South Side’s Alfredo’s Pizzeria has much more to offer than a good tray. Their extensive dinner menu offers dishes to satisfy any craving.

The environment of Alfredo’s is welcoming and warm. The soft lighting adds to the atmosphere, and if you want to sit outside, you have that option, even in the fall, as they have space heaters located along their outdoor deck.

For me, Alfredo’s is a regular dinner spot when I’m attending any type of event in downtown Scranton. Not only is the location prime, but the food is delicious. I was attending a play at the Scranton Cultural Center, so naturally, I suggested heading down to Alfredo’s for dinner. And since I always get their pizza, I decided to venture out and try a dinner. I was not disappointed in this choice.

As a pasta lover, I tend to lean toward more Italian type dishes when I go out, and anything with chicken and garlic in it is a winner in my book. I decided on chicken scampi with angel hair pasta and broccoli.

Since it was an entree, I got a choice of either a soup or salad to start. They have different soups daily, and when our server said the soup of the day was cream of broccoli, I was sold. In case you haven’t figured it out, I really love broccoli.

My boyfriend ordered the pretzel chicken, which is a dish he swears by, and is very hesitant to share with me because of how delicious it is.

Before the soup or entrees came out, our server brought over oven warm bread for us to snack on while we sat and visited. The bread was soft, and you could taste how fresh it was. They also bring both white and wheat breads, in case you favor one over the other.

Once our soups and salads came, the table was pretty much quiet. The cream of broccoli was perfectly creamy, without being too heavy, and the balance of flavors left me wanting more than could fit in the cup sitting before me.

Then, the moment of truth: dinner. The bowl of pasta and chicken and more broccoli that sat in front of me seemed like a small mountain of food, and I was so excited to conquer it.

The pasta was cooked to perfection; not too soft, but not too al dente. The sauce was a delicious mixture of garlic, butter and white wine, and no flavors overpowered the other (although, I’m a firm believer in never having too much garlic.)

The chicken was moist and flavorful, and the broccoli was bright green and steamed to the perfect consistency. The dish came together in perfect harmony, and it was hard to have to put my fork down when I was too full to continue.

The pretzel chicken, which I was able to steal a few bites of, was equally delicious. Instead of coating the chicken in breadcrumbs, they coat it in crushed pretzels. There is also some sort of glaze on it that just takes the dish one step further. The chicken itself is super moist, but then the outside is so flavorful and the crunch from the pretzels adds a texture to the dish that you wouldn’t accomplish with just regular bread crumbs.

Alfredo’s offers a wonderful sit down dinner experience. If you are looking for a date spot, or even a night out with your friends, Alfredo’s is an excellent choice. Located at 1000 Washington Ave., Alfredo’s is a short drive from campus and a great dinner spot for college students.

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