It was her 10th wedding anniversary, but as her husband sat at the table with a cold pizza, Susan stood at the pizza counter chatting with an Italian man for hours.
Okay, okay, that sounds a bit dramatized, but it's true.
Picture it, Bryan, Tx, 2011.
Susan and Kevin Carnes were in Downtown Bryan, celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary when they decided to pop into Mr. G's Pizzeria. Susan didn't know that would be a life-changing moment. That night, she stood at the pizza counter talking with Mr. G for hours. It was like he "was her little Italian grandpa" that she didn't know she needed. They became fast friends, talking frequently, eating pizza, and drinking Chablis together while sharing the stories, laughter, and tears of their lives.
Giovanni Cerone was born and raised in Potenza, Italy. He studied law and music, then later started a band and traveled the world performing. He met his wife Houda while performing in Beirut and they eventually moved to London together. A career change led him to America, settling in New Jersey. That's where he opened his first Italian restaurant. After many years of success, he decided he wanted to own horses - and where do you go if you want to own horses? Texas of course! They loaded up and moved to Waco, Texas. Susan told a story about how he bought a tractor and drove it home to the new farm, in a suit. How very Italian of him.
When his children were accepted to Texas A&M the family moved to Bryan, Texas. In 1995, when their son Rami wanted to open Caffe Capri, an Italian restaurant, in Downtown Bryan, Giovanni agreed to help and made the sauces for the restaurant daily. It was then that Giovanni decided to open a pizzeria just a few blocks away.
In 2020, Giovanni decided it was time to retire and he was ready to sell the business. He and Houda wanted to travel. By that time, Susan was not only his good friend but also his realtor. She found several promising offers, but he wasn't satisfied. He insisted that he would either sell it to Susan or close the doors at the end of the month.
A month later Susan and Kevin found themselves in the pizzeria business.
Mr. G was at the pizzeria with her every day, teaching her the ways for a few months; after that, Susan was in the driver's seat and G was off traveling.
Eleven years to the day of their meeting, on Susan's wedding anniversary, Giovanni Cerone passed away.
Now Susan prides herself in keeping things as traditional as possible while growing and evolving the business. She's made some updates to the building and a few to the menu, but you can still find the original recipes. In fact, only 2 people know how to make the crust, one of them being the original pizza cook.
I first tried a Greek pizza at Mr. G’s Pizzeria several years ago, and it’s still what I order anytime I go. Traditional crust topped with sauce and mozzarella cheese like usual, then black olives, red onions, feta cheese, fresh tomatoes, and basil. Finally, it’s sprinkled with oregano. Of course, I always add a bit of parm and red pepper flakes on top. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, does a better Greek pizza than Mr. G’s.
Giovanni only served beer and wine, but when Susan and Kevin took over, they expanded the bar menu to include liquor and one of their signature drinks is the Limoncello Lemonade. This drink was absolutely fabulous. There aren’t many adult beverages that I can’t taste the alcohol in, but this is one. So be careful, it could really sneak up on you; a true taste of summer. It was bright and refreshing, with tart and sweet perfectly balanced.
Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts, so I’m pretty judgy about it, and Mr. G’s is always fabulous. The ladyfingers are delicate and soak up the espresso without getting mushy. It holds its form well when layered with the silken mascarpone cream and then dusted with a layer of cocoa powder. The lightly sweet flavors, rich coffee and liquor aromas, and velvety textures make it a decadent treat that will leave you satisfied, yet wanting more.
If you’re on the search for one of the best pizzas around, make sure you take a drive down the backroads and end up at Mr. G’s Pizzeria in Downtown Bryan, Texas. Tell Susan, Kevin, and the crew that I said hi, and make sure you get a tiramisu to go if you’re too full. You’ll be glad you did.
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201 W 26th Street Bryan, TX 77803
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