After the Statesboro Applebee’s announced its closing in April, an old saying was proven true: When one door closes another door opens… or in this case: four doors.

Now let’s take a collective breath and get the hard part out of the way first:

There’s. Still. No. Target.

With a rejuvenated local economy, Statesboro restaurant owners have been hard at work over summer break. Four restaurants with promising potential have swung open their doors in the wake of the floundering Applebee’s empire and it’s welcomed news for residents.

With spirits high, the Reflector staff embarked on a mission to dine at each one of the new restaurants: Del Sur, Nonna Picci, Roundabout Cafe, and Soul Food.  

My recon mission sent me to Nonna Picci and it did not disappoint. The atmosphere of the restaurant had an overwhelming sense of comfort, and the family-style seating made it easy to feel at home. I found myself eating at a farm-style table with six people I had never met before- and I didn’t feel the least bit weird about it.

The homey vibe of the restaurant is tangible. The artwork, and nearly all of the woodwork, on both the inside and outside seating areas was made by the hands of the very people that work at Nonna Picci.

For starters I began with the Picci Salad, which stars fresh spinach with a tasty blend of green apples, prosciutto, almonds, gorgonzola and a house-made citrus vinaigrette.

The pizza was out in a matter of minutes, despite the restaurant being nearly full. The secret is in the oven: 900 degrees of wood-fired awesomeness. You can watch every step of the pizza preparation, which takes place in the open kitchen, viewable from almost every seat in the house.

I chose a 14 inch pizza, half being the Carnivore… because, meat! The main players here were: Capicola, pepperoni, house Italian sausage, and bacon. For the other half, I chose the Quattro Formaggi. Translation: four cheeses, including provolone, mozzarella, parmesan and gorgonzola. If I had to choose a favorite, I honestly couldn’t.

One of the best features of this restaurant is the walkability for many students. Nestled between four large apartment complexes, students living at The Hamptons, The Forum, Monarch 301, and 111 South can be at the restaurant on foot in no time.  

Nonna Picci is available at 912-681-1900 and open from 4:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 4:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 11:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.