Skip to main content

Tag: Pizzano’s Pizza

Heritage Day Festival will celebrate Island’s history

Heritage Day Festival will celebrate Island’s history

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Entertainment, Festivals, Museums.

ANNA MARIA – The Anna Maria Island Historical Society will host its annual Heritage Day Festival on Tuesday, March 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Heritage Day Festival is a free celebration of the history of Anna Maria Island. The festival is held inside the Anna Maria Island Histori­cal Museum at 402 Pine Ave. and on the museum grounds that also include the historic Belle Haven cottage that once sat at the end of the Anna Maria City Pier.

Heritage Day Festival will celebrate Island’s history
The historic Belle Haven cottage will be open for free tours. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“Not even double hurricanes can keep us down and our newly-restored museum will be open for tours,” longtime Historical Society member and museum docent Judy Hildman said.

Heritage Day Festival will celebrate Island’s history
Basket and hat weaver David Rhone traveled from Salt Lake City, Utah to participate in last year’s festival. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“Heritage Day celebrates the history of Anna Maria Island and our three unique cities. It is our gift to the community. This year, more than ever, we celebrate and thank the commu­nity for their generosity and support to help us build back. It is a fun, family-oriented event with live music, food, arts and crafts demonstrations and vendors, kids games and so much more. The Privateers will incarcerate the mayors of all three Island cities in our ‘Old City Jail’ for ransom dona­tions,” Hildman said.

Heritage Day Festival will celebrate Island’s history
The AMI Privateers captured mayors Judy Titsworth and Dan Murphy during last year’s festival. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The Heritage Day Festival includes the sale of fresh strawberry shortcake as a Historical Society fundraising activity. The fundraisers will also include the sale of Settlers Bread and other baked goods as well as raffles and a silent auction.

Heritage Day Festival will celebrate Island’s history
Strawberry shortcake sales are a Heritage Day Festival tradition. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Holmes Beach-based Pizzano’s Pizza will be this year’s featured food vendor.

No parking spaces will be avail­able at the museum during the event, but there is free parking along Pine Avenue. Festivalgoers can take the free Island Trolley and get off at the Crescent Drive/Pine Avenue trolley stop in front of the museum.

For more information, or to become a museum docent or volunteer, please visit www.amihs.org or call 941-778-0492.

Pizzano’s packs a punch with pizza

Pizzano’s packs a punch with pizza

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Business, Restaurants | Bars.

HOLMES BEACH – Nobody is quite sure if being two blocks from the beach makes pizza taste better, but the owners of Pizzano’s Pizza and Grinderz say it’s good for the soul if nothing else.

While new to AMI, Pizzano’s has been established in Florida for decades, with the first location opening more than 30 years ago in Orlando. Born in Sicily and raised in Michigan, owner Sam Marhi has been connected to AMI long before he opened his restaurant here.

“My family’s vacationed down here for lots of years,” Marhi said. “We always said if the opportunity came up on the Island, we’d love to do a pizza place here. Over the years, not too much became available that fit what we were looking for, then we got lucky enough and this spot came open.”

The spot Marhi speaks of is 5318 Marina Drive in a popular shopping plaza that has ample foot traffic and is highly visible. There are now 11 Pizzano’s; the first nine locations are all in the Orlando area and are still very successful, with the 10th being their Bradenton location.

However, it was number 11 that made Marhi and his wife, Missy, relocate to Anna Maria Island and make it their permanent home. Like so many others, they just want to work hard and live the “Island life.”

Sam and Missy work open to close just about every day in their new location, but always have a smile on their face because they feel fortunate to be in their dream location. The couple met nearly 30 years ago when Sam had just opened his first Pizzano’s and Missy was a customer. A saucy romance began, and the couple has been together, feeding the public ever since.

When asked what the secret to their success has been, Marhi says it’s his attention to the details he says many pizza restaurants no longer do.

“We still do things old school,” Marhi said. “I still make all my pizza dough in-house, and I still make all of our pizza sauces and other sauces in-house. We don’t buy anything frozen or anything pre-made. It makes a big difference, and a lot of places don’t do that anymore, especially out here on the Island.”

Pizzano’s has a large menu that offers something for everybody. While the traditional pizza is very popular, they also do a Detroit-style Sicilian pizza, wings, subs, various breads and garlic knots, salads, pastas, desserts and grinderz. It should be noted for those from the Northeast that in Michigan, a grinder is similar to a calzone, not another name for a “sub” or “hero” sandwich. Marhi admits there is sometimes confusion due to the origin of the customer, but they’re “keeping it Michigan.” “A new item we’ve introduced here on the Island is a gluten-free cauliflower pizza crust and we have a dairy-free plant-based cheese option too,” Marhi said. “We’re also in the process of adding some gluten-free pasta to the menu as well.”

Anyone visiting Pizzano’s will be greeted by a friendly staff that seems genuinely happy to see them walk through the door. Many customers have become friends of the staff and a great deal are already on a first-name basis. Pizzano’s is open seven days a week with both carry-out and delivery available during all business hours: Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m.-12 a.m.; Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-1 a.m.; and Sunday from 11 a.m.-12 a.m.

To place an order, call 941- 778-3663 (FOOD) or order online. During the busy spring season, delivery and carryout times may be longer than at other times of the year.