I really enjoy this place. It's a bit hard to find, and it doesn't help when you ask the very vague, "Can you tell me, is something Italian down this way?" But once you find it, they are fast, reasonably priced, and they fill you up. It's something different, not just something Italian, to break up your work day. Their special is usually a great value, but I find it sells out before they close. I also enjoy their pizza - huge slices, and the vegetarian options are very good. They have a small, but tasty salad bar with all kinds of things to give you bad breath the rest of the day. The place looks small, but they have a fairly large second dining area, so we've never had trouble finding a seat. Be sure to check out their extensive Rocky Balboa action figure collection. You'll never see its equal.
(4)
Jeff B.
I tried Something Italian for lunch today after doing a fair amount of research into their menu and reviews. To cover all the bases, I ordered a slice of pepperoni and The Villian sandwich (it's a grinder plus jalapenos). The pizza came out first and was what you'd expect from any pizza-by-the-slice place - some flavor on what was almost certainly a premade purchased crust. Cheese and pepperoni were good. At this point, I wasn't too worried because in my mind the grinder was the main event. I have a false presumption that if a place offers a grinder, it's going to be a good one because it's a niche menu item. I mean, everyone has a hamburger on the menu because people expect there to be a hamburger on the menu. But if you're serving grinders I assume it's because you want to do so because you're a fan yourself. So after reading that Something Italian uses Graziano's sausage (one of the standards by which DSM food is judged, unless you make the sausage yourself) I thought the worst that could happen was I would get a sub-par grinder with above average sausage. Not the case. If Something Italian does in fact use Graziano's, they must add a heavy dose of ground beef or pork because the grinder meat was totally flavorless. Many places do add ground beef to their meat, and that's fine - but I appreciate being told as much before ordering. The sandwich came with a healthy dose of red sauce - both mixed with the meat and on top - and was topped with melted mozzarella. Bread looked good and was nicely toasted, but like the sauce, meat, and cheese, had very little taste. The pickled jalapenos on top were the highlight of the sandwich. My friend had The Works sandwich - a grinder plus meatball(s) and a few other garnishments. Unfortunately, the sandwich came with only a singular meatball stuffed into the middle. Something Italian gets 5/5 for appearance but 2/5 where it counts. The best comparison I can think of here is the mall-style pizza chains like Sbarro - food looks like the best thing you've ever seen but is dull and tastless upon taking the bait. Prices are fair, service was quick, and dining area was spacious and clean - but food doesn't deliver. I'd only go back for a slice if I worked downtown and had easy access to the skywalk.
(2)
C L.
Mediocre penne pasta with one huge tasteless meatball. Super cheap though! It's hot in Des Moines in the summertime.
(2)
Bob D.
Something Italian is a wonderful place to stop by on your lunch break. You definitely get more food for you dollar compared to any restaurant downtown. The pizza is amazing! It's made fresh everyday so not sure where one yelp reviewer got his facts on that's it's store bought pre-made crust. I haven't tried any of the pasta yet but had numerous sandwiches that are phenomenal! Staff is always pleasant.
(5)
A S.
Great place for a cheap, quick slice of pizza during lunch. The salad bar is nothing spectacular and I usually skip it now. Service is quick but don't expect a warm welcome as the staff usually all act as if they'd rather be anywhere but there.
(4)
Darien G.
Still a huge fan for the lunch hour, and I want to add the hot ham and cheese sandwich is one of the best I've ever had. Great value for the money.
(4)
Kris D.
One of the few lunch options left on this skywalk area. Very reasonable and fast. You can customize a pasta dish, or they have several sandwiches and pizza by the slice to choose from. They also have a small salad bar. The food is okay. My biggest complaint is that while they advertise several sauces and have daily specials with unique sounding sauces, really, they have marinara and alfredo. All of them taste the same. But if you're in the mood for marinara or alfredo, they're not bad. The pizza comes in huge slices, but I've found they are light on sauce and heavy on grease.
(3)
Thomas C.
So here is a little gem on the 2nd Floor of the Skyway. They have freshly made italian pasta, sandwiches, pizza by the slice and an amazing lunch salad for very reasonable prices. This place closes at 2pm.
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Erica H.
I really enjoy this place. It's a bit hard to find, and it doesn't help when you ask the very vague, "Can you tell me, is something Italian down this way?" But once you find it, they are fast, reasonably priced, and they fill you up. It's something different, not just something Italian, to break up your work day. Their special is usually a great value, but I find it sells out before they close. I also enjoy their pizza - huge slices, and the vegetarian options are very good. They have a small, but tasty salad bar with all kinds of things to give you bad breath the rest of the day. The place looks small, but they have a fairly large second dining area, so we've never had trouble finding a seat. Be sure to check out their extensive Rocky Balboa action figure collection. You'll never see its equal.
(4)Jeff B.
I tried Something Italian for lunch today after doing a fair amount of research into their menu and reviews. To cover all the bases, I ordered a slice of pepperoni and The Villian sandwich (it's a grinder plus jalapenos). The pizza came out first and was what you'd expect from any pizza-by-the-slice place - some flavor on what was almost certainly a premade purchased crust. Cheese and pepperoni were good. At this point, I wasn't too worried because in my mind the grinder was the main event. I have a false presumption that if a place offers a grinder, it's going to be a good one because it's a niche menu item. I mean, everyone has a hamburger on the menu because people expect there to be a hamburger on the menu. But if you're serving grinders I assume it's because you want to do so because you're a fan yourself. So after reading that Something Italian uses Graziano's sausage (one of the standards by which DSM food is judged, unless you make the sausage yourself) I thought the worst that could happen was I would get a sub-par grinder with above average sausage. Not the case. If Something Italian does in fact use Graziano's, they must add a heavy dose of ground beef or pork because the grinder meat was totally flavorless. Many places do add ground beef to their meat, and that's fine - but I appreciate being told as much before ordering. The sandwich came with a healthy dose of red sauce - both mixed with the meat and on top - and was topped with melted mozzarella. Bread looked good and was nicely toasted, but like the sauce, meat, and cheese, had very little taste. The pickled jalapenos on top were the highlight of the sandwich. My friend had The Works sandwich - a grinder plus meatball(s) and a few other garnishments. Unfortunately, the sandwich came with only a singular meatball stuffed into the middle. Something Italian gets 5/5 for appearance but 2/5 where it counts. The best comparison I can think of here is the mall-style pizza chains like Sbarro - food looks like the best thing you've ever seen but is dull and tastless upon taking the bait. Prices are fair, service was quick, and dining area was spacious and clean - but food doesn't deliver. I'd only go back for a slice if I worked downtown and had easy access to the skywalk.
(2)C L.
Mediocre penne pasta with one huge tasteless meatball. Super cheap though! It's hot in Des Moines in the summertime.
(2)Bob D.
Something Italian is a wonderful place to stop by on your lunch break. You definitely get more food for you dollar compared to any restaurant downtown. The pizza is amazing! It's made fresh everyday so not sure where one yelp reviewer got his facts on that's it's store bought pre-made crust. I haven't tried any of the pasta yet but had numerous sandwiches that are phenomenal! Staff is always pleasant.
(5)A S.
Great place for a cheap, quick slice of pizza during lunch. The salad bar is nothing spectacular and I usually skip it now. Service is quick but don't expect a warm welcome as the staff usually all act as if they'd rather be anywhere but there.
(4)Darien G.
Still a huge fan for the lunch hour, and I want to add the hot ham and cheese sandwich is one of the best I've ever had. Great value for the money.
(4)Kris D.
One of the few lunch options left on this skywalk area. Very reasonable and fast. You can customize a pasta dish, or they have several sandwiches and pizza by the slice to choose from. They also have a small salad bar. The food is okay. My biggest complaint is that while they advertise several sauces and have daily specials with unique sounding sauces, really, they have marinara and alfredo. All of them taste the same. But if you're in the mood for marinara or alfredo, they're not bad. The pizza comes in huge slices, but I've found they are light on sauce and heavy on grease.
(3)Thomas C.
So here is a little gem on the 2nd Floor of the Skyway. They have freshly made italian pasta, sandwiches, pizza by the slice and an amazing lunch salad for very reasonable prices. This place closes at 2pm.
(4)