I wouldn’t write a review on any old pizza joint. Champino’s stands out for a few reasons; it’s got a bar and decent Italian food, and it serves fantastic, non-chainny pizza!
You may already know that a good pizza joint is easily overlooked. Champinos is no exception. It’s street front is hard to spot, and it’s presence is divided. This place is built into the corner of a strip mall, which means it has 2 store fronts. Here is store front #2:
It’s almost as if this place is 2 different restaurants. And by “almost,” I mean that it actually is. If you walk into the doors pictured in the second picture above, you’ll find yourself in a “mom and pop” style Italian restaurant and bar, shown below.
The bar will have a few regulars hanging out who seem to know the staff here. The regulars are always taking advantage of the drink specials.
The owner of the place usually hangs out back here. We have been here multiple times, and each time the owner seemed very concerned with us and checked up on us at least twice per each meal. In addition to a visibly empathetic owner, the old school feel is further driven home by a classic Italian selection of food. Lay your eyes on their veal marsala;
This dish was super boring but in the best kind of way. This wasn’t a fusion or reinterpretation of a classic dish. It was an old Italian favorite with 0% deviation from what you’d expect, but served infinitely better than the Olive Garden’s slop. In fact, we eat here instead of the Olive Garden every time we are in the mood for simple Italian food.
Let’s not forget what the other side of this building is dedicated to. PIZZA! In case you are unaware, a lazy pizza eater in Lakeland must succumb to the drudgery of Damnino’s, Pizza Gut, Pappa go to the John’s, or Hungry Howibles. Instead, please consider this slightly more Northern alternative;
Remember the original street shot of this place (first pic posted above)? If you were to walk in from that side, you’d see this:
Yep, a pizzeria that serves by the slice. A long hallway separates the pizzeria from the Italian restuarant/bar. The staff and the patrons bounce between to two main rooms to constantly greet and check in on each other, almost like a big family. Speaking of the places where everyone is family, Champino’s will deliver it’s pizza to Tebow’s and a few other select establishments. If Tebow’s isn’t your scene, give Champino’s a call and ask about delivery. They have recently begun delivering to more areas. Even if you’re out of their radius, it’s worth the drive for pick-up. You owe to yourself no never eat from pizza chains. Moreover, you owe it to yourself to explore all that Lakeland has to offer, like Champino’s!
Life in Lakeland, FL 