For nearly five decades The Italian Inn restaurant in Landover Hills has been winning loyal customers with its fresh food and authentic, flavorful tastes.
Conveniently located on Annapolis Road right off of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, across from the new Wal-Mart, The Italian Inn is hard to miss, with a large, smiling chef’s head looming from its roof.
Opened in 1961, the restaurant was purchased by the Gioni family 20 years ago from original owner Peter Connell, a family friend. Since then, the Gionis have credited their thriving business to the surrounding community.
‘‘We attribute our success to the loyalty of our customers,” said Demetrius Gioni, who runs the restaurant with his parents, Mimi and Niko, and his brother Chris. Niko Gioni has been in the restaurant business for 50 years himself, so the family had plenty of experience before settling down with the Italian Inn.
Outside and inside, the décor and colors are unpretentious — red and green, for Italy, with some pretty lighting, statuary and artwork recalling classical Italy. But this simplicity helps to set a comfortable background, in a family atmosphere, for a menu ranging from plain and filling to classy and gourmet.
That atmosphere is part of what makes The Italian Inn distinct from other Italian restaurants, said Demetrius Gioni. It is family-owned and operated, and its establishment in the community means customers who came as children years ago are now bringing their own children.
‘‘We’ve got a second, almost third generation of people coming here,” he said.
The variety of the menu also sets the restaurant apart, he added. With a range of Italian and American fare, it includes everything from spaghetti and meatballs ($6.50 lunch, $8.50 dinner) or homemade lasagna ($7.25 lunch, $11.95 dinner) to hamburgers, subs and other hot and cold sandwiches.
Daily specials can feature a sophisticated Italian entrée like penne alla vodka, or a hearty American prime rib or pork chop dinner.
Demetrius Gioni said they will be creating a new menu this spring, adding some new Italian specialties. Much of the current menu will remain, including the most popular classic Italian traditions, such as lasagna, chicken parmigiana ($6.95 lunch, $12.95 dinner), or any of the Alfredo pasta dishes, including chicken, scallops, shrimp, shrimp and crab or shrimp, chicken and broccoli Alfredo ($13.95 to $18.95). These feature a creamy, richly flavored white sauce particularly well-suited to the seafood choices.
The Italian Inn’s pizza starts at only $4.95 for small, $7.25 for medium and $10.95 for large, with additional charges for toppings.
The menu also includes more domestic fare, like steak ($16.95), or roast chicken or turkey ($10.95), as well as several seafood dishes including crab cakes ($18.95), broiled or fried shrimp ($15.95) and broiled filet of salmon ($14.95) sautéed with capers in a white wine-lemon sauce.
Apart from the variety, it is the quality of the food itself that makes loyal customers.
The pizza dough is made fresh daily, and the sauces are made to order. The restaurant’s salads are traditional, but the fresh house Italian dressing is bursting with flavor.
And there are many ways to enjoy The Italian Inn’s food.
The full menu also runs in the sports bar alongside the dining area, the restaurant can be booked for private parties or receptions, the Gionis also do catering, and last but not least — you can either dine in or order for carry-out.
