Bites Nearby: Luigi's Restaurant & Gourmet Express

Whether you want to take out a hot meal or eat in at Luigi's Restaurant & Gourmet Express, you’ll be treated to the same family tradition of Italian specialties for lunch or dinner — and it’ll make you want to come back for more.

Luigi's food is fresh-made every day, and the dishes come from old Battista family recipes. All the breads, desserts, soups and sauces are all made from scratch. When asked what was the most popular lunch, owner Ralph Battista said the chicken parmigiana sandwich is a top seller.

Luigi's is famous for other lunch specials, including:

• Capresse Grilled Panini sandwich, made with fresh mozzarella, oven roasted plum tomato, fresh basil, with a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette grilled on a sliced Tuscan loaf. 
• The Pavarotti signature sandwich, filled with turkey, provolone, lettuce, tomato and roasted peppers with a zesty balsamic dressing.
• And if you’ve never heard of a Pane Insalata, it’s a combination of a pizza, sandwich and a salad, on a light and crispy grilled pizza shell oven toasted with sliced meats and cheeses then folded in half, loaded with leafy greens.

Luigi's also has a large menu of wraps or choice of garlic, herbs or whole wheat breads, and personalized pizza with baked or grilled crusts.

Watching the calories? Luigi's has many different salads to choose from — Caesar, Greek, and the renowned Luigi's Waldorf.

And when you don't have the time to cook dinner, Luigi's has an Express Pasta, offering dinners with meatballs, veal and chicken parm over penne, linguine, or cheese ravioli. On Monday to Friday after 3 p.m., the Express offers complete take-out dinners with boneless stuffed chicken, stuffed pork roast or barbecue half chicken, with oven roasted or sweet potatoes and a mix of vegetables.

On a recent visit, the food was hot and tasty and there wasn’t a long wait. The staff made quick work of the order, and I left with generous helpings of delicious Luigi’s specialties — and a piece of All-American chocolate cake, an eight-inch-tall hunk of rich, creamy chocolate between luscious layers of cake. Luigi’s dessert menu also includes a Milky Way mousse cake, caramel fudge pecan cakes, and a cappuccino cheesecake.

Take-out for three people:

1 Chicken Franciase

1 Chicken Marsala

1 Tuna Florentine Sandwich

1 Coke, 1 Dasani Water and 1 piece of an All American Chocolate Cake                     

Total $ 32.75