Round Rock Edition | May 2023

DINING FEATURE

BY CARSON GANONG

HOW IT’S MADE One of the most popular menu items at Gino’s is the Chicken Marsala ($18.99). Here’s what goes into the handmade dish.

THE MEAT Pan-fried

chicken breast THE VEGGIES Chopped mushrooms, sauteed to order THE SAUCE Onion, garlic and mushrooms with a Marsala wine base

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ITALIAN FAVORITES Other traditional dishes at Gino's include:

For 27 years, Gino’s founder Gino Minardi made the restaurant’s bread by hand each day. COURTESY GINO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

(From left) Klair Rizo, Teresa Cottingham, Marianna Minardi, Christina Minardi and Emanuele Minardi run operations at Gino's Italian Restaurant. CARSON GANONGCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Spaghetti $12.99

Gino’s Italian Restaurant Round Rock staple eatery maintains 30 years of old-world tradition W hen Gino Minardi opened Gino’s Italian Restaurant in 1993, it occupied a 1,000-square-foot suite on Mays

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“Regulars make up at least half our community,” Rizo said. “Every time they come in, everyone greets them with a big old, ‘Hey, how are you?’ or we go and hug them.” Just as large a contributor to the popularity of Gino’s is the food itself, Cottingham said. When Gino’s rst opened, the menu just had sandwiches and pizza, but over time it has grown to include a wider selection of Italian fare from classics such as lasagna to the fan favorite Chicken Marsala. Cottingham said the common thread among every menu item is that they are authentic recipes from when Minardi lived in Italy. As one example, Cottingham said the Chicken Marsala is made

the traditional way with pan-fried chicken breast; chopped and sauteed mushrooms; and a Marsala wine sauce with onion, garlic and mushrooms. “It’s all my dad’s recipes,” Cottingham said. “It really just goes back to old-school Italian. We stayed old school, and it works.” Despite the restaurant’s huge success in Round Rock, Cotting- ham said it’s unlikely Gino’s will expand further as she and her sisters focus on maintaining what makes Gino’s special. “As the town grew and we grew, we kind of became a landmark in Round Rock,” Cottingham said. “I think what we’re doing is not easily duplicated.”

Meat Lasagna $16.99

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Street with only four tables. Over time, Gino’s expanded twice, taking over adjacent suites when other businesses moved out. Minardi has since stepped back from managing the restaurant and enjoys retirement with his wife, Angela. Their three daughters— Gina Minardi, Christina Minardi and Teresa Cottingham—run the family business together. For 30 years, Gino's has main- tained a loyal customer base thanks to the restaurant's warm family atmosphere, Assistant Manager Klair Rizo said.

Gino’s Italian Restaurant 1701 S. Mays St., Round Rock 512-218-9922 www.ginosroundrock.com Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5 p.m.-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.; closed Sun.

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