shot.

I got the Chicken Bianco which is simmered in cream and sherry, with onions and mushrooms, and served over fettuccine. It was on the bland side- I couldn't taste any outstanding flavors at all, but, it was filling enough that I left a good portion of noodles behind.

Hubby got the Cannelloni and Tortellini combo plate.. it was a pretty small portion of food- not enough to fill him up. He said the Tortellini was nothing special, but that the Cannelloni was "fantastic!!"

My two 'tween girls got Ma's Ravioli and neither seemed to be impressed with it- although the fact that they ate all of it is a good sign that it wasn't that bad.

My five year old got the kids plate fish nuggets (like chicken nuggets w/ fish stick flavor/texture) and fries. He didn't care for the fish (although he ate most of them), and they didn't have tartar sauce.

The two babies shared a kids plate of spaghetti- which they promptly devoured. The waitress was kind enough to bring the sauce out in a separate dish so that I could make sure the kids didn't make a huge saucy mess.

That being said- the waitress was fabulous and attentive. She brought us drinks and checked on us the right amount of times.. and didn't get annoyed when the babies dropped the crayons/ coloring papers/ forks on the floor a zillion times.

AND THEN... the desserts. OMG YUM. I had the Tiramisu, and I cannot explain in enough words how mouthwatering it was. The combination of flavors, and textures.. perfect. One girl got the milk chocolate mousse pie, one got a chocolate/nut/coconut torte, and my son got the spumoni ice cream- they all loved every last bite.

So yeah, we'll be back. I can't wait to try other dishes- especially the deep dish pizza that I keep hearing rave reviews on. Also a plus- it's a local restaurant and not a McChain.. not that I have a problem with chains, but I also like supporting local businesses with signs that read "Open since 1974". :)


Reviewed by Salem Man 11/24/07
Submerged in a sea of chain stores and strip malls on Lancaster Blvd, one local restaurant survives. Located in the Petco shopping center across the street from Red Lobster, Geppetto's has been in Salem since 1974. It's the only place in town, that I know of, that serves a Chicago style deep dish pizza that is perfect to heat up your belly on a cold winter night. Their website has a good description of one of these thick pizzas and the other styles they serve. I didn't order a pizza when we dined in at Geppetto's recently, but I did order a winter favorite. I don't think any Italian boy can resist a menu item titled Ma's Lasagna. For $12.50 you get a large square of the baked dish with a salad and bread. Sorry Ma, but the lasagna was nothing to write home about. The baked dish was covered in a nice meat sauce but the ricotta cheese tasted very bland. The Chicken Marsala that my wife ordered for $15.95 was much better though. The dining room was clean but dated. Kept in good condition, the booths are comfortable and the atmosphere is warm and friendly. Geppetto's also has daily specials including a large pepperoni or Canadian bacon pizza for $10.95 Sunday thru Thursday and $7.25 spaghetti with meat sauce on Monday's. If you are trying to support local restaurants in Salem, and you find yourself on Lancaster Blvd, Geppetto's is worth a try.

616 Lancaster Drive NE
866-401-0643
503-378-1271