There’s a reason Armando’s Grill and Pizzeria is one of the most popular places in Grovetown – the food is amazing.
Soft pizza dough, fresh ingredients, piled high sandwiches, creative fresh salads, and a welcoming staff and owner are among the highlights for those visiting this Italian eatery.
It’s owned and managed by Armando Reyes, a former U.S. Marine who grew up in Bronx, New York.
“My dad had butcher shop and mini-deli next door where my mom worked,” he said.
He played in the streets during the day, enjoying the smells from nearby kitchens. Those days gave him a love for cooking and for good food.
How did he learn to cook? “Hit and miss over the years,” he said.
It took months to perfect his dough recipes. The result is a soft, melt-in-your-mouth treat that has just a touch of sweetness. Reyes admitted that sugar was his secret ingredient.
After retiring from the Marines, he went to work for a pharmaceutical company in Aiken, he said. He made the former owner of the restaurant an offer, but it was turned down. Later, the former owner changed his mind and Reyes bought it and transformed it into Armando’s in 2008.