SAM DEAN The Roanoke Times

Luigi Greco makes a pizza at Gionetti's Frank's.

The best thing that happened to the Campbell Avenue eating scene occurred when Rhonda Thomas decided to merge Geonetti's specialty subs, soups and chili with Luigi Greco's pizza, calzones and pasta. This union -- named Geonetti's Frank's -- created a perfect fit. The downtown Roanoke restaurant is a one-stop spot for moderately priced, tasty eats embracing whichever sandwich, pasta or pizza topping you prefer.

Meet the owners

Rhonda Thomas had never owned a restaurant, but remembers her parents' discussions about the Iroquois Club, a place they owned on Salem Avenue years ago. Now, she's applying what she learned then to her new undertaking.

Thomas still is a businesswoman and real estate agent who became associated with Geonetti's when she originally backed the previous owner. She contacted Greco, whose Frank's Pizza was known widely in the area, and together they have created a well-managed, efficiently run shop featuring delicious sandwiches and delectable pizzas.

The vibe

For the most part, it's a self-service place where you place your order at the counter, get a drink and wait several minutes for your number to be called. It's a smoothly operating system, but just in case there's a problem, Greco stands at the end of the counter ready to ease any glitch. The only time service comes to a table is when a patron has ordered a hot dish, such as cheese ravioli ($8), stuffed shells ($8) or baked lasagna ($9).

A TV high on the wall initially attracted my attention. Then I started looking around at the cleanliness of the place and the assemblage of house-made pizzas under glass at the counter, which tempt exuberant lunch appetites. These pies embody freshness: Their foundation dough and toppings are prepared daily and slices are heated to order.

Behind the counter, refrigerated shelves hold specialty desserts, such as cheesecake ($3.25), as well as salads ($3.50-$6), both in clear plastic containers. Several bottled beverages ($1.50) are available in this case, too.

The menu

There's something for everyone at Geonetti's Frank's. Colorful and nicely descriptive, the menu is a five-page foldout with a dozen categories. These include munchies ($1 to $4.50), a selection of six salads ($3.50-$7), traditional pizza ($10 to $12) with a long list of toppings at $1.95 each, and eight gourmet pizzas ($10 to $19). Following this are nine pasta dishes ($8 to $9), four calzones ($7 to $8), and a tots' menu featuring five 4-inch subs ($2.50-$4) for children 10 and under.

The back page proffers five 8-inch ($6), 12-inch ($8), and 16-inch ($10) grilled subs on Italian or whole wheat rolls, 10 oven-baked specialties and eight oven-baked classics. The title page lists desserts and drinks, then goes on to describe "our lunch specials," any 6-inch oven-baked classic sub plus a choice of soup, small salad, chili or chips, and a fountain soda for $6. It's impossible to beat that value.

What I ate

The couple of times I have visited Geonetti's Frank's, there was so much I wanted to taste that I had a difficult time deciding.

On my first go-round, I had an 8-inch traditional sub ($6) accompanied by a small house salad ($3.50). This handsome, well-stacked sub was skillfully layered with roast beef, smoked turkey, honey-baked ham, cheddar cheese and the works, which includes mayonnaise, shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, Italian oil and vinegar dressing, and red pepper relish. This was served on a wonderful toasted roll that was slightly crunchy on the outside and tender within.

The salad, a remarkably fresh combination of romaine lettuce, black olives, green peppers, cucumbers, red onions, cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese and homemade croutons dressed with packaged Italian vinaigrette, completed my lunch on a sprightly note.

My lunch partner, who loves Italian food, ordered a slice of pizza Margarita ($4) and a cheese ravioli casserole ($8). With its medium-thick crust topped with fresh basil, sliced Roma tomatoes, kalamata olives, mozzarella and seasonings, the pizza came from the kitchen piping hot, with the cheese bubbling. It was a tasty slice of pie if there ever was one. The ravioli was served to our table in a neat casserole with a warning about its hotness. After the sauce settled down, we both dug in to the plump cheese pillows and found it an impressive dish, especially the brightly flavored red tomato sauce.

On my second visit, I succumbed to an 8-inch Philly cheese steak ($6), still warm from the grill and appropriately served on a roll cut only on one side so the filling of thinly sliced rib-eye, onions, green peppers and mozzarella wouldn't spill out.

My friend had a taco salad ($6) containing all the usual items -- shredded lettuce, olives, sliced tomatoes, tortilla chips, homemade chili, shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream -- presented in a nice arrangement.

"This salad looks and tastes the best ever," she said.

Not to be picky, but ...

With a few more minutes of cooking, the ravioli would have been more tender and not as gummy. I liked the Philly cheese steak sandwich, but it lacked the requisite lusciousness -- the succulence usually associated with it.

The bottom line

This cheerful place carries a menu of nicely prepared, tasty, casual, Italian-American food at reasonable prices. Most of the quick-service items for one diner cost $10 or less, a real value in this day and age.

I reviewed Geonetti's in 2009 and found a great deal that was unsatisfactory. Today, under the direction of Rhonda Thomas and Luigi Greco, the simple preparations offered are more carefully constructed, lunch runs smoothly, and the staff is well-organized. Everything turns out better, especially the food.