As if Covid-19 wasn't enough, experts are predicting a more active than usual hurricane season for summer 2020. It got me thinking about past experiences I've had, days before past hurricanes have hit the state of Florida. Here's an article I started last fall but never finished until now. I wrote it when hurricane Dorian was following a slow path towards Florida.
Located off of Hwy 27 in a little shopping center, sandwiched between a Western Outfitters and an uber cheesy Disney souvenir store, sits Mannino's Pizzeria. This is one of my favorite New York style pizza joints in the area, and it's authentic through and through.
99% of the time, they have a big Sicilian pie fresh out of the oven, along with their standard hand tossed New York pies ready to go. Therefore, I usually always get one Sicilian slice and one thin slice.
Sicilian slices are everything you'd want in that style of pizza. Thick crust but not doughy, with an exquisite taste to the dough which obviously had a nice slow fermentation time. And I do love me a good Sicilian edge crust! You get a little bit of crispiness and crunch when you're finishing your slice off. The sauce is simple, and the cheese is of good quality. True comfort food at its finest.
Their hand tossed slices are nothing to shake a stick at either. It's exactly what you would expect in an authentic New York style slice. A crispy under crust from the deck oven with just the right amount of char, a nice taste to the dough, and again.. great quality toppings.
Finally, the prices are more than fair. My Sicilian slice, pepperoni slice, and can of Coke only set me back six bucks.As I sat eating my lunch today, I couldn't help but feel Zen while looking around this quaint little Pizzeria. There were several locals sitting in silence with their eyes glued to the television that was giving minute-by-minute updates on Hurricane Dorian. It was like we were all connected, none of us knowing what to expect, all of us having that unnerving feeling of the unknown, and taking some solace in enjoying our pizza.. a food that brings so many people comfort and joy.
The whole Pizzeria is modest and unassuming and they don't try to be anything that they aren't. From the giant handwritten menu board, New York sports team decorations on the wall, and the serve yourself drink cooler, it really does look like a pizza joint that would be located somewhere in New York.Writing this blog post about Mannino's took me back even a couple more years prior, when hurricane Irma made its way across central Florida. Mannino's was one of the only places in that section of Davenport that still had power the day after Irma hit. Believe you me, many in the community found their way to Mannino's for some post-hurricane comfort food. The line was wrapped around the building with people waiting to get pizza, subs, pasta, or pretty much anything that they had available.
As it stands with social distancing and all, I'm not sure anyone would even be allowed to eat inside of this tiny establishment, as there's no way to keep a distance of six feet from anyone standing in line to order food. I never knew I was taking for granted something as simple as being able to sit in a pizzeria enjoying a couple slices and a Coke. That goes for just about everything in life up until the pandemic I guess.
I'm sure looking forward to life returning to normal. I just hope normal isn't a ridiculously drastic change from what it used to be like prior to early 2020.
Mannino's Pizzeria
43362 US-27, Davenport, FL 33837