Angelina's: Lake Havasu City's Favorite Italian Restaurant

Sunny Lake Havasu City, Arizona, is a popular, year-round tourist destination. Winter visitors flock to the area seeking warm sunshine, and the summer visitors come to Lake Havasu for boating and water sports. Like any tourist destination, visitors often ask residents: Where's the best place to eat? It's that familiar cliché inquiry, where do the locals go?

For Italian food, the number one answer would be Angelina's. Located in a small, inconspicuous hole in the wall, in a building that may have once been an old house, it's tucked into an industrial area away from typical tourist haunts. Located at 2137 West Acoma Boulevard, if you aren't paying attention, you will probably miss it.

Before Angelina's was at its current location, its talented chef and founder, Gerry Grippo, tempted the palates of local patrons at various locations, until he and his wife, Mary, set up shop at its eventual Acoma home.

The interior was nothing spectacular, and the staff was casual and personal with the clientele. But it was the food that made Angelina's a local favorite.

It is perhaps one of the few Havasu restaurants where a waiting list is frequently in use. Each dinner is served with warm rosemary bread, and pasta and marinara is a familiar and popular side dish. I've tried most items on the menu, and they've all proved to be delicious. My favorite is Chicken Angelina, which is a breaded chicken and eggplant dish. My mother loves the stuffed shrimp, which is also one of my favorites. My husband bounces from the lasagna to stuffed ravioli, yet his favorite is the meatballs. For a special treat, I order the spinach side dish.

Gerry and his wife and partner, Mary, ran Angelina's for about thirteen years. Gerry passed away in June of 2006, leaving behind a Havasu culinary legacy.

Today Angelina's is still owned and operated by the family, and continues to be a Havasu favorite, serving up delicious Italian meals, that could hold their own in any city, here or in Italy.

The only real change, came with a bit of sprucing up to the interior of the building, new menus and casual uniforms for the staff. There was a bit of a struggle at first, with some locals wondering if the new generation would be able to serve up those wonderful dishes that Gerry brought to Havasu.

Happy to say, they seem to have found their way, and today Angelina's continues to be a local favorite, and a delightful surprise to visitors who discover this out of way restaurant.

Angelina's has recently opened for lunch, serving a variety of Italian subs and salads. Yet, their dinner is still my favorite. Am I related to, or affiliated with Angelina's? No. They aren't even close acquaintances. But I am a fan.