A little New York on Panama City Beach

I’ve never been to New York City, but have seen, countless times on TV shows and movies, people sighing with delight as they bit into a slice of New York pizza. Pizza, as far as I knew, was what you order from Pizza Hut or Papa Johns. But the minute I stepped into Salvatore’s and ordered up a pie, I realized that real pizza is more than just a phone call and a ring at your doorbell, it is an artform.

Located on Hutchison Blvd in the old Publix Plaza, Salvatore’s is a locally owned and operated Pizza shop, but don’t let the local ownership fool you; the food is all New York. Serving up what may very well be the best pasta, pizza and wings on Panama City Beach, all the sauces and recipes at Salvatore’s are homemade, brought back from Buffalo, New York with the shop’s owner, Ken and his wife.

As you step foot into the eatery, the atmosphere is almost startling, as if you’ve been transported the 1,200 miles up north. In the cozy restaurant, table settings are all red and black checkerboard, behind the counter Ken is spinning dough above his head and the air smells rich with tomato. You know it almost instantly: you’re not on Panama City Beach anymore.

Appetizers:

Salvatore’s serves a number of tasty appetizers. You can order  a variety of fresh-never-frozen buffalo wings from 10 ($7.49) or 20 ($12.99) and up to 50 ($27.99). They also serve some unique items like broccoli poppers ($5.29) or fried ravioli ($5.29). But the favorite among all patrons at Salvatore’s are Salvatore’s Famous Garlic Knots. I personally tasted those little buggers and I can tell you they are the most flavorful things I’ve ever tasted; buttery, garlic-y, soft, hot and with a side of delicious pizza sauce. Knots go for $2.99 for a half a dozen, a dollar more for the full dozen.

Salvatore’s also makes New York style salads, ultra-fresh with a myriad of dressings. If you are looking for something a little heavier, you’ll definitely like the Stromboli, which comes in pepperoni, sausage, Swiss and mozzarella cheeses for $5.29, or the oh-so-tasty Calzones which come with Parmesan, ricotta, Romano and mozzarella cheeses and can be made with toppings like chicken, meatballs pepperoni, spinach and mushroom. You can even create your own version of any of them.

Entrees:

The pasta dishes at Salvatore’s are authentic Italian, rich and savory in every bite. You can try the lasagna for $7.29 or baked four cheese ziti for only $6.99. The manicotti has a powerful amount of flavor, so be careful and the spaghetti can come with meatballs or link sausage. They also serve chicken and veal Parmesan for $7.49 and $9.49. All the pasta dishes come with the famous garlic knots.

While you can easily fall in love with any of the said dishes, what will change the way you see pizza is, well, the pizza. Salvatore’s uses only the freshest ingredients and homemade sauces to make a pizza unlike anything on Panama City Beach. They serve pizzas by the inch at 14 inches or 16 or, if you just had to stop by for a taste, they serve pizza by the slices. The slices are big and covered in toppings ranging from the traditional pepperoni to banana peppers and anchovies. If you have no idea what you want on your pizza you can order a deluxe (pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, green pepper) at 16 inches for $19.79, or a Lite White (olive oil, garlic, mozzarella, Parmesan, Romano cheeses) at 16 inches $14.29. There are other specialty pizzas to choose from $11.99 up to $22.99.

Etc…

You’ll love Salvatore’s because of the New York vibe but Southern service, so stop by, grab a slice of pizza and 10 wings and kick back. And don’t forget the garlic knots, you’ll be talking about them for weeks.

Salvatore’s Pizza and Wings is located at 11206 Hutchison Blvd Panama City Beach, FL 32407 or call ahead at 850-249-0407

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