Tucked away on Old 28th Street is a hidden gem that provides locals with some of the most underrated Italian food in Grand Rapids. This past Wednesday, my teammates and I headed to JT’s Pizza after our game, and we were in desperate need of some pizza and subs. Incredibly hungry, we walked through the front door into a space that screams sports bar and neighborhood hangout. TVs line the walls and various framed sports pictures hang along the space and provide a comforting atmosphere.

We were quickly greeted by a friendly hostess and led to our table, which was simple but practical. We all ordered drinks and they were brought out quickly, and we proceeded to order. The menu at JTs consists of a unique combination of pizza, subs, burgers, and pasta, as well as salad. The food is generally very good, and my brother and I ordered a barbecue chicken pizza, which is always our favorite. Some of my teammates ordered pizza bread, which is a style of breadstick where there is sauce and cheese on the bread as well as pepperonis. Other orders included their signature burger and meatball subs. In general, the pizza is their best and most well known item on the menu. Whatever pizza you order, you’re usually sure to have a good option. I have yet to try the subs or burgers, but my teammates enjoyed their meals and devoured their food in a hurry.

The one thing that was lacking in my experience was the speed in which the food was brought out. My pizza was brought out within twenty minutes, but a few of my teammates’ subs took forty five minutes or more to bring out. We got there at 9 o’clock, and one of my teammates’ subs was brought out at 9:50. This would be understandable if the restaurant was packed, but we were the only people in the entire place except for three people at the bar. We ordered two pizzas, two orders of pizza bread, a burger, and two subs, it just seemed like the food took a weirdly long time to come out. The prices are also a bit steep, as our BBQ chicken pizza was $22 after our drinks were added to the order. The pizza was worth it because it was so good, but I was a little surprised at the final price.

The issues with the food and the price did nothing to dampen our spirits, as we watched NBA basketball and talked about our win. JT’s provides an excellent atmosphere for conversation and hanging with friends, as the dining room often ends up feeling like one of our kitchens or living rooms instead of a restaurant. With all things considered, the FHC basketball team had a great time, and ate great food, at JT’s Pizza Depot.